As a retired 60 year old Professional, and A long time gamer I have had the opportunity to purchase many computers. Most were for business purposes. Having dealt with many large companies none can compare to the level of support and customer satisfaction that I have received from OPC and especially Mario. This computer was purchased for one purpose; to be a gaming computer only. My expectations have been met and have exceeded what I had hopes for. I play Doom3, Farcry, Warcraft and primarily Everquest. If your desire is a quality custom computer and a supurb purchasing experience; then you owe it to yourself talk to OPC

I have been looking around for ages to find my hardcore gaming rig and researched all the big boutique gaming PC companies. Never have i been so glad that i did not fall for the "hype" and reviews. I called up Overdrive PC after calling other companies and spoke with Mario. Talking to him was like chatting with an old buddy and since i've been researching PC hardware built specially for games i knew that he was making a lot of sense and was like an encyclopedia! He never once seemed like a typical sales guy out to make a quick buck and infact discouraged me from wasting atleast $700 for things that would not improve system performance at all. I was a bit nervous that is it going to be worth the wait. After recieving it i can happily and proudly say YES! It was worth every single cent. Overdrive PC doesn't have customers, it has a fanclub where you are spoiled rotten with the best customer care that makes you feel as if you're the only one that matters! The system i have recieved is absolutely DAMN FAST! Mario had overclocked it even higher than i had expected and i had long ago given him a score to beat. He remembered that even though i had forgotten and blew that score out of the water!! When i turned on the system the windows screen came up so fast that i thought something was wrong with it!! All i can say is give Overdrive PC a call and speak to Mario after calling other companies so you'll know exactly what im talking about. becareful, he just might save you a lot of money!! Overdrive PC and Mario truly put the CARE in Customer Care! Overdrive PC is truly a company that is in the business of building dreams!

I an extremely pleased with the computer built to my specifications, but I am blown away by the exceptional customer service offered by this company.  
 
Midway through my build, I read some reviews and decided to change my mind about my video card choice. I contacted Overdrive PC and advised them of my decision. No problem to change as long as I could tolerate about a 1 week delay to reorder and install the part which they did not have in stock. I expected some static on the change, but there was nothing but customer satisfaction as the goal from their end.  
 
Once the PC was shipped, I was once again surprised. About 45 minutes after my wife signed for the delivery, I got a phone call (about 5:00 PM) from Mario indicating he had noted that it was delivered and he wanted to know what condition the package was in. I told him it was in fine shape, but I had not had time to unpack it. He said he would call back in about 3 hours to see how it was going. Sure enough, he called back about 8:00 PM and assisted me with getting it connected to the internet. Two calls the first day - both initiated by the company! What more can I ask?  
 
I had one setback when one of my legacy USB 1.1 device drivers overwrote parts of my current drivers. However, the recovery DVD which was provided proved to be very effective at getting everything back to the initial receipt state. Not something I planned on testing, but it worked just as promised.  
 
Would I recommend this company to family and friends? You bet! They have exceeded my expectations on all counts. If you want a gaming PC with the latest components, it will cost you some money. After comparing Overdrive PC with other gaming PC companies, I feel they offer very good value for the money.

This is the best business experience that I have had with a computer purchase. Past contacts have gone from good to DOA.  
 
What pleases me the most is OPC's commitment to excellence and continuing customer interface. Add the exceptional technical insight with a gaming and performance commitment, their equipment is more then I have ever received from another vendor or had confidence in their  
expertise to provide. They have a passion for quality.  
 
When I placed the order, I indicated that I had two goals. One was to have 'massive performance', and the second was to support a growing interest in animation and video production. I am a novice on that level, since I just decided to look into the discipline. With this qulaity of equipment, I suspect that this will be a continuing interest, perhaps even a professional path.  
 
OPC provides exceptional customer care, technical insight and commitment to quality. Add value, and you have an unmatched experience.  
 
Now to the gaming experience. As to my past gaming experience, it wasn't one. My supreme complement is that while I was playing Painkiller and Doom 3, I only noticed the game, not the machine. Now I know what game immersion is. It is the same for a well crafted novel. You are part of the story. You do not see the words, only the characters and environments.  
 
Also, I am using a Zalman 5.1 headset. This is a good way to damage one's brain. It is like being inside a theater sound system. This was an item that Mario did not care but referred me to a good vendor.  
 
