I don't understand these uber gaming PCs. When I was younger I was all about them but these days you can buy a console system that will hook up easily to my 52" HD big screen, will play any game I buy for it and will look nearly as good as anything on the PC.

Maybe I am just old. I would much rather game on comfy recliner looking at my big screen then in a computer chair in front of a monitor.

Gaming PCs are certainly in fashion, although systems like the PS3 and Xbox have come a long way for 1st person shooters most if not all people play the MMORPGs on PCs. With millions playing games such as World of Warcraft as well as my present addiction, Aion Online. I'm sure these custom shops will do just fine.

@nilus:

Not true man. Coming from the console world to the PC world, I can definitely say the Xbox and the PS3 lack a lot of the graphical detail that a good gaming PC nets you. Oh, and you can just as easily hook up a PC through HDMI to use on large screens as you can an Xbox or PS3. Plus, a PC can go to resolutions beyond 1920x1080, all while having better anti-aliasing, better anisotropic filtering and better sound and image quality.

The current generation of consoles is just so limited by the amount of RAM that they have (512MB of DDR3 is the Xbox) that they simply cannot produce images with near the same quality. Of course though, if you want to get the best bang for your buck, you build your own PC and don't pay the ridiculous overhead that companies like this charge.

Problem is, you don't need one of these uber machines to play most MMO games like WoW and Aion, they are designed to run on mostly average hardware. In fact, with the way developers and publishers are already neglecting the PC in favor of consoles, there are very few new games out there that will require this kind of machine and there will be even less in the future. Its kind of sad, but nilus is right, far too many people are already too comfortable with the idea of gaming from their couch on a console for this kind of gaming PC to be anything more than a niche market at best.

These over priced gaming pc's are on their way out. With all the cheap (relatively) consoles out there the rational for paying an ungodly amount of money for something like this is increasingly harder to justify. Even more importantly, the unveiling of various cloud gaming services (such as Onlive) that require only a broadband connection and a TV or low end computer to play any game, no matter how heavy it is on the graphics, have almost certainly signed the death warrant of companies like these.

These custom computers have always been way over priced and totally unnecessary so
as far as I'm concerned, good riddance.

@TH4T6UY. Maybe I could hook up a PC to my TV(in fact I know I can since I have a nice media PC hooked to my TV), but the fact is that I would still have to sit with a mouse and keyboard on my lap.

PC games don't look that much better or play that much better to me to justify buying a 4 grand PC(or even building one myself for a grand or two).

Considering for the price of one of these high end PCs I can buy a big screen TV, A PS3, a 360 a bunch of games and maybe a decent surround sound system. I just don't see the point

@nilus

You don't HAVE to use a m&kb, MS makes a wireless controller for the PC for those who choose to use gamepads.

But, yes, I'm telling you, the graphics are MILES better. The Xbox and the PS3 simply do not 1. support as high of a resolution textures (the PS3 is closer to the PC in this regard due to the size of the blue ray disc, but it still does not typically have textures higher than the Xbox for multiplatform games). 2. Neither of them do more than 2xAA, which is quite noticeable. The amount of jaggies on the same game on Xbox compared to the same game on PC (obviously using the in-game graphics settings) is astounding. Plus, texture filtering. Oh, for the love of God, I wish someone found a way to get the Xbox to produce better textures. You know how developers like to put signs and stuff on the walls in their games? Yeah, it's nice to actually be able to READ those. It's a wonder that devs are paying so much more attention to the consoles when, while they may sell more, they don't allow their environments and their vision to be displayed to the fullest. Plus, with many devs finding it hard to keep up 60FPS on the limited console hardware, smooth FPS games are going to quickly become a thing of the past. Instead the dumbed down graphics and low FPS enters the scene and makes it a horrible, horrible slide show by comparison.

Pro Console gamers will talk about how PCs are inferior, Which theoretically is the opposite of true.

PC gamers will go on and on about how PCs are superior, Technically yes, One could also say that Revolvers that shoot .44 caliber are more fun than ones that shoot .357. It's all a preference.

PC gaming and Console Gaming are not similar.

It is like fighting the Mac and PC battle.

If you understand how a PC works, and can keep yours running flawlessly like I have mine, You WILL be a PC gamer.

If you have less of a knowledge of how a PC works, I understand completely where the Console gaming comes from.

