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Maingear and Origin now stocking GeForce GTX 690 cards, will probably run Crysis

Daniel Cooper — Thu, 03 May 2012 09:00:00 EST

Gaming stalwarts Maingear and Origin have casually announced that the duo will now happily sell you a rig packing NVIDIA's beast of a graphics card, the GeForce GTX 690. The $1,000 hardware packs two 28mm Kepler GPUs and is tipped to be the world's fastest graphics card -- unless you work in an NVIDIA testing lab, we suppose.

Continue reading Maingear and Origin now stocking GeForce GTX 690 cards, will probably run Crysis

Maingear and Origin now stocking GeForce GTX 690 cards, will probably run Crysis originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear reveals more heat-dissipating desktops, keeps those new Ivy Bridge internals cool

Mat Smith — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:40:00 EST

Maingear gave us a quick nudge to say something was coming. Now it can reveal that -- alongside Intel's third-generation processors inside all of its desktops and laptops -- it's further updated two of its tower models. The F131 ($1,049), the middleweight option, now houses the same vertical heat-dissipating design found on Maingear's Shift model, alongside hot-swappable storage. It's followed by the Potenza ($899), the company's "mini-ITX gaming solution." It's 45 percent smaller than the F131 with the same heat dissipation design, but still capable of squeezing in NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 680 and support for a liquid cooling setup on the side. Phew. So pick your size, pick your processor and hit up the source for all the custom desktop options.

Continue reading Maingear reveals more heat-dissipating desktops, keeps those new Ivy Bridge internals cool

Maingear reveals more heat-dissipating desktops, keeps those new Ivy Bridge internals cool originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear's Pulse 11-inch gaming laptop has designs on M11x mourners

Daniel Cooper — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:39:00 EST

Gamers who'd been eyeing up an Alienware M11x may have been rightly irked when the 11-inch form factor was yanked off shelves. Fortunately, Maingear is stepping in with a laptop that slots an Ivy Bridge CPU into equally compact hardware. The Pulse 11 has an 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 LED-backlit display, supports up to 16GB of dual-channel DDR3 RAM while packing HDMI-out 1.4a, USB 3.0 and THX TruStudio Pro sound. Graphics-wise, there's an NVIDIA GeForce GT650M with 2GB RAM for fragging your enemies, and an Intel GMA HD GPU for fragging your spreadsheets. The hardware will begin shipping on June 3rd, with prices starting from $1,099 for a Core i5, 8GB RAM and a 320GB HDD.

Maingear's Pulse 11-inch gaming laptop has designs on M11x mourners originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear teases incoming desktop line, promises smaller towers and Ivy Bridge CPUs

Darren Murph — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:15:00 EST

Maingear's Shift is a force to be feared, but it generally requires an entire wing of one's home to be assembled and configured. Hyperbole aside, there's no question that Maingear's aiming to branch out somewhat after the aforesaid rig's successful run, today teasing an "all new line of desktops." We're told to expect smaller designs with "clean" aesthetics, Vertical Exhaust cooling technology and third-generation Intel Core processors (with factory overclocked options, naturally). Prices are slated to start at $899, though there's no real clue as to when we'll see these things up for pre-order. Here's hoping you didn't plop down an order last week, huh?

Maingear teases incoming desktop line, promises smaller towers and Ivy Bridge CPUs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear reveals Solo 21 all-in-one, customize your 21.5-inch machine starting at $999

Billy Steele — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:04:00 EST

Is an all-in-one more your style? Looking to welcome a new one to the fold? If so, Maingear is looking to oblige. The PC maker has just added all-in-ones to its arsenal with the Solo 21. A 21.5-inch 1080p LED backlit display packs a 3.3GHz Intel Core i3, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB HDD with 32GB of SSD caching out of the box. However, the company has rolled out the upgrade options allowing you to spring for a 10-point touchscreen display, i5 or i7 processors, up to 16GB of memory, and a HDD of up to 2TB. You'll also be able to choose between six stock colors or a custom scheme for the chassis of your machine -- we're opting for Citrus Fire. Pricing for the base model starts at $1000 and heads north for the kit that's estimated to ship March 23rd. For more details, peak at the PR below or to get your order in, hit the source link to make your selections.

Gallery: Maingear Solo 21

Continue reading Maingear reveals Solo 21 all-in-one, customize your 21.5-inch machine starting at $999

Maingear reveals Solo 21 all-in-one, customize your 21.5-inch machine starting at $999 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear's Titan 17 has a change of heart, keyboard

James Trew — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:42:00 EST

Maingear has been tickling us with its gaming PCs for a while, and now it's adding some extra muscle to its catalog. The company's Titan 17 notebook is hitting the operating table for a processor transplant, the previous Intel i7-990X being swapped out for either the i7-3930K or i7-3960X. But what good is an internal update without some external flourish so folk know where you stand on the spec table? Maingear appreciates this, and that's why it's throwing a backlit keyboard into the mix. The souped-up Titan is up for pre-order now, with prices starting at $3,499. Tap the PR after the break for the full specs.