Yes, I did check other vendors. There is no comparison for value and quality provided. And yes, I did look inside the case. It is a technical work of art! OPC paints with components and connectors.  
 
Thanks for the fine equipment. I am privileged to have it.  
 
 
 
 

My Overdrive PC gaming rig is not only the fastest system out there for the price, but has also been the most stable system I've ever owned. I was experiencing many blue screen crashes with a system from one of the better known gaming system outfits. FS2004 requires an absolutely state of the art system to run properly, and I asked Mario if he could design a system with stability and performance in mind, as I feared one may likely negate the other.  
Instead of simply slapping components together and shipping a system, Mario actually researched the characteristics of FS2004, and monitored complaints from gamers in flight sim forums about blue screen crashes in FS2004, and not being able to run the game on average systems. He then thoroughly tested a system designed specificaly for my needs.  
What I received was a monster system that has not crashed one time in 6 months of operation, while at the same time offering blistering performance. Unique air cooling design keeps the overclocked CPU well under it's temperature threshold, yet the fan is amazingly silent !  
Overdrive PC has been the finest electronic/computer outfit I have ever dealt with. Their dedication and personalized customer service is the best, and comes in the form of Mario C. who promptly returned one call even late Sunday night his time, when I fully expected not to hear back until Monday morning. Come upgrade time, I will be calling Overdive PC for advice, and purchasing whatever they recommend. Another sign a company is proud of their product is that I was contacted several times after delivery to see how the system was performing, and if it was all it was advertised as. First class operation all the way around.  
James C.  
Seattle

I'll make it short and to the point. I've had several name brand computers that never met my expectations. Finally I have one that does everything advertised and does it well. Mario and the folks at Overdrivepc know their stuff!! My Overdrive PC is the best puter I've ever owned in every regard. Every statement Mario made regarding the performance of the PC was spot on, in fact it is better than he promised. I will never buy another puter from anyone again except Overdrivepc. The pre and post purchase customer support was exceptional. I feel like they are personally interested in ME.

OK, here is my experience.  
 
Summary:  
 
OverdrivePC and Mario have provided more than expected or asked for and I strongly recommend individuals/businesses in need of specialized solutions to seriously consider ODPC.  
 
My story:  
 
My work entails data, lots of data. I routinely work with single files in excess of 10GB and entire data systems containing billions of records amounting to 500GB – 1TB. The main tool I use is SAS. SAS is a HDD intensive DBMS that is almost limitless in the ways it can analyze data. My former company closed the office in which I worked and fired everybody. They also took the system on which I had been working, a very expensive machine with large capacity (3TB of HHD on system). This company then wanted me to continue assisting them on my own. Ummm…. what to do?  
 
PCs are much like LEGOs in that if you have the correct “bricks,” just about anyone can build a “working” system. CPU, MOBO, DRAM, HDD, etc. PC Companies, on the other hand, are constrained (or in ODPC case, unbound) by their particular business model, focus and creativity (or lack of).  
 
The necessity to continue to feed my family put me in the market for a substantial machine. I checked out the majors: Dell, HP, etc. When I would bump up the specs to the level where I felt I could successfully complete the tasks ahead, the prices were ridiculous and the systems were just stuff piled on stuff. No thought on how the pieces would work together (remember the LEGO analogy).  
 
I looked into smaller firms and gaming systems intrigued me. I figured if a PC could run a high end game at a very high level, it surely could sort, merge and summarize data (and play those games on the side). But the reviews of the service/products of so many boutique firms were worrisome. I stumbled across ODPC and a review here by X|Davey piqued my interest. ODPC was a gaming PC company with a stellar rep who had gone out of their way to satisfy a specific business request.  
 
I called ODPC and said I wanted some specific information about their systems. Mario quickly called me back from his car. As I explained my needs, I could hear Mario getting more and more excited. He asked if he could run some tests/experiments and get back to me in a day or two. After a couple days Mario calls and is very amp-ed about a particular system configuration he has tested. He goes through the hardware setup and various performance numbers, most important of which to me was the HDD bandwidth. When he finishes he says “what do you think?” I don’t tell him I think this is going to cost way too much for my budget. He then says, “and I can do it for $$.” I almost drop the phone. BUILD IT!!  
 
