"Hey, my name is John Hill. People in the gaming world know me by the alias ZeRo4. I played Quake 3 professionally for over five years. The last few years I’ve taken a hiatus from gaming, focusing on college. I finally can’t wait any longer; it is time to get back into gaming. I have always played with the highest performing rig possible so the first thing I did was research the best computers on the market. My extensive search ended at OverDrivePC. I recently purchased one of their machines and have been playing on it for a little over two weeks. Over my years playing quake, I have bought, built and won numerous PCs including two White Boxes, two Microns, a Dell and an Alienware. None of those compares to what OPC delivered at my door step.

It is hard to explain, you have to see one to believe it. In a nut shell, an OverDrivePC is custom taken to the nth degree. The first thing I did with my computer was open it up and look at the insides. It was beautiful. Instead of a hundred different wires arrayed in every different direction, OverDrivePC does an amazing job in keeping everything neat and organized. I couldn’t believe that I was actually looking at a desktop PC. I love their custom cables – solid and beautiful.

Need the speed? I’ve had “Top of the Line” PC’s before, but this is something outrageously different. My initial boot was less than 15 seconds. One thing I hated when I bought other brand name PCs was all the useless programs infiltrating my system. My OPC computer was completely stripped. I didn’t have to go into msconfig or the registry and delete a bunch of junkware preloads. Next I wanted to test how fast the machine was. I installed Quake3 and that ran brilliantly but that game is kind of old. Next I loaded up World of Warcraft. After maxing every setting I was shocked. I felt like I was playing a different game when compared to my last pc.

I have to admit that I was a little worried about the hyperclocking that OPC heralds as their trademark. In the past, I have stayed away from any PC that had been overclocked. I had heard too many horror stories from my gaming friends about burnt out motherboards and crashes happening at the worst time. I am happy to report that I have not had a single problem with this machine. There has not been one hiccup or delay for anything. I have never owned a machine so fast and clean. The only downside to this computer is I’m going to have to dish out a few more grand to buy another OverDrivePC when my obsession requires the “need for more speed”."

"I've looked around at a few other sites, and resellerratings.com seems to have the most comprehensive amount of posts concerning customer reviews. I noticed some companies monitor the boards and even reply! So here I am.

I ordered an OPC system two days ago. I thought this site would be a good place to list my experiences as they progress.

I first learned about OPC in a PC magazine. PC World or Computer Shooper. I can't remember which. I was intrigued by the idea of a system coming OC'd from the assembler, and still fully warrantied. I spec'd out different systems on OPC's "configurator." I also wanted to save a few bucks over the competition (Alienware, VooDoo, Falcon-NW, etc) I liked the idea of greater performance via cheaper hardware. So, I ordered a Torque.SLI system with the following specs: AMD 3700, 2x7800GT, 2G RAM, 2x80G RAID, Lian-Li 6070 Case, 2 year Platinum warranty. This cost about 3500ish, shipped. I spoke with Pete and Mario on the phone about my plans and my budget. I was quite impressed with the fact they took the time to talk to me for as long as they did. Neither Pete nor Mario tried to get me to purchase more expensive parts. Kinda took me by surprise. I actually only added a few small things, like upgrading to XP professional and getting a removeable drive bay for the hard drive, which are only like $25 each.

According to OPC, My system will be ready in about 30 days from date of purchase (08/25/05). I plan to update this post as time progresses and let ya know how it's going!

09/17/05 - I called OPC. I actually changed my mind on a few things and ended up upgrading to a three year warranty, 2 10,000 RPM 36 G Raptors in Raid 0, and a soundcard. I was also informed that the system would likely ship in about two weeks, which would make it around 09/30/05. If that happends, I'll be perfectly happy.

I have also spent some time at the forums at overdrivepc.com. Seems like pretty much everyone who posts that owns a OPC is very happy. I don't get the feeling that negative posts are deleted, but that none exist!

So, I'm still quite happy with my pruchase and will update this thread as things progress.

09/29/05 - System delivered! I was very impressed with the packaging and overall appearance. Without a doubt, it is the best wiring job I have ever seen. I also own an older Alienware Aurora system, and OPC's wiring job is far superior. Also, when running, the OPC is quiet! It's so quiet, I actually hear other sounds in the room I've never noticied. Truly impressive. As far as performance, I cannot believe how well this system runs. I play BF2, with all video settings maxed out. I cannot believe how well the game looks on this system.

