There’s also liquid cooling, and if you’re feeling particularly flush you can pair up the Radeon HD 7970 with up to three of its friends, since quad CrossFireX setups are supported. A multitude of SSD and HDD options are on offer, including a capacious (and painfully expensive) 600GB Intel 320 Series SSD and 512GB Crucial M4 SATA 6G.

Blu-ray, various case colors and finishes and factory overclocking all allow you to customize each MAINGEAR system to suit your particular taste and budget. Both the SHIFT and the F131 are available to order – with the Radeon HD 7970 – from today.

ASUS has a range of new motherboards using the X79 Chipset and the LGA 2011 socket, intended to be used with the Core i7-3960X and its more affordable 3.2GHz Core i7-3930K hexacore and 3.6GHz Core i7-3820 quadcore siblings (which have 12MB and 10MB of cache respectively, and can be Turbo boosted to 3.8GHz and 3.9GHz respectively). The ASUS P9X79 Series ‘boards aim for user-friendliness, with features like SSD caching, while the ROG Rampage IV Extreme is focused at enthusiasts who want its easy overclocking and 4-way NVIDIA SLI/AMD CrossFireX support.

Then there’s the TUF SABERTOOTH X79, and the professional P9X79 WorkStation Series. All four boards include multi-GPU support along with PCI Express 3.0 and compatibility with up to 64GB of quad-channel DDR3 memory via 8-DIMM slots.

All types of users should expect some boost from Intel’s new chips, with the company promising up to a 20-percent boost in video processing and up to a 14-percent increase in 3D rendering performance. All three of the chips have a 130W TDP. Prices for the update ASUS ‘boards are yet to be confirmed, but Intel’s chip-only prices at $990 for the i7-3960X and $555 for the i7-3930K; the i7-3820 will be priced when it hits the market in Q1 2012. Maingear’s SHIFT starts at $2,687 with the overclocked i7-3960X.

The Intel 2700K is a quad-core processor that has a 3.5GHz clock speed and 3.9GHz with Turbo Boost. The CPU, graphics, and memory controllers are all integrated into the chip along with the PCI Express controller. Maingear says that the integration allows for high performance for gaming, multimedia, and overclocking.

The computers are also available with Maingear Epic liquid cooling for a silent and stable system. Maingear will also offer factory overclocking on the CPU up to 5GHz or more. The F131 with the new Intel processor starts at $1,228 with the Shift starting at $1,985.

Maingear has announced that it is now offering its Epic liquid cooling solution on the graphics cards inside the computer. The cooling solution for the video cards is made by Cool IT and will be offered as an option on the Maingear SHIFT gaming computers. The cooling solution is designed for dual graphics card setups and has a closed loop, maintenance free design.

That means you don’t have to worry about leaks and you never need to add more liquid to the cooling system. The Maingear EPIC X2 cooling solution is available on machines with the dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590, dual GTX 580, and will soon be offered on the dual Radeon 6990.

The machines also have a 30-day no-fail guarantee and a trade-in program to get new machines when they launch. The new chassis holds full ATX mainboards and can hold the latest and most powerful hardware on the market. That gives gamers the option NVIDIA video cards in single or SLI arrangements. There are three models pre-configured and one of them can ship the same day the machine is ordered.

The pre-configured machines can be fitted with more memory, faster processors, larger storage drives, and different CPUs. The machine available for same day shipping uses a Core i5-2310 CPU that is overclocked to 3.3GHz, 4GB of RAM, GTS 450 graphics, 1TB of storage, DVD burner, and Windows Home Premium 64-bit for $949. Other 3-day ship machines up the performance and price significantly from $1,129 to $1,699.

One of the coolest features of the chipset is the SSD caching that lets the user take advantage of a SSD to cache things and speed up HDD access using Intel Smart Response technology. The new feature needs no special connectors or cables. Maingear will offer the new chipset on mainboard inside machines with NVIDIA or ATI grahics with single and multiple GPU configurations offered.

CyberPower is also using the new chipset in its offerings. In addition to the SSD caching feature, the new boards will also support Lucid LucidLogix Virtual GPU virtualization software. The new chipset will land in CyberPower Z68-bases gaming machines with Sandy Bridge CPUs starting at $699. The PowerMega series starts at $1199.

The systems also get standard SSDs for booting, 1600MHz+ Patriot memory and up to NVIDIA 3-way SLI or CrossFire multi-graphics options. As for the outside, they’ll finish the casings in your choice of auto-finish paint and even offer custom laser etching and engraving.