End game:  
 
The system ODPC/Mario designed and built smokes my previous firm’s system in most areas and is no less than comparable in others. I have been able to perform my analyses in an extremely efficient manner and am on the verge capturing a major client away from my former firm! Oh yeah, and the price was less than 10% of the other system’s cost!!  
 
I also get to play FarCry/Call of Duty, etc. at the maximum settings. ;-)  
 
Through Mario’s creativity, passion and commitment to his customer, ODPC has moved far from the concept of the LEGO computer. My system is a true custom system, specifically tailored to do what I need to get done. I didn’t just purchase a box of LEGOs, I purchased a handcrafted tool.  

This review was modified by its author, KRomig, on 6/4/04 7:57 PM.

One day surfing the net, bored with my Gateway, I read an article about Overdrive PC. I called to ask questions about the product and after a twenty minute conversation with Mario, it proved to be a most pleasant experience and without committing myself, I felt I had made a friend.  
 
After much investigation and comparisons with other high performance computers, I ordered an Athlon FX53 on Mario's recommendation. I received the computer in about the same time I would a custom made suit.  
 
The shake down cruise is over and the result is in. Mario said it would be a great machine but he proved to be a modest man. The computer is outstanding and I enjoy every minute with it.  
 
Buying an Overdrive computer is comparable to buying a custom tailored suit. The suit is not on the rack, you choose the fabric and the lining and no matter the price, you have a garment that fits and does not show a wrinkle. "Mario" the tailor asks and suggests the best computer for you. It is then made to order and you know it was not taken off the shelf.  
 
I started with computers in 1979 and have watched the industry emerge beyond one's wildest dreams. If you can afford the best, Mario and Overdrive will deliver.  
 
Having owned computers you know that when the power is turned on there will be questions to be asked and hopefully answered. At Overdrive you talk to the boss and he answers your questions to your satisfaction guaranteed. Support at the other companies, when they don't have the answer, the cure all word is to reformat.  
 
Thank you Mario and even though I don't have a problem, I can call you anytime to chat friend to friend.  
 
I know that Overdrive will be around for a long time.  
 

A conflict arouse when I knew I needed a new computer. I knew of Alienware products and Voodoo as well, but spending that large amount of money for those computers, it’s a good idea to comparison shop. While looking, a friend let me on to Overdrive PC. I went to the website and was blown away. I saw the unreal computers they offered for such a cheap price and immediately knew what I would get. Browsing the website I saw the page with the trick jumping the owner Mario Cifaldi himself could do. I thought I was watching a preview bookmark for the year 2005. Then, I saw the forum page and noticed the topics on Battlefield 1942, Call of Duty, Quake 3 Arena, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and the staff had as many posts as everyone else. The ultimate gaming machines built by gamers is more than true.  
If you ever have a problem, a rarity, you just call them up and they stop everything for you. Incredible! Best service. I got to meet the genius Mario himself who had all the latest updates, drivers, and even some game demos installed on my computer. It is amazing the time they spend on each machine. The drives were organized so that even if I manage to screw something up, he partitioned a 5 GB restore drive for me. Overdrive PC is the best made by the best. Awesome product, Great customer service, and with a small price tag, led me to buy this machine. Thanks Overdrive PC!!  
 
Dave Shaw

Overdrive PC takes a cost minded approach to designing you the industrys fastest, best built, and beautifull PC for your budget category. These systems are streamlined for GAMING! This means that Overdrive PC will ship them with un-needed functions that slow performance (anti aliasing, font smoothing, auto download updates, cd launching when you press the cd in..ect turned off. The benchmarks show it pays off!!These are serious rigs, practicle for everything but tuned for gaming.  
Overdrive PC did a remarkable job walking me through the design of my computer and had it at my door in under two weeks. QUALITY IS AMAZING!!! BEAUTIFUL!! FAST AS HELL!!  
I called Mario after recieving the computer to assist me in tweaking a couple things back to the way I like it for everyday use like enabling font smothing and to go over where certain things were archived. After That I was ripping through Battlefield Vietnam with NO lag!! And I mean none!!! This thing is SICK!!!  
Very pleased with the purchase...will buy again!

This review was modified by its author, shrooman, on 4/19/04 4:50 PM.

