Maingear’s Apex Rush Gaming Desktop Makes Laziness Really feel So, So Good

You’ll be able to construct your individual PC. It isn’t that tough. The time dedication could also be an excessive amount of for some individuals, however the finish result’s usually extra compelling since you realize what went into it and what could inevitably be upgraded. Customized PC makers like Maingear must dig up some compelling causes to promote a costlier tower. You’ll be able to already inform by the photograph above there’s a giant cause you would possibly go for the Maingear Apex Rush earlier than one other PC. Your ultra-expensive tower may seem like a bit of artwork, so long as you deal with it proper.

The final Maingear desktop I reviewed, the MG-1, was a rigorously constructed, customizable PC that regarded an excessive amount of like one thing I may have pieced collectively, at the least judging from the outside. Inside, the tower was much better than that due to its screw-in GPU bracket and cable administration that would depart even essentially the most demanding IT professionals nodding in approval. The inside was inlaid with a strip of RGB lights that provided a refined inside glow. It was the form of slapdash DIY mission anyone constructing their very own PC may have simply achieved.

When Maingear first introduced its Rush PCs at CES 2025, the corporate’s CEO, Wallace Santos, informed Gizmodo they tried to create a desktop that actually regarded distinctive, therefore the particular “Artist Sequence” designs that push a novel case whereas providing an inside design with all the things avid gamers have come to count on. This design doesn’t come low-cost. My overview unit, full of the top-end AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 GPU, 32GB of RAM, 2TB storage, and all of the particular cooling equipment blaring RGB lights in and across the case, prices $4,325. That’s $1,000 greater than the earlier technology MG-1 which contained a high-end Intel 14th-gen CPU and an Nvidia RTX 4080 Tremendous. GPU The Artist Sequence prices an additional premium above the models with out the distinctive artwork.

If I try to create a really related PC utilizing ordered components, I can construct one thing for nearer to $2,600, and that’s with out in search of reductions. You’re paying Maingear for the hassle-free expertise. At that value, the Apex Rush needs to be the final PC—for gaming or not—you’d purchase for a protracted, lengthy whereas. The MSI Professional B850-P motherboard has sufficient RAM and PCI-E slots to make upgrading simple. However then, you will discover many different, far cheaper desktops with related elements for below $3,000, like a specced-out model of the Cyberpower PC Gamer Supreme. Will the fantastic thing about your case final that lengthy? Depends upon whether or not you’re prepared to defend your case from any blunt devices or cats who would use your PC as a launchpad on your windowsill.

Don’t go scratching at your case

Simply have a look at this factor. The Grand Theft Auto: Vice Metropolis vibes are virtually sufficient to get me within the gaming temper by themselves. The fishbowl sides on the entrance and left of the tower are coated with a vinyl art work and ringed with RGB LED strips. There are three totally different artworks to selected from, together with a cyberpunk-esque “Machina” model and a pan-Asian “Good Fortune” version, although I discovered the “Night time Drive” model I obtained to overview match the inner glow of the RGB followers, RGB RAM sticks, and RGB liquid cooling CPU unit a lot even higher. The one factor marring the visage is the overt “gamer” neon signage on the entrance. Its additionally bears a large “Maingear” emblem that’s extra distracting than enjoyable.

Maingear is so assured about its construct high quality, it ships its models with out foam inserts contained in the case itself. The GPU is held tight with a printed bracket screwed into the case. The Apex Rush is a heavy unit, as chances are you’ll count on from a mid-sized desktop tower stuffed with high-end PCs. It’s most likely factor you’re not dragging the unit from room to room, for the reason that art work painted on the glass is liable to get chewed up when you graze it throughout transit. I’ve hung onto the Apex Rush for lengthy sufficient; I’ve needed to transfer it from desk to desk, and in that point, I’ve managed to scratch the paint on the highest a part of the glass and on the lip of the desktop’s high panel. The case’s steel components fare significantly better. Nonetheless, you’re higher off treating the Apex Rush with extra care than your regular black aluminum towers.

Too many PC towers stick their entrance ports on high of the unit. This not solely seems ugly with the tumors of a number of peripheral dongles protruding, it means you want to plug wired connections up and over the PC if, for example, you want to join a headset or mouse. The Apex Rush units its entrance I/O proper subsequent to the right-hand tower foot. You’ll have entry to only one USB-C, two USB-A, and a headphone jack. I’d have most well-liked extra USB-C and maybe putting it on the aspect nearer to the person.