The new MAINGEAR systems will go up for sale on January 9 2011.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR PUSHES THE LIMITS WITH THE NEW 2nd GENERATION INTEL CORE PROCESSOR FAMILY AND EXPANDS SUPER STOCK OPTIONS

MAINGEAR expands their Super Stock options to all desktops with an overclocked CPU up to 5GHz and unique custom design choices

Kenilworth, New Jersey – January 5, 2011 – MAINGEAR, an award-winning PC system builder offering custom desktops, notebooks, workstations and media centers, embraces decadent performance with the new 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ family of processors while strengthening their SHIFT, F131, VYBE, and X-CUBE with new Super Stock options that pushes performance and personalization options. MAINGEAR continues to pioneer the ever-changing horizon of extreme personal computing, by utilizing the best possible configurations with eye catching designs. These new processor and Super Stock options will be available for sale on January 9, 2011 12:01am EST.
With the power of the new 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i3, Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 processor family, MAINGEAR desktops will be able to take advantage of the new and improved chipset features that offers a new architecture with shared cache delivering more performance and energy efficiency. The processor integrates CPU, graphics, memory controller, PCI Express all on a single chip. This allows end users to have extreme gaming, amazing multimedia, and flexible overclocking.
With Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 which will allow extreme overclocking options up to 5GHz on select systems, a more robust use of PCI-Express full-bandwidth lanes that will support USB 3.0 and SATA 6G as well as generate low heat with high clock speeds that offers an affordable price to performance option. MAINGEAR ran a performance test with the Intel® Core™ i7 2600K @ 4.8GHz compared to a stock Intel® Core™ i7 3.4GHz with Intel Turbo Boost enabled and resulted with 37% faster 3D rendering, 36% faster CPU Video encoding and 24% overall system performance.*
MAINGEAR has also expanded their SUPER STOCK options to all desktops. The SHIFT, F131, VYBE and X-CUBE now offer a more simplified configuration with a choice of their already performance packed STOCK configuration, or a SUPER STOCK option that is decked out with no-holds-barred performance and unique aesthetics. This is designed to make it easier for customers to quickly choose what level they want to start their customization at.

Some of the key features for SUPER STOCK options on various systems include:
• Upgraded or optimized chassis cooling (dependent on chassis)
• Motherboards supporting up to NVIDIA 3-way SLI or CrossFire™
• Liquid cooling is standard
• MAINGEAR Redline™ Overclocking Available
• Custom chassis design including auto quality paint and custom MARC laser etching options
• Standard SSD boot drives for responsiveness
• Premium 1600MHz+ DDR3 memory from Patriot
• Optimized for NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround, XHD Gaming @ 2560×1600, or AMD EyeFinity multiple monitor gaming
• 80 PLUS Gold Power Supplies from Seasonic and Silverstone

The MAINGEAR SHIFT with Super Stock options also gains an upgrade to its exterior design. Sporting an optional carbon fiber reinforced chassis, the legacy of quality design and craftsmanship is easily displayed on the SHIFT, both inside and out. Always pushing performance to the razor’s edge with MAINGEAR’s overclocking expertise, the SHIFT is not only a processing powerhouse: it is a work of art.
“The launch of the Sandy Bridge platform could not have come at a better time,” said Wallace Santos CEO and Co-Founder of MAINGEAR. “We are now able to push more performance out of our systems further than ever before which has also allowed us to expand our popular Super Stock options to the rest of our system lineup.”
All of MAINGEAR products are supported with lifetime labor and phone support with one to three year hardware warranty. For more information about MAINGEAR’s desktops with Super Stock option solutions, click here

That optional docking station features extra connectivity including VGA, DVI, RJ-45, audio out, USB 2.0 x 4 ports and optional optical disc drives including Blu-ray™. The MAINGEAR Clutch-15 (the one that’s 15.6″, of course), has a full size keyboard and numeric pad and the option of an Intel® Core™ i7 mobile processor and an Nvidia™ GeForce 330M. Both the Clutch-13 and Clutch-15 integrate Intel’s Always Aware technology that utilizes the system accelerometer to provide display control, hard drive protection, and system security. Multiple log-in failures reveal Intel’s Anti-Theft technology, also activated when the notebook is lost or stolen.

Intel® My WiFi Technology converts either notebook into a Wi-Fi Personal Area Network so you can be the talk of the town in the library or at your local LAN party (note: these are only made for what they call “casual gaming.) You’ll ALSO be the talk of the town with the fancy tactile feel of these notebooks, including optional MAINGEAR M.A.R.C. laser etching according to your specifications!