GAMERS & PC USERS ALIKE, PLEASE READ! I, like I would assume most of you, decided that when it was time to purchase a new pc I would peruse most of the "usual suspects" to find the "best-of-the-best" match for my needs. Specifically, I'm into computer gaming, and my desired configuration would have to meet and/or exceed my high expectations. For my scenario, looking for a mid-to-high-end gaming pc meant researching the bigger named players out there, such as Falcon Northwest, Voodoo PC, Alienware, Velocity Micro, ABS, etc.  
 
And so I did exactly that, for weeks on end, tirelessly, until one day I stumbled across a company I had never heard of before, Overdrive PC. "Who is this little guy supposed to be, and what makes them think they can compete with all these heavyweights?" was my initial thought. Well, I browsed the Overdrive PC website and really liked what I was reading, such as the personalized approach and support, satisfied customers selling these computers based on their experiences (not because they had anything to gain), and partly because I've always been somewhat of a "nonconformist" at heart. I decided that I would private message the "sales department" (more on this later) to see what was what.  
 
To my surprise I quickly received a personalized reply answering all my inane questions with easy to understand answers and no hint of condescension, along with the personal cell phone number of the owner/founder/builder/etc. of OPC, Mario, asking me to call him at my earliest convenience if interested to further discuss my needs and answer any questions I might have.  
 
"What's this?", I thought. In today's world, receiving anything other than an automated reply to an inquiry from the typical so-called 'boutique gaming pc makers' really caught me off guard. I took Mario up on his offer and little did I know it at the time, but I'd already made up my mind to buy from him, I just didn't know it yet!  
 
Over the course of the next two weeks we spoke many times, and although I sometimes felt like I was being a pain in the *** for calling so many times, never once was I greeted with anything but welcoming words, and reassurance that I was not being a nuissance at all. After talking with Mario so many times, the overall impression was that I was dealing with someone who knew more about computers than I could ever expect from the other candidates out there, and that I was dealing with someone who truly cared about the final results and overall satifaction of his customers. He insists on selling you only what you NEED, not what you think you need - in my particular case I actually spent over $300 less than planned because Mario found a way to provide even more performance for less money - how rare is something like this in today's world!?!? After all, he has a personal stake in this, being the founder, owner, builder, etc. and simply will not allow anything to jeopardize the reputation of OPC and all his hard work just to get to this point, simply to selll more computers or components you do not need. My honest anology is to tell people to picture one of your closest friends, and imagine they are very computer literate and capable of building you your next pc. You trust this person completely, and know there is no need to concern yourself with issues that otherwise might cause you to loose hours of sleep. My intention is not to get wierd about all of this, but this is literally the way I felt about Mario and Overdrive PC throughout the entire process!  
 
Now, my order was placed, and throughout the build process I was continuously updated on the progress, status and expected delivery date. After about 17 or so day, the FedEx guy showed up with what can only be described as a work of art. Before firing up the OPC for the first time I had to sit back and admire the phenomenal job of wire management that is second to none. The final product is unmatched in the industry - bar none! Other's claim to have fancy wire management, but none compares to what OPC can offer - truly meticulous! So, drooling aside, the true test awaits, and I fire up the OPC. LED fans come to life, but to my surprise the pc is nearly silent, which initially made me nervous because I was so used to computers of this caliber sounding like Boeing 747s on runway 9 at O'Hare. Safely squeezing every last ounch of performance out of every component, coupled with unrivaled stability, asthetics and performance, you've got to be kidding!, but there it was, sitting on my desk. On the chair in front of the monitor is me, smiling from ear to ear, knowing full well that I could not have made a wiser decision than choosing Overdrive PC for the construction of my new computer.  
 
To date I have not had any problems (outside of user-induced problems) at all. This machine screams and is the envy of everyone I know. I cannot stress enough to each and every one of you who is considering a high-performance pc, do yourself a favor and check out Overdrive PC. These reviews here at resellerratings.com speak for themselves, and you can thank me later :-)

This review was modified by its author, joseywales, on 4/14/04 6:48 PM.

