Digital Storm is reliable, customer service driven, and competent at building an exceptional high performance machine.  
Due to my previous experience purchasing a gaming computer I told myself I would never buy a performance computer again. Instead I decided I would piece together my own and hope for the best. My previous computer has turned out to be one of the most expensive paper weights known to man! All expectations of performance by that machine were let down in a barrage of “blue screens of death” AND crashes that would make even the most experienced and seasoned computer technician’s head spin.  
 
I was first introduced to Digital Storm about a year ago via CPU magazine. I tooled over to their website and began snooping around. After creating a few custom builds on their website, I started having flash backs to my earlier purchase. A memory of dropping a sum of cash that would suffice for a healthy down payment on my next car! I thought to myself, “What makes this custom manufacture stand apart from the rest in the industry?” At that point I did research on Digital Storm’s website.  
 
After browsing the entries in the Configuration Discussion column, I was instantly impressed with the level of input and communication by the members. The Customer Review section revealed that the majority of purchasers were simply blown away with the level of craftsmanship put into their new rig and the performance they received. The few posts that expressed issues or concerns were immediately addressed from Digital Storm employees attempting to rectify the said problems. It was clear to me Digital Storm does not want their customers to feel any low level of satisfaction. After dealing with the lackluster customer service from my previous “4-letter computer company”, this aspect of Digital Strom alone, was enough to win me over. However with the release of Intel’s I7 around the corner I decided to wait and see what it was all about.  
 
It wasn’t till a year later that Digital Storm began offering their “prebuilt systems,” at an unbelievable price. Mind you, I am from the adage, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!” Turns out I was wrong!  
 
I called to speak with one of their salespersons to pick their brain about the pro/cons of the particular system I was interested in, the Extreme 2. I spoke with James, and to my surprise I was NOT told, “this conversation would be recorded for training/ records purposes” Our conversation had a “friendly” tone to it rather than a vibe found on a used car sales lot. James answered my questions about the video cards and when I asked about the liquid cooling, he told me that this particular one was not the best on the market. However, Digital Storm stands behind it and it will get the job done. Which again reassured my faith in the company, and demonstrated they were not out to drain my wallet, but rather provide a rig that would meet and exceed my expectations.  
 
Digital Storm’s level of customer service is simple, they answer the phone, they act on customer’s requests, and they follow through with what they promise.  
 
Once my system arrived, I quickly, but cautiously removed my new system from the box and began to go over everything checking for loose connections or screws. In my exam, I found one screw that had fallen out during shipping, but because the wiring was in such order, I quickly found the home to my rouge screw. I had read about Digital Storm’s craftsmanship and the attention to detail they display in building their systems. But until you open the case and see your hardware completely free of clutter and the typical rats nests of wires and cables, it really hits home that you now own a exemplary machine!  
 
After my inspection and hooking up process, I powered up. Since then, I have had a hard time keeping my jaw off the floor. The system runs flawlessly! I ran some benchmark tests and was completely blown away at the scores I was getting. The system does everything I was told it would do and more. My games run seamlessly, and my multitasking issues are now completely non-existent!  
 
Digital Storm has restored my faith in buying a system opposed to building it myself. If you are on the fence about a purchase from this company, I recommend spending time on their forum and calling to speak with their sales crew. There should be more than enough evidence to help you formulate an opinion whether or not Digital Storm has your best interest in mind. Odds are you will be convinced they do.  
 
All in all, I am 110%, without a doubt, satisfied with my choice in Digital Storm.  

This review was modified by its author, RAB82, on 9/30/09 10:11 PM.

I have purchased two systems from DS, about a year apart. The first machine was amazing, I could not imagine ever being able to find a machine with the performance of that machine for around the same price. As of this review, my new rig, not only out performs last years, but cost me the same. Bottome line, you will not find better bang for you buck anywhere, period. Here is why.  
 
With DS you get top of the line brand name parts. Your entire system is backed up with a 3 year warranty at no extra cost. That was a HUGE selling point for my first rig. The performance is as advertised. Stable, blazing fast OC'd machines that deliver. Bar none the fastest response I have ever gotten from a costumer service department. I emailed a question about upgrading the ram on my year old system and within 45 minutes I had my answer.  
 
Fit and finish is flawless. The binder with recovery disks and paperwork is a nice touch that makes you feel like DS really cares about its product and its customers. The emails you receive as DS builds your machine only adds to the excitement and confidence in dealing with DS.  
 
I will personally never purchase another rig from anywhere else. I have been a gamer since the venerable commadore 64 and Amiga were king and I have never been as exited about a computer as I am about my new DS rig. Price, performance, fit and finish, extras, warranty, customer service, its all there at DS.

