HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked!

We always loved us that Voodoo-designed HP Blackbird 002, but it was certainly a behemoth. Now it looks like the duo are going for a more realistic size -- and hopefully pricepoint -- with the all-new HP Firebird PC 803 that just fell in our lap, a gaming tower which flips the disc drive and most other components on their sides to save on space. The resulting kit seems to have more in common with gaming consoles than desktop PCs in terms of design, with very little configurability or expansion available, but the leaked specs are still quite palatable to the modern PC gamer:

• NVIDIA nForce 760i SLI chipset
• Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz processor
• 4GB of RAM
• Dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800S cards
• Two 320GB SATA drives
• Blu-ray
• 5-in-1 card reader
• 6 USB, 1 FireWire, 2 eSATA, 1 S/PDIF and 1 DVI dual-link
• Bluetooth
• 802.11n WiFi

To save on space (and heat), the Firebird actually uses an external power supply, but we suppose the included wireless keyboard and mouse should help to make up for that clutter. As you've probably gleaned from the specs, those small form factor 9800S cards aren't going to be putting away the frame rates quite like the cutting edge cards from NVIDIA and AMD, and the seeming lack of expandability makes the (theoretical) up-front cost savings seem a bit less exciting, but for a certain type of gamer the Firebird could be a welcome respite from monstrous, unrealistic and just-as-quickly-outmoded performance towers.

P.S.: Rahul's dubious rant about the boutique gaming industry -- which Voodoo still serves -- makes a lot more sense in this light. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Gallery: HP Firebird 803 tower with VoodooDNA leaked!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

[arccoyote @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:11AM]

That is all kinds of hot.

[zioncat @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:26AM]

I will admit the specifications on this thing is above average.

[Erwos @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:12AM]

That looks surprisingly appealing - if they come out with a version that costs less by losing the SLI, I might be interested. I don't really have room in my current space for a giant tower anyways.

[scabby @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:13AM]

While I dig the case, it seems to harken back to the old days of proprietary systems. It's a beautiful design, but unless that design exists w/in the confines of industry standard architecture, it's a bit pointless.

I'd like some further blown up detail of the insides though, to see exactly how those cards are mounted.

[Boarderwoot @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:13AM]

Whoah! Check out those advanced features!

1. Holes in case for air

2. Reflective case that acts like a mirror.

(someone must have taken this guy somewhat seriously http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060923202508AAKhUd3)

Revolutionary on so many levels!

[pavlindrom @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:19AM]

The link is wonderful. Thank you.

[Sneakz @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:20AM]

Thanks Boarderwoot for my daily laugh

[Nick @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:41AM]

Oh my god, "scanning a mirror doesn't work."

LOL!

[Mobius_1 @ Dec 23rd 2008 3:50PM]

Yep, I just tried it, really doesn't work :P

[andyg8180 @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:16AM]

No HDMI??? wtf? Im really looking for some type of HTPC without having to build it...

How can it play bluray movies through DVI to my plasma?

[anonymous2 @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:20AM]

HDMI is there.

[TJ @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:21AM]

It's got HDMI. Take a closer look at picture #7...

[jakem @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:23AM]

Can't you just buy an adapter?

[jakem @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:26AM]

Whoops, I just saw that I was wrong to assume that the OP knew what he was talking about.

[NakedOldGuy @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:20AM]

Leak a price too. Miniature computers come and go... its usually the price that determines if the thing is worth the lack of upgradability.

[Matthewmongan @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:27PM]

I am loving the 6 usb ports in addition to other enjoyable qualities. To be quite honest PC gaming is loosing its edge against console gaming in terms of price to performance. It seems that the only thing you get for paying upwards of twice as much is a mouse and some select titles. more and more often pc games a ported to ps3 and xbox so you at the end of the day you pay a premium for gaming environment and interface. I understand and appreciate that PC gaming is a large driving force pushing the performance envelope of home computing but seriously, many of the top graphics cards cost more that a console. I for one love PC gaming, the valve distribution system is great, but after my switch to mac sacrifices were made, one of which was the addition of a ps3. the younger generations seem to be preferential to console gaming, the PC game sphere is become a niche market for WOW players and people who don't like dual analog sticks.

For PC gaming to be competitive again costs need to come down. hopefully this system is a step in the right direction.

[Tribbs @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:23AM]

you may want to look just north of the dvi connector

[Hamalainen @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:27AM]

So basically a sli laptop in a compact desktop....

[kingu @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:31AM]

In the age of plastic someone had the nerve to ask: "Is it an accordian?"

[Najakwa @ Dec 23rd 2008 11:40AM]

that has all the makings of being an amazing htpc. leak the price already.

[Meaty-tarian @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:13PM]

Yeah, but I'm guessing it could easily go way overboard with price...

[Tim @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:00PM]

I like it, but I've been burned on proprietary systems in the past (I'm looking at you Viewsonic, although it wasn't my purchase).

What I'd really like to know is if those small form factor 9800S card will see a retailer anywhere.

[ed. @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:03PM]

loving the case. wish hp would sell the blackbird and voodoo cases by themselves

[Bal @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:39PM]

Ed, You can buy the Blackbird case on it's own.

[Oli D @ Dec 23rd 2008 3:53PM]

sweet how much?
are they mATX?

[Bal @ Dec 24th 2008 5:25AM]

They are around $599 and $99 shipping. Here's the link http://www.thenextbench.com/t5/Blog/You-asked-for-it-and-you-re-getting-it/ba-p/22504#A574

[Barry @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:05PM]

Blu-ray? But I heard that's a bag of hurt?

[DustoMan @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:06PM]

DIP switches?

[CosterMonger @ Dec 24th 2008 9:44AM]

butt scratcher?

[iEngadget @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:10PM]

I thought wireless mice and keyboards were bad for gaming....

