http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/ Engadget Comments for HP Blackbird 002 Exhilaration Edition nabs NVIDIA GTX 280 graphics http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
It'd be nice if HP and Alienware didn't price this based on what it would cost you to do it on your own and instead priced it based on their bulk purchase discounts that they pull in.]]>Jun 16th 2008 7:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 7:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 7:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 7:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/for all you whiners its really not so hard, and I'd think you'd be surprised
the thing that bothers me most is that while these PCs are great, they've given gaming PCs a much higher price than they really are in the public's eyes]]>Jun 16th 2008 8:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 17th 2008 2:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
Build the magical system then that does the same thing then, don't wuss out and use a Q6600 though, and don't sub in 8800GT's for GTX 280's.

The QX9770 runs around $1500-1600 alone, the GTX 280 in SLI will cost you around $1400 right now. So doing it for half the price is already out of the question because you're coming in screaming at around $3000.

Keep in mind if you shortcut just to reach the base specs on this thing you then have to account that if you overclocked to meet the speeds that this thing can overclock well beyond it's stock config so then you need to setup something that goes above and beyond at a lower price.

It's probably somewhat possible to come in low, but you still need to get a well suited case for water cooling, use a good water system and not just some kit from thermaltake and so on.

It's one thing to talk about how you could magically arrange some system at a lower cost but it's an entirely different thing to actually show it.]]>Jun 17th 2008 3:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 7:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 8:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 7:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
Vista is a fantastic OS]]>Jun 16th 2008 8:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
/sarcarsm (was that necessary?)]]>Jun 16th 2008 8:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 7:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 18th 2008 4:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 17th 2008 2:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Blackbird 1
Crysis 0

Crysis just got its ass kicked!]]>Jun 16th 2008 7:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
250 a year

Still kind of sad to see everything limited to your ISP and connection speed. ]]>Jun 16th 2008 7:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 7:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 9:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 7:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
And John, let me guess? You read, and believed that Build vs Buy bull crap on Alienwares site? Correct? Haha. HAHAHAHA. If you wish to waste your money; be our guests, but don't go brainwashing other people.]]>Jun 16th 2008 8:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
Every time engadget posts some tricked out but expensive pre-built there is a chorus of people posting "omg I could build that with 2 coconuts and a ball of string". Well guess what professor buildalot, IT'S NOT INTENDED FOR YOU.]]>Jun 16th 2008 8:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
Well observed, funny comment too.]]>Jun 16th 2008 9:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
Also you give a bad name to the Dreamcast =p.]]>Jun 16th 2008 9:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/]]>Jun 16th 2008 9:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jul 3rd 2008 11:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/alienware-area-51-desktops-first-to-score-nvidia-gtx-280-graphic/comments/12679220/

Alienware IS overpriced, ugly, and slower than Voodoo (which is what this computer is; VoodooDNA).

By throwing this card into this computer, it basically owns Alienware!]]>Jun 16th 2008 9:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 17th 2008 10:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 10:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 16th 2008 10:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
I could understand if it was for your job, or it would somehow pay itself off or something...but seriously...$6,000+ man....wow....

Think about what that could get you.

TV, PS3, XBOX, Cheaper computer, couch, audio system for all of it, snacks?

wow.]]>Jun 16th 2008 11:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/(I'm not encouraging you to buy this, by all means go buy the HP Blackbird, I was just making a point)

http://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Gamer_Infinity_SLI_Ultra/]]>Jun 16th 2008 11:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 17th 2008 12:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jun 17th 2008 8:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
2 EVGA GeForce GTX 280 1GB 512-bit GDDR3
$649.99 -$20.00 Instant $1,259.98

1 COOLER MASTER COSMOS
$209.99 -$20.00 Instant $189.99

1 ASUS Striker II Formula LGA 775 NVIDIA nForce 780i SLI
$329.99 -$30.00 Instant $299.99

1 COOLMAX CUQ-1200B 1200W ATX12V / EPS12V Power
$299.99 -$80.00 Instant $219.99

1 Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 Yorkfield 3.0GHz LGA 775 130W
$1,018.99 $1,018.99

1 G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066
$104.99 -$15.00 Instant $89.99

1 Western Digital Caviar SE16 750GB 7200 RPM SATA3.0Gb/s
$129.99 $129.99

1 Western Digital VelociRaptor 300GB 10000 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s
$299.99 $299.99

1 LG Blu-ray/HD DVD-ROM & 16X DVD±R DVD Burner SATA
$199.99 -$35.00 Instant $164.99

1 Swiftech H20-220-APEX-GT CPU Liquid Cooling Kits - Retail
$199.99 $199.99

Subtotal: $3,873.89
.
A better computer...and still a few grand cheaper than the blackbird, the only thing it is missing is an OS.
]]>Jul 1st 2008 10:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jul 10th 2008 10:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
The timing of this post is interesting. because just yesterday, a friend of mine who had $3k all ready to buy a gaming PC changed his mind at the last moment. Instead of getting his dream PC, he came home with:

A Sony Bravia LCD HDTV
An Xbox 360
15 Xbox Games

All for the price of his dream PC.]]>Jul 18th 2008 9:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/
This is a timely post. You see I just spoke to my friend this morning. He had been planning to spend $3000 on his dream PC yesterday. I find out this morning that at the last moment he had change of heart and instead came home with:

A Sony Bravia LCD HDTV
An Xbox 360 Pro
15 Games

All for the same money he was going to spend on his PC. I think he'll get a lot more value out of this $3000 spend than if he'd dropped it all on a PC.

But of course its an enthusiast/hobby thing. kinda like tinkering with and modifying cars.]]>Jul 18th 2008 10:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/16/hp-blackbird-002-exhilaration-edition-nabs-nvidia-gtx-280-graphi/Jul 18th 2008 10:09PM