I also had a couple of small issues getting the system up and running. These issues were my fault, not OPC's. I simply couldn't figure a couple things out. I called OPC's main number and spoke with Ryan. He immediately identified what I needed to do and the problem was immediately fixed. He didn't need to consult a manual or read from a sheet. OPC's customer service is unbelievably good.

Overall, I highly recommend OPC for gamers and those who need fast systems. The systemis truly flawless.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions. ****@****."

"The word "High end System" pff sounds like expensive,1337, headaches, happiness and many nights of gaming. Looking for a good company that actually has international shipping is hard, and I mean companies that have very good systems, I just know a few, Alienware, VoodooPC, and Falcon, but hey their prizes were OVER my league! since i have to pay international, shippping, duties, handling, etc etc etc! I just couldnt afford paying the 3200 dlls of a voodoopc+350 internatioanl shipping+the rest. Once a friend told me, man I want so badly an OPC. After that I made a research about it and they did send computers to other countries, i was extremely happy. Reading about Hyperclocking and the stuff they had and the attractive prizes made me send an email to Mario. He said he could build a computer for me, my budget was 2,000 at the begining. After moving some stuff i got a 1gb, 6800gt (beating the clock speeds of an ultra!), a 3200+ (beating a 3800+)! for only 2100 dollars! I was amazed, i sent some emails before also asking about shipping and wow, 230 dollars! thats way less than the voodoopc, less than falcon (i couldnt even afford a MachV, same as alienware but i had one before, and its just an 'ok' system) I placed my order right away and the endless waiting starts! I was scared of shipping, how the people from UPS grab and throw boxes, specially because since its international and they are tired or I don't know, i was just scared of my new rig!. Once i got it here, i had to take off many foams to reach the box of the case, and there was even more protection to it. The guys couldnt even damage it even if they wanted. I turn on my pc and it was scary how fast it boot up. I ran everything on high, BF2, WoW, bf1942 etc. I was not satisfied with something...how choppy it could get in BF2 (settings were all set to high). After reading more about in hardocp they said they had the exact same problem, their system would run choppy with 1 gig ram, even though they tested it with a 7800gtx and they also said once they put another gig of ram the spikes were gone. By this time, 1 month later i made some more money (which i didnt count) so i called Mario and said that i would like to upgrade to a 7800gtx and 2gig ram. He said he was going to send it so i didnt have to ship the entire PC, I refused it. Enough money to upgrade and enough for the shipping and stuff. And here it goes. Once i got the PC back with the 2 gig ram, the 7800gtx and the processor overclocked to 2.5 the pc was ROARING! and I mean it!. scoring 8900 in 3dmark05 and 19k in 3dmark03, running BF2 with not a single spike even with 4xaa and everything. I was scared! Now I load WAY faster than the rest of people in BF2, well only 1 guy beat me, he had 4gig ram and a 4000+. Doesnt matter, he won by 4 seconds or so cuz he was running to a chopper when i spawned, hey mine has 2gig! not 4. Anyway WoW was giving me some headaches with a lot of freezes. I called Mario to tell him about this and he made me do a CPU Torture test and a memory test to make sure it wasnt the hardware. Everything pointed at WoW,i went to blizzard tech support forums and voila! many people were experiencing lock ups, freezes, random restarts and everything. After they fixed servers my PC hasnt locked up in 4 days, that CLEARLY shows it was WoW's fault. This PC is overclocked very very well! Once i played 40 hours in 2 days and i swear, u can see my xfire times and the pc just didnt lock up, or crashed or anything! solid as a diamond! beautiful as diamond and shiny as it, but not as expensive and can easily beat more expensive systems. This is THE way to go for a high end pc, good tech support, good computers and good prices.
------
update the computer keeps freezing and I am mad now.
------
I got 80% of the money back, which i do not think is fair, i received it mid october. The computer was never stable, only when it was in good mood. Mario said that it was probably the low energy in my house, i doubt it, i connect the computer in a special slot to the wall that goes directly to the main power and does not mess with the house's cabling. Also i said i had an alienware before with a 420 watt PSU, he said it was like apples and oranges, he couldnt mix his stuff. Dude hey i was just talking about wattage, wattage here and in china is the SAME, i mean both are measured in watts and i never had a problem. Im dissatisfied with this company. Maybe i was the black sheep of the company but i had several problems with the computer as soon as i took it out of the box
Got 80% back of my money after i paid 500 dollars of shipping. I ordered the computer by june 9th, received it july 20 or so. Some programs would not open like Nero. i wanted to upgrade because the pc was not the art of work they promised.Sent it back to repair and upgrade. The freezes started, they were gone for a week and freezes came back. Also there are all kinds of rattles in the computer, some are really noisy and it sounds some fan is malfunction, also the fan of the motherboard was rattling. Mario EVEN heard the noises, the rattles."