Overall - Digital Storm creates a customized machine for every customer, with the customer support to back it up.  
 
I ordered my Digital Storm on 9/4/2009, and received my machine on 9/18. The e-mail updates on the build and testing status is a nice touch.  
Playing Oblivion with all the eye candy on, that nite the computer shut off after 5 minutes of playing. I tried again, same result. Since it was very late, I figured it must be me and some bad settings. On 9/19, a saturday, the computer totally died. I left a message with Digital Storm, on saturday afternoon.  
 
Randy from Digital Storm called back on Monday, 9/21. He diagnosed a bad power supply, and I now have a replacement power supply as of 9/28/2009.  
 
I wonder if the RaidMax RX 420K power supply was being worked too hard by my system build, and I should get a bigger power supply. I'll check the DS forums to research this topic.  
 
Bare bones windows was the only software on the machine - it's the nicest build that I have ever owned over the last 20 years.  
 
Great Job DS - as long as the power supply holds out.

Just received my Digitalstorm computer in the mail, got everything set up and was up and running within 10 minutes. I admire the care they put into their products as well as their attention to customer satisfaction. I would recommend them 100%

Overall: Digital Storm builds a mean computer. The price was competitive, the build quality is excellent and the performance is as advertised - FAST.  
 
I ordered one of the pre-built deals off Digital Storm's website earlier this month. I had done a lot of research beforehand, and the price was very competitive with a similar configuration from other builders. The ordering process was a bit of a hassle for me, because I had to go through the additional step of sending in a credit card authorization form in order to have the computer shipped to a different address from my billing address (I live in an apartment complex, and was concerned about the security of delivery). Still, DS replied promptly to my calls and the build/testing precess was short and painless. I appreciated the email updates on the progress of my system that DS sent to me.  
 
I received the computer in good condition -- the computer was nestled in a massive box with tons of foam padding inside and out. The only issue was that one of the rear expansion slot covers had come off, and both the metal cover and screw were loose inside the case. I hate to think about that heavy screw rattling around inside my case during shipping, but after using the computer for one week I have not noticed any damage or problems.  
 
The computer itself looks great -- I was amazed at how clean the inside of the case looked, with liquid CPU cooling and all internal wires tucked away and secured. I'm impressed that Digital Storm took the time to put in such a meticulous wiring job on a pre-built discount system, and I think it reflects well on the company's commitment to quality.  
 
The only software pre-installed on the system was bare-bones Windows. This is the cleanest system I've ever received, and I loved turning it on for the first time and seeing nothing on the desktop but the recycle bin. The CPU is overclocked from 2.66 to 3.6 GHz, but it has run completely stable and cool since I got it. Between the quality hardware and clean software, this is easily the fastest, most responsive system I've ever owned. Good job, DS.  

I want to say I like this company and their tech support is the best-better then any company I have ever dealt with, however I had a few issues with their customer service because my computer had some part problems (which can happen to anyone) and I originally felt as if my issues were not being addressed. Since that time I received a phone call from Alex who seemed genuinely concerned about my issues and offered to work with me and my complaints have been resolved. I will have to say it is nice when a company cares enough how you feel to call you back and discuss the situation.Once again Digital Storm has earned my respect for no other reason then they listened to me. I would like to make it clear that I do love my computer and every issue I have had was addressed in a polite quick manner and I would purchase another computer from them. Thank you Alex for listening.  
Lisa

This review was modified by its author, Lesea, on 9/29/09 7:59 PM.

Back when times were a better, I made it a habit to replace my old computer with a new one about every other year. I would pirate parts from the old machine and augment the new one. However, I could no longer do that after I left college, so I kept my PC for almost eight years before I decided to replace it.  
 
I needed a computer capable of handling graphics intensive applications, including 3d modeling. I also wanted a machine that had the hardware to support next generation video games if the time would allow. My last computer was a Gateway and I have built many machines for others in the past, but I knew that I did not have the time nor patience to research the latest hardware, compile and build it myself.  
 
I began looking online for "gaming grade" machines. I knew I wanted the new i7 chip and a mid-high level video card arrangement. I asked several friends who had purchased machines from Digital Storm "competitors" and each one had one complaint or another. From broken video cards, to poor customer service, the problems were endless. Considering that I was about to spend several thousand dollars on a new machine that would have to last a while, I became worried that there were no quality custom-build computer companies that I could trust. The only exceptions were extremely overpriced and I would be paying more for the name brand than the actual product.  
 