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Maingear's Titan 17 has a change of heart, keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear says it will offer the AMD Radeon HD 7970 in its Shift, F131 and Vybe desktops

Dana Wollman — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:01:00 EST

When AMD announced its latest flagship, the Radeon HD 7970, we knew it was fast and efficient (because reviewers said so!), but gamers were told they'd have to wait until the new year to try it themselves. Now, precisely on schedule, the card is available for purchase, and we're starting to hear word of systems that will be refreshed to include the 28nm card. Maingear just said that it will offer the 7970 inside its Shift and F131 desktops, followed by the Vybe at some later date. If you recall, the card has a 925MHz engine that can be overclocked to 1.1GHz, 2,048 stream processors and an unusual 384-bit memory bus serving 3GB of GDDR5 -- not to mention, it's capable of a mere 3W power draw in "long idle" mode. Need even more of a recap on how awesome this card is? Find the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Maingear says it will offer the AMD Radeon HD 7970 in its Shift, F131 and Vybe desktops

Maingear says it will offer the AMD Radeon HD 7970 in its Shift, F131 and Vybe desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear brings Intel i7-3960X Extreme Edition chip, Epic Audio Engine to desktops, extreme gamers

Amar Toor — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 03:24:00 EST

Looking to add a dash of extremity to your gaming existence? Maingear's got you covered, now that it's added a second generation Intel Core i7 CPU to a handful of its desktop offerings. Today, the company announced yet another upgrade to its SHIFT, Quantum SHIFT and F131 desktops, with the addition of the Intel Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition processor. According to Maingear, this extra horsepower will provide gamers with a 34 percent improvement in performance at normal speeds, while offering similar enhancements in video editing and 3D rendering capabilities. That's all thanks to the fact that the i7-3960X can be overclocked at a handsome 5.2GHz, with a quad-channel memory structure that brings even more bandwidth to the table. On top of that, the company has also added its own EPIC Audio Engine to this troika of rigs, using Aphex's processing technology to offer audio that, according to Maingear, is "more balanced, more articulated, and simply put, better sounding." The revamped desktops are on sale now, so hit up the source link for more information, or check out the full PR, after the break.

Continue reading Maingear brings Intel i7-3960X Extreme Edition chip, Epic Audio Engine to desktops, extreme gamers

Maingear brings Intel i7-3960X Extreme Edition chip, Epic Audio Engine to desktops, extreme gamers originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 03:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear and Origin PC shove Intel's Core i7 2700K into gaming rigs, overclock it beyond 5GHz

Darren Murph — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:28:00 EST

Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock were both unavailable for comment, but we're guessing the pair would be quite pleased to see that the tech world's Need For Speed is hardly fading. Maingear and Origin PC have both announced this week that their high-end gaming desktops are now available with Intel's Core i7 2700K -- a beast of a processor that's clocked from the factory at 3.5GHz. Maingear's shoving this guy into its SHIFT (starting at $1,985) and F131 (starting at $1,228) rigs, with factory overclocking options pushing it beyond 5GHz. Origin is hawking its Genesis desktop with a factory speed of 5.2GHz, and yes, gratis warranties are thrown in for the paranoid. Hit the links below to give your wallet the dent it's been asking for.

Continue reading Maingear and Origin PC shove Intel's Core i7 2700K into gaming rigs, overclock it beyond 5GHz

Maingear and Origin PC shove Intel's Core i7 2700K into gaming rigs, overclock it beyond 5GHz originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear intros redesigned Vybe gaming desktops, stuffs 'em with updated internals

Joe Pollicino — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:19:00 EST

If you've been hunting for a new Windows 7 gaming rig, we've got good news: Maingear's just stepped up its line of Vybe desktops and it sure looks appetizing. Like before, there's a trio of pre-fabricated variants, but the goodies are now packed within a redesigned shell finished in black or white (SE and SS models only). The $949 Vybe S starts things off admirably with an overclocked 2.9GHz Intel Core i5 2310 rated at 3.3GHz (capable of turbo-boosting to 3.7GHz). It's further loaded with a 1GB NVIDIA GTS 450 GPU, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB 7,200RPM HDD, 7-in-1 card reader, 7.1 surround sound support and a 24x DVD burner that's all hooked into a USB 3.0 / SATA 6G Intel DP67BA motherboard. The $1,129 SE spices things up with an overclocked i5 2500 rated at 3.7GHz (boosting up to 4.1GHz) and a 1GB GTX 560 GPU that's connected to an SSD-toting Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3 motherboard. Lastly, there's the $1,699 Vybe SS for those who like their noob-slaying experience with extra picante. It's packing an overclocked and water-cooled 4.5GHz+ Core i7 2600K, a duo of those GTX 560 GPUs and 8GB of RAM to make sure you won't experience any hang-ups running Crysis.

