Maingear announced a new VR-ready desktop PC as well as updated laptops that now sport Nvidia Pascal (GTX 10-series) graphics options.
Pulse 15, Nomad 17 Updated; Pulse 17 Sits It Out
The updated Nomad 17 and Pulse 15 laptops now feature the latest Nvidia Pascal-based GPUs in the form of GTX 1070 and 1080 options for the Nomad and a GTX 1060 for the Pulse. Curiously, the Pulse 17 still sports a GTX 970M, and the future of the 17-inch Pulse may be in question with its notable absence from the Pascal party.
The new version of the Nomad 17 is as customizable as ever, with robust configuration options including desktop processors (up to an Intel Core i7-6700K), up to 64GB of memory, and M.2 NVMe SSD RAID options. The Pulse 15 offers power in a thin and light package with a static component list of an Intel Core i7-6700HQ, 16GB of RAM, and the GTX 1060 6GB GPU. Of course, these laptops can also be painted with a selection of finishes or custom colors of your choosing in Maingear’s paint shop.
Catching A Positive Vybe
The Vybe is Maingear’s main attraction. It’s a brand-new desktop model that brings the custom build quality of the company’s pricier configurations to a budget-friendly price point. Stage 1 versions of the Vybe can be configured with H110- or Z170-chipset motherboards with up to an Intel Core i7-6700K and 32GB of DDR4-3000 RAM. Stage 2 offers X99 motherboard options with up to an Intel Core i7-6950X and 64GB of memory. Both offer an array of storage configurations and single-GPU options up to Nvidia Titan X or AMD Radeon Fury X. You can also get dual-GPU configurations up to an Nvidia Titan X or AMD Radeon Fury.
Maingear doesn’t offer its custom paint treatment with the Vybe, but it does feature customizable lighting in addition to closed-loop liquid cooling options for the CPU (and GPU, if you get a Fury X), custom power supply cable sleeves, and optional overclocking services. This could be considered conservative by Maingear’s standards, but it’s nice to see the custom boutique shop offering a less-expensive VR-ready configuration.
Pricing And Availability
The updated Nomad 17 and Pulse 15 gaming laptops are available now from Maingear’s website, starting at $2,399 and $2,149, respectively. Stage 1 (H110, Z170) versions of the brand-new Vybe start at $999, with Stage 2 (X99) models priced as low as $1,599.
| Maingear Product | Vybe Stage 1 | Vybe Stage 2 | Nomad 17 Laptop | Pulse 15 Laptop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processor Options | - Intel Core i5-6500- Intel Core i5-6600K- Intel Core i7-6700- Intel Core i7-6700K | - Intel Core i7-6800K- Intel Core i7-6850K- Intel Core i7-6900K- Intel Core i7-6950X | - Intel Core i5-6500- Intel Core i5-6600K- Intel Core i7-6700- Intel Core i7-6700K | Intel Core i7-6700HQ |
| Motherboard Options | - Asus H110M-A- MSI Z170 PC Mate- Asus Z170-A- MSI Z170 Gaming M7- Asus Maximus VIII Hero | - Asus Strix X99- MSI X99A XPower Gaming Titanium- Asus Rampage V Edition 10 | N/A | N/A |
| Memory Capacity | Up to 32GB DDR4-3000 | Up to 64GB DDR4-2800 | Up to 64 GB | 16GB |
| Graphics Options | - Up to Nvidia Titan X- Up to Radeon R9 Fury X | - Up to Nvidia Titan X- Up to Radeon R9 Fury X | - Nvidia GTX 1070- Nvidia GTX 1080 | Nvidia GTX 1060 |
| Dual GPU Options | - Up to Nvidia Titan X- Up to Radeon R9 Fury | - Up to Nvidia Titan X- Up to Radeon R9 Fury | N/A | N/A |
| Display Options | N/A | N/A | - 17.3” 1920 x 1080- 17.3” 3840 x 2160 w/ G-Sync | 15.6” 1920 x 1080 |
| Storage Options | - Up to 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD- Up to 1.2TB PCIe NVMe SSD- Up to 2TB SSD (SATA)- Up to 10TB HDD | - Up to 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD- Up to 1.2TB PCIe NVMe SSD- Up to 2TB SSD (SATA)- Up to 10TB HDD | - Up to 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD (2 Slots)- Up to 2TB SSD (SATA)- Up to 2TB HDD | - Up to 512GB M.2 NVMe SSD- 1TB HDD |
| Networking | Onboard (See Motherboard) | Onboard (See Motherboard) | - Gigabit Ethernet- Killer Wireless AC w/ Bluetooth | - Killer E2200 Gigabit Ethernet- Intel Wireless AC 7260 w/ Bluetooth |
| Starting MSRP | $999 | $1,599 | $2,399 | $2,149 |
