"Maingear is a stand up company. They will do whatever it takes to make their customers happy."

"I've never ordered from Maingear before so I had no expectations. I placed an order on 4/30 with estimated shipping date of 5/15, which puts its arrival during my vacation.

Two days before the supposed shipping date the status still had not updated. I called in and was told that they're waiting on components and would not ship on time. I didn't mind and agreed with a later shipping date of 5/17. Of course 5/18 (a Friday) rolled around and it still hasn't shipped, despite the status being "ready for shipment" since day before. If I hadn't called I would have never even known it would be delayed until god-knows-when. I'm not sure what's so difficult about either shipping it out on time or at least letting your customers know that it'd be delayed. Unfortunately my vacation is up and I'll have to figure out a way for the delivery to get signed when it does arrive (probably hiring some poor college kid from craigslist to homesit).

Update:
Maingear's support took care of all issues. Everything works great, thanks!

Update #2:
Welp it looks like they gave me a different PSU than what I ordered. It's slightly worse for what I wanted, but oh well it works anyway..."

"First time customer of MAINGEAR, and it won't be the last time I buy from them. I did extensive research when choosing a laptop, and after a few days and still being uncertain of a standout brand, I found this boutique PC builder with nothing but raving reviews.

Once at their site, it's easy to pick the model you want and then spec it out exactly how you want it. A quick credit card transaction and the process was underway. I received an email with an estimated date of completion, and that was it. The day it was estimated to be completed I received another email saying it was complete so I fired an email back requesting a tracking number. I woke up to find the tracking number in my inbox and the next day it was at my door.

It arrived in perfect condition, and after examining it, I plugged it in and it fired right up, not a hitch. Windows rated it at 6.7/7.9 because of the graphics card. The memory and SSD rated at 7.9 and the CPU a 7.8. 6.7 beats my desktop that I built 2 years ago, and this is a laptop. I built my last 2 desktops, but from now on I will be using MAINGEAR simply because they do excellent work with high quality as their standard. "

"I ordered 2 (his and hers) Vybe machines almost 5 years ago from Maingear and had a great experience so we gave them our repeat business (again with Vybes). I called first because I had some questions on the new GTX 1070 cards. The person on the phone was very friendly and knowledgeable. The machines arrived after a couple weeks (Maingear provides regular status updates via email). As expected the rigs are top notch; the build quality and the cable routing is superb. The machines are quiet, rock solid, and very fast. Only Windows installed and NO shovel-ware. Highly Recommended."

"I did extensive research when I was trying to figure out if it would make sense to build my own high performance PC or have a company do it for me. I saw many good reviews about Maingear and I called them a few times to ask questions. They knew their stuff and made a recommendation based upon my needs. I received the custom built machine and it has outperformed all of my expectations. I also wanted to give a shout out to Will, who I spoke to a few times, and was very courteous and professional."

"Maingear computers may arguably be the best computers made, but I don't believe for a second that there is a better technical support department anywhere. The people who are tech support at Maingear are across-the-board strictly professional, highly knowledgeable, and what may be the most important factor, immediately available.

If I ever need another computer, it will be a Maingear (and I say if, only because my F131 is so easily upgradeable I may not ever need another one)."

"Simply Awesome.
I am 100% satisfied with my purchase from maingear.
My laptop is more a super machine than a mere computer.
MAINGEAR customer service is A++, the techs are completely helpful and quick to solve your issues.
Thanks MAINGEAR!"

"After considerable research, I decided tobuy a Maingear F131. Their were minor problems with the shipping, this had more to do with Fed-Ex, than Maingear. The bonder that comes with the Computer was broken. I contacted Maingear and they shipped out a new one toute suite. When I got the computer it wouldn't boot up.I e-mailed Maingear and received a response and instructions that solved my problem ( the hard drive had come loose in shipping, I just had to reseat it). Thanks to Maingears excellent design this took all of five minutes. The computer booted up in under a minute. the machine itself is incredible and is almost completely silent. Their can always be problems, it's what's done about them that counts and the people at Maingear couldn't be better. Their response was extremely helpful and professional. My experience with this American based company couldn't be better. I would recommend them to anyone. In fact I aready have."

"Maingear is simply the best PC experience I've ever had from the purchasing process to set up and to the best part, gaming. Their machines are built with a sort of quality and care that's not known in the majority of current PC vendors.

