After years of drooling Overdrive PCs, I finally got my chance when my ACT scores came in. I made one more point than the minimum I would've needed. As you can see, I'm just a student and my parents said they'd get me a new computer IF I made at least a 28. I ordered the day before Christmas '06 and got my computer and was delivered on March 16th, 2007. I know that is a long time, but most of the wait time was my fault. First, I changed my motherboard a few weeks (1-2) into one they didn't even offer! They did this without any complaint. Next, I 'upgraded' to Vista Ultimate 64-bit, as I learned they wouldn't cover me if I upgraded to Vista myself. This was probably the meat of everything. They had to create a 'master' Vista Ghost disc that they would then copy to all the other Vista OPCs. I was lucky enough to have the first Vista system out of their doors. I had an old sound card that I sent in to see if it would work, but the Vista drivers were clearly not ready ("No Creative Card detected"). No matter, OPC still tried. When I got the system, I found out that they had given me a free media card reader! w00t! There was one fan knocked loose out of the fan cage, but that was easily popped back in. Everything was absolutely perfect about it, minus a small optical drive mix-up. Mario quickly shipped me the correct one. I took a risk getting Vista so early, but I think it should pay off in the long-run. They've been so courteous in all my nit picking, I expected a "STFU, just let me build the computer, damn it!"  
 
I'm a really cheap person. I was seriously considering getting an eMachine and upgrading the PSU/GPU. I saved up for this BEAST and I love it. I would never get another computer again.  
 
The *only* big/glaring negative is the darn case! I love it, it is great, and my favorite. In looks. To me, however, it is a darn b!tch trying to mess with the I/O panel (USB Ports) or trying to close the side panel. When I had to knock the fan back in, I literally spent 30 minutes trying to figure it out. I finally gave up my pride and called them. Of course, I had the side panel on within seconds.  
 
They've started to get more boutique in the 'looks' area. They now have an expensive-looking customized leather binder with all my CDs, invoices, etc. The new case is kick-ass, too. I like it *MUCH* better than the Lian-Li. It is quiet, but not silent. I can hear it, but it is a low-pitched hum. The 120's in the side seem to spinning so slow, sometimes I swear I can see the individual fan blades.  
 
I know you're thinking: it is just too much money. Too much. But here is a genuine penny-pincher: It is worth every penny. Just save up enough (3k-4k) and you'll have the greatest computer in the world.  
 
By the way, I have a Core 2 Duo E6600 @ 3.5GHz, 2GB of DDR2, 8800GTS, 320GB Seagate. The 8800GTS wasn't overclocked, but Mario is literally making me a flash BIOS for the card to bump up the clocks. It wasn't originally OC'd because of time restraints.  
 
OPC FTW!

Like everyone who shops the boutique computer sellers, I was looking for a high-performance PC that would give me consistently super performance and was stable. Many of the best reviews I had read led me to Overdrive PC. I had reservations, honestly, about overclocking, though. It's something I generally don't do with hardware. But I really was intrigued by getting so much performance *now* due to the overclocking and yet still being able to run future games. Again, I personally don't overclock because stability was a very real concern and I frankly don't know enough about it to do it right, so I wanted a seller that did do it right.  
 
I ordered in mid-November. The computer arrived a day or two before Christmas. I deliberately waited before posting here to give me time to put the machine through its paces and not post in the immediate honeymoon period.  
 
The Overdrive PC is a beautiful computer. It's funny, too, because I initially wasn't a fan of the Cooler Master case they use. But now I can't imagine wanting anything else. It's extremely functional, runs nice and cool (and it sure is nice not worrying about temps, which HAD been a concern with earlier computers), and is just beautiful. The wiring inside is exceptionally neat and does not impede air flow.  
 
On first boot up, it went right to the windows desktop. Extremely responsive. And while there's absolutely no bloat of software preinstalled on the machine, OPC does put on a few things right off the bat that are a definite benefit. I had benchmarking software and utility software already on there, ready to go, everything from CPU-Z to Winrar to 3DMark06.  
 
The few times I've emailed tech support with questions, they've been very responsive, and this is after I've had the computer for a while and the sale has been made. I'm still their customer and they are as nice and helpful now as they were before I placed the order.  
 
And the overclocking I was so concerned about initially? This computer runs fast. This compuer runs stable. No blue screens. No problems with any games or programs. When you find a company like Overdrive who knows what they're doing and does everything right, you really can't go wrong.

My experience with Overdrive PC has been outstanding. The machine they built for me is excellent. It has been reliable and stable at clock speeds significantly above stock. Its performance with demanding games and graphics applications is exceptional. The wiring is impeccable. The Windows XP Pro operating system is optimized extensively.  
 