You can opt to customize the SE and SS rigs with more powerful parts, although you'll be waiting a bit longer for shipping. You'll find details at the source and healthy serving of eye candy in the gallery below.

Gallery: Maingear Vybe SS

Continue reading Maingear intros redesigned Vybe gaming desktops, stuffs 'em with updated internals

Maingear intros redesigned Vybe gaming desktops, stuffs 'em with updated internals originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear Clutch-15 gets upgraded with NVIDIA Optimus graphics switching

Christopher Trout — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 21:00:00 EST

It's been a while since we last laid eyes on Maingear's fine looking Clutch-15, and while it's still rocking that sexy exterior, the latest iteration has a little surprise for you under the hood. With the recent addition of NVIDIA's graphics switching Optimus technology, this portable's bringing the juice -- battery juice, that is. Aside from that, things look mostly the same, inside and out; you've still got your pick of Intel Core i3 or i5 CPUs, a 750GB HDD or 512GB SSD, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, and the same (still disappointing) WXGA display. This go 'round, however, the dedicated graphics have been bumped up a touch with NVIDIA's GeForce GT 525M GPU (1GB). If automated graphics switching is your thing, you can get your custom laptop on at the source link starting at $1,030. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading Maingear Clutch-15 gets upgraded with NVIDIA Optimus graphics switching

Maingear Clutch-15 gets upgraded with NVIDIA Optimus graphics switching originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear throws Sandy Bridge, GTX 485M into eX-L 15 laptop

Darren Murph — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 02:31:00 EST

Here's hoping you don't mind having your existing laptop made antiquated by this one. Just months after Maingear introduced its Clutch-15 and Alt-15 machines, along comes yet another 15.6-incher... and this one's claiming to be the world's fastest in its category. The eX-L 15 packs a 1920 x 1080 screen resolution (with glossy or matte options!), a variety of new Sandy Bridge chips (with the Core i7 2920XM capping things off), NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 460M (1.5GB) / GTX 485M (2GB), up to 16GB of DDR3-1333 memory, a 2x Blu-ray reader, HDMI / DVI outputs, gigabit Ethernet, two USB 3.0 ports and a pair of USB 2.0 sockets to round things off. The starting tag of $1,579 certainly isn't easy to swallow, but where else are you getting a powerhouse like this with a Full HD matte display? Exactly.

Continue reading Maingear throws Sandy Bridge, GTX 485M into eX-L 15 laptop

Maingear throws Sandy Bridge, GTX 485M into eX-L 15 laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 02:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear targets mid-range PC gamers with Alt-15 and Alt-17 laptops

Darren Murph — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 10:04:00 EST

Just a month after pushing out a smaller duo of gaming laptops, Maingear has now revealed an entirely new line catering to mid-range gamers. The Alt-15 and Alt-17 both start right around the magical $1,000 point, and moreover, both rely on NVIDIA's graphics-switching Optimus technology to conserve battery life when you don't need the GPU pegged. The Alt-15 is a 15.6-incher with a Core i5 or Core i7 Mobile processor, NVIDIA's GeForce GT 425M (1GB), up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, an optional Blu-ray drive, your choice of an HDD or SSD, Windows 7, a fingerprint reader, HDMI / VGA outputs, a USB 3.0 socket (plus a trio of USB 2.0 sockets) and a $1,049 base price. The bigger, beefier Alt-17 gets away with a 17.3-inch LCD (1080p) and most of the same specifications as listed above, though you'll see a starting tag that's $50 more. Hit the links below if you're up for a little customization.

Continue reading Maingear targets mid-range PC gamers with Alt-15 and Alt-17 laptops

Maingear targets mid-range PC gamers with Alt-15 and Alt-17 laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 20 Nov 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 detailed: 512 CUDA cores, 1.5GB of GDDR5 on 'world's fastest DX 11 GPU' (update: video!)

Vlad Savov — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 23:39:00 EST

It might not be November 9 all around the world yet, but NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 580 has already had its spec sheet dished out to the world, courtesy of CyberPower's seemingly early announcement. The new chip will offer a 772MHz clock speed, 512 processing cores, and a 192.4GBps memory bandwidth, courtesy of 1.5GB of GDDR5 clocked at an effective rate of 4GHz. CyberPower is strapping this beast into its finest rigs, and for additional overkill it'll let you SLI up to three of them within one hot and steamy case. Now let's just wait patiently for midnight to roll around and see what the reviewers thought of NVIDIA's next big thing.

Update: CRN has a $499 price for us and a recital of NVIDIA's internal estimate that the GTX 580 bests the GTX 480 by between 20 and 35 percent. It seems, however, that the embargo for this hot new slice of silicon is set for early tomorrow morning, so check back then for the expert review roundup.

