That mini-PC gaming rig I was all excited about last year just got priced. The PC with a small footprint and an even smaller environmental footprint will start at $1,800.
The Vista-based Firebird will come with quad-core Intel Core 2 processors of up to 2.83 Ghz (note they don't tell you what the base line comes with), 4GB of DDS2-800 memory and dual Nvidia Geforce 9800S video cards with 1 GB of memory. The computer uses notebook PC components, meaning its maximum energy usage is a mere 350 watts. An external power supply means that it's also much quieter.
The computer also includes twin hard drive bays, 6 USB ports, an eSATA connector and dual-link DVI and HDMI display connectors.
"The high-performance PC space seems to have gone out of control when power supplies exceed 1.6 or 2 kilowatts, drawing more than the wall can handle, and people have 3-4 video cards and spend $5,000 to 6,000 on a machine just to play a videogame," said Rahul Sood, Chief Technology Officer for HP's Global Gaming Business.
I'll certainly be interested to see what that $1800 get you in the way of minimum specs.