MAINGEAR Clutch-13 Notebook:
—     13.3″ WXGA (1366 x 768) 16:9 Glossy LED LCD display
—     Intel® Core™ 330UM Ultra Mobile 1.2GHz Dual Core with Hyper Threading
—     Intel HD Integrated Graphics with Dynamic Frequency
—     Up to 8GB DDR3-1066 memory
—     Up to SATA 2.5” 7200RPM 750GB or up to 512GB SSD
—     802.11g/n wireless connection, Bluetooth, 10/100/1000 Ethernet
—     HDMI out, eSATA, 34mm ExpressCARD support
—     Optional docking station includes: VGA, DVI, RJ-45, audio out and USB 2.0 x 4 ports, and a choice of Blu-ray, Super Mutli DVD, DVD-RW
—     Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System
—     Intel® Anti-Theft Technology Support, Intel® Always Aware Features, Intel ® My WiFi Technology Support
—     MAINGEAR M.A.R. C. Laser etching
—     13.26”(w) x 8.5” (d) x .96” (h)
—     3.3lbs  (fully loaded)
Starting at $1,099 (with docking station)
 
MAINGEAR Clutch-15 Notebook:
—     15.6″ WXGA (1366 x 768) 16:9 Glossy LED LCD display
—     Intel® Core™ i3, i5 and i7 mobile processors
—     Intel HD Integrated Graphics or NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M 1GB Graphics
—     Up to 8GB DDR3-1066 memory
—     Up to SATA 2.5” 7200RPM 750GB or up to 512GB SSD
—     802.11g/n wireless connection, Bluetooth, 10/100/1000 Ethernet
—     HDMI out, eSATA, 34mm ExpressCARD support
—     Optional docking station includes: VGA, DVI, RJ-45, audio out and USB 2.0 x 4 ports, and a choice of Blu-ray, Super Mutli DVD, DVD-RW
—     Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System
—     Intel® Anti-Theft Technology Support, Intel® Always Aware Features, Intel ® My WiFi Technology Support
—     MAINGEAR M.A.R. C. Laser etching
—     Full size keyboard with number pad
—     15.35”(w) x 9.8” (d) x 1.3” (h)
—     4.75lb  (fully loaded)
Starting at price $899 (without docking station)

There’s also liquid cooling, which can be paired with acoustic dampening if it’s still not quite quiet enough for you, and then there are various car-finish hand painted case color options (which you can see in the gallery below).  They can be matched with interior LED lighting, if that’s to your taste.

The MAINGEAR SHIFT kicks off at $2,299, but as you might expect you can easily push that far, far higher by ticking a handful of options boxes.  For instance, upgrading to the i7-980X Extreme adds $991.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR REVS UP THE SHIFT WITH SUPER STOCK OPTIONS

MAINGEAR launches Super Stock options on their award-winning SHIFT desktop with jaw-dropping performance features including an overclocked CPU, liquid cooling and auto custom paint options

Kenilworth, New Jersey – September 27, 2010 – MAINGEAR, an award-winning PC system builder offering custom desktops, notebooks, workstations and media centers, proves there is always room for more. Bolstering the SHIFT with new Super Stock performance and personalization options, MAINGEAR continues to pioneer the ever-changing horizon of extreme personal computing, by utilizing the best possible configurations with eye catching designs.

Every MAINGEAR Super Stock upgrade is hand-picked and specialty tuned to push the already award winning SHIFT desktop with improvements in performance and design choices built to give the best high-performance PC experience. With maxed out performance including liquid cooled overclocked CPU processor and 3-way SLI® that is perfected in an aesthetically unique designed chassis, this system will turn heads in performance and looks.

Uncompromising Performance: With MAINGEAR’s Redline™ CPU overclocking, PC enthusiasts will be able to enjoy fast and stable CPU performance with Intel® Core™ i7-980X Extreme Edition processor overclocked up to 4.5GHZ. Along with 3-way SLI® NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 480, totaling to 4.5GB GDDR5, performance and everyday users can enjoy vivid movies, 3D games, entertainment and even get some 3D CAD or rendering processed in the background with this combination of ultimate performance.

Custom Liquid Cooling Excellence: MAINGEAR’s Super Stock option will also offer LiquidX 2700 and 2900 Supercooler Package which is a highly tuned watercooling loop built from the best components available that is hand-cut and wrapped. It uses no-dye liquid, Koolance CPU-360 Waterblock with compression nozzles, and is shipped with the liquid coolant pre-filled. And, if that isn’t enough, MAINGEAR also offers Acoustic Dampening to further minimize any other potential noise.

Custom Paint Job: The Super Stock option package offers six high gloss custom paint colors, both painted interior and exterior that gives the SHIFT system a special uniqueness yet shows a familiarity that is still unmistakably MAINGEAR. The system is hand-painted using high quality auto paint in luxurious colors in such as Root Beer and Brandywine, you can mix and match nearly 200 different color combinations.