Update 2: Lusting to see one on video? How about two side by side? Skip past the break for the eye candy [Thanks, Rolly Carlos!].

Continue reading NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 detailed: 512 CUDA cores, 1.5GB of GDDR5 on 'world's fastest DX 11 GPU' (update: video!)

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 detailed: 512 CUDA cores, 1.5GB of GDDR5 on 'world's fastest DX 11 GPU' (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 23:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear slides out Clutch-13 and Clutch-15 laptops

Darren Murph — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 21:33:00 EST

If we didn't know any better, we'd easily mistake Maingear's newest duo as the sexiest portable duo we've seen today. And maybe it is. The up-and-coming pre-fab PC builder has just unleashed a new pair of laptops, the Clutch-13 and Clutch-15. Predictably, the former is a 13.3-incher while the latter clocks in at a more usual 15.6-inches, and both feature Intel's newest Core 2010 CPUs and looks that (almost) kill. The smaller guys is equipped with a WXGA (1366 x 768) resolution panel, 1.2GHz Core 330UM, integrated Intel graphics, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, a 750GB HDD (or 512GB SSD if you're feeling whimsical), 802.11g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, gigabit Ethernet, an HDMI output, eSATA, ExpressCard slot and compatibility with an optional docking station that adds an ODD among other useful niceties. The Clutch-15 sticks with the same WXGA resolution (disappointingly, might we add), but offers up a choice of Core i3/i5/i7 CPU, NVIDIA's GeForce GT 330M GPU (1GB), WiDi support and a full-size keyboard with number pad. They're available as we speak starting at $1,099 and $899 in order of mention, so feel free to gloss over the next hour of work while configuring your own.

Maingear slides out Clutch-13 and Clutch-15 laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 21:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear debuts eX-L 17 gaming laptop

Donald Melanson — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:41:00 EST

What's bigger than a Maingear eX-L 15 laptop but smaller than a Maingear eX-L 18? If you said a Maingear eX-L 16 you'd be dead wrong, but if you said a Maingear eX-L 17 you'd have amazingly guessed the name of the company's latest gaming laptop. As you can see, this 17-incher sticks pretty close to the company's other laptops in terms of appearance, and Maingear is also unsurprisingly claiming that it offers the "most powerful components ever assembled into a 17-inch notebook." That includes your choice of Core i5 or Core i7 processors, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5870, NVIDIA GeForce GTX480M, or Quadro FX 2800M graphics, up to 8GB of dual channel DDR3 RAM, a max 750GB hard drive or 512GB SSD and, of course, your choice of laser engraving options on the lid. Also like Maingear's other laptops, this one doesn't exactly come cheap -- configurations start at $1,899.

Continue reading Maingear debuts eX-L 17 gaming laptop

Maingear debuts eX-L 17 gaming laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear, iBuyPower and CyberPower reveal Phenom II X6 1090T-based bargain desktops

Darren Murph — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 03:47:00 EST

It's akin to clockwork, as they say -- Maingear, iBuyPower and CyberPower have all decided to pump out new and / or revised gaming desktops based on AMD's latest and greatest (and cheapest, some would argue) six-core processor, barely waiting 24 hours to do the honors. The Phenom II X6 1090T certainly has the whole low-price thing going for it, enabling this trio of PC builders to offer up complete systems starting at under $1,000. Maingear's new Limited Edition Vybe packs a $999 price tag, USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gbps support, ATI's Radeon 5000 series graphics, a DVD burner, 640GB WD Caviar Black SATA 6G hard drive and 4GB of DDR3 RAM. Over in CyperPower land, users can select a variety of 1090T-based rigs starting at just $699, while iBuyPower is revamping the Chimera 2-Q, Gamer Fire and Gamer HAF systems to include the new silicon and an all-too-tempting sub-$1k starting point. The whole lot is available to be customized right this moment, but we're in no position to help you choose between options A, B, C, D, E or F. And G is looking mighty promising, too.

Maingear, iBuyPower and CyberPower reveal Phenom II X6 1090T-based bargain desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 03:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear rolls out updated eX-L 15 gaming laptop

Donald Melanson — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:27:00 EST

Maingear's original eX-L 15 gaming laptop may have been something back in the heyday of August, 2009, but times have changed and, now, so has Maingear's eX-L 15 gaming laptop. Supposedly the "fastest 15-inch HD gaming notebook on the market," the updated ex-L 15 packs your choice of Core i5 or i7 processors, along with ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics, an LED-backlit 1,920 x 1,080 display, up to 8GB of RAM, and a whole range of different hard drive / SSD choices, among other standard gaming laptop options. As you might expect, however, the price can easily top $4,000 with just a couple of clicks, but those satisfied with the base-level offering can snag one for $1,599.