Customer service has been excellent. With questions to tech service I've received responses from their chief technician and partner himself. The ordering process began with an email to the company which led to a response from the chief technical officer with his recommendation for a build for my new computer.  
 
This company went a step beyond the ordinary in customer service in my case. Overdrive PC announced that builds were being delayed as a result of a batch of processors that were not overclocking very well. That news came at about 30 days after I placed my order. At that time I also made the decision to relocate to a different state. I asked Overdrive PC to hold my shipment for two to three weeks until I arrived at my new residence. All this also occurred at about the time of the release of the AMD AM2 line of processors. As a gesture of good will they told me that they would upgrade my system from a socket 939 to an AM2 motherboard and processor at no additional charge.  
 
I wanted an expertly constructed top of the line gaming machine with prompt and thorough customer and technical service. That is what I have received. In fact, with the upgrade that I received I have ended getting more than I had hoped for.  
 
Edit:  
I've had my machine for just about a year now. It's been stable and solid. It's as quiet as it was a year ago. I've had no malfunctions.  
 
The support from OPC has been good. My emails have been responded to promptly. They answered my questions about upgrading to Vista and when I let them know I was ready to send the machine back in for the upgrade I received a shipping label by email the same day. I could have built my own machine or had someone locally do it for me, but I invested in an OPC for the quality combined with the support. A year after receiving my machine I'm very happy with my purchase.

This review was modified by its author, Nomadic, on 7/21/07 2:12 AM.

My experience with OverdrivePC (OPC) has been fantastic. When I made the decision to purchase a new gaming PC I did as much research as possible before choosing OPC. The OPC experience from sales to receving the system has been exceptional.  
 
The sales representative whome I dealt with was very helpful and assisted me in building the best possible system for the money I was willing to spend. I placed my order around the first week of August and was told it would take 5 or 6 weeks for delivery. I received the system in excactly 5 weeks.  
 
The system was packaged extremely well and included documenation and isntallation discs for every piece of hardware. Set up was easy and hassle free. The OS is cleared of unecessary programs and bloatware that comes with your typical PC. OPC has it ready for gaming! A really nice touch I noticed is that a lot of commonly used programs/utilites are already installed on the system which saves some trouble from doing it yourself: winrar, adobe, itunes, spybot, and some others.  
 
The build quality of this system is absolutely amazing. The case is beautiful and I assure you the wiring job is second to none. The innards are kept extremely cool and it is very very quiet. I can't say enough about the air cooling system and build quality.  
 
Last but not least is performance. OPC claims to build blazing fast systems and they deliver. I am using a 24 inch LCD and am running F.E.A.R at 1600 X 1200 with everything on maximum and 4x AA and this system pulls it off without a hitch. Absolutley amazing.  
 
The support is also second to none. I have called them a few times to ask a few questions about setting up a UPS back up and emailed them as well. They always respond to my emails quickly and they are very friendly and knowledgeable.  
 
When you drop this kind of money you expect excellent service, support and performance. There is no doubt OPC delivers in every category.  
 
Go to this thread at OPC for some pics I posted of the system:  
 
http://www.overdrivepc.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10580&page=1&pp=15  
 
If you are looking for a great gaming system, I highly recommend OPC.

This review was modified by its author, williamsw2, on 9/29/06 3:35 PM.

These guys were a delight to deal with.  
 
What a PC!

Just like to mention that the quality and functionality of these machines has been already well stated in this forum as well as the outstanding support. As a previous customer support engineer myself I would like to say that the support given by OPC can be described as “Generous”. The peace of mind that comes with great customer support more than justifies the cost of these high end machines. Thanks to all the people at Overdrive P.C.

This review was modified by its author, PAC1, on 6/18/06 4:35 PM.

The whole purchasing experience was awesome. The PC is truly amazing! It is so fast. I am very very happy that I decided to buy an OPC!  
Thanks OPC!  
UPDATE* I have had the OPC for 2 months now. It runs all the time without any problems. It never crashes and runs nice a cool. Some older games are buggy with the dual-core but the new games like quake4 and Fear look and play unbelievable!  
If you have questions just ask. OPC will take the time to answer any of your concerns. The sales staff took me through all my choices and we talked about the pros and cons of going with certain configurations. I actually saved a few hundred bucks and got a better setup then I had spec'ed out on their awesome and easy to use web site. When i opened up the PC after it arrived here I was stunned by the detail that goes into putting it together. You will not believe your eyes lol! This gamer is a very happy camper. Wait did I say camper (NOT) lol. Anyway you willb e so glad you decided to go with OPC and not Dellienware or Falcon or somebody else. Remember calling Dell for tech support? bwahahaha wat a joke. I called OPC because I had a question on a Game. The tech took the time to help me get my game up and running. I couldnt believe it. The problem wasn't with the PC and they took the time to help me with it! Oh yeah and after you get your OPC they actually call to see if you got it all setup and to see if you have any issues. I got a call form the owner asking if there was anything i needed and if I was happy with my OPC. I couldn't have been happier! Yes I am excited. Once you get yours and check it out you will be excited too. It is truly an amazing system! Thank you OPC!  
-Robert  

This review was modified by its author, DylanHendrix, on 6/14/06 10:10 AM.