I'd like to start with the purchasing process. I work in television and work upwards of 60 hours a week so receiving the rig was a huge concern for me because I would never be home at regular hours to receive it. I had to set up a Saturday delivery. The ordering process was painless in this regards. It took awhile for the computer from the initial ordering till I received it but after a quick call (which was promptly answered with hardly any wait time) I found out that they were waiting on some parts. No problem. I wanted to upgrade the video cards to ones they had in stock anyway–that process was quick and painless. On the week that my computer was to be finished and delivered, I called them and spoke with Will each time. I don't know if he's the only one answering their phones, but I feel that they're pretty on the ball about having the same person help you each time. This made it simple in that I didn't have to explain my situation over and over again. I was able to receive it on my first three day weekend in months and well, I spent the entire weekend on my new F131 :)

On to hardware, this part doesn't need to be longwinded. It's quite simple. I purchased the Super Stock option and made a few tweaks of my own. They say on the site that it would come screaming out of the box and it does. Long hours on the battlefields of err... Battlefield 3 with everything maxed out on a 27" monitor justifies this claim. The machine is a beast and the case is beautiful. There are no gaudy LED lights or bulgy, ostentatious curves. I appreciate this machine for its outer aesthetics and the nice Maingear logo gives me a sense of pride in my purchase. My only gripe is that I wish that I could've had the Maingear logo on the side of the case rather than the Super Stock logo, but I feel they would've accommodated had I thought to ask.

Since college, I've been using Macs (and I still do for my work), but now I have a beastly gaming rig. Thanks Maingear for restoring my confidence in PCs and bringing me back to my first and most favorite hobby, PC gaming. "

"I purchased a Maingear PC as a Christmas present for myself and so far I am very satisfied. The product arrived on time and in good shape. It runs smoothly and quietly - and it's fast.

I had one minor issue - I was missing some non-essential software that was supposed to come preloaded on the PC. I contacted Maingear tech support and their lead technician, Kevin DeOliveira, offered to install the software for me remotely. Unfortunately there was a problem with uploading the files, so that same day Kevin sent me a CD instead (overnight mail, all the way across the country). I've been very pleased with the customer service and so far my Maingear experience has lived up to the hype. Thank you."

"I placed an order with Maingear on 12/15/11 choosing their "Quick Ship" option. My home computer died, and I needed one fast. Their website promised I would have it no more than 48-72 hours later. I called them on 12/27/11 to inquire about an update to my order (now a week and a half after I should have received my machine), since my credit card had been charged and I had received little to no updated order information. The rep I spoke to was very kind, but told me they were behind and promised my order would be shipped by the end of the week (12/29/11). I also received another communication saying it would be shipped no later than 12/30/11. Well, it is now 12/30, the day before I am supposed to get my machine (two and a half weeks later than originally promised) and I just received another email saying it won't make the promised shipping date again, and I should expect delivery no earlier than 1/3/12. I have no idea if this computer is worth the wait or not, but if this is how their customer service handles my order, I can't imagine what it will be like when the machine has a problem.


***UPDATE***
After speaking with another very friendly Maingear associate the same day as my above posting, they reviewed my order and addressed the problems I have had. They did what they could to "make it up to me", and I am happy to report that they have convinced me to do business with them again.

So here I sit, one day later with my new rig in hand and it's great! No issues getting it up and running and I am impressed with the performance so far. On a slightly geeky side note, I opened the machine up to take a look at the contents. Having built my own machine many times, I am impressed with how clean and tidy the machine guts are. Geeky and OCD I know, but I'm sure there are others like me out there, and you might like to know.

Anyway, to summarize, love the new machine so far and am very impressed with how Maingear responded and got it to me so quickly. I have updated my star ratings accordingly."

"Maingear was a pleasure to deal with. In 2008, when I was looking to upgrade from the limits of laptop to a gaming desktop, I decided to take the plunge with Maingear because they were cheaper and less flashy than Alienware. Since money was a concern, I chose what was then the Prelude (predecessor of the current F131).

Even with economy options, my builder (Giovanni)put a great deal of care into assembling and testing the system. When he thought a 500W power supply wouldn't be able to support significant upgrades, he called me and recommended I start with a 750W power supply. Three years and several hard drives and gigs of RAM later, I'm thanking him. When I needed Maingear's specialized hard drive mounts to install a new hard drive, the company mailed me a dozen mounts at no charge - after the warranty period had expired. Where other companies cut corners at every turn, Maingear's decency puts them above the rest.

Though luck is always a factor when it comes to computers, I'm happy to report that I have never had a single problem with my Prelude. Sure, you could probably get all the individual parts for cheaper if you collected them yourself, but Maingear's build quality has justified the (still reasonable) cost. My only regret is that the fans are as loud as a jet engine - but that's because I cheaped out on the cooling system. This is not to say that the cooling system doesn't do its job. In the winter, the computer warms my room while keeping itself cool.

