Diamond Multimedia (video card mavens), SmoothCreations (a high-end, "boutique" system builder), and a company called DangerDen (who are masters of component cooling) are teaming up for a triple tag-team on the recently announced HD 4870 XOC Black Edition.

Available only through SmoothCreations starting tomorrow, this card will have the potential to be the fastest HD 4870 yet released, with the core and shader clock set to a maximum of 950 MHz (which is 200 MHz above stock HD 4870 speeds.) Speeds this high were reached by using an new custom firmware for the GPU, and a hardcore cooler crafted by DangerDen (water cooled versions will be available.) You'll have to the extreme overclocking yourself though -- the default overclock of the XOC Black Edition will only be 50MHz above stock (800 MHz.)

While not stated explicitly in the press release we received, it is highly likely that the HD 4870 XOC Black Edition will only be sold as a part of complete computer from SmoothCreations.

The HD 4870 XOC Black Edition should become available sometime soon only from SmoothCreations.

Update: A few websites are reporting that due to the positive response to this product, Diamond will be offering the HD 4870 XOC Black Edition as a retail card, in less than two weeks.