HP buying VoodooPC

With its high-profile XPS line and recent purchase of boutique gaming house Alienware, for awhile it looked like Dell would be the only major PC manufacturer willing to cater to serious gamers. Not anymore. In a move that caught everyone, including us, completely by surprise (you'll notice the lack of backlinks to any rumor posts about this), HP announced today that it will acquire Alienware rival VoodooPC for an undisclosed sum. After the deal closes -- following the usual regulatory rigmarole -- HP will form a new business unit dedicated to gaming in its Personal Systems Group, with Voodoo co-owners (and brothers) Rahul and Ravi Sood assuming the roles of Chief Technologist and Director of Strategy, respectively. As you're probably aware, the acquisition comes at somewhat of a turbulent time for HP: not only is the company still reeling from the bruising merger with Compaq under former CEO Carly Fiorina, it's currently undergoing unwanted public and governmental scrutiny over the so-called "pretexting" scandal that led to the recent resignation of chairwoman Patricia Dunn. Although we doubt that the Voodoo deal is going to make everyone forget about the alleged spying that has occurred, it's nice to know that once HP finally puts this ugly mess behind it, consumers (especially gamers) can expect to benefit from some hot products and lower pricing that can only be realized now that Dell has some real competition on its hands. [Warning: PDF link]

[Eazy @ Sep 28th 2006 7:50PM]

They better lower prices. Voodoo PC has the most overpriced computers ever although you can't complain about the type of cases you get. They have nice paint jobs and the fanless Zalman case that they rebrand goes for over $1000.

[Roopesh Sheth @ Sep 28th 2006 7:56PM]

Somehow I don't see this as a good move for gamers (or high-end PC lovers). Dell (and HP) commodotize the market, churning out mass-market machines that don't take advantage of the latest and greatest hardware possibilities. Latest and greatest equals risk equals not right for a big company.

When I (ended up building my own) bought my new PC recently, I looked at Alienware, and found that they didn't offer up the best the market had to offer and they didn't offer truly custom PCs. I called them and all the person could say was "I don't know if we can do that, whatever's available online is what we sell."

On the flip side, this is great news for Falcon Northwest, who still believes in truly custom built PCs.

[Un0rTh0d0x @ Oct 11th 2006 9:14PM]

What about OPC or Overdrive PC? They build some of the sickest gaming PC's. they may not be as big as FNW or Voodoo but there Benchmarks over on Computer shopper and a few other notworthy sites show that these machines Kick some Major Arse!

[Zach @ Sep 28th 2006 8:03PM]

Ugh, this is terrible news for the modding community. VoodooPC made some of the sickest cases, though FNW is definitley a sick company, I've always been quite partial to VoodooPC's.

I'm seeing HP in the future ruining the market of "high-performance" much like Dell did with Alienware and its XPS line :(

[telepheedian @ Sep 28th 2006 8:28PM]

As long as major computer companies keep their grimy hands off of Velocity Micro, I'm fine with that.

[skype_fan @ Sep 28th 2006 9:06PM]

Congrats to the guys to collect the money, maximum 1-2 years they are out of the door @HP and have enough money for a new venture. And from now on watch out what you say on your mobile phone Rahul!!

[Deezee @ Sep 28th 2006 9:11PM]

If this lowers their prices I'm all for this!!!!!

[solomonrex @ Sep 28th 2006 10:02PM]

Does this mean that Voodoo PCs will come preloaded with HP Spy Suite 2006 - the only preloaded spy software?

;-)

[JD @ Sep 29th 2006 1:32AM]

I can see it now. About to frag someone in Unreal Tournament, "Would you like to upgrade your Memories Creator Software now?"

[Wolfticket @ Sep 29th 2006 9:32AM]

Damn it... it's like Hyundai buying Ferrari.

[Jason @ Sep 29th 2006 11:07AM]

"not only is the company still reeling from the bruising merger with Compaq under former CEO Carly Fiorina,"

You guys are out of the loop. Even the Gartner group is now singing the praises of the mrger.

Have you noticed HP's earnings?

[Oddmanout @ Sep 29th 2006 12:21PM]

What would happen if Ford bought Lambourghini ? And GM bought Ferrari ? Now see it happen in the world of computers !!!!

[ZeldaX @ Sep 29th 2006 10:25PM]

I think GATEWAY will buy Falcon Northwest

[stryk9 @ Sep 30th 2006 1:33AM]

nah...probably looking at ibm.

[INRI @ Oct 3rd 2006 12:46AM]

I know Voodoo, I know people who work there, the build shit computers, the only thing going for them is the cabling and a paint job. The cabling was developed by an under payed employee and the pain can be done anywhere. The owners are dicks who treat their employees like slaves and pay less the McDonald's. Voodoo has never developed anything worth mentioning and to give them high positions in development is a joke. This is another dark day for HP, all they did was just try to be like everyone else so they would fit in. I hope HP snaps out of it, realizes that they got screwed over by Voodoo's front and fire them and start to innovate.

[hmurchison @ Oct 3rd 2006 6:19PM]

Dell buys Alienware
HP buys VoodooPC.

Reality is more strange than fiction at times

[Jeff @ Oct 25th 2006 9:18PM]

Guys... Volkswagen owns Lamborghini, Bentley, and Bugatti. Ferrari and Maserati are owned by Fiat. Aston Martin is owned by Ford. Have any of these brands been ruined forever? No, in fact some of these companies probably wouldn't be around, hadn't the larger auto companies bought them out.

Sorry for bursting the bubble.

[TL @ Oct 31st 2006 5:10PM]

LOL on the Gateway-Falcon NW.
Interesting development indeed!

[crowndroyal @ May 7th 2007 12:00AM]

INRI how can you say there computers are shit when they have won the Ultimate Gaming Championship not once not twice not three times but four times in a row. and has beaten every pc listed in this forum every year the last 4 years