If you’re a console gamer looking to finally make the jump to PC, and want to indulge in newfangled computer features like ray-tracing and DLSS without totally breaking the bank, then Maingear may have some good news for you.
Starting today, the highly regarded system integrator has announced availability of the recently released Ampere-powered NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics cards for inclusion in its custom gaming and workstation build configurations. Maingear is touting that the 3050 is “comparable to the latest consoles” in terms of graphics and performance, and from recent reviews, it’s looking like a piece of rather capable 1440p gaming hardware.
Systems with an RTX 3050 start at a relatively reasonable $1,599 and can be configured in different Maingear cases like the Vybe, Rush, F131, Razer R1 and the awesomely compact Turbo. While this may seem like top dollar, especially when compared to the retail prices for Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Sony’s PlayStation 5, it’s arguably on the lower end when it comes to gaming PCs. Plus, unlike consoles, you can totally customize a Maingear machine.
In response to these types of barrier issues, Maingear CEO Wallace Santos cites a desire to welcome console gamers and make the entry point less financially overwhelming:
“There’s a misconception that PC gaming is all about the super high-end, and this scares away a lot of people — particularly gamers who have historically stuck with consoles,” he says.
With the ongoing supply chain issues and component shortages, buying a new rig through system integrators remains a convenient, and oftentimes mandatory, option. Tracking down a GPU in this market is still next to impossible, and we’ll see how the 3050 fares once it’s been available for a few weeks.
I’ve yet to test out a Maingear gaming PC, but if respectable coverage is any indication, the company is still pumping out well-built, attractive and undeniably powerful performance monsters. Are they worth $1,600 over an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, products that sell for inflated scalper prices anyway and remain frustratingly elusive at retail?
Well, that’s for you to decide.
