Maingear or AVAdirect??

I have been lurking around the forum for about a month and finally decided to post.

I am in the market for a monster gaming rig...I will be purchasing rather than building myself because quite frankly I do not have the time, patience, expertise, or experience to build a system. I would classify myself as more of a computer noob than guru.

Anyway after several weeks of configuring various builds I believe I have narrowed my choices down to Maingear or AVAdirect. I have heard good things about both companies here on the boards and elsewhere. I like the fact that Maingear aggressively overclocks CPUs and GPUs while AVAdirect configurator provides SO many options (which can be interpretted as a good and bad thing). In my opinion, it appears that pricing on their systems is comparable as is the warranties offered.

Would anyone be willing to share any words of advice regarding these two companies? Thanks in advance.

I believe the avadirect ceo lurks around these forums. So should you have any issues with them, I would imagine it being easily resolved. So I'd suggest them.

I don't think you could go wrong with either, but I only have experience with AVA. While I had some issues with my PC, I can say that the company backs up their products in no small way.

Check out the Retailerratings for both:

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/AVA_Direct

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Maingear_Computers

Both are very good. I think AVA wins a little on the price point.

As you said,both builders get good reviews here and at rating sites,and are comparable in price.I think it comes down to how particular you are about choosing the components,the large amount of options that AVA offers is what sways me towards them for my next system.They also come with a standard three year warranty.

Oh4Sh0 said:

I believe the avadirect ceo lurks around these forums. So should you have any issues with them, I would imagine it being easily resolved. So I'd suggest them.

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So does Heather from Maingear...

I appreciate the replys folks...please keep them coming. Thanks for the resellerratings links killgore, I spent this past weekend looking at those ratings for both companies.

It depends. In this case, I would really go on price, they are both great. But, if you want heavy customization done, stuff that most companies won't offer, go with AVA.

Both are good so again its a matter of price. keep in mind support as well as in will they come to your house or do you have to ship it there? research their tech support while you're at it. not to make this a little more convoluted but have you looked at overdrive pc?

lamboman said:

It depends. In this case, I would really go on price, they are both great. But, if you want heavy customization done, stuff that most companies won't offer, go with AVA.

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Just make sure that you research the combination of parts first...

The PC in my sig is from AVA. It performs flawlessly. AVA gets my recommendation.

kilgore777 said:

So does Heather from Maingear...

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Heather is actually from Puget.

But Wallace from Maingear is known to poke his head in sometimes, too .

Based on the [H] consumer reviews, maingear has better customer support than avadirect (however avadirect's support is still very good). Ava has a bigger selection (you can pick quiet parts if you're into silent computing), and they are cheaper most of the time. With that said i'd probably go with avadirect..

Jason_Wall said:

Heather is actually from Puget.

But Wallace from Maingear is known to poke his head in sometimes, too .

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DOH!

Oops, sorry Heather.

kilgore777 said:

So does Heather from Maingear...

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Hey, thanks for the mention! There are worse things than being associated with a company like Maingear, even accidentally.

They're both great companies with great product. I'm looking forward to seeing which way you go!

I'm going to try and be 100% honest and strait to the point. i do not mean to intentionally "offend" anyone; I would just like to share my thoughts and opinions on my purchasing experience.

When i went to place my order after many hours of researching and reading i finally had it narrowed down to 3 companies. Maingear, Puget Systems and AVA direct.

AVA to me didn't seem to have their stuff together as good as the other two. their webpage even seems unorganized in some way to me. every picture i had seen of their systems was this way as well. many "big" hoses and wires hanging and sticking out. maybe that is their "style" , but when I'm spending this much on a new high end gaming PC i want it to be smooth; nice and clean. this also made me wonder about customer service. after all the reading i done on their site, and various forum i didn't see any mention of customer service. maybe once or twice if that many; and i couldn't tell you what it said.


Puget systems was looking great. they have their own forum for help, many customization options, and looked to be a solid builder..that is until i found out about Maingear.
I was almost going to order from Puget but i though if I'm going to spend this much i might as well at least look at maingear since everyone kept mentioning them.

I checked out their site, read a ton of reviews and seen a bunch of pics. in the end i choose Maingear because they had/have great customer service, a forum you can visit for help, the cleanest PC builds i have ever seen and a cheaper price tag...

so there you have my 2 cents. i know the ceos and some of the employees of the afer mentioned companies visit hardocp forum. that said i talked to many of you on the phone and posted on here and their forums. i can say i wish i hadn't had to go threw that process and if any of them remember me; now you know why i didn't return your call, post back...or purchase from you.

sorry but someone had to be chose. im sure my one sale didnt break your banks anyhow...lol
i do want to say thanks for the help and the many kind conversations i had threwout the buying process.