I built my PC two years ago for 750 dollars and it runs every game on the highest settings with 30 FPS or better, So Nilus you have your price ranges quite a bit off.

I prefer the mouse and keyboard to Controller for my FPS games because of the control it allows me. (High Sensitivity, extremely accurate)

Origin is going to do O.K. But I have the feeling they won't make a killer profit.

I look at console systems as a gateway device.... Their good, I have them, but for serious gaming you can’t compare one to a PC. Play back to back and you’ll see the difference, I’ve been playing Modern Warfare 2 on each and the 360 is way off the PC version. Don’t get me wrong, the 360 version is nice, but wow it’s amazing on the PC.

i agree with the fact that consoles are limited gaming systems, they tend to be great when they release with tons of headroom but towards the end of their life cycle gaming on them is no longer the same, dev have to hold back on the details to make sure they can guarantee the 60FPS min requirement.

I have been an avid PC Gamer and console gamer for years and have to say though i do like my console the gaming experience for me on PC is still much more enjoyable, from the Social Experience which is to play an MMO to the quick twitch shooters to the hardcore strategy games. i will even go as far as to say the true competition in online gaming still resides on the PC.

you want to play an adventure game plug your Xbox controller to your PC and play with much better graphics and sound quality, you want to play a strategy game go for it since the experience is by far better on a PC than the crap consoles have put out, MMO's only on the PC(the ones that matter anyway) shooters on the PC where they belong(dont like Mouse and KB plug in the controller) and the on thing that makes the PC the king.........ALT TAB and get to work, check your email chat to friends shop online read the news catch a video stream a movie doesnt matter productivity is no hindered by the PC.

the PC is the all in one Gaming/Entertainment, Productivity machine that everyone keeps looking for they just always find an excuse to bring it down when there is no need to fix what is not broken.

i like my consoles i always buy the latest because of exclusives and i support gaming in all of its forms but the PC still holds the best experience for me while still allowing me to be the most productive what more can you ask for there is nothing the PC cant do.

end rant (sorry for the run alongs and any typos...typing this while i work....o.O the pC shines again!!! lol...shhhh dont tell the boss he plays consoles =P )

Also consider Doghouse Systems. Google for it if you're really interested. I have no stake in the company, and don't even have one of their PCs (I always build my own) but people I know and trust rave about them.

@seanbtwo I play games on everything, but I am telling you, I will always want stuff like this. Yes it is a niche market, And it might be a niche market you are not a part of.. but to hear someone say 'good riddance' to something you are passionate about is deeply offencive. To say it isn't practical or that it isn't for you is one thing, but to say it shouldn't exist is rediculous. Especially right after the unreal engine was just made public for free. I typically build my own PCs, but I also own an Alienware notebook. The biggest thing PCs bring that consoles can never match is creative freedom, be it mods or original IPs, and to be able to distribute it without having a handfull of console makes controlling what content can and cannot be published. because of protecting their image or because it may compete with their own IPs.

I guess as long as you still find titles on the pc that there's no way you'd find on a console, cool pc rigs will be in some demand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyeemtS1jII

I prefer a custom gaming rig over a pre-built brand name one or a console hands down.

I custom build my own PC rigs and have been doing so since 1999.

To the guy who said he'd rather sit back and play consoles because it's 'more comfy' I have my newest rig hooked into a 42inch 1080p TV and i'm quite comfy laying back and playing any game with more control and better quality graphics than any console has.

Power to the PC I say.

While it's nice to see custom gaming comps coming back to life....I see no reason for them. Anyone who needs that much power under the hood of their rig should do themselves a favor and build it themselves. That Overclocked i7 system could be built for under 3k (depending on what other parts are inside of it. If you go with an AMD processor of equivelent strength, even less.) That processor is $969 on newegg.

The only merit I see in buying a gaming comp would be a laptop because you can't just build one for the hell of it.

Building a computer is easy and can be done even by a complete noob in under an hour as long as they are following instructions. If you aren't sure what parts to get, just look up an awesome custom one from wherever, write down the parts, and take off to newegg.com. Trust me, you'll always pop out with a cheaper price, and you can brag to your friends that you built your own computer. Sure the case won't be the same, but you can get some nice ones. Maybe a glowing one with some cathodes in it, who doesn't like bright lights shining out of their comp while they're takin names and ganking noobs?