HP Blackbird 002: Designed by gamers, for gamers.

Hardware features include a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q9450, 500 GB of hard drive space (with four additional hard drive bays for expansion), 4 GB of Corsair Dominator 800MHz PC-6400 overclockable system RAM, multi-format and dual-layer LightScribe DVD R drive, 7.1-channel onboard HD audio, next generation series 9 dual-SLIgraphics card from NVIDIA with support for Microsoft DirectX 10, and a hidden panel that conceals convenient USB, FireWire, and audio ports as well as a 15-in-1 memory card reader. It's preloaded with the Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition with Service Pack 1 operating system, which provides a stable, intuitive operating environment.

Rethinking PC Design
The HP Blackbird 002 PC was designed with two goals in mind: to bring innovation back to the gaming PC by delivering extreme customer-centric innovations, and to completely reinvent the look and feel of the performance PC. 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 the 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.

It hovers over a single cast aluminum foot, capable of supporting up to 600 lbs. The cantilevered design allows airflow under the chassis, making it possible to seat the 900 watt power supply at its base and enabling an array of hidden vents to funnel air through all six sides of the chassis, dramatically improving overall internal cooling.

Keeping Things Cool
One of the most important metrics for a performance PC is how cool and quiet it operates. Taking a cue from Voodoo PC, the first performance-PC manufacturer to effectively implement liquid-cooling, HP jointly developed a factory sealed liquid cooling unit for the Blackbird 002 PC with Asetek LLC, an industry leader in thermal management. Not only is liquid cooling more efficient than air-cooling, it is also quieter, which is why the Blackbird is the quietest performance PC in its class.

Heat is the enemy of performance PCs, and the three biggest heat generators are the CPU, the GPUs, and the power supply. The Blackbird isolates each of them in its own thermal chamber, ensuring that cooling air isn't contaminated with heat from one component on its way to cool off another. Regardless of performance BIOS modification, the LCi can handle the heat.

The uncluttered interior of the Blackbird drastically improves airflow and makes upgrading components as easy as possible. Inspired by Voodoo's Origami cabling solution, every individually measured wire is neatly tucked away and is easily accessible via a separate access panel on the chassis. Micro vents line all six sides of the Blackbird's aluminum chassis. These micro-perforations create a quiet, even distribution of airflow by constantly drawing cool air in and expelling hot air.

Maximum Power, Maximum Performance
At nearly four times the capacity of the industry-average 300-watt power supply, the Blackbird's 900 watt power supply features multiple high-current rails, providing plenty of energy to drive today's high-performance graphics cards and processors, with power to spare for the future. The power supply sits at the bottom of the chassis, enclosed in a cooling thermal chamber that prevents it from contaminating internal airflow with excess heat. All of the power cabling is completely modular, keeping the chassis uncluttered and providing easy access for component modification. Finally, the power supply is industry-standard, as per Voodoo DNA specifications.

The HP Blackbird 002 PC's performance BIOS lets you customize the speed, power, and cooling. In fact, all liquid cooled Intel Xtreme processors and AMD FX processors ship from the factory already overclocked, using the Voodoo method for reliable factory overclocking.

The Blackbird 002 schematic.

• Processor: With four execution cores, the 2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 processor blows through processor-intensive tasks in demanding multitasking environments and makes the most of highly threaded applications. Part of Intel's "Penryn" line of 45nm processors, it features new hafnium-infused circuitry to reduce electrical current leakage in transistors and help this desktop run cooler. It also features Intel Trusted Execution Technology, which provides hardware-based mechanisms that help protect against software-based attacks and protects the confidentiality and integrity of data stored or created on the client PC.

  Whether you're creating multimedia, annihilating your gaming enemies, or running compute-intensive applications at one time, new quad-core processing will change the way you do everything. The Q9450 has a top-of-the-line 1333 MHz front-side bus (FSB), a whopping huge 12 MB shared L2 cache, and a nVidia nForce 780i motherboard. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)

  With four complete execution cores in a single processor, you get four dedicated, physical threads help operating systems and applications deliver additional performance that enhance multi-tasking and multi-threaded performance across many types of applications and work loads. The Smart Memory Access feature improves system performance by hiding memory latency, thus optimizing the use of available computer data bandwidth to provide data to the processor when and where it is needed. The Advanced Digital Media Boost feature effectively doubles the execution speed for instructions used widely in multimedia and graphics applications. And with the Intel 64 Architecture, the processor can access larger amounts of memory. With appropriate 64-bit hardware and software, platforms based on an Intel processor supporting Intel 64 Architecture can allow the use of extended virtual and physical memory.

• Hard Drive: The Blackbird 002 comes with a 500 GB SATA hard drive. The Blackbird's five hard drive bays--one for the system drive and four for up to 5 TB of storage--give you the greatest number of RAID options possible. Create a RAID 0 for ultimate performance, a RAID 1 for maximum reliability and data protection, or a RAID 5 for optimized speed and reliability. (RAID is a data storage solution that uses multiple hard drives to improve reliability and read/write speed. ) Better yet, Voodoo DNA's tool-free design allows the Blackbird's hard drives to be swapped out in about 10 seconds.

• Memory: The 4 GB of installed RAM (800MHz PC-6400, 4 x 1 GB) maximizes the capacity for this notebook, and it offers a top-of-the-line 800 MHz speed. Additionally, the Corsair 8500 memory is SLI-enabled for enhanced performance on Nvidia motherboards.

• Keyboard & Mouse: This PC comes with the Voodoo Razer DeathAdder Mouse and the Voodoo Razer Tarantula Keyboard.

Networking, Connectivity & Expansion

A top port dock closes when not in use.

• 2 USB 2.0 ports
• 1 FireWire (IEEE 1394) port
• 1 Headphone and 1 Microphone jack ports (front)
• 15-in-1 memory card reader: supports SmartMedia, xD, MultiMedia Card, Secure Digital (SD), Mini Secure Digital, Compact Flash I, Compact Flash II, IBM Microdrive, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo, RSMMC, MMC Mobile, MMC+

• 4 USB 2.0 ports
• 2 eSATA
• 2 PS/2 for keyboard and mouse
• 7.1 channel audio jacks (6 jacks + 1 S/PDIF output)
• 2 RJ 45 Gigabit Ethernet ports
• 4 DVI-I ports (2 on each NVidia 9 Series video card with dual SLI configuration - only one active when configured in Dual SLI)

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit version) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.

Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.

Preloaded Software
Cyberlink PowerDirector, Grisoft AVG Professional anti-virus (1-year subscription)

What's in the Box
This package contains the HP Blackbird 002 gaming PC, power cord, keyboard, mouse, and printed operating instructions. It's backed by dedicated HP Blackbird toll-free phone support and a one-year HP Limited Warranty.

Product Description
HP Blackbird 002 Intel Desktop Gaming PC Introducing HP Blackbird 002. HP Blackbird 002 is a machine born from the minds of gamers, created with gamers in mind. Designed by HP's Voodoo Business Unit (VBU), 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. This configuration includes Intel's Q9450 Core 2 Quad processor with 12MB of cache for incredibly faster response from all your programs. Also onboard are 4GB of Corsair Dominator PC8500 memory, a 500GB SATA hard drive, Lightscribe optical drive, flash media reader, and dual NVIDIA GT9800 512MB video cards. This awesome gaming computer also runs Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit with SP1 so you can easily control all your stuff and enjoy DX10 graphics.