AVA to me didn't seem to have their stuff together as good as the other two. their webpage even seems unorganized in some way to me. every picture i had seen of their systems was this way as well. many "big" hoses and wires hanging and sticking out. maybe that is their "style" , but when I'm spending this much on a new high end gaming PC i want it to be smooth; nice and clean. this also made me wonder about customer service. after all the reading i done on their site, and various forum i didn't see any mention of customer service. maybe once or twice if that many; and i couldn't tell you what it said.

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AVADirect is getting a facelift. We are finishing up a software project that will breath life into our site and offer: better graphics, better descriptions, navigation tools, hardware guides, forums and other useful features.

At this time it does come down to what we're best known for: lower pricing, excellent support, wide customization options and easy communication.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVADirect

Regards,
Misha Troshin
Sales Manager, CEO
888.363.1051 direct

After looking at maingear options... I think i would pass them over... Their hardware configurations seem dated compared to the competition.

Interesting. Anything in particular that comes to mind. We're normally on the up and up when it comes to our configurations.

jdbrown_82 said:

I'm going to try and be 100% honest and strait to the point. i do not mean to intentionally "offend" anyone...

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I take the entire thing as a compliment--you were seriously considering us, and that's very flattering. The fact that you chose Maingear doesn't mean we love you any less.

While we're competitors, I love it when someone invests their money in smaller OEMs like ourselves, Ava, and Maingear. You guys keep the boutique industry going, allowing all of us to come forward with new builds and great products because we know you're looking for innovation.

I can deal with that.

Heather Taylor said:

I take the entire thing as a compliment--you were seriously considering us, and that's very flattering. The fact that you chose Maingear doesn't mean we love you any less.

While we're competitors, I love it when someone invests their money in smaller OEMs like ourselves, Ava, and Maingear. You guys keep the boutique industry going, allowing all of us to come forward with new builds and great products because we know you're looking for innovation.

I can deal with that.

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AMEN

aww Misha. i know i spoke to you personally on the phone. thanks for the reply. interesting to know. that is why right out of the gate i said i don't want to offend anyone.

i had to chose someone. i don't know if you received my emails back then but something DID come up and i didn't think i was going to get a new PC there for a bit. i was strongly considering buying from you also. i know we had talked a bit about parts and whatnot. as well i had a topic about the PC i was going to buy and have a dragon painted on it; was to be an awesome system.

it does get hard for the consumer. too many options, companies to chose from. don't know whats best until you buy from them, right? who's knows, i could have been wrong for buying from maingear. i wouldn't know unless i bought a PC from all the mentioned companies. i do want to say think you though misha, you where kind and helpful every time i spoke to you.


also i did speak to peter from Puget as well. i would like to say thinks to you to. you where helpful as well. i know i sent you the email about not being able to order at the time. i remember you emailed me back. i appreciate that...

was a hard decision to make... for me personally i just knew i was spending a lot of money and i didn't want a crappy computer with no warranty , nor customer service.
talked with maingear and placed my order. who knows, maybe its just because i was able to order at that time and was talking with them so i hurried up.
i will say that they don't offer the deeper customization such as water blocks, reservoirs and etc. i like this PC quite a bit and they did an awesome clean job but they just don't have the options that Puget and Ava direct offer.
i did ask about parts like that though and they said they could use parts i want.

In the end i would like to say a great big thank you to all three companies...i got nothing but kind and helpful phone calls and emails from each. it made it really hard for me to chose. especially after talking to each of you and knowing how excited i was to be ordering a new machine. top of that line at that..spending the big bucks.


so thanks guys...and gals

CTT3 i hope that makes you make an educated decision. i did a lot of look and talking before i ordered. i think you will be quite happy with any of those 3.

-AVA Direct,
-Maingear,
-Puget System.

I'm really glad to see customers doing their homework. You made a very logical decision (even if you didn't look at VM) and nobody can fault that. We can't wait to see the rig and a full review!

Randy

I looked very closely at Maingear and AVA Direct for my last purchase. I chose AVA Direct. Simply cannot beat their value per dollar spent. For the price I was going to pay with Maingear, I got the exact same configuration from AVA + a Dell 2407-HC display. I think cosmetically Maingear has the edge with their cases, lighting, and impeccable wiring. But cosmetics have zero impact on performance.

In the end, both companies have excellent reputations. It boils down to the value you get for your hard-earned, after tax dollars.

Mons said:

I looked very closely at Maingear and AVA Direct for my last purchase. I chose AVA Direct. Simply cannot beat their value per dollar spent. For the price I was going to pay with Maingear, I got the exact same configuration from AVA + a Dell 2407-HC display. I think cosmetically Maingear has the edge with their cases, lighting, and impeccable wiring. But cosmetics have zero impact on performance.

In the end, both companies have excellent reputations. It boils down to the value you get for your hard-earned, after tax dollars.

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exactly ! i agree 100%

AVA worked well for me. I recommend!

jdbrown_82 said:

In the end i would like to say a great big thank you to all three companies...i got nothing but kind and helpful phone calls and emails from each. it made it really hard for me to chose. especially after talking to each of you and knowing how excited i was to be ordering a new machine. top of that line at that..spending the big bucks.


so thanks guys...and gals

CTT3 i hope that makes you make an educated decision. i did a lot of look and talking before i ordered. i think you will be quite happy with any of those 3.