"Wow, wow, wow! Overdrive PC is a great place to purchase from. First off, they produce the highest quality system I've ever seen, overclocked to perfection, beautifully wired, etc. My system smokes more expensive systems with more expensive components from the big makers. Second, they will actually recommend cheaper components, if that's whay they think will best meet your needs--in other words, they listen to what you want, and make sure to give you that, rather than trying to up the price of your system.
Finally, the only time I had to call tech support (for something, I should add, that was my own fault), the service was prompt and professional, and my problem was sorted out immediately.
I would definitely purchase from them again, though I won't have to for quite a few years!"

"When I first started reading computer reviews in magazines I couldn't understand how people would spend even $2000 on a computer much less $4000. As my knowledge of the nature of how computers work my understanding of these high price points grew. I began to understand that building a computer is much more than just following a few instructions like building a lego set. It's about making all the computer parts work in harmony so the user will have as few problems as possible. There a few things that goes into that process which 'boutique' builders perfect or so they claim. Starting sometime last year I began to take a real interest in custom built computers and thus started researching every company I could find. Through this research, I began to realize that many companies fall short of the hype and this disappointed me greatly. So, does my custom built Overdrive PC fall short of the hype? Read on to find out.

Buying Experience:

I pretty much knew what I wanted when I looked at Overdrive PC. I wanted 6800 Ultras in SLI, 2GB Ram, and a fancy dancy processor and I could skimp a little on the hard drive since I had to work on a budget of around $3700-$3800. My original processor was a 3800+ to go along with the above mentioned specs and a 160GB Hard Drive. I was ready to order that exact configuration (or so I thought) and I called Mario to let him know about my order. Mario informed me that I could see a big increase in performance if I changed processors from 3800+ to the 3700+ and save $54 in the process. He also noted I could increase hard drive performance if I cut the 160GB hard drive into 2x 80GB hard drive in a Raid 0 array. Total amount saved from my previous configuration was about $100 with a lot of performance gained.

Rating: 10/10


Shipping:

When I got my Falcon Northwest in last August it was shipped beautifully and I thought nothing could be better protected. However, when I got my OPC in yesterday I realized I was wrong. The outer box had foam and bubble wrap all in it to keep the insides from shifting around. After taking the foam and bubble wrap out there are two boxes. One of them is the computer box and the other is the box where all the CD's and manuals are kept. Opening up the box with the computer in it reveals even more protection to keep the computer itself from sliding around. Ordering an OPC guarantees many things and one of them is that your computer will arrive to you exactly how they intended, in one piece.

Rating: 10/10


Assembly:

Well manicured cabling systems is what comes to my mind when I think of boutique systems and thats what I got when I opened up the 'belly of the beast' so to speak. Used to people didn't have to worry about having a great cooling system or a humongous power supply when they built computers. Now, there are a great many things people have to worry about, but not when you order an OPC. It comes with a 500W power supply and a great cooling system called the SureCool system that keeps your system running smoothly day in and day out. I would be amiss if I finished this section now because I would be forgetting one of the best things about the system. They are called hotswap hard drive bays and it makes changing out hard drives very easy. Since hard drives are the most likely thing in your system to fail especially in a Raid 0 array it only makes since that you should be able to remove and put them back in easy.

Rating: 10/10


Performance:

'Boutique' builders often claim they have the fastest systems. When it comes to performance, OPC walks the walk. From the moment you first power on this beast you can tell it's fast, but you can't really hear it as it is amazingly quiet. Other companies fail to perform even close to OPC in synthetic tests when spec'd out the same. Synthetic benchmarks are all well and good but it means nothing if the computer doesn't perform where it really counts. In the games. OPC excels in both areas it seems as EverQuest 2 with all options to the max performs with nary a choke up as does Doom 3 and Far Cry.