My dad is now looking for a computer for video editing, and I'm preaching in favor of Maingear. The pleasure of using a well-made PC without any bloatware should be the property of every PC user, but unfortunately you can only get such a no-nonsense setup if you build yourself or go custom. And as far as custom builders go, Maingear represents the best value for your money - and, if we want to get philosophical about it, an ideal of craftsmanship as well.

I'm happy with my Prelude; my dad will be happy with his F131. And when I save enough money for a new computer, I will be knocking on Maingear's door yet again. Here's to an excellent builder!


"

"Sometimes you really do get what you pay for. I'm now approaching my third year with my Maingear rig (Shift X58) and despite three global transits and some dusty conditions, the rig has never exhibited any hardware problems. I have, on occasion, contacted Maingear support for Windows questions and a couple post-sale add-ons (internal hard drives). Most recent support on installation of an additional hard drive was provided by Mr. Tonaco and was terrific. Overall service has been impeccable and stands apart from other vendor support that I've experienced. Well done Maingear. Thank you.”"

"Why would you buy a Dell or an HP? Why pay to own a PC or laptop with all kinds of bloatware? I own a Maingear F131 and just ordered a Maingear laptop and have had nothing but a great experience. When I had questions, I spoke with Raphael on several occassions and he walked me through a solution by remotely taking control of my PC. He is great to work with and very knowledgable. Get yourself a handmade computer that is supported by the people who build it...and save yourself a lot of time and trouble."

"After having one too many episodes with Dell, I started asking everyone I knew within the IT field, "Who makes a product that lasts and stands behind said product?" I was overwhelmingly told, "Try Maingear!"

Right off the bat Maingear impressed by providing REAL answers to questions before ordering. They further impressed by calling with additional details and concerns after ordering online. While many variables can go into how fast you may get your product, mine arrived in less than two weeks. Out of the box, my system was running flawlessly and I was on the internet in minutes! No bloatware, no fuss, no muss, just a par excellent system and experience.

When cracking the tower open one sees a pristine set up. Regardless of your level of expertise, one can identify EVERYTHING that makes your system what it is; every wire and cable is meticulously bundled and placed out of the way, but is still quite accessible. This is a joy in and of itself after experiencing Dell's "leave everything hanging" mentality. Additionally, EVERY component is quality; no cutting corners.

Customer service - where to begin?

First, if you need to call them, you end up talking to the individual who put your system together (or the individual assigned to service your system) and unless that individual is off on the day you call, you may ALWAYS talk to the same person! No call centers, no endless transfers, no stalling, no run around - NO BS, PERIOD!

Second, Maingear's technicians are just that, true technicians (degrees and other credentials!). They truly know what they're doing and you never get the impression that they're consulting the "three ring binder" that Dell seems to hand to their overseas, low-level "tech support" people. There are no guesses, no haphazard diagnosis and no "it could be" scenarios. Additionally, they're not in a hurry to get off the phone or to get rid of you, they take the time needed for each individual situation. Almost all problems can be resolved over the phone (barring the need for physical service) or at the very least, accurately diagnosed.

If there is a need for physical servicing, the turn around is again, par excellent. If you're under warranty, you won't pay for a thing other than shipping. If you're not under warranty then their prices are fair and reasonable. I've had a faulty cooling system and motherboard replaced at no charge (the motherboard was due to the cooling system). I've also had to replace an operating system and minor components, at my expense, but it was again, fair and reasonable. The turn around was never longer than 2 weeks; this was because it was during the Thanksgiving shortened week, otherwise, it would have been faster! The issues mentioned were 2 years apart and those are the ONLY major issues I've experienced.

I could go "on and on" about how impressed I am with Maingear's continued excellence (I ordered my system in April of 2009), but it would start to sound like I work for them and I wouldn't mind doing so!. To this day, if someone asks me who I might be able to recommend, I scream, "Go to Maingear and no where else!" Everyone who has done so says the same things, "Wow" and "Thank you!" I reply, "No, thank Maingear!"

Maingear Computers is one of the few companies left in America that still gives FANTASTIC, over the top, knowledgeable customer service, in addition to creating a GREAT, LONG-LASTING, DURABLE product. I can honestly say that I will NEVER go to another vendor or manufacturer for the foreseeable future.

I must sincerely say, "Thank you," Maingear! :)"