Super Stock Highlights:
MAINGEAR SHIFT exclusive patent pending* advanced vertical heat dissipation chassis with window
Nearly 200 color combinations for the interior and exterior of the chassis of professional car paint colors in colors to fall in love including: Brandywine, Cobalt Blue, Frost White, Organic Green, Root Beer and Burple
Internal LED lighting to match your interior and exterior colors
Redline™ CPU overclocking up to 4.5GHZ with the Intel® Core™ i7-980X Extreme Edition processor
MAINGEAR LiquidX 2700 and 2900 Supercooler Package, which is a hand-built, highly tuned watercooling loop
Front-mounted 3 drive hot swappable bays to make it easy to pull hard drives in and out
1.5KW Silverstone Strider Modular Industrial power supply
Performance chassis cooling upgrade fan to 180mm, 1300rpm, 150 cfm
· Acoustic Dampening to lower the overall system noise
· Unique Super Stock Out-of Box accessories including MAINGEAR branded t-shirt, toolkit, mousepad, and branded beanie hat
· Starting at price of SHIFT is $2,299

“The MAINGEAR SHIFT with Super Stock Options provides a unique and differentiated opportunity for overclockers to take advantage of the Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition – the world’s fastest, smartest PC processor. Intel’s world class manufacturing helps deliver industry-leading performance to allow PC Enthusiasts the ultimate gaming & media experience.” Chris Tobias – Director, Channel Desktop Marketing – Intel

“MAINGEAR is good at what they do, continually offers offering unique options and performance capabilities where it counts, which makes them one of the premier system integrators in the country,” said Ujesh Desai, vice president of GPU business at NVIDIA. “With NVIDIA three ® 3-way SLI NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 480s under the hood running in a 3-way SLI configuration, MAINGEAR customers , 4.5GB GDDR5 is designed to offer gamers can be assured of incredible scalability in their graphics performance and an awesome overall PC gaming experience, no matter their game of choice.”

“The MAINGEAR SHIFT with Super Stock options and Microsoft Windows 7 are representing a whole new generation of performance and personalized user experiences for hardcore gamers and PC enthusiasts alike.” said Eddie O’Brien, VP of Microsoft US OEM.

All of MAINGEAR products are supported with lifetime labor and phone support with one to three year hardware warranty.

The GTX 460 will be offered in the Shift, F131, Vybe, and X-Cube lines of desktop PCs. The GTX 460 used by Maingear has 336 CUDA cores and has a core clocked at 675MHz. The video card is also SLI capable for future expansion.

Maingear is mum on the final pricing for machines using the new video card, but the systems should be some of the lower priced systems since the new card is a mid-range option. The machines should be available to order now.

Maingear has announced a new series of Quick Ship PCs that are ready to ship within 48 to 72 hours. The Quick Ship PCs include the X-Cube, Vybe, and F131 units in specific configurations. The X-Cube can be had with up to 8GB of RAM, Core i3, i5, or i7 CPUs, various HDDs and SSDs. The machine starts at $1099.

The Vybe is an AMD Phenom II X6 powered machine with ATI graphics options starting at $798. The F131 can be had with Core i5 or i7 CPUs, up to 16GB of RAM, and NVIDIA or ATI graphics starting at $1269.

Two versions of the Vybe – listed as limited edition – have been introduced, with prices starting at $999 for the Phenom II X6 1055T based model (paired with an ATI Radeon HD 5670 GPU, 4GB of DDR3 memory and 640GB HDD) and rising to $1,299 for the Phenom II X6 1090T version.  The latter gets an ATI Radeon HD 5830 GPU and 6GB of DDR3 memory.

Buy now, incidentally, and they’ll throw in a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, giving you something to actually do with your new PC.  For more on the AMD hexacores, check out our review roundup from earlier today.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR Debuts Limited Edition VYBE Gaming PC with Phenom II X6

Maingear integrates AMD’s latest 6 core CPU to deliver elite performance to gamers and content creators starting at $999

Kenilworth, New Jersey – April 27, 2010 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of custom computers for PC gamers, enthusiasts, and content creators, debuts the VYBE Limited Edition. VYBE leverages AMD’s latest Phenom II X6 CPU to provide intelligent, powerful computing performance at an affordable price. VYBE users can now embrace AMD’s Turbo Core technology that dynamically transfers performance to three dedicated cores operating at a higher frequency. These three turbocharged cores automatically give you the extra speed you need for intense gaming sessions or advanced content creation tasks.

Another nice feature of the 6-core Phenom II is AMD’s OverDrive software, an all-in-one performance tuning utility that includes hardware monitoring and fan control capabilities. The latest VYBE also incorporates ATI Radeon 5000 series graphcs with DirectX11, and the AMD 890GX chipset featuring SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0. Customers who purchase the VYBE featuring the AMD Phenom II X6 and select ATI Radeon graphics will also receive a complimentary copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

“AMD’s latest technology enables us to provide gamers and content creators with extremely capable 6 core performance at a price point that wasn’t feasible up until now,” said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. “We’re now able to reach a new segment of the market with a value priced rig that delivers highly advanced computing power.”

“The Phenom II X6 empowers gamers and creative professionals with elite performance and visually immersive computing,” said Leslie Sobon, Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing at AMD. “The MAINGEAR Vybe integrates a complete platform of AMD technologies for a fantastic computing experience.”

Consumers can purchase the VYBE at MAINGEAR’s Web site www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/ or order by phone at (888-MAINGEAR). The base price for the Vybe Limited Edition is $999 and comes with MAINGEAR’s premium Lifetime Labor and Phone Support with a 1 year hardware warranty and is backed by the best in-house support team in the country.

