If I don't win the Beast, then here is what I might order:

COOLER MASTER Stacker 830 Evolution RC-830-KKR3-GP Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case Real Power Pro 1000W Power Supply - Retail

TYAN S5396A2NRF Dual 771 Intel 5400 SSI / Extended ATX Server Motherboard - Retail

Intel Xeon E5410 Harpertown 2.33GHz LGA 771 80W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80574E5410A - Retail

Kingston 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 FB-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) ECC Fully Buffered Dual Channel Kit Server Memory Model KVR667D2D8F5K2/2G - Retail

With 2 each of the E5410's and the 2GB memory kits, this list comes in a little over $1500.  I already have drives and video card, they will come off the FX-60 that I will dismantle.  This machine will be a BOINC cruncher, and I would install 64 bit Ubuntu on it.  I know it wouldn't have Beast-type performance, but I think it would keep my RAC up a bit.

Should be fun to build!

interesting topic title , "budget" skulltrail .

isnt it still a 1000 dollar  motherboard but still a good post

frg1:

isnt it still a 1000 dollar  motherboard but still a good post

He's not getting the Skulltrail board, He's getting a Tyan dual socket 771 system. The skulltrail board can also be bought for around 670 or so.

Back to the op, for a number cruncer, it'll be a good rig ^_^. Still really pricey, but justified if you need the power.  

wolf2009:

interesting topic title , "budget" skulltrail .

 

 I stole that from a Techage article, and they were using a real Skulltrail board but using cheaper processors and ram to get the price under $2500.  The real D5400XS  is  not so available right now, or I might have tried to build on it and spent a lot more.  But the Tyan is still the Seaburg chipset that can utilize the 45 nm Xeons.  So I'll get an 8 core cruncher and the experience of building a dual core machine.  

 I measured the FX-60 tonight with the Killawatt.  It is 120 watts idle and 184 watts under full load.  My Q6600 pulled 144 watts under full load clocked at 3 GHz, that's a 65 nm processor, interested to see what the dual 5410 will pull.

 Guess I'll take that up in the My Rig thread when I get it under way. If anybody's interested.  It's been a long cold winter and nothing cheers me up like building a computer.

isn't better to get an extreme edition cpu with a normal mobo and get higher scores?

 Yes, actually, I think it is.  I am running a QX9650 at ABC@home with 64 bit Linux.  I have it clocked at 4 GHz on air.  It has been floating in and out of the top ten there among some Clovertown v8's that I am sure are overclocked- a lot of those guys know what to do with a piece of electrical tape and a Xeon processor. 

I am running my E5410's at Seti@home with 64 bit Windows XP Pro evaluation edition.  I have a couple of Q6600's running stock speeds with Windows XP  Home and I am not expecting my Harpertowns to have double the production of the Kentsfields, from what I am seeing now.  You can't beat the Q6600's at bang for buck. I guess I hoped the Harpertowns would be a lot closer, since they are 45 nm 2.33 GHz and the Q6600's are 65 nm 2.4 Ghz, but quality seems to better than quantity.  I would imagine ddr2 800 plays a role there too, over the ddr2667 FB dimms.

 

 

 Can't wait to hear more about it.

 

Very cool that you are taking the time to try power consumption tests, always neat to hear about.

I am too planning to buy the QX9650 when it will come in the 500$ range,on ebay!