When the HP Blackbird 002 PC debuted in 2007, it was one of the fastest and most powerful gaming rigs around, and was one of the few that used factory-sealed liquid cooling to chill its innards without the need for noisy fans.

However, the Blackbird was extremely expensive (more than $5000), and absolutely massive.

Today, HP announced its followup, the HP Firebird with VoodooDNA. It's a high-powered computer with three graphics cards but a much lower price (starting at $1799, about half the price of its predecessor) and chassis (its body is about a quarter the size of the original, making it small enough to tote to LAN parties). The secret to its small size: A clever mixture of desktop and high-powered laptop-size components (many of which were designed specifically for this computer).

Like the Blackbird, the side of the Firebird's case features a swinging door that allows easy access to its upgradeable components. —Seth Porges