Student PC Builders and Graphic Artists Rise to the Challenge
Work/Play Builds and GPU-inspired Designs Highlight Two Intel® Insider Competitions

Two winning entries – a manufacturing-inspired “work hard, play hard” PC build and a calming yet fun GPU shroud design – earned top honors in a pair of US Student Challenges sponsored by the Intel® Insiders Hub, a vibrant, online community for PC enthusiasts. The Insiders Hub is a platform where you can share latest projects, and enthusiasm, for all things PC with other doers, modders, and artists.

The PC Build Challenge and the Digital Art Challenge were staged to showcase two new Intel® product releases: the 12th Generation Intel® Core™ processor and the Intel® Arc™ Graphics Processing Unit.

Both challenges attracted a combined 657 new membership profiles and 51 project submissions. Participants in the PC Build Challenge were tasked with building the ideal multitasking machine for work and play, while participants in the Digital Art Challenge were to create original artwork inspired by the Intel Arc GPU. Competitors in both Challenges had 30 days to submit their ideas, from which the top five finalists in each Challenge were selected. Finalists then had 24 more days to produce and chronicle their concepts. In addition, the five PC Build Challenge finalists each received a complete hardware package featuring the 12th Gen Intel Core processor. Submissions were judged on creativity, technical difficulty and demonstrated skills, and inclusion of Intel® technology.

Challenge Champions Earn Cash and Career Opportunities

The finalist for the PC Build Challenge were considered for Internship opportunities at Intel. The winner and runner up also earned cash awards of $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. In the Digital Art Challenge, the top two entrants received $5,000 and $1,000.

Here are the winning and runner-up entries in each Student Challenge:

PC Build Challenge Winners!

• First place: Connor Barrett, a Manufacturing Engineering major at Western Washington University, for creating “WWU x Intel: Future of Manufacturing,” his vision of the ultimate machine to work hard, play hard. Drawing inspiration from Intel’s position on the cutting edge of manufacturing – plus a celebratory touch of school spirit – Connor made use of WWU’s manufacturing facilities to create the unique elements of a machine to fulfill the needs of advanced engineering studies and after-hours gameplay. Learn more about Connor’s methodology and results here.

• First runner-up: Daniel Kubeck, a fourth-year Computer Engineering major at UC San Diego, for building “My Dream Gaming, Streaming and Music Production Desktop,” which will also do double duty for work, school and personal projects. Daniel is pleased to note that his new PC’s performance metrics easily blew by his initial expectations: games run at higher settings and frame rates, streaming works flawlessly, and massive files load instantly. View Daniel’s detailed account of his dream PC build here.

Digital Art Challenge Winners

• First place: Asaki Nelson, Industrial Design major at Western Washington University, for her “Intel Arc GPU Shroud Design.” Asaki’s GPU sleek, accessible approach to shroud design is a fun, friendly departure from traditional masculine imagery with its bold colors and sharp lines. Her approach is a calming design that’s intended to reflect the Intel Arc brand sensibilities and color palette. Learn more about Asaki’s graphic design methodology here.

• First runner-up: Yasha Doddabele, a student at Case Western Reserve University. Her design, titled “Intel Arc Codename Splash Art,” represents the product’s four codename "characters." In the forefront stands an Intel Alchemist blending the powerful elements of the GPU with a computer's processor. She drew inspiration from Intel’s distinct use of vibrant pinks, purples, and blues. Read about her artistic process here.

To view all the submissions, visit Digital Art Finalists and PC Build Finalists.

Get the Inside Track and Become a Community Leader
If you like to show off your stuff, then check out our member programs where Intel provides early access, and resources, for you to engage the community. As a leader, you'll get regular updates from Intel on upcoming products, be provided opportunities for community engagement with potential sponsorships for speakerships and content authoring.

Go to Members Programs. The Intel Insiders Hub is your place to create, post and connect! There's a lot here to do, so get started! We highly recommend you take the first step and create a project.