Title: Custom Gaming PCs from Maingear: Embrace the Vice City Art in the New Apex
Dishing out a substantial sum for a pre-built PC tower? It's primarily for the convenience and the allure of the design. CES 2025 has introduced an array of pre-built PCs, but Maingear's Apex line takes center stage, particularly with its personalized artwork. I had a pleasant experience evaluating the Maingear's MG-1, but the internal LED lighting strip was a tad loose.
The Maingear Apex Rush might not be their most premium offering, but it does shine in the custom artwork department. The "Vaporwave" design instantly transports me back to those captivating hours spent in my cousin's basement, playing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The "Cybergamer" variant boasts an aesthetic reminiscent of Ghost in a Shell or 80s/90s SciFi anime. The "Good Fortune" design showcases a delightful assemblage of various lucky animals from diverse Asian cultures, though it's not my preferred choice.
The Maingear Apex Rush's components are housed in Lian-li's 011 EVO RGB mid-sized tower, known for its trendy fishbowl design. You can customize it with either AMD or Intel, up to 48 GB of DDR5 800MHz RAM, a GeForce RTX 50-series GPU, and a 1600W PSU. The liquid cooling tubing can be vinyl, neoprene, or metal hard tubing, complete with a braided sleeve for that extra touch.
If you're not fond of the custom artwork, the top-tier Apex Force PC offers a distinct engineer's delight. Its parallel lines and military-esque appeal are a sight to behold. The Apex Force includes two 420 mm by 60 mm radiators connected to a custom pipe network, harking back to the heyday of PCs when the insides looked like a car engine. The 10-degree pipe angle and customizable colors add to its appeal. You can even opt for copper piping for that extra flair.
However, custom PCs come with their share of challenges. The fear of leakage and the complexity in draining the coolant are common concerns. Maingear addresses this issue by implementing a quick-drain valve under the side panel, making self-maintenance hassle-free. The Apex Force is available with Z890 or X970E motherboards, top-end Intel or AMD CPUs, up to 64 GB of RAM, and up to the Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU. A 1600W 80+ Platinum PSU is required to power the GPU.
Interested buyers can secure a spot in the build queue with a fully refundable $100 deposit, guaranteed early access once the systems are available. The exact pricing and release date are yet to be announced, but they are expected to be revealed once reservations go live on Maingear's website14.
Stay tuned for our coverage of the coolest and weirdest tech from the CES 2025 show floor in Las Vegas3. Follow our live coverage here.
The Maingear Apex Rush's customizable artwork options, such as "Vaporwave," "Cybergamer," and "Good Fortune," showcase the future of tech-inspired design in gaming PCs. With the Apex Force, tech enthusiasts can opt for a more traditional engineer's delight, featuring military-esque aesthetics and top-tier components, embracing the technological advancements of the near future.
