10 Most Powerful Computers of All Time
Posted 09/30/08 at 01:45:10 PM | by Tom Edwards
Sure, you overclock your rig to the bleeding edge, direct deposit your paycheck to Newegg, and are on the utility company’s watch list because of the blackouts you’ve been known to cause. Yes, you’re a badass power user, but let’s face it, none of your home-built rigs can touch these 10 beasts. So what if half of these machines only exist in the minds of sci-fi writers – their computational prowess transcends the fiction/reality plane, putting our mighty Petaflop age to shame. Peruse this list for inspiration and then get building, you’ve got some catching up to do before you can compete with the real big boys. We won’t settle until our rigs achieve sentience.
10.Tardis
Dr. Who is the original geek cult TV series, beating Star Trek to the small screen by three years, and while Tardis is not the only rig on this list allows for time travel, were suckers for that Time Lord tech, and doubly impressed that the Tardis is grown, not built, making it the ultimate green PC.
9. WABAC machine
Baseball. Nope. A beautiful summer day. No way. The ice cream man. Uh-uh. Nothing, seemingly, was powerful enough to draw kids outside when Rocky and Bullwinkle was on and Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman hopped into the WABAC machine.
8. Holly
Although regularly showing signs of senility due to spending 3 million years on its own, we find Holly’s ability to transform from a middle aged, balding man into a blonde woman a particularly desirous skill for many technophiles.
7. Proteus IV
Talk about packing a load of RAM, no other machine we know of has the power to impregnate Julie Christie!
6. Deep Blue
What could possibly be more boring than watching a chess match? In our book, nothing (that is until someone decides to start broadcasting online poker tournaments). Until that day arrives, chess retains the title of worst spectator sport ever devised. Yet the epic battle between Deep Blue and Gary Kasparov had us rethink this proposition. Deep Blue’s 1997 victory gave us an early view into the mind of our soon-to-arrive computer overlords.
5. WOPR
Yes, in fact, we would like to play a game. The WOPR takes us back to a more innocent time when a 2400 baud modem and a bit of ingenuity would allow you to change your grades or play a game of Global Thermonuclear War. And in a game of chess, we’ll take WOPR over entry No. 6 any day.
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How about the Cylons from
Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Sun, 2008-10-05 20:54
How about the Cylons from BattleStar Gallactica they were all computer controlled sentient robots.
Also I just got a RoboSapien from Wall Mart for 30bucks on sale so would he count.. He certainly is cool.
Colossus
Submitted by johnj on Fri, 2008-10-03 19:30
What about Colossus the super computer that tried to take over the world.
Colossus: The Forbin Project from 1970.
Submitted by Shalbatana on Wed, 2008-10-01 08:25
Was the tardis in the mag's print countdown? I don't remember seeing it. Nice that some of the computers listed have alternate explanations from the print mag too.
I would have to agree about Deep thought and the Earth.... wspecially since I'm not sure I'd count the tardis as a "computer" either. Still it's nice to see it turning up everywhere from time to time.
This list stuff is a great idea. Muy fun!
_______________________________
"There's no time like the future."
Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Tue, 2008-09-30 20:30
Tony Stark in Iron Man has an awsome household and engineering computer system. Also I hear that Bill Gates has an awsome Household computer system with everything that money can buy. Even stuff that isn't available yet. His windows double as computer screens. It's awsome. I only know a little bit about his computerized house and the rest is speculation but it makes me hot to think about it.
Submitted by Nick Burns on Tue, 2008-09-30 19:50
No mention of the computer that nearly killed Superman.
And let's not forget Braniac himself.
Submitted by amacieli on Tue, 2008-09-30 17:46
Umm, skuze me, but what about Orac from Blake's 7?? That thing predated House by decades.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orac_(Blake%27s_7)
Submitted by lunchbox73 on Tue, 2008-09-30 15:19
What about the Bat Computer in the Bat Cave? Now that thing was bad ass. Push a few random flashing buttons and a card pops out with the location of Joker's next crime. It was even labeled BAT COMPUTER in case it wasn't obvious.
It's been a while since I've watched but I'm pretty sure the Super Friends has a pretty sweet rig in the Hall of Justice too...
Um, how about Teletraan-1
Submitted by Scorponok on Tue, 2008-09-30 13:04
Um, how about Teletraan-1 from The Transformers, pretty bad ass computer in my book.
Submitted by strykyr on Tue, 2008-09-30 12:15
The Knight Industries Two Thousand. It talk, it drives, it jumps, it has a built in ATM, it has x-ray vision. It can even turn off your alarm from your garage. It also plays video games with you. It had cell phone tech before the old bricks came out. It has not one but TWO displays. And it was your vary own doctor-friend-shrink-baby sitter-alarm clock-chaufer-bullet proof shield-jokester-portable tv. And he taught Topanga in Boy Meets World. Bonnie wasn't too hard to look at tho.
I have watched the new stuff. They ruined the turbo boost concept but not too bad.
As far as I know ALL those other computers couldn't handle getting shot...with the exception of the one in the Enterprise...but it shot back. And KITT was the only one that would get u laid....sure worked for the hoff.
Submitted by StarWolf on Tue, 2008-09-30 12:04
I have to agree with this one!
Submitted by neo1piv14 on Tue, 2008-09-30 11:44
Woah woah woah. Where is Deep Thought or Earth? The computers that could calculate that answer and the question (respectively) to the Great Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything! For shame, Max PC
Submitted by TheZomb on Tue, 2008-09-30 18:56
You say deep blue gives insight into computer overlords while skynet took over the world
ELIMINATE Do Daleks
Submitted by nekollx on Wed, 2008-10-08 12:07
ELIMINATE
Do Daleks count?
What about Master Mold? He was a sentient machine that built Sentinals in his chest.
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