In fact the standard display is now the a 1,600 x 900 16:9 15.6-inch panel, and there’s a new 1920 x 1080 option.  Otherwise there’s eSATA, FireWire, four USB 2.0 ports, VGA, HDMI and DVI, as well as S/PDIF, a webcam and a separate numeric keypad.

The new version is cheaper – at least at the entry level – than the machine it replaces, too, and where the basic eX-L 15 previously kicked off at $1,899, the new version starts at $1,599.  The Full HD display is an extra $95, you’ll pay at least $144 for a Core i7-620M upgrade, and switching the standard 250GB 7,200rpm HDD for an SSD is at least $323.75.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR Unleashes Revamped eX-L 15 Gaming Notebook

15” notebook gives gamers the world’s fastest mobile graphics performance to date

Kenilworth, New Jersey – April 20, 2010 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of custom computers for PC gamers and enthusiasts, unveils the eX-L 15, the fastest 15″ HD gaming notebook on the market. Featuring DirectX 11 graphics courtesy of the ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics adapter, and resolutions up to 1920×1080 and an LED back-lit screen, the eX-L delivers killer graphics and performance.

Processing Power – eX-L15 can be configured with 45nm quad-core processors for blazing fast performance or the all new 2010 Intel Core i5 and i7 32nm processors for enhanced battery life.

Visual Feast – eX-L 15 packs the world’s fastest mobile GPU in the ATI Radeon 5870 with a crystal clear 1080p LED backlit screen providing the most brilliant resolution for today’s hottest games. And enjoy a complimentary 30-day, ZERO dead pixel warranty free of charge.

Connectivity, Security, and Expandability– Featuring DVI, HDMI, and S/PDIF audio out, the eX-L 15 gives users enhanced connectivity capabilities to bring movies, games, and music onto a larger monitor and sound system. Additional connection features include eSata, Firewire, 4 USB ports, and a webcam.

Cooling Capabilities – To combat an overheating lap, MAINGEAR implemented a dual heatpipe cooling design for both the CPU and GPU with Artic Cooling thermal paste.

Additional Advanced Features – eX-L 15 offers gamers a dedicated number pad easing the transition between gaming on a desktop and notebook.

“The eX-L was designed for maximum performance in a portable package,” said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. “With the DirectX 11 performance of the Radeon HD 5870, we’re not only able to provide that performance, but do it with exceptional visual quality for today’s and tomorrow’s hottest titles.”

Consumers can purchase the eX-L 15 at MAINGEAR’s Web site http://www.maingear.com/custom/laptops/exl-15/ or order by phone at (888-MAINGEAR). The base price for the eX-L 15 is $1,599 and comes with MAINGEAR’s premium Lifetime Labor and Phone Support with a 1 year hardware warranty and is backed by the best in-house support team in the country.

Maingear has announced that the SHIFT personal supercomputer can be ordered with the new NVIDIA Fermi video cards as options. The machine can be fitted with the NVIDIA GTX 480 and GTX 470 video cards.

The new video cards are DX11 compliant and have twice as many CUDA cores as older NVIDIA cards offered. The SHIFT can be optioned with the Fermi-based cards online or over the phone. I don’t even want to think about how expensive the SHIFT fitted with the i7-980X and Fermi video cards would be.

There’s also special acoustic shielding so that the noise from fans doesn’t drive you screaming out of the house, and a list of video card options as long as your arm (assuming you don’t have bizarrely long arms).  Various options from ATI and NVIDIA are on offer, including dual ATI Radeon HD 5970 4GB cards in CrossFireX configuration.

Up to four internal hard-drives (or SSDs) can be picked, in various RAID configs, together with Blu-ray and more.  The Intel X58 chipset based SHIFT range kicks off at $2,299 but expect significantly more if you want the new Core i7-980X.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR Updates SHIFT Everday Super Computer to Include Core i7 980X and More

SHIFT now configurable with Intel’s 6 core Core i7 980X processor, SATA 6Gb, and USB 3.0, winning PC Mag’s Editors’ Choice Award

Union, New Jersey – March 16, 2010 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of custom computers for PC gamers and enthusiasts, announces a hardware refresh for the SHIFT everyday supercomputer. The revamped hardware is highlighted by Intel’s Core i7 980X 6 core, hyperthreaded 3.33GHz processor, giving enthusiasts the ability to run up to an astonishing 12 threads in parallel enabling your PC to execute multiple CPU intensive tasks at once. SHIFT also now boasts scorching fast SATA 6G that enables Crucial’s new RealSSD C300 to reach speeds of 335 MB/s on sustained reads, which is now also available on the SHIFT.

