HP Blackbird 002 Exhilaration Edition gets unboxed

Apparently some folks have $6,600 to toss on a gaming PC, and thankfully, those folks -- we won't mention names -- invested in a camera to let us all live vicariously. HP's Blackbird 002 Exhilaration Edition, which packs a pair of NVIDIA's potent GeForce GTX 280 cards, has landed in the home of one lucky gamer, and there's a good selection of pictures to prove it. You know where to head from here.

[Thanks, bioender]

[Kamokazi @ Jul 18th 2008 8:48AM]

I just want the case.

[kal326 @ Jul 18th 2008 9:05AM]

Yeah its a pretty nice case, but seems it might be kinda heavy. They had a team lift sticker on the box for just the tower.

[OneLove @ Jul 18th 2008 11:01AM]

that dude better stay off my call of duty 4 server. (...or i will accuse him of hacking)

[Danakin @ Jul 18th 2008 8:54AM]

what a beast!

[E71 @ Jul 18th 2008 9:20AM]

Well that beast is going to be a mouse in about 2-3 years.

I'm starting to hate PC gaming, way too much cost/time required to just a decent game. The game developers don't make it any easier either, with overzealous a-holes like the Crysis devs making games so demanding that a beast like Blackbird-002 will probably scrape (only) 60-80 fps on.

Seriously, when you spend over six and a half G's on a Gaming PC you really should easily pass that 100fps mark on any PC to date.

[E71 @ Jul 18th 2008 9:24AM]

Man, I really should stop typing in a hurry. Lots of words missing from my last post!

[rodman @ Jul 18th 2008 8:57AM]

first?

[From My Cube @ Jul 18th 2008 9:13AM]

no, not even close...


go stick your hand in a blender

[MRCUR @ Jul 18th 2008 9:15AM]

Nope

[Jevanzz @ Jul 18th 2008 9:30AM]

Hand? Try head, buddy.

[Matthew C @ Jul 18th 2008 3:22PM]

EPIC fail. No seriously. Everybody hates people like you, and judging by the question mark, you knew you failed before you even tried.

I agree with the Cube, Its blenter time.

[Andrew @ Jul 28th 2008 6:14PM]

Thats one sweet PC

[zargon @ Jul 18th 2008 9:03AM]

"...thankfully, those folks -- we won't mention names -- invested in a camera to let us all live vicariously."

It looks like they also have money to invest in classes to show them how to use the camera, no blurry pics!

[Slug @ Jul 18th 2008 9:28AM]

Ever thought about a career in comedy?

[M @ Jul 18th 2008 9:12AM]

A guy I work with just bought one of these a couple weeks ago. I don't think it was this excact 'edition', but it was about $6,000. It's a beast, both in physical size and gaming performance. The really impressive thing about it IMO is that it runs whisper quiet.

Still.... that's a LOT of money. I think just about any Engadget reader could piece together a very good rig for half that cost.

[Chip @ Jul 18th 2008 9:55AM]

You can't do it for half the money. If you look at the gallery of the opening in the garage, his garage looks just like mine. Wire rack with computers lining it. I'm guessing this guy "could" have built this thing. I built one similar a few years ago (typing on it now).

Add the CPU and video cards together and you're at over half the price. I'm guessing you could build it for about $5500.

[iofthestorm @ Jul 18th 2008 1:53PM]

Nah, it seems like most engadget readers are into gadgets and consoles and Apple stuff more than building PCs. But I do agree that you probably could build something near it for around half the price, if you go with a cheaper case because I think the case itself costs around a grand.

[From My Cube @ Jul 18th 2008 9:12AM]

FWIW he just posted his CPU and GPU-z scores on the read link, post is on the second page

[tyler @ Jul 18th 2008 9:21AM]

Although it's expensive, there is no denying it's pretty damn awesome.

[HAI 2 U @ Jul 18th 2008 9:29AM]

I have trouble dropping $6,600 on a car ... nevermind a pc. While the internals give me a few chills, I can't stand the case ...

I loved the "scale" shot of his kid lol ... that cracked me up.

[Nick @ Jul 18th 2008 10:06AM]

I guess i'll be the one to ask...


Does it play Crysis?

[Daniel S. @ Jul 18th 2008 11:58AM]

No, and it won't blend, play doom, or even run Windows 3.1.