I purchased a computer from this company after some thorough research. My requirements are somewhat extreme because i do mathematical modeling of stocks. This is number crunching. The computer I was using was a Toshiba 1955 s806 with a 2.56 Intel chip and 512 meg of ram. To process 100 stocks would take 8 hours. The program I use looks at every trade for the last year and compares that to the close of and index for the same day and tracks the corelation. I scan 14000 stocks and end up with 2400 possibilities. Then do the calculations with 340 indexes looking back one year. The calculations are a very high number and takes the Toshiba the 8 hours to complete the process comparing 200 stocks to 340 indexes.Mario said the new computer could be twice as fast as my current computer, in fact it is 6 times faster. If I go over 200 stocks the old computer would crash.After discussing my needs with Mario, he constructed a computer that is 6 times faster than my Toshiba using an AMD Opteron Chip. I have been using this machine about 6 days solid with 100% processor utilization with no problems at all. The difference is striking. The cost of the machines is comparable but the performance is not. I can say I am more than pleased with the construction and performance of the Overdrivepc. I would recommend this company and product to anyone who has a need for the a computer for that requires performance and reliability. They simply cant be beat, I have checked and now I have one of my own.

This review was modified by its author, stevelon, on 4/5/04 3:06 PM.

I received my Overdrive PC in March 2004 and am absolutely blown away by the computer's build quality and performance. Let me start by saying that I am not normally the sort of person to take the time to write a testimonial. But in this particular case I simply could not resist. The computer is so remarkable that I felt compelled to tell others about the wonder of Overdrive PC.  
 
When I recently entered the market for a new computer I decided to call all of the computer companies that caught my eye, ranging from gaming PC companies like Alienware, Voodoo and Falcon Northwest to the biggest brands around, like Dell and Gateway. I am not exaggerating when I say that I must have spoken to about 15 companies before finally choosing to go with an Overdrive PC. So, what is it that makes an Overdrive PC so much more compelling than everyone else? Superior computer quality, better power and performance, unmatched customer service, and more. This computer is simply unbelievable.  
 
When I first called Overdrive PC, I spoke with Mario Cifaldi, one of company’s owners. Mario is without a doubt the most knowledgeable person I have EVER spoken to about computers. Up until the time I called him, all of my calls to the various computer companies resulted in a by-the-numbers conversation with a “tech guy” or “sales rep.” But Mario broke that pattern immediately. I literally cannot convey how nice and knowledgeable he really is. To this day it astounds me. Mario is a resource like no other.  
 
What is even more important is that Mario was not trying to needlessly “upsell” me or put me in the most expensive machine (which is a common practice at many other companies). Rather, Mario SAVED me money. That’s right, he told me how I can spend LESS money but still get the best possible performance. My computer has a 64-bit AMD chip called the Opteron (compare this to the Intel Pentium 4, which is only a 32-bit chip and has nowhere near the same capabilities). Thanks to Mario, I now have a chip that will work beautifully in the future (i.e., when Windows 64 comes out and many software companies start releasing software for 64-bit systems), yet it cost me much less money than other, inferior chips. Frankly, Mario took the time to discuss each and every component in my computer so that I knew I was getting the best possible performance for my budget.  
 
Moreover, my computer is RELIABLY overclocked to squeeze out every possible ounce of performance from every component in my machine. I always thought that overclocking a computer component meant that you are sacrificing reliability for added performance. But that is simply not the case with an Overdrive PC. They have turned overclocking into a safe, reliable science that still amazes me. My computer is an absolute rocket ship, and outperforms my friends’ computers that were much more costly.  
 
Above all, I love my Overdrive PC. I am telling all of my friends and family members about this little known brand, as I have just never seen anything quite like it. Before I learned about this company, I would have assumed that a computer is little more than the sum of its parts, and that there is really no genuine difference between one computer and the next. But that is really not true. Overdrive PC is the Bentley of Computers. It is built with unmatched care and reliability (I am speaking from experience, having owned many different computer brands). Also, I cannot believe the level of customer care that I have been receiving. Any time that I ever need a question answered, Overdrive PC is there to help. I really am in awe.  
 
If I can give you one piece of advice before buying your next computer it is this: call Mario at Overdrive PC. Talk to him, and within 5 minutes you will begin to understand what I have experienced since day one. This is perhaps the best quality product of ANY KIND that I have ever purchased. They have my highest possible recommendation.

This review was modified by its author, DM, on 3/31/04 1:26 AM.