-AVA Direct,
-Maingear,
-Puget System.

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No problem, I enjoyed the design process. We'll build your Blue Dragon next time perhaps and who knows, by then you may even witness the build process in streaming video.

CTT3,

If you'd like a quote, do not hesitate to call or email.

Regards,
Misha Troshin
Sales Manager, CEO
888.363.1051 direct

streaming video..now thats an awesome idea. revolution day i say it.

I really appreciate all the replys folks...I'm the type of person that likes to make sure they do their research before making a big purchase. I do not want any "buyers remorse" after the fact.

I did have an opportunity to broaden my search and consider Puget and Digital Storm. But I still keep coming back to Maingear and AVA. If I were forced to make a selection today I would probably go with Maingear. 1) I have read a number of favorable reviews regarding their products. These reviews have come from die hard ethusiasts websites to the big name sites such as CNET. 2) Maingear's overclocking prowess appears to be legendary. It was a positive aspect mentioned in almost every review I read. 3) Great Customer Service 4) I like to be able to read feedback from actual customers who own the product I am considering purchasing. This is one thing that is really hurting AVA right now. I know Misha from AVA mentioned there are changes in the future regarding the design of the website. I think that is a great idea because in my opinion Maingear's forum is a HUGE competitive advantage. The lack of such a feature on AVA site makes it appear "cold" and "impersonal". And if I am going to drop $6,000 - $7,000 on a high end gaming rig you better make me feel like family when I come to visit your website.

That's all for now folks....any additional feedback, stories, comments, etc...would be appreciated.

CTT3 said:

I really appreciate all the replys folks...I'm the type of person that likes to make sure they do their research before making a big purchase. I do not want any "buyers remorse" after the fact.

I did have an opportunity to broaden my search and consider Puget and Digital Storm. But I still keep coming back to Maingear and AVA. If I were forced to make a selection today I would probably go with Maingear. 1) I have read a number of favorable reviews regarding their products. These reviews have come from die hard ethusiasts websites to the big name sites such as CNET. 2) Maingear's overclocking prowess appears to be legendary. It was a positive aspect mentioned in almost every review I read. 3) Great Customer Service 4) I like to be able to read feedback from actual customers who own the product I am considering purchasing. This is one thing that is really hurting AVA right now. I know Misha from AVA mentioned there are changes in the future regarding the design of the website. I think that is a great idea because in my opinion Maingear's forum is a HUGE competitive advantage. The lack of such a feature on AVA site makes it appear "cold" and "impersonal". And if I am going to drop $6,000 - $7,000 on a high end gaming rig you better make me feel like family when I come to visit your website.

That's all for now folks....any additional feedback, stories, comments, etc...would be appreciated.

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If you are gonna drop 6-7k on a system, I would seriously look at Falcon Northwest.

Mons said:

If you are gonna drop 6-7k on a system, I would seriously look at Falcon Northwest.

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I have looked at Falcon...they are good company but you will pay a premium. I don't mind paying a premium, if I feel I am going to get what I paid for. So the question becomes is the craftsmanship & customer service that Falcon offers worth the extra $1,000 I would pay for a comparable rig from Maingear or AVA?

www.maingear.com order away !
i spent $8,600 on mine and it was well worth it for me. as stated i looked at many builders. falcon has the rep but i cant say i know it for sure as Ive never physically seen one of their systems. price wise you can get a killer rig for a lot cheaper from any of the other afar mentioned companies. if i where you i would definitely order from maingear, puget systems, ava direct...or even velocity micro. i just cant justify the price of a voodoo or a falcon northwest though. and don't get me started on dell and alienware....argghh

if you want me to take a crap in a box and mark it guaranteed, i got time. but for now why dont you think about buying a quality product from one of them.

sorry, tommy boy popped in my head there. i had to do it. ...love that movie !


here is some pics of Maingear customer's systems; including mine. enjoy !
http://www.maingearforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=314

CTT3 said:

I have looked at Falcon...they are good company but you will pay a premium. I don't mind paying a premium, if I feel I am going to get what I paid for. So the question becomes is the craftsmanship & customer service that Falcon offers worth the extra $1,000 I would pay for a comparable rig from Maingear or AVA?

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I'd recommend reading resellerratings before considering Falcon. They have some bad reviews as of late (one of them from me) and no response. I have no idea what is going on with that company but perhaps they simply are heading in the wrong direction.

CTT3 said:

I have looked at Falcon...they are good company but you will pay a premium. I don't mind paying a premium, if I feel I am going to get what I paid for. So the question becomes is the craftsmanship & customer service that Falcon offers worth the extra $1,000 I would pay for a comparable rig from Maingear or AVA?

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If you have any specific questions or concerns maybe I can help you out?