It will, however, run DOS with some luck.

[Matthew C @ Jul 18th 2008 3:25PM]

Oh man, how I would love to see this blend. The blender would have to be like bathtub-sized.

[icepop4who @ Jul 18th 2008 10:07AM]

I saw a similar HP blackbird in my local circuitcity and they charged $3500 for a system with a pair of 9800GT's. I had some lag playing Quake Wars maxed out 1680x1050.

[designworks @ Jul 18th 2008 10:36AM]

Not enough RAM to make commercially usefull i use a tyan tempest Tempest i5400PW (S5397) which uses the Intel 5400 Chipset take PCI-E2 GPU - 2x xeon quad core and rocks 16 RAM Sockets

[Dan @ Jul 18th 2008 10:45PM]

I'm really hoping that's sarcasm....

[Dan @ Jul 18th 2008 10:46PM]

Crap, sarcasm isn't the word.
What I was going at was that I highly doubt it's aimed at the commercial market.
"I hope you're joking" probably would've been closer to what I intended.

[Karl Viklund @ Jul 18th 2008 11:34AM]

It's just a computer...
Nothing we haven't seen before.

[Woody @ Jul 18th 2008 11:57AM]

Unless you're rich you're a total doucebag for buying this thing.

[Prokanda @ Jul 18th 2008 12:44PM]

yeah... I just don't like the "ohhh.. yeah when I had the last one delivered a month ago..." and the other people who commented, their tone as well.. that snotty "yes, I just dropped 6k on a crysis box" attitude.

I'm far from poor and I'm certainly not doing without the niceties... but jeez... 6k on a machine and it's like the jerks with the Ferrari's...

I'm just waiting for: "sorry little jimmy, we can't get you that decent used car for your 16th.... don't you remember all of the expensive ass gaming hardware your dad has purchased over the years? why don't ya start by picking up an application for mcdonald's?"

I hope he D'sIAF... and his son gets out safe of course.

[Hung @ Jul 18th 2008 2:27PM]

The following were price on Newegg (shipping included):
QX9770 - $1469.99
790i - $369.38
2GB Ballistix PC3-16000 - $506.98
2X EVGA GTX 280 - $917.92
Creative Fatal1ty - $221.98
Thermaltake Toughpower 1200W - $404.19
2X 300GB Velociraptor - $599.98
WD 1 TB - $209.99
Sony Blu-ray Burner - $559.99
Samsung DVDR + LightScribe - $33.48
Vista Ultimate SP1 x64 - $277.49
Zalman Black Reserator Water Cooling - 441.96
Custom Case - ~$500

FINAL PRICE - 6513.33

That's not a terrible price point. It's still stupid to spend over 2K on a computer, but the sale price is pretty close to the self-build price, considering the customer service from HP VooDoo.

Might I recommend buying eight assemblies of the following build? Perhaps one would suffice.

Intel E8400
GIGABYTE GAEP45DS3L
2 GB OCZ Reaper
Seagate 500GB 7200.11
VisionTek 4850
Rosewill R6AR6-BK
OCZ StealthxStreamSXS 600W
Samsung SH-S203N
ARTIC COOLING Freezer 64 Pro
APEVIA CF12SL

FINAL PRICE (NOTE: excluding rebates): $798.13

[Matthew C @ Jul 18th 2008 3:28PM]

Newegg is awesome, but I tend to get stuff at about 60% of newegg prices on ebay. It's a risk - more DOAs especially, but I can still usually build for about 25% off new egg prices, or 40-60% off pre built name brands...

[mstorman @ Jul 18th 2008 3:53PM]

The real question is... Will it Blend?

[bjay @ Jul 18th 2008 4:43PM]

$6600!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ve to admit it, i am in love with the casing

[Bioender @ Jul 18th 2008 8:41PM]

Zargon: Thanks. :-) Sony A350 does wonders...

It's super quiet, and super fast. The case really is a work of art, and is easily the nicest one I've worked with. The case was part of why I decided not to build this one myself.

Prokanda: Sorry it got you all worked up. I'll make sure I take care of the kid for his birthday...

[nic @ Jul 20th 2008 9:55PM]

anyone notice the guy is comparing the pc in the pictures to his existing blackbird 002? or am i late to the game?

cheers!