Continue reading Maingear rolls out updated eX-L 15 gaming laptop

Maingear rolls out updated eX-L 15 gaming laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CyberPower, Digital Storm and Maingear add NVIDIA Fermi GPUs to flagship gaming PCs

Darren Murph — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:57:00 EST

Origin PC kicked things off on Friday by shoving NVIDIA's latest and greatest into its Genesis desktop, and now a few more in the custom PC game have upped the ante by offering a similarly delectable taste of Fermi. NVIDIA's new GeForce GTX 470 and 480 have been all the rage over the weekend, and if those raucous benchmarks have you convinced that the time to buy is now, a trio of system builders are here vying for your attention. Digital Storm's Black|OPS rig can now be ordered with a GTX 480 (starts at $2,891), while CyberPower is giving prospective customers the ability to add the latest Fermi GPUs into a smattering of towers. Maingear's formidable SHIFT supercomputer is also seeing the update, but it's really asking for trouble with a triple GTX 480 configuration that demands a minimum investment of $6,199. In related news, ASUS, Zotac and a slew of other GPU makers are cranking out new boards based on the minty fresh core, so you shouldn't have a difficult time finding one if the rest of your rig is a-okay for now.

CyberPower, Digital Storm and Maingear add NVIDIA Fermi GPUs to flagship gaming PCs originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition hits a slew of new gaming desktops

Darren Murph — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:12:00 EST

Intel's six-core, twelve-threaded Core i7-980X Extreme Edition has turned the hardcore gaming community on its head, and just about everyone is scrounging around in a (mostly futile) attempt to locate $999. For those in dire need of an entire system replacement, it seems that today's the day to start looking. Shortly after we heard that this 32nm Gulftown chip would be landing with Alienware and Origin PC rigs, a veritable plethora of other outfits have shown up to make similar announcements. Digital Storm has popped an overclocked (4.4GHz) version into its Black|OPS machine (which conveniently starts at $5,642, while CyberPower is now offering the silicon in its Black Mamba, Black Pearl and Gamer Xtreme 3D machines. Maingear's also sliding said CPU into its world-beating Shift "supercomputer," and anyone shopping a high-end Velocity Micro system will also see the option. We suspect most every other PC maker in existence will be following suit soon, so if your prefab PC builder hasn't yet jumped on the bandwagon, just hold tight. Real tight.

Intel's Core i7-980X Extreme Edition hits a slew of new gaming desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear mX-L 15 multimedia laptop available now

Joseph L. Flatley — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:51:00 EST

It looks like Maingear's mXl-15, the long-awaited little brother to the eXl-15 gaming laptop has finally entered the building. This 15.6-inch laptop packs an Intel Core i5 or i7 CPU, ATI Radeon Mobility 4570 512MB graphics, an LED backlit display (your choice of 1355 x 768 or 1600 x 900), up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, eSATA connection, and your choice of HDD or SSD storage, and a multitouch touchpad. Truth be told, the base price of $1,000 is rather fetching -- although "base price" has a way of fading into the distance as you start adding options. Ready to take the leap? Hit that source link to get started.

Continue reading Maingear mX-L 15 multimedia laptop available now

Maingear mX-L 15 multimedia laptop available now originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear introduces F1X gaming desktops with overclocked Core i7 CPUs

Darren Murph — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:01:00 EST

It's no Shift, but Maingear's new line of F1X gaming rigs are still delightfully potent in their own right. Starting at $2,249 (F1X 200) and sailing well north of $5,149 for the top-end F1X 500, this trio of desktops runs on a 64-bit copy of Windows 7 and packs an 80GB SSD boot drive, an overclocked Intel Core i7 CPU and an optional Blu-ray burner. The big fellow touts a 3.6GHz OC'd Core i7-975, 12GB of DDR3 memory, a 1.5TB Western Digital storage drive, 6x Blu-ray writer, a closed-loop watercooling system, 1,000 watt power supply and twin ATI Radeon HD 5870 GPUs (1GB). The other guys step things down just a wee bit, but you can rest assured that today's latest games will be handled with ease should you snag any of 'em. Speaking of which -- they're only available from Tiger Direct, Circuit City (the website) and CompUSA, so don't waste your time looking elsewhere for a better deal.

Gallery: Maingear introduces F1X gaming desktops with overclocked Core i7 CPUs

Maingear introduces F1X gaming desktops with overclocked Core i7 CPUs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Desktops

Ross Miller — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:35:00 EST

Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season.

Let's face it, not everyone needs (or wants) to carry their computer around on the daily routine. Sacrificing portability can have its advantages -- and while nettops and all-in-one PCs have become a much more dominant force this year, the traditional, highly upgradeable desktop tower is still the reigning bang-for-the-buck champ. Just make sure your certain special someone has enough desk real estate for whatever potentially-enormous chassis you decide to take home and wrap.

