ChrisMorley
09-23-2011, 09:29 AM
<img src="http://www.maingear.com/banners/new_vybe.jpg" width=725>
Well, it’s been 17 days since we launched, and I’ve been remiss in not posting up a blog post about the new Vybes (http://www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/index.php). Quite frankly, I’ve been slammed with projects, finishing evaluation, implementation, and overseeing the launch of the EPIC X2 GPU series of closed-loop, maintenance free dual GPU coolers, and also preparing for a stacked launch schedule for the next three months. Also, there’s been quite a few review systems (6 Vybes, a couple of SHIFTs, some laptops, etc.) But, I owe you guys some of my time as well.
I originally intended to include comprehensive gaming benchmarks for every GPU combination available on the new Vybe models, but quite frankly, it’s been taking too long and I really wanted to get this intro blog post done. So I’m going to do a separate article on that.
So, moving on to the essence of the Vybe. We wanted to accomplish two things: expand, revamp, and optimize our production process to build these systems in 3 days and stock a same-day shipping configuration. Secondly, and we think most importantly, we wanted to deliver the best value on the market. We’ve accomplished both goals. While many quick-ship options from other companies are fixed configurations, we’re proud to offer choice to our customers. We’ve now got a greatly expanded production facility, and have leveraged our relationships and buying power to deliver an incredible value for your dollar. We think the new Vybe is an incredible product, and we’re as excited about it as any other product we’ve launched.
<img src="http://www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/gallery/3.jpg" width=725>
<img src="http://www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/gallery/6.jpg" width=725>
The chassis is available in three color schemes, black mesh on a black chassis, red mesh on a black chassis, and black mesh on a white chassis, the latter of which being my favorite. We also love the fact that the inside color of the chassis match the exterior. On top of that, the front and top of the Vybe chassis has an amazing soft touch, matte finish. You have to see it to really appreciate it. It has four USB 2.0 ports and headphone out and mic in on the top panel. You’ll notice the front is very clean, with the optical drive hidden by an optical drive bay cover. This makes the black on white chassis look very clean, and the black chassis as well, but not as pronounced. There’s also an angled window on the side that’s tinted, giving a great look.
Moving on to the guts and the three models we offer, the base Vybe S, or Stock, is a fixed configuration, same-day shipping (if you order by 12 PM EST) model that features a Core i5 2310 (quad-core), 4GB of RAM, a GTS 450, a 1TB hard drive, DVD burner, all on an Intel DP67BA P67-chipset, single GPU motherboard. We really like these boards.
One thing that’s unique about all of our configurations, is that they come pre-overclocked. You might say, “But Chris, I thought only K-model processors could be overclocked,” to which I would reply, “Nay, nay! Non K-models can be overclocked by up to 4 speed bins (400MHz) per Turbo ratio.” This gives you a speed edge over similarly-spec’d models, and since all processors up to 2600/2600K models can be overclocked using the stock retail heatsink, it doesn’t cost you any extra money. Because of the extra performance of the 2600 models, we do require the upgrade to watercooling.
Moving on to the Vybe SE, or Stock Enhanced, we’re upping the game. The platform we chose was the Z68 chipset, bringing Lucid Virtu (the ability to use a discrete card and still virtualize Sandy Bridge’s integrated video controller for access to Intel QuickSync video transcoder) and SSD caching. What is SSD caching, you might ask? Well, I’m glad you asked, you can read all about it here (http://maingearforums.com/showthread.php?5142-SSD-Performance-HDD-Capacity-Simple-An-Intel-Smart-Response-Technology-Primer). The Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3 comes with an mSATA slot (unique in the industry) for installing a 50mm SSD for caching. In this case, you can upgrade to the GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD and get the 20GB 311 “Larson Creek” Enterprise-class SLC SSD. Why SLC instead of the cheaper, more popular MLC? Caching is exponentially more write intensive than utilizing an SSD as a standard disk drive, and SLC is more durable and longer lasting in that regard. And don’t worry about the size, 20GB is a balance between price and space, and I’ve used it extensively; it rocks! Your CPU options are expanded: it comes with a Core i5 2500 at maximum overclock, and you can choose a Core i7 2600 to get you HyperThreading and 2MB extra L3 cache. If you choose the 2600, we require watercooling because of the additional heat it creates. Standard is 4GB of DDR3-1333 memory, but you can upgrade up to 16GB of Kingston HyperX 1600MHz memory. It also comes standard with a GTX 560, giving much more power than the Vybe S. This is a great card for gaming at 1680x1050 with settings on Very High, or 1080p with settings on Medium-High. But you also have the option to upgrade to a single GTX 570 (soon I’ll add the GTX 580.) And it comes standard with a great 600W Seasonic 80 Plus certified power supply. You can upgrade to a Seasonic X-660 power supply for SLI upgrades in the future. You can learn more about Seasonic power supplies in MAINGEAR systems here (http://maingearforums.com/showthread.php?4256-New-Powerplants-for-the-2011-MAINGEAR-Lineup-Welcome-Seasonic%21).
