Maingear’s Apex Liquid-Cooled PCs Will Dominate Your Games And Your Wallet

Premium system integrator Maingear has introduced two new liquid-cooled desktop PCs: The Apex Force and the Apex Rush. They’re both packed to the brim with the latest components and, as per Maingear’s usual meticulous standards, impeccably designed and constructed, I’m assuming. You will pay for the privilege, though.

The fresh Apex Force, which seems to be a brand new product and starts at $7,469, looks to be every gamer’s dream machine. Here’s a rundown of the possible configurations, provided directly from Maingear:

Chassis: Phanteks NV9 (Full-tower)
Motherboard: Top-tier Z890 and X870E motherboards from Asrock and MSI
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9700X to 9950X3D and Intel Core Ultra 265K and 285K
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and 5090 GPUs
RAM: Up to 64GB T-Force Extreme RGB DDR5 6000MHz (and up to 96GB at 6400MHz)
Storage: Up to 8TB Gen4 or 4TB Gen5 M.2 NVMe SSDs
Cooling: 2x 420mm x 60mm radiators, 6x 140mm x 30mm RGB fans, Custom APEX Integrated Cooling System, Separate GPU and CPU dual loop system, Easily accessible drain and fill ports, serviceable pump, quick disconnects on drain ports for easy maintenance
Power: Up to 1650W 80+ Titanium PSU
Aesthetics: Acrylic and metal hard tubing with 10-degree offset to match case design, premium metal fittings in various colors, dual coolant color options, multiple translucent coolant colors available, diffused RGB trim kit, motherboard and case RGB control with separate cooling loop zones.

The Apex Rush, which starts at a slightly more reasonable $6,259, is also liquid-cooled and is apparently the fourth iteration in Maingear’s long-running Rush lineup. Here’s the possible configurations:

Chassis: Lian-Li O11 EVO RGB (Mid-tower)
Motherboard: Top-tier Z890 and X870E motherboards from Asrock and MSI
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9700X to 9950X3D and Intel Core Ultra 265K and 285K
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and 5090 GPUs
RAM: Up to 64GB T-Force Extreme RGB DDR5 6000MHz (and up to 96GB at 6400MHz)
Storage: Up to 8TB Gen4 or 4TB Gen5 M.2 NVMe SSDs
Cooling: 2x 360mm radiators, 7x 120mm RGB fans , Custom APEX Integrated Cooling System, Easily accessible drain and fill ports, serviceable pump, quick disconnects on drain ports for easy maintenance
Power: Up to 1650W 80+ Titanium PSU
Aesthetics: Soft vinyl or Neoprene tubing with optional braided sleeving or Acrylic and Metal hard tubing, Premium metal fittings in various colors, multiple translucent coolant color options, braided cable sleeving, motherboard and case RGB control with diffused lighting

So in terms of the Apex Force and the Apex Rush, you’ve got your choice between a full-tower PC or a mid-tower rig. Both can house either an RTX 5080 or RTX 5090, as well as a range of Intel and AMD CPUs, and both have easy access for liquid-cooling maintenance. The Force adds beefier radiators, although in terms of storage and aesthetics, both PCs can be customized largely to your heart’s content, even with special art.

I’ve reviewed several Maingear machines in the past, most recently being the throwback Retro95 gaming PC, and I’m never disappointed with the quality on offer. I’ve admittedly never used a liquid-cooled PC, since they tend to be out of my price range (these are no different) so these new Apex options look beautifully alien to me.

The prices are undoubtedly extreme, but judging from my own experience with Maingear products, you’ll probably get exactly what you pay for. This is the upper echelon of the PC experience, though, so few gamers will get to partake, I reckon.

Forbes