Gallery: Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Desktops

Continue reading Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Desktops

Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Desktops originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear SHIFT reviewed: $7,000 can shatter a lot of records

Darren Murph — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST

It's the priciest rig we've seen since we laid eyes on Alienware's latest gaggle of machines back at TGS, and it's not even from a company that you would generally take seriously in the gaming PC arena. But according to Computer Shopper, that small-man bias should be shelved, and fast. Maingear's newly unveiled SHIFT can be had for just over $2,000 if you stick with the basics, but CS managed to review a loaded-out $7,113 edition that produced "record-shattering performance." The "uncompromising design" and build quality was also lauded, through the college-fund shattering price tag prevented it from notching a 10/10 rating. Feel free to tap the read link for the full skinny, but honestly, this thing simply did exactly what it should've done for the price; anything less than world-beating would've been a disgrace at seven large.

Filed under: Desktops

Maingear SHIFT reviewed: $7,000 can shatter a lot of records originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear unveils Core i7-packin' SHIFT, your own 'personal supercomputer'

Darren Murph — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

We'll be straight with ya -- we're betting these "personal supercomputer" claims are just a bit out of line with reality, but even still, there's no denying that Maingear has shoved an insane amount of horsepower beneath the (admittedly large) hood of its newest rig. The beastly SHIFT does away with copious LED lighting and blinging accents found on many modern gaming PCs and instead opts for a classier, more ominous tower. Within, you'll find a vertical airflow system, a Core i7 processor, your choice of ATI or NVIDIA graphics, 8GB (and up) of DDR3-1600 RAM, up to 6 HDDs or 12 SSDs, DVD and Blu-ray options, an Asetek liquid-cooling solution, Razer peripherals, an optional Killer NIC Xeno Pro and Windows 7 running the show. The Intel P55 rig gets going at $2,199, while the X58 model starts $400 higher; for those in creative design fields, Maingear's expected to unveil a SHIFT just for you in the near future. Head on past the break for the full release.

Gallery: Maingear unveils Core i7-packin' SHIFT, your own 'personal supercomputer'

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Filed under: Desktops

Maingear unveils Core i7-packin' SHIFT, your own 'personal supercomputer' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear, CyberPower and iBuyPower gaming desktops pick up ATI Radeon HD 5870

Darren Murph — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:24:00 EST

ATI's Radeon HD 5870 GPU has already taken its rightful place within a few of Alienware's newest desktops, but as with most every major GPU launch, a few of the smaller guys are also taking the opportunity to offer gamers the option to pick one up inside of a new rig. Maingear's Ephex, F131, Prelude, and Dash can all be ordered up right now with the staggeringly potent graphics card, and if none of those suit your fancy, CyberPower would be more than happy to have your business. In fact, it has squeezed the DirectX 11-friendly GPU into the Gamer Xtreme 4200 (starts at $999), Gamer Xtreme 5200 (starts at $1,393) and the AMD-based Gamer Dragon 9500 (starting at $927). Still on the hunt? iBuyPower has an eerily similar trio, though their lineup starts at just $819. Hit the read links below if you feel like putting together a system for kicks, but don't blame us when the order button presses itself.

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Maingear, CyberPower and iBuyPower gaming desktops pick up ATI Radeon HD 5870 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear's eX-L 15 gaming laptop arrives on planet Earth

Donald Melanson — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:29:00 EST

Maingear may have given up on the "world's most powerful gaming laptop" title for the time being, but it's still keeping expectations pretty high for its new ex-L 15 laptop, which has just arrived on the scene from parts unknown. Judging from the specs, however, it won't have much trouble keeping up with the competition, with it packing your choice of top-end Intel processors, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M graphics, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a max 1TB SATA hard drive or 160GB SSD, a built-in DVD burner or optional Blu-ray drive, and your choice of a glossy 15.4-inch 1680 x 1050 display or (thankfully) a 1,920 x 1,200 display with a matte finish. Sold? Then you can pick one up right now for a starting price of $1,899, or you can wait until September when the slightly lower-end mX-L 15 model will be available.

Filed under: Gaming, Laptops

Maingear's eX-L 15 gaming laptop arrives on planet Earth originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear's eX-L 18 grabs for "world's most powerful gaming laptop" title

Darren Murph — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:08:00 EST

You know, this whole "most powerful laptop" game is pretty hilarious. Back in '05, CompAmerica's (who?) Orca 9098 held the title with a cutting-edge 3.8GHz Pentium 4, and over the years, we've watched outfit after outfit pull the award back and forth, much like those tugging games we used to play as tots. Regardless, it seems as if Maingear's down for the fun, today rolling out the planet's all new "world's most powerful gaming laptop" in the eX-L 18, which arrives with an undisclosed Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme processor, twin NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M GPUs, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, up to three 2.5-inch SATA or SSD drives, an optional Blu-ray drive and a screen that's probably larger than your mother's desktop LCD. And by that, we mean 18.4-inches with a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution. If you're down with lugging around this beast, you can get one headed your way provided you've got at least $2,999 you're willing to see off.

