Packard Bell might not be a name most hardcore gamers associate with face-melting frag-tastic rigs, but the company has been aiming at the high-end gaming market since 2005, and is upping the ante with its new ipower X2.0 desktop gaming systems (PDF), due to be available in Europe in time for the end-of-year holiday buying season.
"The ipower X2.0 was designed to meet the needs of all PC gamers, from pro players to league competitors and hobbyists," said Packard Bell VP for sales and marketing Emmanuel Fromont, in a statement. "With this launch, Packard Bell extends its commitment to the world of gaming, and we hope our participation will help expand this exciting market space."
The ipower X2.0 will feature Intel Quad Core Extreme processors, high-end GPUs (including the Nvidia GeForce 9800X3 or ATI Tadeon HD4870), offer from 500 GB to 3 TB of storage, a 21-in-1 media card reader, E-SATA expansion, a Blu-ray disc drive, a hybrid TV tuner, and 7.1 audio support. But the most distinctive thing about the ipower X2.0 may be its chassis: black with metal trim, featuring a transparent glass finish panel that shows off the computer’s inner workings—highlighted by red LED lighting. The case also features three "efficient and silent" 120 mm fans and intelligent power management designed to keep all the components cooled and running efficiently, with cable runs all along the back of the chassis and graphics cards separated for optimum airflow.
The ipower X2.0 should be on sale in time for end-of-year holidays at prices ranging from €999 to €1,799—although, of course, customers can expect to pay more if they trick out the system.