If I remember correctly, a last ditch Google search for custom gaming machines yielded Digital Storm. The first thing that caught my eye when I visited the site was the BBB logo on the front page. Considering the nightmares I have experienced with online companies, it was a pleasant surprise to see a company that maintained a standard of customer service with a reputable independent rating agency. I then traveled to the DS company forums and read glowing reviews from current customers about their products.  
 
Lastly, I actually visited ResellerRatings.com and found that DS has consistently outperformed similar companies in all aspects by a large margin. Computer buyers and especially those with know-how are very picky individuals. They know when a product is poor or the customer service is lacking. We are a sensitive lot and will complain if something is so much as a hair out of place. I found very little if any negative reviews about DS and my mind was made up.  
 
I purchased one of the Back-to-School specials and felt that I really was getting a heck of a lot of machine for my money. Solid components, name brand hardware and an amazing case. My bank even declined my Debit card due to daily limits and DS was kind enough to call me in person to ask me to clear things up with my bank. Everyone was extremely courteous and prompt with responding to my questions.  
 
The machine came earlier than I expected, beautifully packed with all components protected in transit with the expanding cushion system they use. Cables were tied and clipped to the chassis and not a wire was out of place. No loose screws, no loose harnesses and nothing had moved so much as an inch in transit. I also received a customized three-ring binder with all CDs, a certificate of ownership and my Windows 7 upgrade coupon smiling back at me. It reminded me of the good old days when computer companies actually had to work for your business and everything came in binders with the full documentation and all discs included. Today most system software is saved on a partition or must be downloaded and documents are only online. I was very pleased with Digital Storm's attention to detail on this matter.  
 
I am extremely happy with this purchase. No buyer's remorse, no regrets, no problems and a 100% functioning and blazing fast machine that looks (and acts) like it cost much more. I would recommend Digital Storm to anyone considering a new PC purchase. You will not be disappointed.

Great machine-bought a system that was on sale but had some hardrives I wanted to have removed and another changed. No problem, they credited the amount for the ones removed and put the system together the way I wished and still got a sale price + a amall bench fee. Flexible even on a sale system. That's huge!!

I originally had a super long story here about my experience with DS. Long story short, I had needed a replacement laptop ASAP, but my orders were constantly backordered, even the ones that they assurred me were ready to ship immediately (and that I had to pay more for). In the end, I found out their side of the story from Alex, and I realized they really did everything they could to accomodate me (they had even ordered the backordered processor from AMAZON for chrissakes to get the laptop to me as soon as possible). They offered to upgrade me to another processor that was available (but how could I accept that knowing that they already paid a ton extra for the amazon processor) and free overnight shipping. So in the end, while I was still slightly miffed about the delays, Digital Storm did their best and then more to make it up to me. And as a customer that had bought a PC from DS about a year ago and am STILL in love with it, I'm sure to go back to this company again for my next rig.

This review was modified by its author, sittingducks, on 9/17/09 1:28 PM.

Digital Storm is excellent. Their customer and technical support are both responsive and helpful. Ordering was easy, even when my internet was down. The computer was shipped well, and performs beautiful. I've had a minor problem with it, and help with the issue was quick and worked well. I have complete confidence in Digital Storm

This review was modified by its author, gebbygolf, on 9/15/09 11:57 PM.

So far, my experience has been excellent. I got sick of being jacked around by Apple's shoddy build quality, and decided to give the PC world a try again.  
 
All of the important little details have been executed perfectly--cooling, cable management, all excellent. Everything about the computer is fast and cool-running.  
I ordered one of the "preconfigured" systems with only minor tweaks--the components are identical to what I was about to build myself! Ordering from Digital Storm, I got exactly the specs I wanted, and a warranty to boot.  
 
Highly recommended.

I jumped on their recently updated pre-built offer and could not be happier. It's an amazing feeling I've never had before to crank ALL the settings on a game to their maximum and still have it run smoothly.  
 
I should point out I have only had it for about a month but I feel confident in my system. I've stress tested it myself and checked my temps (well within parameters considering the amazing overclock they provided.) Most importantly Digital Storm actually bothers to test their systems before they ship them out and they put the whole system under stress for 24 hours. A state that isn't even close to real world conditions unless you commonly play something like Crysis at max settings for 24 hours straight.  
 
I feel confident in their honesty about this because besides checking for myself I also got a call from them informing me they were not able to get the system 100% stable through the test at a 3.8ghz overclock but they were at 3.75ghz. They wanted to know if this was ok or if I would like to cancel my order. Well that was certainly good enough for me considering the stock speed for the core i7 920 is 2.66! And this is actually covered under warranty. But just the fact they would check with me over something as small as .5ghz says a lot.  
 
