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Maingear is known for its limited edition, luxury gaming PC releases that disappear almost as soon as they're announced, but the brand's consistent bread and butter over the years has been the MG-1. It's appeared on many a best gaming PC guide from various outlets, and now, it's receiving an all-new redesign that modernizes many of its aspects.
The aptly-named Maingear MG-1 Mk. II is available now in various pre-configured and custom variations that start from $1,999 at Maingear. The new rig launches alongside AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, but you can also throw in an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, an RTX 5090, or even an AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT.
Maingear's CEO and Co-Founder, Wallace Santos, said: "The MG-1 set an extremely high bar. We knew refining it wouldn’t be easy, but we’re proud to say we’ve taken it further in every measurable way with the all-new MG-1.
"We went through everything from the top down, airflow, thermals, build quality, materials, and made real, measurable improvements across the board. Every upgrade reflects our pursuit of the ultimate gaming experience. Space has been optimized. The magnets are stronger. The air intake is larger. The RGB is brighter. The panels are thicker. The frames per second are higher. At the end of the day, this is the kind of system we’d want on our own desks, and I think it's going to raise the bar once again."
Some Maingear fans will be keen to learn that the MG-1 Mk. II continues the build's custom aesthetics legacy. For those who don't know, the faceplate of the MG-1's chassis was magnetic, allowing a slew of swappable options to be introduced. The new model has the same collectible appeal, with 60% more powerful magnets for a tool-free, easy-to-use swapping experience. An expanded library of custom faceplates is also now available, allowing you to choose the look you prefer when buying an MG-1.
Maingear has increased the RGB potential of its flagship PC too, with a fully diffused system whereby no diodes can be seen shining from within. This leaves the lights to create that atmospheric, hazy effect that adds a touch of class compared to a lot of lesser builds that utilize RGB. What's more, it can be controlled natively through the motherboard's software without the use of a complex hub to plug things into or annoying third-party bloatware.
Something I'm interested to hear about is that just like the Maingear Zero Ruby I tested a while back, the MG-1 Mk.II apparently has "no visible motherboard cables" because it supports Maingear's patented MG-RC reverse connector system if you pair it with a compatible motherboard like the MSI Project Zero ones, which route all their headers on the back. If you opt for a non-Zero motherboard, Maingear's engineers will hand-manage the cables for as clean a look as possible. This is certainly intriguing to me, since the brand's Zero builds have been out of stock for a little while, so I'd be eager to know if it plans to replace these or integrate these niche motherboards into the new MG-1 chassis.
Amidst the current RAMpocalypse, Maingear has taken a clever tactic to support the MG-1 with its BYO RAM program, which means you can opt to buy a system without RAM to save costs, then buy your own separately, and it'll be validated by Maingear's builders.
In terms of cooling, Maingear's new MG-1 chassis sports three 140mm intake fans behind the front panel. There's a top-mounted 360mm AIO for exhaust, and the press release I've received says that thanks to innovations with a more generous bottom air scoop combined with unobstructed airflow routes inside the chassis, during in-house testing, the new MG-1 had more efficient cooling than an open-air test bench.
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