13.6K for $350!!!

[rogue1979]

They were only $59, so I picked up a couple of Chaintech 7NJL1 refurbs. These things were brand new packaged with all the goodies including rounded IDE cables. I put my wife together the following system:

JIUHB 1700+ for $43 @2200MHz (newegg)
Nforce2 $59 @ 200 x 11 (newegg)
Chaintech GF4 Ti4200 128MB $89 @ 310/575 (computer geeks)
Maxtor 40GB 7200rpm $34 after rebate (staples)
Crucial PC2700 512MB @ 200MHz $58 (pricewatch)
Generic case with 400-watt power supply $22 (local)
Speeze SuperRock heatsink and two 80mm fans $18 (pricewatch)
Used CD-rom and floppy $12 (local)
56K modem free after rebate (officemax)
40X CD-burner $19 after rebate (compusa)

$354 total and this thing screams!

13,600 points in 3DMark 2001
2850/1200 AIDA memory benchmarks
3050/2900 Sandra memory benchmarks

I think this is absolutely amazing for a so-called "budget system". I tried the other Chaintech 7NJL1, and these things feel fast and give great benchmarks. We are both memory limited right now, I have a stick of true Samsung PC3200 that hits 200MHz cas2.5 relaxed timings, won't go 201 unless I drop the timings to slow. I have no doubt that these boards will hit 220MHz right out of the box.

 

[onza]

nice work =D

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Ferengi++

Good job.

Wanna build me one? I'll give ya $400.
Edit - Or sell me a Chaintech? I noticed you have "a couple" of them ...

- M4H

 

[rogue1979]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Ferengi++

Good job.

Wanna build me one? I'll give ya $400.
Edit - Or sell me a Chaintech? I noticed you have "a couple" of them ...

- M4H

The Chaintechs are definately keepers. The secret to building such a cheap system is simply time. My wife already had a 1800MHz Palamino running, so I just waited on good deals over the last 3 weeks or so. No pressure, no hurrying, just wait patiently and grab a component for a killer deal, one at a time.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I wish I could. Too bad NewEgg hates Canadians, so I miss out on all the refurb deals.

- M4H