My wife is learning website development, and she was frequently frustrated by the limitations of her low-end PC. She wanted something with the speed, power and flexibility to develop websites with heavy graphics, video, sound and music content. I looked at cnet.com's review of desktop machines, and they rated one OverdrivePC's models as the highest of all, with a rating of 8.4. Then I read many reviews and testimonials, all of which were glowing. We decided on the Gemini.SLI Workstation in a pretty standard configuration. From the day we placed the order until the delivery day, about 40 days passed, and the wait seemed interminable. However, Mario, the Chief Technical Officer and the guy who built our PC, stayed in touch with me, assuring me that the build was on track, and updated me every step of the way. When it appeared that the PC might not be delivered in time for a 3-day weekend which I had set aside for the setup and software installation, Mario did what he could to expedite things, and it arrived that Friday! I spent Easter weekend working on setting up the computer, and when questions came up I e-mailed Mario, and amazingly, he responded within a few hours, even on Easter! This computer is terrific. It has all the speed and capacity my wife requires, and it is solidly built and very quiet. The price tag of just a hair under $5,000 was steep, but we are expecting it to be well worth the investment.  

I have never dealt with a more professional and sincere computer retailer, in my 25 years of building and buying systems! They honestly want to provide you with the best system for your budget. Every person that I have talked to that works there has this same attitude and focus. I'm not just blowing smoke here! I never get this passionate about reviews but I feel a company that is this far above the rest needs to be recognized and commended.  
They could have easily made more money on my sale but they explained that I would be better off (due to various reasons) buying some items locally.  
Their hardware quality and workmanship surpass anything that I have seen before. I GOT MUCH MORE SYSTEM THAN I WAS EXPECTING! You can tell they love what they do. These days you can find cheaper systems but you will not get as much value for your money.  

It is now a little over 3 months since I received my OPC Gemini.SLI  
and I have to say that I continue to be very impressed by my machine.  
 
I use my home computer for a variety of different activities and it  
took a while to move all my programs & data from my old home-built  
machine and configure it as I require. I am now in a position to  
comment on the OPC machine.  
 
As you would expect from other reviews here, the machine is extremely  
capable. I got the equivalent of stock top of the line performance  
with a machine composed of second tier components which are  
overclocked.  
 
One feature I love is the 5-bay removable hard drive cage. What a  
wonderful device - allows the user to remove/replace drives with the  
minimum of fuss and without opening up the case.  
 
The internal cable job is a work of art. The custom cut to length  
cables make for an extremely clean space inside the case enabling  
great air cooling of the processor and graphics cards. Mounting the  
HDD cage in the 5.25 drive bays also frees up airflow through the case  
which helps keep everything cool.  
 
The number of fans in the Gemini.SLI makes it louder than my old  
home-built pc, but I have do not have to worry about the machine  
over-heating as a result. Once I move house and am able to place the  
OPC under my desk (rather than 12" from my left ear), I am sure things  
will be improved :)  
 
My only other very minor hardware quibble is with the Lian-Li PC-71 full  
tower case. The side panels are a little on the flimsy side.  
 
On the software side, the included recovery DVD with a Norton Ghost of  
the OS as-shipped state is wonderful. One can always go back to square  
one and start installing from scratch if required. I had to do this  
once.  
 
I have a couple of very minor quibbles with the provided software.  
 
First, the accompanying CD containing Norton Ghost 9.0 turned out to  
be incompatible with the RAID controller chip on the motherboard. I  
have an older version on Systemworks Pro 2003 (and apparently also the  
version used on the recovey DVD) and this works fine allowing me to  
make progressive ghosts as I configured the machine.  
 
Second, the installation of Norton anti-virus was not activated so  
that after the trial period, I needed to dig out the accompanying CD  
and enter the product key.  
 
I have had one other interaction with the OPC support, and this  
concerned an occasional BSOD when booting up. This was traced to a USB  
device which I use frequently and would leave plugged in when turning  
the machine off. Only plugging it in when required has solved this problem.  
 