MAINGEAR’s implementation of USB 3.0 further solidifies SHIFT’s high performance prowess allowing newer flash drives and external SSDs to really fly at speeds up to 5Gbps. To ensure the new state-of-the-art hardware doesn’t come at the cost of added decibels, MAINGEAR integrated AcoustiPack sound dampening that keeps the system whisper quiet no matter what’s going on under the hood. In their review on March 11th, PC Mag awarded this new SHIFT their coveted Editors’ Choice award.

“The new Intel Core i7 980X is the fastest, smartest Desktop PC microprocessor on the planet, and it only makes sense that it’s prominently featured in the masterfully hand crafted MAINGEAR SHIFT,” said CJ Bruno, VP, GM Intel Americas. “The MAINGEAR SHIFT, featuring an overclocked Intel Core i7 980X, was recognized by PC Magazine as one of the fastest gaming PCs on the market today and awarded their Editors Choice.”

“Our all new 2010 SHIFT is taking the pole position in the high performance consumer desktop market,” said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. “By intelligently integrating best-of-breed hardware and supporting it with top-tier, in-house technical support by the same guys who built your system, we’re delivering the best PC experience money can buy.”

MAINGEAR’s SHIFT rethinks the status quo of the high end PC industry with rigs that often feature an array of plastic, bling, and commoditized components and offers every day supercomputing in a sophisticated design with sublime, elegant lines, unmatched performance, optimal airflow, and limitless upgradeability. By harnessing the power of the graphics processing unit (GPU), the SHIFT can speed up everyday tasks like photo and video editing, transcoding videos for portable media devices, and upscaling standard definition video.

Consumers can purchase the Shift at MAINGEAR’s Web site www.maingear.com or order by phone at (888-MAINGEAR). The base price for the Shift is $1,799 and comes with MAINGEAR’s premium Lifetime Labor and Phone Support with 2 year hardware warranty and is backed by the best in-house support team in the country.

There’s also up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, a range of HDD and SSD storage and a 2-megapixel webcam.  Connectivity includes WiFi b/g/n and an eSATA port, along with the usual bevy of USB ports, and MAINGEAR have even managed to squeeze in a separate numeric keypad; the touchpad, meanwhile, supports multitouch gestures.

A DVD burner and biometric fingerprint reader round out the main specs.  MAINGEAR say the mX-L 15 starts off at $999, but having played with the online configurator a little, it’s all too easy to crank that up to just shy of $2k once you start throwing high-speed Core i7 CPUs and SSDs at the notebook.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR Launches New mX-L 15 Multimedia Notebook

Sleek laptop delivers powerful mobile computing performance in a sophisticated design

Union, New Jersey – March 3, 2009 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of custom computers for PC gamers and enthusiasts, unveils the new mX-L 15 multimedia notebook, a sophisticated mobile computing solution that gives consumers affordably powerful performance in a sleek design starting at $999.

Processing Power – mX-L 15 features the all new Intel® Core™ i5 / i7 mobile processors that boast a combination of fast cache, Turbo Boost Technology, and Hyper-Threading for faster multi-tasking and multimedia. Coupled with an integrated memory controller and dual channel DDR3 memory, the mX-L 15 delvers a silky smooth computing experience.

Vivid Graphics – mX-L 15 features ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 graphics to give you a visual feast of high definition media and gaming on the vibrant, LED-backlit 15.6″ widescreen display at resolutions up to 1600×900. You’ll get a clean, crisp image whether you’re working in Excel, surfing the web, or watching high definition movies.

Connectivity, Security, and Expandability– With wireless 802.11b/g/n technology, you get the fastest, most secure wireless experience. Coupled with an integrated fingerprint reader and you can be assured that your system is locked down from unwanted guests. A 2.0MP camera provides for easy tele-conference and is compatible with popular software like Skype. And don’t worry about running out of space on the mX-L. An e-SATA connection will enable you to connect external hard drives at speeds that match your internal storage.

Solid-State Hard Drives– Configurable with solid-state hard drives, the mX-L 15 eliminates moving parts, noise, slow boot times, and heat while drastically improving reliability so your data is kept safe and secure.

Sleek Design – The mX-L packs all these features and power into a package that is thin, aesthetically pleasing, and devoid of any unnecessary design aspects. The mX-L even features a full numeric keypad usually only found in larger, 17″ notebooks and a multi-touch and gesture touchpad that allows users to zoom in and out and scroll through web pages quickly.

Consumers can purchase the mX-L 15 at MAINGEAR’s Web site http://www.maingear.com/custom/laptops/mxl-15/ or order by phone at (888-MAINGEAR). The base price for the mX-L 15 is $999 and comes with MAINGEAR’s premium Lifetime Labor and Phone Support with a 1 year hardware warranty and is backed by the best in-house support team in the country.

With today’s official announcement that the AMD HD 5970 video card is available the Shift can now be had with not one but two of the dual GPU video cards. That is some very serious graphics processing power.