I could go on about the benefits of Digital Storm  
but I think this sums it up best. They actually care about quality and customer satisfaction.  
 
But that's the business what about the machine itself? I have found nothing to challenge the hardware yet. The case, the wiring and overall presentation is professionally neat and clean. The software came with none of the bloat you'd get buying from a store and extensive documentation for everything they even include the software cds in a digital storm binder! I was impressed by that little touch. I would have expected paper sleeves all individual not all collected for me in a binder. They even include the hardware extras the individual components would come with had you bought it yourself individually. So extra cables and such you may find useful.  
 
In every way they are superior to buying your computer from a store or anyone else. If you REALLY know computers and want to save every dollar you can you'll probably still want to make your own but for everyone else in the market for a powerful computer (whether it be gaming like me, multimedia etc.) I would not hesitate to recommend Digital Storm.

Preliminary Review  
 
Ordering:  
 
I used the Digital Storm website and configuration tools to order my new system. I have to admit that I was impressed by the sheer level of customization that one has when ordering. I also understand that there is an option to ask for a component to be used even if it is not carried, which adds an extra level of customization.  
 
The process itself was easy. I chose the options I wanted. Hit the order button. I almost instantly received a confirmation email and an email to remind my credit company that a large charge would be pending.  
 
The only thing I wished was that there were more information about some of the individual component choices.  
 
So, all in all a 9 out of 10.  
 
Build Time:  
 
I ordered my system on 8/31/09. It has not yet shipped. So, for now I will hold judgment, as there was a recent holiday weekend and whatnot.  
 
Customer Service:  
 
I have to admit I have been disappointed overall with the customer service thus far. Yes, I received regular automated updates as to which "phase" my order was in, but minimal other contact. I had to send several requests in via email, in order to get updates on my order status. Only two of my four update requests were actually answered.  
 
Also, in terms of the updates I received, they were relatively short and confusing. For example, my order currently says it is in Quality Assurance, which is the last step before shipping, all the testing and stress testing was supposed to be done in earlier phases. However, my last update from a live customer service rep, says that my computer failed the stress test and the OC had to be re-tweaked and that is why it was taking a while to ship. Confusing, since my order status still says QA - no?  
 
Performance:  
 
Pending receipt of the computer.  

What can I say? In the past I have built my computers, I have been working on computers for about 16 years. So I decided I didn’t want to build one this time and I wanted a high-end gaming computer. So I was originally going to buy a computer from Dell. I couldn't figure out exactly what I wanted. So I decided to go through there forums. Wow, when I started to read all the reviews I definitely made up what I wanted. Sorry I couldn't help myself, ok I'm not being serious and I'm not trying to trash talk another company, but come one DOAs left and right and if it didn’t arrive broken it would have bugs in the system left and right. Well I decided to call them and see what their techs on call had to say. Umm, how can I put this without offending anyone? Oh, no speaka engrish, ascent so thick I had to have a friend talk to them and she couldn't understand either. So I left it at that, I decided to look around for other computer makers. I remember seeing on G4 about the computers made at Digital Storm, and how high they got in scores, they were the highest they had ever seen. So I decided to start reading their forums, ok all I saw was positive everywhere I saw, so I knew this was the place. I posted in the configuration section about what I was looking for and I got an answer within seconds. They were awesome; it was love at first sight. So that after noon I put in for my order On August 25. They said I would receive it within 10 days I would receive my computer. My computer was done within 6 days and I received it on September 4. Now When I signed for this I knew from reading the forums that it would be big, it was definitely that and more. The box was HUGE! I opened it up and saw there was some serious padding going on, nothing could shift to easily. So I opened up the case to add some extras and to see how they configured it internally, they had put extra shifting protection in just to make sure not of the cards or hardware came loose, wires were perfectly position to allow optimal cooling, none were in the way. I had never had a machine that I built look this clean and sleek. I couldn’t wait to hook it up and turn it on. I couldn’t find anything besides what they installed to test the computer itself, on my computer. None of that use for 30 days crap then put more quarters in for more time. It was extremely fast, I started to install my more graphically intensive games that my previous computer couldn’t fully display as full setting, and well this computer can do it. They all looked so detailed and I couldn’t have expected more from them they went above and beyond what they said they could do. It doesn’t slow down even when I am doing way too much multitasking. I will definitely buy from Digital Storm again if ever needed in the future.

This review was modified by its author, killyouwithafart, on 9/12/09 2:21 AM.