GoKawiilThe Maingear MG-1 adds more power and airflow in its new case. You get a lovely build with a ton of power, but very few of the frills that boutique systems typically offer.
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My PC has a decent case with decent parts. When I think of boutique builds, they have top-of-the-line specs with cases perfectly coated with automotive-quality paint. The revamped Maingear MG-1 in the new MK.II chassis straddles the line, with options for up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 and AMD Ryzen 9950X3D2 in a chassis that has personalization options but doesn't look like it belongs in a street race.
In our configuration, with the top CPU and GPU, that leads to a build that costs over $7,000 (that's the case for the high end on the best gaming PCs these days), though this system starts at $2,249. There are a ton of options, but the system is always a pretty standard case with a tempered-glass window and a customizable face plate. It makes for a system that you wish you'd built, but without all of the bells and custom tubing whistles that some boutique systems get into.
Design of the Maingear MG-1 (2026)
The Maingear MG-1's new chassis, the MK.II, is a very standard mid-tower. It's rectangular without too many frills. It's a black aluminum box with a window on the left-side panel with ample views of the components, RGB lighting, and very clean cable management, thanks largely in part to the motherboard's rear-side connectors. Other than the blue power button on the top to serve as an accent, it's pretty standard.
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That is, except for the magnetic front panel. It's not dissimilar to the one from the original MG-1, but this one has a curved scoop around it that diffuses RGB lighting and makes it easier to replace with other custom panels that Maingear would be happy to sell you. It's also shorter, with room for your hand to slide underneath to easily pull it off to replace or clean. It's a pretty nifty system.
Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
The 18.78 x 19.65 x 9.06-inch chassis is noticeably larger than the previous one, which was 19 x 16.88 x 8.13 inches. That extra width makes it more likely to end up on the floor than on a desk.
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