The coolest-looking gaming PC ever: Darwin Machine Hammerhead HMR989

Gallery: Hammerhead takes PC design in new directions

A desktop that looks like it was designed by NASA but hand-crafted like it was being sold on Etsy? That's the story behind the Darwin Machine Hammerhead HMR989, a gaming rig that's built by a one-man crew who is an engineer and race car designer.

Matthew Kim's case design takes a page from the Thermaltake Level 10 and the Antec Skeleton chassis, which turn things inside out, exposing the components instead of hiding them in a big box. But it's less monolithic than the Level 10 and more sculptural than the Skeleton, no surprise given Kim's training as an architect (busy guy). He's hand-building each of his Hammerheads and is working on numbers three and four. These will be constructed with black brushed anodize and "quattro carbon" trim. The specs on version HMR98902 included Intel Core i7-860 processor, 4GB of RAM, 40GB SSD and 640GB hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 graphics card. The parts are all attached to a central frame that also works as a heatsink, making it unnecessary to have any other case fans.

Of course, it helps that the Hammerhead isn't equipped with the highest heat-generating parts that you might expect on a system that's selling for $2,899. On the other hand, you're getting a unique piece of craftsmanship, one that Kim believes buyers will continue to use over the years, upgrading with new components along the way. It might not help you win any overclocking contests, but it will certainly draw a lot of attention sitting on your desk. You can learn more at the Darwin Machine Website.