For the first time I just found an easy to build configuration that could well be the best value-for-money for intensive chess computing.
Here is the basic config :
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Shuttle K45 minibarebone (Intel 945 GC MB socket 775) 116.3 Euros
Intel Pentium dual core E2180 55.0 Euros
Corsair 2x1 Go DDR2 PC6400 ram 43.8 Euros
Maxtor diamond Max 21 (160 Go SATA 2 HD) 33 Euros
MS basic value pack (KB+mouse) 18.2 Euros
TOTAL : 266.3 eurossee here : http://global.shuttle.com/product_detail.jsp?PI=1068
Intel E2180 is an extremely low-cost low-consumption dual core processor whose processing power is similar to a the well-known Core 2 Duo E6600. With an overclocked E2160 (its slightly slower brother) fritzmarks as high as 8.37 (4017 Kn/sec) have been achieved. For those who do not follow these numbers, a well overclocked Q6600 quad reaches 20-22 fritzmark and record-holders octals perform at ~45-50 fritzmark. So you should be able to get a global chess processing power similar to a top-of-the-range octal with just five of these E2180 Intel units. And here is the point : one skulltrail top-range octal hosts two QX9775 processors and each of them costs more than 25 times the price of one E2180. Sure there are less expansive solutions than the skulltrail platform for building an octal, but most of them are much more expansive than building five E2180-based PCs as described here.
Fritzmark results are here : http://www.jens.tauchclub-krems.at/dive ... marks.html
The configuration hereover lacks a few things :
- CD/DVD reader/writer : I intend to use just one external unit for the installation of OS and software on several boxes (letting the box open you may use an external SATA unit like the Pioneer DVR215D available here in belgium for 29.3 Euros). After that everything should be network-operated.
- Monitor : not needed if you pilot the unit from another PC through UltraVNC as I intend to do. If you wish one the WXGA 16/10 17'' one by Hanns (HW173A : 127.4 euros) is a bargain.
- MS windows XP x64 edition (perfectly legal copies with original CD and licence are available at ~120 euros on the web)
- a network hub/switch (I recently bought a gigabit eight ports D-Link DGS-108D for 35 euros)
- cables, ...
In summary you get an isolated full config for less than 500 euros and /or a series of network-connected boxes with a price per unit under 300 euros if you do not care having a monitor on each box.
If you intend, for example, to have massive epd analysis performed 24/7, the processing power of a set of five of these boxes should be higher than one top-end skulltrail for a fraction of the price.
If everything works well with my soon-to-be-built first unit (I should get the pieces next week), I intend to get several such little boxes very soon.
I will let you know ...
Marc
PS : For those interested in distributing analysis tasks on several computers, the Condor free distributed computing project seems very interesting.
See here : http://www.cs.wisc.edu/condor/