<img src="http://www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/gallery/4.jpg" width=725>
Finally, the Pièce de résistance, the Vybe SS, or Vybe Super Stock, comes fully loaded and ready to rock in its stock configuration, with power upgrades available. Sporting that 20GB caching drive as a standard, it also comes with a 2600K water-cooled and overclocked to 4.4GHz across all four cores. Also standard is our upgraded LED fan package, bringing the total number of fans to 4 120mm and one 140mm. But don’t worry, they’re extra quiet. It also defaults to 8GB of Kingston HyperX 1600MHz memory, with the option to go to 16GB. The graphics horsepower comes from dual GTX 560 1GB GPUs in SLI, which are great for 1080p gaming on High to Very High settings. We also offer several SLI options included 1.2 to 2GB options for gaming on High at 2560x1600.
Totally unique to MAINGEAR are two very special programs we’re offering at no cost to our customers. The first is a 30-day No-Fail guarantee. If you have a critical error like a blue screen or a failed component, we’ll build you a brand new computer, at no cost to you, from the ground up. We’ll even cover shipping both ways. Now we’ll need to get the system in to make sure that all the original components are still there, but this program is a testament to our confidence in our products. We will be exploring bringing this to the rest of our lineup in the future.
Next up is our trade-in program for the Vybe lineup. While other companies are happy to take your old PC for recycling for no compensation to you, well offer you 33% of the original value of the tower only (no peripherals or software) for the first six months; 25% for the second; and 15% for the third six months. The refund can be applied towards the purchase of any MAINGEAR system, and if you buy another Vybe, you’re still eligible for the trade in program on your new PC. We realize that it’s not a gang-buster deal, and we suspect that many people may make their Vybe a second computer, or give it to a friend or family member, but we wanted to give a little bit more value-add for your purchase, and again, this is a no cost program – we don’t build any kind of cost into the Vybes for the No-Fail guarantee or the Trade-in Program.
So there you have it. These systems are the best deals we’ve ever carried (hence no discounts) and we’re proud that we can bring high performance gaming to our customers, and do it faster than ever before. I hope you enjoy, and for those of you looking around and kicking tires, don’t hesitate to call in or email us. We’d love to earn your business!
Well, it’s been 17 days since we launched, and I’ve been remiss in not posting up a blog post about the new Vybes (http://www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/index.php). Quite frankly, I’ve been slammed with projects, finishing evaluation, implementation, and overseeing the launch of the EPIC X2 GPU series of closed-loop, maintenance free dual GPU coolers, and also preparing for a stacked launch schedule for the next three months. Also, there’s been quite a few review systems (6 Vybes, a couple of SHIFTs, some laptops, etc.) But, I owe you guys some of my time as well.
I originally intended to include comprehensive gaming benchmarks for every GPU combination available on the new Vybe models, but quite frankly, it’s been taking too long and I really wanted to get this intro blog post done. So I’m going to do a separate article on that.
So, moving on to the essence of the Vybe. We wanted to accomplish two things: expand, revamp, and optimize our production process to build these systems in 3 days and stock a same-day shipping configuration. Secondly, and we think most importantly, we wanted to deliver the best value on the market. We’ve accomplished both goals. While many quick-ship options from other companies are fixed configurations, we’re proud to offer choice to our customers. We’ve now got a greatly expanded production facility, and have leveraged our relationships and buying power to deliver an incredible value for your dollar. We think the new Vybe is an incredible product, and we’re as excited about it as any other product we’ve launched.
<img src="http://www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/gallery/3.jpg" width=725>
<img src="http://www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/gallery/6.jpg" width=725>
The chassis is available in three color schemes, black mesh on a black chassis, red mesh on a black chassis, and black mesh on a white chassis, the latter of which being my favorite. We also love the fact that the inside color of the chassis match the exterior. On top of that, the front and top of the Vybe chassis has an amazing soft touch, matte finish. You have to see it to really appreciate it. It has four USB 2.0 ports and headphone out and mic in on the top panel. You’ll notice the front is very clean, with the optical drive hidden by an optical drive bay cover. This makes the black on white chassis look very clean, and the black chassis as well, but not as pronounced. There’s also an angled window on the side that’s tinted, giving a great look.
Moving on to the guts and the three models we offer, the base Vybe S, or Stock, is a fixed configuration, same-day shipping (if you order by 12 PM EST) model that features a Core i5 2310 (quad-core), 4GB of RAM, a GTS 450, a 1TB hard drive, DVD burner, all on an Intel DP67BA P67-chipset, single GPU motherboard. We really like these boards.
