Rain has announced the specs on the newet generation of its flagship hot-rodded recording PC: the Element. As Rain's first model, the Element has gone under the soldering gun many times since its initial release, and the newest incarnation will only serve bolster the DAW's stellar reputation among recording professionals.

The main feature of the 2008 Element is the processor. Now availible are Core 2 Duo and Quad Intel chipsets for super-fast performance. Also available is up to 6 terrabytes of high-speed storage. If you still need to upgrade your archiving memory, a slew of front-panel-accessible port array provides connectivity for external optical drives, control surfaces or integrated audio interfaces.

Also upgraded is the number of full-sized PCI Express slots, making the new Element the most expandable Element Rain has thus produced.

This paragon of professional processing performance is housed in a retro-futuristic looking aluminum chassis, which serves a dual-purpose: it provides greater protection against physical abuse, and it also naturally conducts heat away from the core of the machine. This takes strain off Rains proprietary and already ultra-low-noise Quiet Cool system, making the new Element run nearly silent. Ironically, the aluminum case makes the new Element possibly the least water-proof Rain computer on the market.