Real PC gamers use cords for the fastest and most reliable gameplay.

[xlr8 @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:15PM]

anyone else think that article linked at the bottom is terrible?

the end of high system requirements is over, where you need to spend $500 each on 3 video cards just to play a game?

What the @#$% is he talking about? i played cod 4 maxed out on my 8800gt ($130) q6600 ($189) open box mobo ($90) 8gb ram ($140) and the rest of my components are just average (i.e. what you need for ANY computer to run, monitor, psu, etc.).

If he is talking about Crysis, that is ONE game, which still demands more than any game out there. and it is the only one to do so, farcry 2 scales very well, as does fallout 3 and left 4 dead, and i can't really think of any other games he is talking about...plus crysis is plenty "playable" on a ton of different systems. it doesn't REQUIRE 3 $500 video cards at all.

people will spend lots of money on their rigs to get those extra frames....and that mentality isn't going anywhere, just like supercars cost sometimes millions of dollars, people still pay for the clout, bragging rights, and performance. who is that guy?

[Jeff @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:41PM]

I thought he was just pointing out the fact that gaming boutiques don't offer affordable, well-designed PCs that have adequate power to play current "scalable" games. Instead, they seem determined to sell behemoth machines that cost, at minimum, double what you would pay to build your own machine that could play the same games.

He's not accusing the game companies, just the gaming PC boutiques.

If this here Firebird 803 is price competitive with consoles, it could be a revolution akin to netbooks.

[CurtisBrown @ Dec 23rd 2008 7:20PM]

He's saying that a super high-end setup ISN'T necessary to play modern games. He believes a setup like yours is all a gamer really needs. Reading comprehension has certainly gone down the crapper. And if you seriously don't know who that is, he is the founder of Voodoo PC.

[Punchy @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:23PM]

Has Voodoo not heard of Core i7? Seriously if Dell can give me a mini tower Studio XPS with a i7 920 for $1K Canadian what performance appeal does the Voodoo have left.

Even HP Canada hasn't released a Core i7 configuration yet.

Thanks but I will wait.

Punchy

[bikehorn @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:26PM]

Awesome little piece of hardware.

PS, Rahul Sood's rant was dead-on. Don't call it dubious just because you find the truth painful.

[greatsunjester @ Dec 23rd 2008 12:38PM]

Interesting. Watercooling on the video it seems, external powersupply so that heat source is taken care of. Better specs than my current machine. If they have one with a single video card instead of SLI (I am not an ubergamer!) and a reasonable price, I may consider a couple of these. A nice laptop without the screen.
I would not feel bad about owning this, I think.

[Xombie @ Dec 24th 2008 12:23AM]

It's ugly as sin.

[abigcityfalcon @ Dec 25th 2008 6:53AM]

I wouldn't game on this ugly, mediocre, proprietary beast if you paid me.

Tell me the gaming PC is dead when Total War: Empires comes out. I'll be rocking on an i7 extreme, as many $500 video cards as possible, and an array of 4 Intel X25-E's. Why? Because that's what I worked my whole life for, and when I game, I want the best possible sound, graphics, and performance humanly possible.

There will always be a market for quality PC games, and always a niche of people like me who want the best. This guy Sood is a real jerk, and a traitor to the fan base and philosophy which made him rich. He's destined for failure. I hope Voodoo goes down in flames and HP cans him.

[crzymonkey @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:03PM]

VOODOO/HP are selling the BlackBird Chase, you need to call in

[Bored SysAdmin @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:37PM]

@greatsunjester
Water cooling on video??? the Box is simply not big enough to do that.
HP is the last company on Earth to do water cooling in desktops.

So bringing my point - How loud is this thing?? Like my Xbox 360 ? (which also have external power supply)

[Matthewmongan @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:11PM]

The pictures would imply that it is indeed liquid cooled.

[Matthewmongan @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:16PM]

Edit: picture 14 of 15. Items 3, 6 and 7 have tubing which is also connected to what may be a reservoir visa item 2 with item 1 as the fan array. I don't know how i feel about the water blocks used, i am a koolance man myself.

[gamefreak32 @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:04PM]

I guess I will be the first one to point out that HP is now making up their own names for their PC components. Clearly Nvidia does not have a 760i chipset or a 8800S graphics card. So what components is this PC actually running?

[greatsunjester @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:30PM]

http://www.nvidia.com/content/DriverDownload/nforce/chipID.txt
http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_geforce_9800s_us.html

Both exist. The more I look at this form factor, the more attractive it becomes to me. I can not think of any component I would need to install that USB or eSata would not take care of. With the exception of a front USB port just for ease of use.
I assume Picture 7, item 4 is the multi card reader. Having it around back is awkward as well.
Any guesses as to what the highlighted are is on picture 13? It seems to be missing on pictures 2 and 3.

[superhobo @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:30PM]

Engadget likes it because its not upgradable, just like...

[wait... what? @ Dec 30th 2008 1:35PM]

A pony!

did i win?

[Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:48PM]

WOW!!! 5-in-1 card reader!!!!!!

Now to the question: why the hell it is located on the arse of the case???

[jmacman1 @ Dec 23rd 2008 2:37PM]

Actually..... it's an Expresscard slot. Now that's a nifty addition to a Desktop.

[Hotrod @ Dec 23rd 2008 1:56PM]

As awesome as this looks, I've learned my lesson about buying non-upgradeable PC's with my iMac.

There is no worse feeling than seeing Core i7s and high end video cards being released that absolutely wipe the floor with whatever you're using, and not being able to upgrade.

Do you know how terrible it feels being stuck with an Ati 2600xt?

[maxter @ Dec 23rd 2008 2:27PM]

Do you know how terrible it feels being stuck with an nVidia GeForce FX5200?