Want the power of Intel's Core i7 processor but can't shell out a huge wad of cash? Smoothcreations attempts to create a value-priced Reaper i7 might be the ticket.

There's a saying that goes like this: you get what you pay for. In many cases, that's quite true, especially where generic products are concerned. That huge bag of discounted cereal in Walmart might offer more for the money, but it just doesn't taste the same as the mainstream brand full of sugar and...well, taste. The same holds true with pre-built computers. Consumers really need to pay attention to "discounts" and "value-priced" systems, especially those looking for a few horses under the hood and not be tricked into buying ponies.

Smoothcreations, a manufacturer of custom gaming rigs, workstations and more, has joined up with Tweaktown to reveal the Reaper i7 "value" series. Again, the "value" tag throws up a red flag, however there's something to be said when a well-known hardware site backs up a product, especially one with the Grim Reaper plastered all over the case.

Under the hood, the Reaper i7 series starts at a whopping $2600, so it's obvious that the "value" term doesn't imply that mainstream consumers can easily pick one up, but rather they're a bit cheaper than those massive gaming monsters that can easily burn up a retirement fund or require a monthly payment equal to a new car. By default, the Reaper i7 series offers Intel's Core i7 processor 940 2.93 GHz, two of Nvidia's 280 GTX graphics cards in SLI mode, and Windows Vista Ultimate 64. The rig also features the ASUS P6T Deluxe motherboard, 6 GB of Corsair XMS3 memory, a 1100w Top Power power supply, a Western Digital Raptor 300 GB SATA 2 10K RPM hard drive, and a Lite On 20x dual layer DVDRW Drive with Lightscribe technology.

Smoothcreation's built this ghostly rig with LAN parties in mind. "Our builders worked closely with Gaming Guru, Cameron Wilmot of Tweaktown, BFG, Corsair Memory, Intel and Silverstone to make this system - an ass kicking system that can deliver smoking benchmarks, immersive HD gaming effects without breaking the bank account," the company said "Design to perform, this system will be every game title's nightmare."

"The Reaper i7 VS (Value Series) design makes it easy to go to those LAN parties without having to lug heavy PC equipment around", Mario Gastelum, Product Marketing of Smoothcreations. "Every Reaper i7 VS system is custom painted and serialized. We don't outsource our painted artwork like some of our competitors - by sending their customers pc cases to a car paint shop, Smoothcreations maintains in-house our own design team."

For gamers looking for a bit more power than the default configuration, Smoothcreations offers a means to customize the ultimate rig (link), but for the moment, the website only offers the default configuration despite the "configure" button on the main page. However, the company stated that consumers can order custom artwork designs, configurations with additional upgrades available. The company also said that the Reaper i7 is not only custom painted but serialized, with a limited production run of 50 units world wide.

Consumers and gamers looking for a limited edition PC may take interest in the Reaper i7, however those seeking a value-priced computer should look elsewhere. In the case of the Reaper i7, it's not one of those scenarios where end-users pay cheap prices for cheap components. No, Smoothcreations means business with this limited edition rig, and now's a good time to scoop one up before they're gone altogether. You certainly get what you pay for considering its steep $2600 pricetag.

Source : Tom's Hardware US