According to Maingear when equipped with two of the HD 5970 video cards the Shift is capable of 10 teraflops of visual computing power when enhanced with Maingear redline technology. The downside to the power and high-end design of the Shift is the price. A fully optioned dual HD 5970 machine will run you about $6,500.

They’re all squeezed into a sizeable desktop casing, which Maingear claim to have purposefully left dark, minimal and undecorated.  Optical drives include a choice of DVD or Blu-ray and you can specify a Killer NIC Xeno Pro network card if you’re really concerned about ethernet performance.

OS is Windows 7, and Maingear will even throw in a Razer keyboard and mouse.  The Maingear SHIFT range starts at $2,199 for the entry-level Core i7 800 series machine, with 8GB of RAM, and rises to $2,599 for the i7 900 series machine with up to 24GB of RAM.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR Unleashes a Paradigm SHIFT in High Performance Computing

“SHIFT” personal supercomputer redefines computing performance, design, and support

System highlights include elegant design, advanced cooling, maximum expandability, and angelic customer support

Union, New Jersey – November 2, 2009 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of custom computers for PC gamers and enthusiasts, unveils SHIFT, the everyday supercomputer that will reshape the current landscape of high performance computing. SHIFT rethinks the status quo of the high end PC industry with rigs that often feature an array of plastic, bling, and commoditized components and offers every day supercomputing in a sophisticated design with sublime, elegant lines, unmatched performance, optimal airflow, and limitless upgradeability. By harnessing the power of the graphics processing unit (GPU), the SHIFT can speed up everyday tasks like photo and video editing, transcoding videos for portable media devices, and upscaling standard definition video.

“The SHIFT bucks the trend of plastic, bloated, commodity PCs. It’s a statement of our commitment to performance, reliability, and support.” said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. “Featuring vertical airflow, all the cooling necessary for today’s high performance, and backed by the best technical support team in the business, MAINGEAR is committed to maintaining our lead in the market. The SHIFT Personal Supercomputer is positioned to take advantage of all the next generation technology in GPU computing to greatly enhance the customer experience.”

Elegant Design – Shift’s aluminum skin provides clean, elegant lines while housing a tank-like steel skeleton. Devoid of unnecessary bling, Shift was crafted to add an element of sophistication and simplicity to any room in the house.

Advanced Cooling – Shift employs a unique approach to cooling with bottom to top airflow, aggressive liquid cooling, and a 90 degree rotation of the motherboard.

Expansion – MAINGEAR’s forward thinking, design includes features including user accessible expansion slots, full eATX motherboard support, full sized 5.25” optical drives, multiple SATA hard drive configurations, and up to 2 2.5” HDD in each 3.5” HDD Drive bay.

Angelic Support – In an industry often characterized by poor customer support, MAINGEAR goes against the grain and offers world class support for each of its systems. Should any issues arise, each SHIFT owner is able to talk directly to the builder that assembled their system and can take advantage of virtual on-site support through an internal remote-desktop setup with privacy guarantees. Additionally, MAINGEAR offers on-site support should the situation warrant it.

“Customer service is paramount at MAINGEAR.” said Chris Morley, CTO. “Angelic Service is our premium blend of pre- and post-sales support including non-commissioned sales, US-based, in house technical support, virtual on-site remote diagnostic technology, and on-site support solutions. We’re delivering the total package.”

MAINGEAR will also be unveiling a version of the SHIFT geared specifically towards creative professionals, video production, audio editing, and CAD before the end of the year. Consumers can purchase the Shift at MAINGEAR’s Web site www.maingear.com or order by phone at (888-MAINGEAR). The base price for the Shift is $2,199 and comes with MAINGEAR’s premium Lifetime Labor and Phone Support with 3 year hardware warranty and is backed by the best in-house support team in the country.

As you might expect, it’s not a cheap upgrade option in any case.  On Maingear’s flagship desktop, the Ephex, the HD 5870 is the entry-level ATI card on offer in a system starting from $2,385.  Alternatively, you can have two or even three of them, for $500 or $1,000 extra respectively.

If you’re on a budget, Maingear’s cheapest model on which you can spec an HD 5870 is the X-Cube, and there the new ATI Radeon is a $370 option.  That’s just under $10 less than what you’d pay for the card on its own; you can also slap two of them in there, for $870.

Included in the new notebook is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260m GPU, which offers 3D for DirectX 10 games, PhysX, vReveal and Badaboom. It also has an Intel Core 2 45nm processor with 8GB of DDR3 RAM. Other features include a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution display, support for 160GB SSD or 1TB HDD and option Intel Turbo Memory.

In addition to the eX-L 15, another notebook, the mX-L 15, was also announced today, offering up 8 CUDA processing cores, a NVIDIA GeForce G105M GPU, fingerprint scanner, Intel Turbo Memory 2.0 and a 2-megapixel camera. This mobile model will be available in September. The eX-L 15 notebook, on the other hand, is available now at a base price of $1,899.