Gallery: Maingear's eX-L 18 grabs for "world's most powerful gaming laptop" title

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Maingear's eX-L 18 grabs for "world's most powerful gaming laptop" title originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear's Axess HD Gamer PC looks to blow your mind, empty your wallet

Ross Miller — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:44:00 EST

Make no bones about, Maingear's new Axess HD Gamer (and by merit of its namesake, HTPC, too) is nothing if not a powerhouse for those wanting to pay an arm and a leg for a souped up gaming experience. You want specs? At its best, we're looking at an Intel Core i7 on a X58 chipset, dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT in SLI, up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, Blu-ray, Windows Vista / Media Center, and two 3.5-inch storage bays supporting 320GB SSD or 2TB HDD. If you need more nerd cred, ghost of vaporware past Phantom Lapboard serves as one of the bundled input devices, as does the NVIDIA GeForce 3D vision kit and a 22-inch Samsung LCD. Starting price is $1,799, but if you wanna go for broke -- and whether not you can, you probably want to -- top configurations can run you well over $5,000.

Filed under: Media PCs

Maingear's Axess HD Gamer PC looks to blow your mind, empty your wallet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear's Axess HD Gamer PC looks to blow your mind, empty your wallet

Ross Miller — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:44:00 EST

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming, Home Entertainment

Maingear's Axess HD Gamer PC looks to blow your mind, empty your wallet originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear introduces eco-friendly, Ion-powered Pulse SFF PC

Darren Murph — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:05:00 EST

Stating that NVIDIA's Ion platform has already snagged wide industry support would be a gross understatement, but for whatever reason, Maingear decided to skip out on all the Computex revelry and blaze a trail of its own. Hailed as the planet's greenest gaming PC (which is certainly up for debate), the Pulse is an energy efficient small form factor PC that offers up Ion graphics. Said configuration is available with Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs and an 80+ certified 300-watt power supply; those who care more about frame rates than Ma Earth can opt for a GeForce 9800 GT ECO, which -- despite being a discrete, power-hungry GPU -- still swallows some 40 percent less power than a standard 9800 GT. You'll also find WiFi support, room for an optional Blu-ray drive and TV tuner, upwards of 8GB of RAM and room for a single 2.5-inch HDD or SSD. The whole box checks in at just 7.6- x 8.3- x 11.4-inches, and it's available for order right now starting at $799. Full release is after the break.

Gallery: Maingear introduces eco-friendly, Ion-powered Pulse SFF PC

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Maingear introduces eco-friendly, Ion-powered Pulse SFF PC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear freshens up F131 gaming desktop

Darren Murph — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:32:00 EST

Maingear's latest gaming desktop doesn't arrive with any 3D goggles or fairy dust, but it does boast a nice sheet of specifications and a surely polarizing motif. The relaunched F131 offers gamers quite a lot of options, providing a choice between AMD's Phenom II or Intel's Core i7 and even the ability to shove a trio of ATI Radeon 4890 graphics cards in there for triple-digit frame rates. Deep-pocketed consumers can also get 8TB of HDD space, acoustic dampening technology for whisper quiet operation, Maingear's M.A.R.C. custom laser etching and upwards of 12GB of DDR3 RAM. The newly decorated F131 is up for order now starting at $1,299, but it doesn't take long to push that figure well beyond the two grand mark.

Filed under: Desktops

Maingear freshens up F131 gaming desktop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear unloads BD / SSD-equipped mX-L 13.3-inch laptop

Darren Murph — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:48:00 EST

Look out, world -- a relative no-name has just showed up with a new ultraportable, and it's darn tough to not pay attention with a specs sheet like this. The Maingear mX-L arrives with a 13.3-inch LED-backlit display (1,280 x 800), a Core 2 Duo CPU, GMA X4500HD graphics, 8GB of DDR2 RAM, 160GB Intel X25-M SSD (or a 500GB HDD for those without the cheddar), a dual-layer Blu-ray reader, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, VGA output, three USB 2.0 sockets and a custom etched top that's totally take-it-or-leave-it. The unit weighs in at 4.4 pounds and gets going at $1,099.99, but don't expect that measly four-cell Li-ion to last you through a whole transcontinental flight.

Gallery: Maingear unloads BD / SSD-equipped mX-L 13.3-inch laptop

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Maingear unloads BD / SSD-equipped mX-L 13.3-inch laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear intros Prelude 2 3D gaming system

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:14:00 EST

Maingear bills itself as a fine purveyor of "high performance luxury computers," hand built machines such as the Remix workstation (for "creative professionals"), and now Prelude 2, a 3D gaming workstation that features the NVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision setup, a 22-inch SyncMaster 2233RZ display, and a desktop PC rocking an Intel Core i7 processor -- all for $1,999 (though were guessing that once you start tweaking things here and there the price can rise pretty quickly). More detailed specs are sadly unavailable at the moment, but if you've been itching to jump on the 3D bandwagon (not that we approve, but whatever) this one is probably worth a look. Full release is after the break.

