Maingear Factory Tour

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Farewell...For Now

After a warm welcome from the folks at Maingear and a tour of this custom computer shop in the heart of the Garden State, it was clear to me that the guys who spend their time inside these modest walls are passionate about what they do. This entire team's driving force seems to be creating an unavoidable and lasting "wow" factor. To see more from the Maingear team, check out their website. You can also mock-build your own rig while you're there.

A special thanks to Ron Reed and Wallace Santos for being so open and accommodating during our tour of their facilities.

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Seth Colaner
13 Comments Comment from the forums
  • BadActor
    Impressive facilities. The quality control station looks like something out of Star Wars!
    Reply
  • jasonelmore
    the only problem i have with Maingear are their GPU and CPU upgrade prices. They give you a base GTX 960 GPU for example with your system. Well to upgrade that to a GTX 980, they charge you the full MSRP of the 980, instead of taking some of the money from the initial GTX 960 and giving you a discount on the 980.

    $1299 base system with 960
    980 GPU Upgrade: +$550

    Same with CPUs: full MSRP to upgrade instead of deducting difference plus adding a healthy 30% margin.

    Your better off buying the base system from them, selling the parts it comes with, and buying your own upgrade parts.
    Reply
  • Gam3r01
    the only problem i have with Maingear are their GPU and CPU upgrade prices. They give you a base GTX 960 GPU for example with your system. Well to upgrade that to a GTX 980, they charge you the full MSRP of the 980, instead of taking some of the money from the initial GTX 960 and giving you a discount on the 980.

    $1299 base system with 960
    980 GPU Upgrade: +$550

    Same with CPUs: full MSRP to upgrade instead of deducting difference plus adding a healthy 30% margin.

    Your better off buying the base system from them, selling the parts it comes with, and buying your own upgrade parts.

    Thats the thing, almost everyone ordering from sites like this dont care about the extra premium over doing it themselves.
    Its just business, we have to live with it.
    Reply
  • g-unit1111
    Why am I not working there? :lol:
    Reply
  • bluestar2k11
    Wow.... I know they make good computers, and their quality and customer service is excellent, but to see inside the works, is..... stunning.... Can i get a job there? ><

    My next laptop is going to be a maingear, high premium but you get the value in it that you wouldn't with other SI's. Imo anyway.
    Reply
  • Lord-of-the-Pies
    If only Maingear had an answer to the Digital Storm Aventum 3.
    Reply
  • mlee 2500
    After building my own gaming PC's for almost 30 years, I decided to get one from Maingear, see what added value I got from using a boutique builder.

    It's been a solid, well put together product. In the final analysis, I didn't pay any premium over the cost of building it myself, when I factor in all the time and research I would have spent to do it right.

    On one hand my time is worth allot, on the other, if I'm honest, I *enjoy* building gaming PC's....so, I don't know if I would do it again.
    Reply
  • Supporter
    looks to me like the whole thing is in an abandoned warehouse or a half garage 1200 monthly rent tops. and who in the world puts their hands in their pockets for a photo? no successful person would.
    Reply
  • jamus34
    After building my own gaming PC's for almost 30 years, I decided to get one from Maingear, see what added value I got from using a boutique builder.

    It's been a solid, well put together product. In the final analysis, I didn't pay any premium over the cost of building it myself, when I factor in all the time and research I would have spent to do it right.

    On one hand my time is worth allot, on the other, if I'm honest, I *enjoy* building gaming PC's....so, I don't know if I would do it again.

    This is me almost to a T. While I do not think I would save much when you factor in the time to actually build the rig...I *enjoy* fiddling around with it.

    Now if I was trying to do a SFF build I imagine that my answer would be different...and would probably involve a urgent care visit for stitches due to sheet metal cuts. In that instance I will probably outsource the work.
    Reply
  • jamus34
    looks to me like the whole thing is in an abandoned warehouse or a half garage 1200 monthly rent tops. and who in the world puts their hands in their pockets for a photo? no successful person would.

    If the company is run by "techies" and not businesspeople / investors I can easily see both of those things.

    Also, do you have any clue on real estate prices and taxes in NJ are??? I imagine they picked what looks like an old (probably abandoned) warehouse based on taxes breaks offered by the town to try to get industry in. They could renovate and modernize an existing warehouse for a fraction of the cost of new construction and as stated probably get concessions from the town / county...possibly the state too.
    Reply