Introduction

Earlier today we took a look at CyberPower's new Black Pearl Core i7 system and it scored high marks for 3.6 GHz performance at an excellent price point. But now it's time to throw all of that to the wind because it doesn't compare to the massive power put out by the Smooth Creations Hellcat, or its price.

The mad scientists at Smooth Creations took Core i7 to a new level, one that only a few will try to achieve and even fewer will succeed. The Smooth Creations Hellcat comes from the factory clocked at an amazing 4.0 GHz, yet doesn't have a problem with stability thanks to a who's who list of Danger Den products. The madness doesn't stop there; the dual 4870 X2 cards running in CrossfireX mode are water cooled as well and we can thank Danger Den for that. But the real congratulations go to Smooth Creations for putting together such a beast and having it ready for launch day. Don't call this just another liquid cooled system; the Hellcat is lubricated on the fat of unbaptized children.

As you already know, today is the day Core i7 and its counterpart, X58 get released into the market. Core i7 is already a big hit with enthusiasts even though so few already have a system. I have been told by some of the shops who accepted preorders that Core i7 parts are the hottest ticket in town and they expect to sell quite a few units today. One way to ensure an early i7 system is to go with a custom system builder.

Smooth Creations, long known for their quality art used by so many system builders and their work with Cooler Master on the CSX line has opened up a boutique shop to satisfy the needs of those looking for the ultimate. Today we are going to take a look at Smooth Creations' flagship system, the Hellcat; a 5,400 Dollar beast that will devour your benchmarks while ingesting bone, skin and your wallet.