In all my interactions with OPC support (all conducted through email),  
they have been extremely rapid in their response, and through our  
combined efforts correct solution have been identified within a couple  
of days.  
 
Overall, the OPC experience is first class and I wish them every success!

This review was modified by its author, ScottishBlond, on 3/11/06 5:22 PM.

Awesome machine and customer service. If you are a gamer or just someone that knows computer technology at its' finest..Overdrive P.C. is a must for you. I was weary at first to by an outside gaming rig and just to purchase out of word of mouth is insane for me but, boy did they prove me wrong...From the asus board to the take with you drives to the awesome over clocking this custom build is nothing short of awesome...K Salazar

When my old PC broke, I spent a couple of weeks looking for a PC Manufacturer which would build the PC I needed for the right price. My brother informed me of this company and after contemplating what to order and what company to go with I went with Overdrive PC, and boy am I glad that I did.  
 
When I called OPC, Ryan talked to me about what I was going to use the PC for and how to get the price even lower. In the end, the PC I got was exactly what I needed. It has the power of a $3500 machine but cost only $2700. Their hyperclocking and cooling is superb. There was a delay on the building of the computer which Ryan told me about. I wasn't very worried, but the folks at OPC upgraded my PC's soundcard because they were feeling bad about the delay. When Ryan called again we talked about the delay and I told him how excited I was to get my PC and about a LAN Party happening this weekend. He upgraded the shipping to 2-day service just so I could have the chance to play it that weekend.  
 
Thanks to all of you at OPC, especially Ryan. You should be expecting another customer soon as my brother is drooling over my machine and wants to order one as soon as he has the money.

I really cannot say enough good words about this company. The OPC is a combination of smooth as silk and blindingly fast. The dealings with the OPC staff were very good and the order arrived as promised, on time and packaged well enough to withstand nuclear attack.  
 
Rarely have I had a more satisfactory buying experience. Expensive? Yes, but this is a case of you get what pay for -- and more. The best thing I can say about OPC is that I would buy another one.

I purchased a PC from Overdrive PC after months and months of going over parts lists and trying to choose what I would like to build for myself like I have for the past 13 years. Then I stumbled upon a review of Overdrive PC in a computer shopper. After fighting myself back and forth I finally got down and called Overdrive.  
 
Boy am I glad I did!  
 
I spoke to Ryan and hammered him with questions for about 30 minutes. He answered every one politely and happily. I actually felt bad that I had bothered him so much. He took it all and smiled.  
 
I few weeks later I ordered it.  
 
Dual Opteron 270's, Dual GForce 7800 GT's dual 10k rpm Hdd's, the works. The funny thing is I originally wanted to order all the TOP end stuff and Ryan said no need to spend the money when they can get the same performance for less with their Hyperclocking technology.  
 
There were some issues with the build. One is they had never used the dual opteron motherboard with raid as of yet and that posed some issues. That is where Mario took over. He had my PC on his bench for probably 2 weeks while he spoke with the manufacturers trying to find a solution as to why it wouldnt work with the 10K drives but worked just fine with the slower drives. They finally found a solution a few weeks later. I am a patient man and I wanted a masterpiece so I had no problem waiting.  
 
Well lo and behold they felt so awful that they kept me waiting so long not only did they upgrade my RAM from the 2GB I ordered to 4GB, they also upped my hard drive from 250 GB to 500 GB and threw in a couple games for my patience!  
 
I love these guys and have referred all of my friends to them.  
 
They built me the masterpiece I wanted! It is a sick machine and my friends are all jealous! They are now saving up their own cash so they can buy one too.  
 
Thanks Ryan and Mario and the rest of the crew of Overdrive PC.

12-July-2007 Update:  
Well, Velocity Micro has bought Overdrive and the service on Overdrive PCs has gone down the tubes!!! I called with a problem that Aaron traced to faulty memory. Aaron promised to call me back the next day and I didn't hear from him for over a week. I finally called to follow up and asked that he call me back. Two days went by and I don't have a reply yet.  
 
It's been over a month and Velocity and Overdrive have not integrated their customer service. The Velocity folks answer the phone and apparently they don't know jack about the Overdrive PCs so they won't even begin to assist with supporting them. They claim not to have access to the repair and support histories on the Overdrive PCs.  
 
Overdrive was, when I bought mine, at the top of the boutique PC game. Now that Velocity owns them, they are a complete mess. I have serious reservations about whether I will buy a PC from them again now that they are part of the Velocity organization.  
 

This review was modified by its author, tony20009, on 7/12/07 8:26 PM.