Do you want a brand new Nvidia GeForce GTX 460? A video card so fit for playing StarCraft 2 that it actually comes with a free SC2 trial coupon? The very one we just reviewed here and raved about as being perfect for StarCraft 2, capable of taking on the game even at the highest quality graphics settings?

If you do, it’s time to sharpen your pencil. We will ship a new, sealed in box, EVGA GeForce GTX 460 768MB to the creator of the best StarCraft themed flipbook animation. If you are not familiar with the concept, here’s a good sample video to get your started:

How to enter the contest:

1. Draw an original StarCraft-inspired flipbook animation.
2. Make a video like the one shown above.
3. Submit your entry by either sending it directly to Anderson@SC2Blog.com or by posting on our Facebook page for others to see and comment on!

On August 21st, we will post the qualifiers here for our readers to vote on. Voting will last for 4 days, and the entry receiving the most votes will win the card! Runner ups will not go unnoticed, and will get some awesome StarCraft-related prizes as well.

What are you waiting for? Get arting!

With only two weeks left before StarCraft 2’s scheduled release, casual gamers around the world – especially RTS players -  better make sure their system specs are up to par. The game costs a whooping $60, or a lesser price if you’re willing to pay a monthly fee, depending on your region and version of preference. Without the hardware to fit the game’s requirements, one may find that his investment doesn’t yield the best gaming experience.

Throughout the beta and especially since the introduction of 3v3 and 4v4 matches, the loading screen has often been a vague indicator as to who might be the weakest hardware link and most likely lag behind during the game.

Are you the one who always loads last? See if your system specs meet the official hardware requirements! Current PC hardware requirements and recommendations are as follows:

PC Minimum System Requirements:

• Windows® XP/Windows Vista®/Windows® 7 (Updated with the latest Service Packs) with DirectX® 9.0c
• 2.6 GHz Pentium® IV or equivalent AMD Athlon® processor
• 128 MB PCIe NVIDIA® GeForce® 6600 GT or ATI Radeon® 9800 PRO video card or better
• 12 GB available HD space
• 1 GB RAM (1.5 GB required for Windows Vista®/Windows® 7 users)
• DVD-ROM drive
• Broadband Internet connection
• 1024X720 minimum display resolution

PC Recommended System Requirements:

• Windows Vista®/Windows® 7
• Dual Core 2.4Ghz Processor
• 2 GB RAM
• 512 MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8800 GTX or ATI Radeon® HD 3870 or better

And for our Mac-using readers:

Mac Minimum System Requirements:

Mac® OS X 10.5.8, 10.6.2 or newer
Intel® Processor
NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT or ATI Radeon® X1600 or better
12 GB available HD space
2 GB Ram
DVD-ROM drive
Broadband Internet connection
1024X720 minimum display resolution

Mac Recommended System Requirements:

Intel® Core 2 Duo processor
4 GB system RAM
NVIDIA® GeForce® 9600M GT or ATI Radeon® HD 4670 or better

So, is your rig ready? Check out the poll in the sidebar and tell us how your current rig handles the beta in the comments.

The Marauder, Banshee and Spectre are no longer just Terran StarCraft 2 units.  Now, they’re also mindblowingly awesome progamer-grade hardware pieces by Razer.

The hardware comes with powerful StarCraft 2 specific driver features that allow the peripherals to act as indicators for actual game events as well as show current player APM  levels through multiple multi-color lights.

Razer Spectre

Technical specifications (EST price: 79.99)

Lightweight, Fingertip-Grip 5 Button Mouse

5600 DPI Laser Sensor

Ultrapolling (1000Hz Polling / 1ms Response)

APM-Lighting System

Button Force Adjustment

Always-On^TM mode

Ultra-large non-slip buttons

16-bit ultra-wide data path

Up to 200 inches per second and 50g of acceleration

Zero-acoustic Ultraslick^TM Teflon feet

Gold-plated USB connector

Braided 7 Foot USB Cable

Razer Marauder

Technical specifications (EST price: 119.99)

Full keyboard layout with integrated number pad keys

Ergonomically optimized wrist rest

Reduced desktop footprint

APM-Lighting System

Laser-etched keys

Optimized Key Travel & Spacing

Ultrapolling (1000Hz Polling / 1ms Response)

Braided 7 Foot USB Cable

Razer Banshee

Technical specifications (EST price: 119.99)

Circumaural Design with 50mm driver units

Volume & Mic Control Buttons on the Headset

APM-Lighting System

8 preset EQ

Detachable Microphone Boom

Braided 7 Foot USB Cable

Headphones

Frequency Response: 20 – 20,000 Hz

Impedance: 32Ω at 1kHz

Sensitivity (@1kHz, 1V/Pa): >102dB at 1 kHz

Max. Input Power: 200 mW (

Drivers: 50 mm, with neodymium magnets

Microphone

Frequency Response: 100 – 10,000 Hz

Sensitivity (-42 dB ± 2dB @1kHz, 1V/Pa)

Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >58 dB

Pick-up pattern: Uni-directional