I was in the market for a gaming PC and did research on all the main specialty gaming PC companies. I "accidentally" found Overdrive PC while doing my research. One thing that really caught my eye with Overdrive PC was the fact that they overclock all the components to get the maximum out of each custom system. Overclocking had always concerned me, but as I talked to Mario through e-mail he assured me that it was not as bad as I thought it was. I had many questions that I had sent to Mario through e-mail about the system I had been setting up and he was very prompt and detailed with his replies. A lot of the questions seemed very nit picky to me, but Mario still answered them great. After pricing and reviewing several different systems from many different companies I finally decided to go with Mario and Overdrive PC.  
 
I talked directly with Mario and he went over my system setup with me over the phone. There were some areas where he saw where he could save me some money and still get the maximum performance out of my system. He explained these to me in detail and we decided on what my new Overdrive PC would contain. The weekend before my system was to be delivered Mario wasn't happy with the numbers he was getting with the video card that we decided on. It must have been a defective one because the numbers didn't match up with the other ones he had setup before. He called me right away and told me about this. While running other tests later that night he found a way to get never before reached scores with a new video card and the latest drivers. He also had decided to make my system the very first one that has the Twin Sure Cool setup with the two 120mm fans on the case. With this combination Mario was able to get unbelievable scores out of my system.  
 
Mario two day delivered my PC with no extra charge in order to reach the delivery date he had promised me. Once the system was delivered it was very impressive how tight the system was packed with bubble wrap, and foam. The PC was very clean and nothing was damaged at all with the shipping. I took the side off, and it was very impressive on how clean the inside of this PC was. I work on PC's everyday for a National Lab and I have never seen anything this clean. Every little wire was out of the way to get maximum air flow to all the components. I actually took some pictures of the inside of it to show my coworkers so they could see for themselves on the artwork. I plugged everything in say down and turned it on. It came to life and was very quiet. I was worried that the fans weren't working, but I pulled it out while it was still on and opened the side to make sure. All the fans were working, it was just the awesome case that is sealed so well that kept it so quiet.  
 
The only thing that has come up with my system after using it for hours and hours of gaming is the processor got a little too hot. I sent Mario an e-mail about this and he called me that night to tweak it a little more. What it turned out to be was that my computer sits inside of one of those corner unit cut-outs and doesn't get maximum air flow. Mario walked me through the tests and talked me through the BIOS setting that needed to be turned down a fraction. After doing this BIOS change my system has been cranking away at hours and hours of gaming with out any problems. This little BIOS change didn't even slow it down any.  
 
If you want a top notch system, and support, look no further than Overdrive PC. I am just wondering how the gaming magazines never put one like mine against these other companies and show who the real champ is!

Remarkable and amazing beyond words-both in terms of customer service and the finished product. This is the finest gaming rig I have ever seen-and I have seen them from the big boys.(Falcon NW-Voodoo-Hypersonic-Alienware).Mario walks you thru every component based on both your needs and budget. He will not hesitate to recommend a less costly part if that is all you require. He is a master of both hardware and software "fine-tuning." The attention to detail is beyond anything I have seen. For instance every screw on the computer case inside and out has a rubber grommet attached for protection. There is rubber padding under the motherboard to prevent accidental cracking when installing a new peripheral card. Even a little mag-lite is attached to the inside of your case to make inspection easier. The wiring is as clean as can be. Despite being overclocked-the system runs both cool(35C)and very very quiet. As good as the little painstaking touches to the hardware-Mario's real expertise is in bios tweaking. He can get the maximum speed out of a given system with total stability-and at a price less than the competition. There was a recent article in CPU magazine featuring three expensive powerhouse machines. The benchmarks on my AMD opteron processor rig are right there with those machines-at a far cheaper price. Two of those machines had exotic watercooling systems and mine matched them on air cooling.(Overdrive-pc has a watercooling option also for those seeking supersonic speeds).  
Customer service wise-Mario called me several times during the production of my rig to fill me in on its progress and even gave me it's benchmarks while still in the shop. He then called me after its arrival to answer any questions I might still have and to see if it met my satisfaction. Construction and delivery of my system was prompt also. My friends consider me the go to guy concerning computer purchses and there is not a single negative thing to say about this company. I am still overwhelmed at the quality of my new rig. Thank-you Mario!!!!!