One thing that’s unique about all of our configurations, is that they come pre-overclocked. You might say, “But Chris, I thought only K-model processors could be overclocked,” to which I would reply, “Nay, nay! Non K-models can be overclocked by up to 4 speed bins (400MHz) per Turbo ratio.” This gives you a speed edge over similarly-spec’d models, and since all processors up to 2600/2600K models can be overclocked using the stock retail heatsink, it doesn’t cost you any extra money. Because of the extra performance of the 2600 models, we do require the upgrade to watercooling.
Moving on to the Vybe SE, or Stock Enhanced, we’re upping the game. The platform we chose was the Z68 chipset, bringing Lucid Virtu (the ability to use a discrete card and still virtualize Sandy Bridge’s integrated video controller for access to Intel QuickSync video transcoder) and SSD caching. What is SSD caching, you might ask? Well, I’m glad you asked, you can read all about it here (http://maingearforums.com/showthread.php?5142-SSD-Performance-HDD-Capacity-Simple-An-Intel-Smart-Response-Technology-Primer). The Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3 comes with an mSATA slot (unique in the industry) for installing a 50mm SSD for caching. In this case, you can upgrade to the GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD and get the 20GB 311 “Larson Creek” Enterprise-class SLC SSD. Why SLC instead of the cheaper, more popular MLC? Caching is exponentially more write intensive than utilizing an SSD as a standard disk drive, and SLC is more durable and longer lasting in that regard. And don’t worry about the size, 20GB is a balance between price and space, and I’ve used it extensively; it rocks! Your CPU options are expanded: it comes with a Core i5 2500 at maximum overclock, and you can choose a Core i7 2600 to get you HyperThreading and 2MB extra L3 cache. If you choose the 2600, we require watercooling because of the additional heat it creates. Standard is 4GB of DDR3-1333 memory, but you can upgrade up to 16GB of Kingston HyperX 1600MHz memory. It also comes standard with a GTX 560, giving much more power than the Vybe S. This is a great card for gaming at 1680x1050 with settings on Very High, or 1080p with settings on Medium-High. But you also have the option to upgrade to a single GTX 570 (soon I’ll add the GTX 580.) And it comes standard with a great 600W Seasonic 80 Plus certified power supply. You can upgrade to a Seasonic X-660 power supply for SLI upgrades in the future. You can learn more about Seasonic power supplies in MAINGEAR systems here (http://maingearforums.com/showthread.php?4256-New-Powerplants-for-the-2011-MAINGEAR-Lineup-Welcome-Seasonic%21).
<img src="http://www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/gallery/4.jpg" width=725>
Finally, the Pièce de résistance, the Vybe SS, or Vybe Super Stock, comes fully loaded and ready to rock in its stock configuration, with power upgrades available. Sporting that 20GB caching drive as a standard, it also comes with a 2600K water-cooled and overclocked to 4.4GHz across all four cores. Also standard is our upgraded LED fan package, bringing the total number of fans to 4 120mm and one 140mm. But don’t worry, they’re extra quiet. It also defaults to 8GB of Kingston HyperX 1600MHz memory, with the option to go to 16GB. The graphics horsepower comes from dual GTX 560 1GB GPUs in SLI, which are great for 1080p gaming on High to Very High settings. We also offer several SLI options included 1.2 to 2GB options for gaming on High at 2560x1600.
Totally unique to MAINGEAR are two very special programs we’re offering at no cost to our customers. The first is a 30-day No-Fail guarantee. If you have a critical error like a blue screen or a failed component, we’ll build you a brand new computer, at no cost to you, from the ground up. We’ll even cover shipping both ways. Now we’ll need to get the system in to make sure that all the original components are still there, but this program is a testament to our confidence in our products. We will be exploring bringing this to the rest of our lineup in the future.
Next up is our trade-in program for the Vybe lineup. While other companies are happy to take your old PC for recycling for no compensation to you, well offer you 33% of the original value of the tower only (no peripherals or software) for the first six months; 25% for the second; and 15% for the third six months. The refund can be applied towards the purchase of any MAINGEAR system, and if you buy another Vybe, you’re still eligible for the trade in program on your new PC. We realize that it’s not a gang-buster deal, and we suspect that many people may make their Vybe a second computer, or give it to a friend or family member, but we wanted to give a little bit more value-add for your purchase, and again, this is a no cost program – we don’t build any kind of cost into the Vybes for the No-Fail guarantee or the Trade-in Program.
So there you have it. These systems are the best deals we’ve ever carried (hence no discounts) and we’re proud that we can bring high performance gaming to our customers, and do it faster than ever before. I hope you enjoy, and for those of you looking around and kicking tires, don’t hesitate to call in or email us. We’d love to earn your business!