As for the rear, there’s the same lack of USB-C, one thing I appreciated about Alienware’s totally large Space-51 desktop tower. There’s an HDMI port, 4 USB-A 2.0 ports, plus the 2 USB-C 10G sockets. With the variety of peripherals I’m usually plugging into my desktop, I shortly ran out of USB.

Maingear is aware of the way to put a PC collectively

Inside, the Apex Rush’s motherboard isn’t capped with any covers to make the elements look “clear.” I’m within the camp that might quite a PC seem like a PC. There’s a novel class to soldered silicon on a mainboard surrounded by heatsinks and wires. Maingear’s variations look extra elegant than different PCs I’ve used due to their knowledgeable eye with element choice and cable administration. All of the motherboard, CPU, and GPU wiring exits stage proper via a number of hatchways simply behind the mainboard. When you take away the Apex Rush’s again panel, you’ll discover all of the cabling operating in neat packs all the way down to the side-mounted PSU, or energy provide unit. Behind a steel panel set on a hinge, you’ll discover all of the wires are bundled up with velcro strips that make it simple to search out the fitting element related to the facility provide. You gained’t must do any finger gymnastics to achieve every port.

My overview case got here with the 850W MSI MAG A850GL, which is sufficient juice for the RTX 5080 GPU however is barely sufficient wattage when you ever wished to plug in an RTX 5090. It’s not a very massive unit that may provide extra improve paths, however there’s one 16 PIN PCIe connection for the Nvidia GPU and sufficient connection choices when you ever wish to flip to an AMD in some apocalyptic future the place the RTX 5080 doesn’t minimize it anymore.

With these specs, after all, the Apex Rush runs properly

If Alienware’s absolutely ginormous Area-51 desktop PC was all about girth whereas providing anticipated efficiency, the Apex Rush pre-built lineup presents a extra refined magnificence with out the promise of getting essentially the most out of each doable sport.

AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D is taken into account one of many top-end CPUs for a cause. In benchmarks towards an Intel Core Extremely 9 285K, AMD’s chip is solely higher for gaming functions. Intel’s Arrow Lake CPUs obtained a foul rap on launch with poor efficiency even in comparison with the top-end 14th-gen shopper chips. Intel dropped quite a few fixes over the months to push gaming efficiency again to anticipated ranges, however it wasn’t sufficient to make a case towards Intel’s top-end chip. AMD’s X3D chips use a particular layered cache for prolonged reminiscence throughout the CPU. This primarily advantages gaming situations, and it’s why avid gamers search out these chips in the beginning whereas Intel’s Arrow Lake fell by the wayside.

It’s been lengthy sufficient for the reason that RTX 50-series launch that Nvidia’s drivers have cleared the best way to eke a couple of extra frames from most video games in comparison with months earlier than. I first examined the RTX 5080 Founders Version on an Origin PC Neuron 3500X construct, and after many moons I can say the platform is comparatively bug-free and secure sufficient to take pleasure in your video games with out the trouble of reinstalling drivers or messing together with your BIOS. With AMD’s high gaming CPU, I can blow previous older programs in 3DMark Speedway assessments by a little bit greater than 200 factors. In 3DMark Metal Nomad, the distinction is nearer to 500 factors. Gaming situations can seem like I can get round 5 extra common frames in Cyberpunk 2077 benchmarks operating with ray tracing on and DLSS balanced settings on Maingear’s construct than I may on the Neuron 3500X’s Core Extremely 9 285K with the identical GPU. CPU-heavy video games like Complete Warfare: Warhammer III profit much more.

You actually can’t count on the world from a PC like this, regardless of its value. When you’ve got any hope of topping out video games with none AI upscaling like Nvidia’s deep studying tremendous sampling (DLSS), you’ll must go for a RTX 5090 and spend much more. Even then, you’ll come away upset. I’m nonetheless of the opinion that the RTX 5080 is what a demanding participant will want for 4K gaming. If you would like an Apex Rush with the highest-end GPU, chances are you’ll find yourself spending greater than $7,000.

The premium value on high of an already costly PC is tough to swallow. Once more, constructing a PC your self may be inexpensive and extra enjoyable. Nonetheless, Maingear guarantees lifetime product assist and free repairs. The corporate doesn’t funnel the PC stuffed with bloatware you want to delete. The construct high quality on the Apex Rush is, per typical, on level.