HP Blackbird 002 coming on Monday?
We, along with a number of other publications, just got tipped off to HP's plans to launch a new desktop called the HP Blackbird 002 next week. (Sorry, no, we think it's separate from the HP Virtus we already saw.) The email's after the break, but the long and short of it is Voodoo seems to be marrying its high performance PC line with HP branding. The short list of what you need to know:- BIOS-based overclocks
- Heat-optimized aluminum chassis and foot
- Liquid cooling system for CPUs and GPUs
- Tool-free upgrades for CPU, GPU, drives
- Pricing between $2500 and $6500, ouch!
Introducing HP Blackbird 002
HP Blackbird 002 is a machine born from the minds of gamers, created with gamers in mind. Designed by a core group of gaming enthusiasts at HP and performance computing experts from VoodooPC, HP Blackbird 002 offers gamers new levels of innovation and versatility. Every element of HP Blackbird 002 – from its aluminum chassis to the cast-aluminum foot – contributes to its dynamic look and its extreme performance.
Built with industry standard components, it is also designed to encourage gaming enthusiasts to make modifications to existing hardware and upgrade to future generations of performance hardware. Features like the removable side panel and interior/exterior back panel LED lighting make it convenient for gamers to get inside the machine and tweak it.
To ensure performance meets each Blackbird owner's expectations, every HP Blackbird 002 is configured to the individual's preference when it is purchased and ships with a completely open BIOS, allowing for total customization.
Although the system was designed with gamers in mind, it is also ideal for anyone needing a performance machine. People looking for a PC to handle demanding tasks such as photo, video and music editing will also love the innovation packed into HP Blackbird 002.
Product Highlights
- Industry Standard Components – HP Blackbird 002 is the most versatile and configurable performance PC in its class, simply because industry standard components are used throughout the machine, making modification easy and driver conflicts a thing of the past.
- Full System Liquid Cooling – HP Blackbird 002 is the first in its class to feature full system, maintenance-free liquid cooling that draws heat away from the CPU, motherboard and GPUs. The factory-sealed system does not require the periodic maintenance other systems demand and keeps the machine running quiet.
- Thermals – Heat is the enemy of performance PCs, and the three biggest heat generators are the CPU, the GPUs and the power supply. HP Blackbird 002 isolates each heat source in its own thermal chamber, ensuring that cooling air isn't contaminated with heat from one component on its way to cool off another one. The HP Blackbird 002 can handle the heat.
- Easy Access – The machine invites users to pop the hood and tinker away. HP Blackbird 002 and its removable side panel, interior and back panel lighting, and Voodoo-style wiring provides easy access for enthusiasts to fine tune their machine's performance.
- Tool-less Upgrades – HP Blackbird 002 does not come with a toolkit. All the components, from the CPU and GPU to the hard drives and optical drives, can be removed and installed sans tools.
- Flexible Overclocking – The HP Blackbird 002 standard BIOS allows user-controlled overclocking. LCS systems are factory overclocked.
- Aluminum Chassis – Every element of the system's unique aluminum chassis tells a story. Its wedge-shaped design and vectored lines hint at the raw speed inside. The fins that line the top and front reflect a heat sink, paying homage to HP Blackbird's extraordinary thermal management capabilities. And the tight fit and finish of the chamfered edges make it clear that this finely crafted machine is tuned to perfection.
- The Hover – The single, cast-aluminum foot supporting HP Blackbird 002 is capable of supporting up to 600 lbs., and only a select number of production facilities are capable of manufacturing it. The cantilevered design allows airflow under HP Blackbird 002, making it possible to seat the 1.1 kW power supply at the base of the chassis.
- Availability, Pricing & Warranty
- Purchasing – The machine can be purchased online at www.hp.com/blackbird beginning Sept. 5, 2007
- Pricing - $2,500 to $6,500 depending on configuration
- Warranty – One year limited warranty*



















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
fischju @ Aug 31st 2007 12:05PM
But can it play doom?
Damn, I need to stop doing that
Nando @ Aug 31st 2007 12:19PM
YES, IT FUCKING CAN!!!!
lol @ the place-holder picture of a black bird.
Ray-- @ Aug 31st 2007 1:03PM
except the picture is of a red-winged black bird which is oddly enough not even related to a Common Blackbird.