For starters, it has 3D graphics with dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M graphics cards, 1080p resolution and a slew of Intel Core 2 mobile processor options. Also included is NVIDIA PhysX support for even more realistic gaming.

Even better, you can expand this notebook to super high capacity. For instance, you can add on 3 2.5-inch SATA or SSD drives. Also included are numerous connections like HDMI, USB 2.0, FireWire, and eSATA. A 3-megapixel camera is included as is a keyboard with gaming buttons that can programed. As with many MAINGEAR products, you can use their M.A.R.C laser etching tech to get a custom logo or design on the case. You can get the MAINGEAR eX-L 18 gaming notebook now for a base price of $2,999.

Other specifications include a Blu-ray drive, 8-channel audio with pre-amp, S/PDIF digital audio output and Vista Home Premium with its media center UI.  Storage is courtesy of two 3.5-inch SATA drives, offering up to 2TB of space, or alternatively twin SSDs.

Up front there’s an OLED display for status information – including song or artist for music, or alternatively movie title – plus a multi-format memory card reader.  Connectivity includes DVI-D, VGA, HDMI and component out, plus dual gigabit ethernet, eight USB 2.0 ports, two 6-pin FireWire ports and eSATA.

Unsurprisingly, none of this comes cheap.  The Maingear Axess HD Gamer range starts from $1,799, but expect to pay far more than that for the kind of maxed-out system the company are talking about here.

If you get the NVIDIA ION-based Pulse, then you can expect an Intel Core 2 45nm processor with a 300W power supply with 80% efficiency. The GeForce 9800 GT ECO, on the other hand is more powerful but still 40% more efficient than regular GeForce 9800 GT and comes with a 65W Core 2 Quad processors. 

Other features include Wi-Fi, eSATA and optional Blu-ray and a TV tuner. This computer is a great option for those seeking a higher-powered gaming machine without the serious power draw. You can get the MAINGEAR Pulse now for starting at $799.

As far as specs go, the ePhex Elite has an Intel Core i7 975 Extreme processor, the option to include three GTX 285 or three Radeon HD 4890 processors, an Asus X58 motherboard and up to 24GB of RAM. Plus there’s a liquid cooling system that ensures all the components stay cool.

The cooling system actually cools the processor and the GPUs. This system is easy to upgrade, is super fast and allows you the best gaming performance possible. What more could you ask for, really? M.A.R.C. laser etching is also available. You can get the MAINGEAR ePhex Elite gaming PC now for a base price of $5,660.

Now, you can ramp up this system with 3 ATI 4890 graphics cards in CrossFireX. You can also opt for up to 8TB of storage space since there are numerous SATA connectors. The new Domino ALC liquid cooling system is also worth noting, which is provided by CoolIT Systems.

You can have the computer itself customized as well thanks to MAINGEAR’s M.A.R.C laser etching tech that allows you to make a statement with a logo or image of your choosing. It’s the combination of superior graphics and liquid cooling that gives this system the one-two punch in the gaming world. You can get the MAINGEAR F131 now for a starting price of $1,299.

Graphics are courtesy of the 1080p-capable Intel GMA X4500HD, while connectivity includes gigabit ethernet, WiFi a/b/g/n and optional Bluetooth 2.0+EDR.  There’s also three USB 2.0 ports, VGA out, audio in/out including S/PDIF and an integrated microphone and webcam.

The whole thing measures 12.125 x 9.125 x 1.3-1.44 inches and weighs 4.45lbs, and comes with a 4-cell 2.4Ah battery.  OS is Windows Vista and pricing starts at $1,099.99.  MAINGEAR will even custom-etch a graphic of your choosing onto the notebook lid, using their laser.

Nvidia’s GeForce 3D Vision features an active set of wireless glasses to decipher the stereoscopic 3D effect images, but only works on specialized LCDs, DLP HD TV or Projector with 120Hz refresh rate panel over dual-link DVI.

According to the graphic card maker, the GeForce 3D-ready goggle is also available for purchase separately at $199, but you’ll need to gather all the ingredients to “automatically transforms hundreds of PC games into full stereoscopic 3D” or you can opt for MAINGEAR Prelude 2 for $1,999. It’s available now at company’s website.

The new Remix series workstations from MAINGEAR, offer Intel 45nm “Nehalem” i7 Quad-core processor, Intel X58/ICH10R chipsets, Nvidia GPU Quadro CX and M-audio peripherals to provide professionals with industry’s most demanding and memory-intense 3D apps, graphic simulators, projects and professional studios works.

Additionally, the Remix workstations are hand-built with advanced insulation materials, water-cooled with whisper-quiet CoolIt Systems and customizable in a variety of color finishes and powerful components from Intel i7 Extreme quad core, 12GB of DDR3 memory, 10,000 RPM SATA II storage to 1.5GB of Quadro-grade GPU memory.

The base Remix has a suggested retail of $1,999 and can be purchased at company’s online store.