Update: Feel free to check out the order page over at Maingear's site for all the system's specifications and customization options.

Continue reading Maingear intros Prelude 2 3D gaming system

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Maingear intros Prelude 2 3D gaming system originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear intros Remix workstation for the creative professional

Darren Murph — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:34:00 EST

We tell ya, Maingear doesn't get a lot of play amongst the big timers like Dell and HP, but it sure knows how to crank out machines that are just different enough to be worth examining. Enter the Remix workstation, a desktop designed for creative professionals who dabble in graphic design, video production and pro audio. As expected, there's plenty of horsepower under the hood including a Core i7 CPU, Quadro FX / CX GPU options, up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, RAID 0 HDD configurations, gobs of ports and an advanced liquid cooling system to keep the fans from making too much racket. The "handbuilt in America" machine starts at $1,999, though you can easily push that figure above the four grand mark with just a few tweaks. Full release is after the break.

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Maingear intros Remix workstation for the creative professional originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear prepping mammoth Centrino 2-based eX-L gaming laptop

Darren Murph — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:38:00 EST

For those who won't even glance in the general direction of a gaming laptop unless it weighs in at 12+ pounds, you'll probably be unable to take your retinas off of Maingear's forthcoming beast. Word on the street has it that the aptly-titled eX-L will posses a potent 3.06GHz Core 2 Extreme X9100 CPU, which will predictably be overclocked by an undisclosed amount. Graphically, we're told to expect a couple of ATI GPUs or a single NVIDIA unit, while the 17-inch display, built-in speakers (with subwoofer) and 802.11n WiFi are pretty much par for the course. Pricing and availability details are still being withheld, but it sounds like this one won't be coming your way cheap.

Filed under: Laptops

Maingear prepping mammoth Centrino 2-based eX-L gaming laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear intros Axess HD Home Theater HTPC

Darren Murph — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:29:00 EST

It's been a solid tick since we've heard a peep from Maingear, but the firm is hitting back with an all new HTPC that's actually fairly affordable. Starting just shy of $1,400 with a Blu-ray player included, the Axess HD Home Theater is downright capable for the price. Internally you'll find a 2.5GHz AMD Athlon 4850e CPU (the Phenom 9500 is optional), an ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics card, 500GB SATA II hard drive, 2GB of Corsair RAM and a Vista Media Center remote. For those who are looking to spice things up, you can add in another gig of RAM, a pair of Visiontek TV Wonder 650 HD PCI cards, a Blu-ray / HD DVD combo drive, a whole slew of internal storage and a 802.11n adapter for good measure. Hit up the read link to build your own -- it looks to be shipping right now.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

Filed under: Media PCs, Others

Maingear intros Axess HD Home Theater HTPC originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear offers up Quad FX-powered BEAST, throws in 1,000 watt PSU

Darren Murph — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 14:16:00 EST

Aw yeah, just hours (nay, moments) after AMD's Quad FX chip went official, we've already seen one machine ready and willing to satisfy your gaming desires, and now we've found another. Maingear is busting out an Athlon 64 FX-powered BEAST aimed at hardcore (and sufficiently funded) gamers looking for the latest and greatest. The machine is fully customizable (right down to the paintjob), but comes stock with twin FX-70 processors, a 1,000 watt power supply (!), liquid cooling system, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 250GB SATA hard drive, a paltry 16x DVD-ROM drive, NVIDIA's GeForce 8800GTS 640MB graphics card, 8-channel HD audio, dual gigabit Ethernet, Windows XP Home, and a one-year warranty. While it won't take long to price this bad boy right into the stratosphere, it starts out a hair under $3,900, and should handle just about anything -- at least for the next few months -- without a hitch.

Filed under: Desktops, Gaming

Maingear offers up Quad FX-powered BEAST, throws in 1,000 watt PSU originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Dec 2006 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Maingear's Prysma does Viiv Egyptian-style

Paul Miller — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 15:39:00 EST

We knew that shady Viiv spec had a few tricks up its sleeve, and apparently they involve completely pointless (well, rather pointed in this case) yet strangely mesmerizing form factors. The new pyramid-shaped Prysma Media Center PC from game PC manufacturer Maingear has support for the Viiv spec, and though the $1752 base configuration has a mere 512MB of RAM, 80GB HDD, and integrated graphics, there's plenty of room to grow. Of course, in keeping with the Viiv spec, there is gigabit Ethernet, 7.1 Intel HD Audio, and a Pentium D 920 Dual Core 2.8Ghz processor, so the PC should at least be able to push around a bit of HD content if you can manage to find some. Maingear rounds out the Prysma with dual NTSC tuners and some pricey ($299) custom color options.

Filed under: Desktops, Home Entertainment, Media PCs

Maingear's Prysma does Viiv Egyptian-style originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Apr 2006 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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