Intel's winners for future PC comp

Gauntlet thrown down to case manufacturers gets picked up, hope for the future of PC cases alive and well.

Intel has announced the winners of its ‘Million Dollar PC Design Challenge’.

The contest was held by Intel to help redefine the look of PC design. Only existing manufacturers were allowed to enter, ruling out any individual entries and therefore, Atomic Hot Box contenders.

The goal is to forever destroy the legend of the beige box, and herald an era of PCs so slick they’d be right at home in a museum of modern art. Anything that helps put to death the current trend of Transformers—style plasticy ninja boxes is a-ok with us.

“Intel is passionate about helping making sure home computers evolve to become as sleek and fashionable on the outside as the level of performance and innovation Intel processors provide on the inside,” said Eric Kim, senior vice president and general manager, Intel’s Digital Home Group.

The winner 'Black Crystal' from TriGem Computer of Korea, scoops a US$300,000 manufacturing grant, plus US$400,000 for marketing the new design (in a joint campaign with Intel, of course). Second place 'Asono Merium' from Norwegian company Mesiro wins US$300,000 for manufacturing.

The contest will be held again next year.

The winning 'Black Crystal' design. It's like an iMac, but it's black with matching speakers and a horrific 'VIIV' sticker to spoil everything.

Runner-up 'Asono Merium' looks pretty darned 'beige box' to us. Also marred by VIIV sticker.