Craig @ Aug 31st 2007 1:09PM
oohh... i didn't know we had an ornithologist in our midst :)
Colin Jensen @ Aug 31st 2007 1:45PM
That's not a Red-Winged Blackbird, it's a Tri-Color Blackbird. Red-Wingeds either have a yellow fringe to the red or no fringe. The Tri-Color has a white fringe.
Ray-- @ Aug 31st 2007 2:27PM
@Colin
-- either way it's still not a blackbird.
Neil @ Aug 31st 2007 12:08PM
The SR-71 Blackbird might have been a more applicable image for this article than just a bird, seeing as how the theme is performance....just a thought.
Ryan Block @ Aug 31st 2007 12:23PM
Too obvious.
Cole @ Aug 31st 2007 12:10PM
I wish they would have given more info as to the specs on processor, memory, and video card.
Matt @ Aug 31st 2007 12:55PM
They probably want to get people to look at it first before giving out all the information.
Also there is an HP/Voodoo event going on September 5th.
PooMan @ Aug 31st 2007 12:16PM
yeahh, but Mac users are totally smugger and more pretentious
Kunikos @ Aug 31st 2007 2:05PM
Yes, their smug threatens to choke our environment.
Ash @ Aug 31st 2007 12:22PM
My guess is we will know more on the 5ht, HP has a large event with several new products being announced. Similar to what we saw this week with their printer group this time from the PC side of the company.
Afiba E @ Aug 31st 2007 12:53PM
Ok, I think this "blackbird" sounds like a Mac Pro. Maybe Nokia and HP have agreed its ok to copy "good ideas."
John @ Aug 31st 2007 1:43PM
I do understand there are some folks who would like a performance machine but aren't necessarily PC hardware literate and would need a product like this one, but doesn't it stand to reason that if someone were comfortable with all of the optional tweaks HP is leaving open on this one, that they would also be comfortable building their own machine...? o_0???
John @ Sep 4th 2007 11:36PM
Actually, considering some of my current PC woes, it may be nice to have an all-inclusive warranty on a rig...
arcsine @ Aug 31st 2007 2:47PM
For $6500 you can buy an 8-core system with 16 gigs of RAM and SLI Quadros.
Kevin @ Aug 31st 2007 3:06PM
If I had $6500 laying around, I would spend maybe $1000 on rebuilding my desktop, and use the rest to buy a car or something.
moe @ Sep 1st 2007 3:37AM
the reason there are no details is its fully customizable. when it launches the site will allow you to pick whatever you want out of the top line components they offer. the price tag only partially has to do with the price of its components. from experience with voodoo its also about build quality, and to date there is no professional gamer system designer who can cable as well as voodoo. they have won best gaming pc for five years now!
JC @ Sep 4th 2007 1:23AM
cabling quality?? like their PC that burned up this past week at PCmag? Whatever..
Toronto699 @ Sep 2nd 2007 7:53AM
will the Blackbird have better spec than the Dell XPS 720 , Same Price range as a Dell XPS 720 , will the Blackbird be more clockable than a Dell XPS 720?
knight0334 @ Sep 4th 2007 8:33PM
Its still n00bware.. Only idiots with money and no brains buys OEM systems that cost 2-5 time the value of the parts.
JC @ Sep 5th 2007 5:20AM
Wow, just saw a pic at techpowerup... Man this thing is hideous... Aluminum case? More like radiator pc..
http://www.techpowerup.com/img/07-09-04/11889387692Fa0wCXgWG_1_1_l.jpg
Ugly stick beating in 3 2 1...
Vladsinger @ Sep 5th 2007 9:04PM
Whoa, is that really it? It IS ugly.
McBean @ Sep 7th 2007 10:43AM
Launch site is up and running: http://h20435.www2.hp.com/
And it's not that ugly...It's a monolith case with ethcings on the side. That garbage shot of it on techpowerup is of poor quaity. I dig it...
--McBean
El Chingon @ Oct 5th 2007 11:36PM
Wow, I like this case!!! I agree, If I had that much money lying around, I would spend it on something else, cheaper to build this same machine - minus the case. Where can I buy the case!!! Very clean and futuristic, minimal and not gaudy!!!
wolfie @ Oct 10th 2007 11:38PM
LOL i have a quad core 3.6 GHZ rig i built my self 4 500 gig sata 2 drives 2 512 MB video cards and my rig runs a cool 40c air cooled liquid sweets on the hardware iv been a pc tech sence 1987 and i only paid 3000 for my system so to me its not worth the money