Maingear’s Apex Rush gaming desktop makes laziness look super cool

You can build your own computer. It’s not that difficult. The time commitment may be too much for some people, but the end result is usually more compelling because you know what went into it and what can inevitably be upgraded. PC makers like Maingear have to find some compelling reasons to sell a more expensive tower. You can already tell by the image above that there is a big reason why you might choose MainGear Apex Rush Before another computer. Your expensive sign may look like a piece of art, as long as you treat it right.

The last Maingear desktop I reviewed, MG-1it was a conscientiously designed, customizable PC that looked like something I could have put together, at least judging from the outside. Inside, the tower was even better thanks to the GPU bracket and cable management that would leave even the most demanding IT pros nodding in approval. The interior was studded with a strip of RGB LEDs that provided a subtle interior glow. It was the kind of slapdash DIY project that anyone who builds their own computer could easily accomplish.

When Maingear first announced its Rush computers in Consumer Electronics Show 2025the company’s CEO, Wallace Santos, told Gizmodo that they tried to create a desktop that looked truly unique, hence the special “Artist Series” designs that push a unique mood while offering an interior with everything gamers expect. This design doesn’t come cheap. My review unit, packed with a top-end AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 GPUAnd 32GB of RAM, 2TB storage, and all the special cooling hardware that shines RGB lights in and around the case costs $4,325. That’s $1,000 more than the previous generation MG-1, which had a top-end Intel 14th-gen CPU and an Nvidia RTX 4080 Super. GPU The Artist Series costs an additional premium over units without unique art.

If I tried to build a very similar computer using the required parts, I could build something for closer to $2,600, without seeking discounts. You pay Maingear for the hassle-free experience. At this price, the Apex Rush should be the last PC — gaming or not — you’ll buy for a very long time. The MSI Pro B850-P motherboard has enough RAM and PCI-E slots to make the upgrade process easy. But then, you can find many other much cheaper desktops with similar components for under $3,000, such as a select version of Cyberpower PC Gamer Supreme. Will the beauty of your case last a long time? It depends on whether you’re willing to protect your case from any blunt objects or cats that might use your computer as a launching pad for your windowsill.

Don’t scratch your case

Just look at this thing. the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City The emotions are almost enough to get me in the mood for the games themselves. The aquarium sides on the front and left of the tower are covered in vinyl artwork and surrounded by RGB LED strips. There are three different artworks to choose from, including a cyberpunk-like “Machina” version and a pan-Asian “Good Fortune” version, though I found the “Night Drive” version I had to review goes for the internal glow of the RGB fans, RGB RAM sticks, and liquid cooling CPU block RGB much better. The only thing that spoils the look is the overt neon “gamer” sign on the front. It also sports a giant “Maingear” logo that’s more distracting than fun.

Maingear is so confident in their build quality, they ship their units without foam inserts inside the box itself. The GPU is securely mounted using a printed bracket mounted in the case. The Apex Rush is a heavy unit, as you might expect from a mid-sized office tower full of high-end PCs. It’s a good idea not to drag the unit from room to room, since the artwork on the glass may get chewed up if you scratch it during transport. I’ve stuck with Apex Rush long enough; I had to move it from one desk to another, and in that time, I managed to scratch the paint on the top of the glass and on the edge of the desktop’s top panel. The metal parts of the case are much better. However, it’s best to handle Apex Rush with more care than regular black aluminum towers.

Too many computer towers place their front ports on top of the unit. Not only does this look unsightly with the tumors of many peripheral dongles, it means you need to run wired connections through the PC if you, for example, need to plug in a headset or mouse. Apex Rush places the front I/O next to the right tower base. You’ll only have access to one USB-C, two USB-A ports, and a headphone jack. I would have preferred to use more USB-C and perhaps place it on the side closer to the user.

As for the back, there’s a similar lack of USB-C, which is something I appreciate about Alienware’s extra-large Area-51 desktop tower. There is an HDMI port, four USB-A 2.0 ports, as well as two USB-C 10G sockets. With the number of peripherals I regularly plug into my desktop, the USB ran out quickly.

Maingear knows how to put a PC together

Inside, the Apex Rush motherboard is not covered with any covers to make the components look “clean.” I’m in the camp that prefers a PC to look like a PC. There is a unique elegance to the silicone soldered on the mainboard surrounded by heatsinks and wires. Maingear’s versions look sleeker than other computers I’ve used thanks to their expert eye for component selection and cable management. The motherboard, CPU, and GPU wires all exit directly through several holes directly behind the mainboard. If you remove the back panel of the Apex Rush, you’ll find all the cables running in neat bundles all the way to the side-mounted PSU, or power supply. Behind a metal plate mounted on a hinge, you’ll find all the wires grouped with Velcro straps that make it easy to find the right component connected to the power supply. You won’t have to do any finger exercises to access each port.

My review case came with an 850-watt MSI MAG A850GL, which is enough power for an RTX 5080 GPU but barely enough wattage if you want to plug in an adapter RTX 5090. It’s not a very large unit that will provide more upgrade paths, but there is a single 16 PIN PCIe connection for the Nvidia GPU and enough connectivity options if you ever want to switch to AMD in some apocalyptic future where the RTX 5080 just doesn’t cut it anymore.

With these specifications, of course, Apex Rush works well

if Alienware Area-51 desktop computer It was all about size while delivering the performance expected, and the Apex Rush preset lineup delivers a more refined aesthetic without promising to get the most out of every possible game.

AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D is considered one of the high-end CPUs for a reason. In benchmarks run against the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, the AMD chip is simply better for gaming purposes. Intel’s Arrow Lake CPUs got a bad reputation when they were released with poor performance even compared to high-end 14th generation consumer chips. Intel has dropped several fixes over the months to bring gaming performance back to expected levels, but it hasn’t been enough to make an argument against Intel’s high-end chip. AMD’s X3D chips use a special layered cache for expanded memory within the CPU. This mainly benefits gaming scenarios, which is why gamers are looking for these chips first and foremost while Intel’s Arrow Lake has fallen by the wayside.

It’s been long enough since the launch of the RTX 50 series that Nvidia’s drivers have paved the way for getting fewer frames out of most games than in previous months. I first tested the RTX 5080 Founders Edition on Neural PC Origin 3500X It’s built, and after many moons, I can say that the platform is relatively bug-free and stable enough to enjoy your games without having to reinstall drivers or mess with your BIOS. Thanks to the AMD gaming CPU, I can outperform older systems in the 3DMark Speedway tests by just over 200 points. In 3DMark Steel Nomad, the difference is closer to 500 points. Gaming scenarios can seem like I can get about five more average frames Cyberpunk 2077 Benchmarks with ray tracing and balanced DLSS settings do better on the Maingear design than I can on the Core Ultra 9 285K of the Neuron 3500X with the same GPU. CPU heavy games e.g Total War: Warhammer III You benefit more.

You can’t really expect the world from a computer like this, despite its price. If you have any hope of outperforming games without any AI upgrade like Nvidia’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), you’ll need to opt for the RTX 5090 and spend a little more. Even then, you will come away disappointed. I still see the RTX 5080 as what a demanding gamer will need to play at 4K. If you want an Apex Rush with the highest-end GPU, you could end up spending more than $7,000.

It’s hard to accept the premium price on top of an already expensive computer. Again, building a computer yourself can be less expensive and more fun. However, Maingear promises lifetime product support and free repairs. The company does not instruct your computer to be full of bloatware that you need to delete. The build quality in Apex Rush is, usually, on point.