Rating: 10/10


Overall: 10/10

Keep up the good work OPC!
"

"Everything you've read about OPC on this site is absolutely true.This is the finest pc I have ever owned.I wont get into the performance as this has been covered in previous reviews.I ordered a Torque OP with a custom paint job.The paint is flawless,it's so beautiful that that I have friends that are not really into puter gaming drool when they see it.Even the keyboard and mouse are flawless.It has a mirror finish that you could shave yourself with no problem :)Truely a work of art.

Packaging was also top notch,even Fed Ex couldn't make a dent into the packaging.This was very well protected and took a long time to get everything out of the boxes.

I wasn't going to comment on performance but I'd be remiss if I didn't.I mostly play online rpg's and some shooters as well,and with all the settings on max I havent had a problem yet.If anyone here plays Everquest you know that POK is usually so laggy that it takes forever to get anywhere.Not with this machine,EQ is pretty much lag free.

If you are looking for a custom made pc,you cant go wrong with OPC.The attention to detail and performance,not to mention great customer support makes OPC a notch above the other boutique builders out there."

"I received expert advise from Mario before purchasing, which helped me configure my PC. He didn't recommend the most expensive options... he recommended the best options which would meet my computing needs."

"Let me start by saying I love pc gaming and I dont like inferior computers, only the very best and cutting edge performance will do. I wanted a system that came tweaked and overclocked so I could just fireup my new pc and grin from ear to ear as I destroyed my opponents. Im into gaming online and I play call of duty and a few other games that are very demanding and require a powerful gaming pc. I found overdrivepc.com through google and I began to read about their way of building a gaming pc as I did with so many other popular companies. I searched and searched and I always came back to overdrivepc.coms website and finally made my decision to go with them. I must say this SLI based system I purchased runs as smooth as silk when Im playing my favorite games online. If you sick and tired of empty promises from pc builders and you have been carefully considering buying a new gaming rig then I can say dont do anything until you look at overdrivepc.com. Call them up look on their website and you will understand what Im talking about. If your a pc gamer or someone who wants a very high quality product in a professional system then buy your pc from this company. From my experience I can honestly say OMG Im absolutley in love with this computer!!! Dont waste your time with these other companies who spend so much on advertising to get bussiness, but take it from a person who did his homework. Go with overdrivepc and you can be rest assured they will give you a ripping-fast, rock-solid pc that will surpass your highest expectations. By the way they saved me hundreds of dollars too!!! Im a happy camper!"

"Simply put, I can't recommend this company enough. There are two major reasons to go with this company: the product and the people. First off, the people have been absolutely marvelous throughout my entire buying process. I'd been eyeing one of their computers for a while and decided to call in and have them try to justify their slightly higher price. So I called, someone answered, and I asked if I could talk to someone about what makes OverdrivePC so great. Well, the guy says "Hold on, lemme get Mario". Mario, by the way, is the owner of the company. Well, Mario sat there and chatted with me until, 45 minutes later, I told him that I was sorry but I had to go to class. I wasn't even thinking of really buying a computer at that point, and he was fully willing to take an hour of his time to talk to me. Then and there, I decided that if I could afford it, I would go with the company.

Well, upon further research, because they overclock so much of the computer, you can actually buy a high-end computer for a mid-range price. And I should mention, all overclocking is fully covered by the warrantee! It's still not cheap, mind you, but it's an amazing rig, coupled with outstanding customer service. The computer arrived not on time, but a few days early! It was absolutely beautiful, everything built exactly to spec. On top of that, they took the liberty of providing me with diagnostics CD's, a complete re-image DVD in case it needs a reload, a full benchmarking suite fully installed (including Pro versions of 3dMark03 and 05), many utilities, and, since I hadn't ordered productivity software, they went ahead and installed Open Office for me. I couldn't believe it! I wasn't really expecting any software installed beyond the WinXP, and instead I had a fully functioning suite of tools and utilities. My mouth just kinda dropped when I opened up the computer, and stayed like that for an hour or so. It still drops every now and then, to be perfectly honest. They even took the initiative to order a version of my graphics card that had Doom3 bundled in it and sent it to me for free!

I have since had some questions about the system and have corresponded through e-mail, receiving very quick responses, sometimes even at 1 am (not common for a relatively small company). They have provided fast and effective tech support for the few minor questions I had, and they continue to correspond to make sure everything is working well. Oh, and that copy of Doom3? Runs very, very nicely. =) "

"I won't regurgitate all the other positive points in other reviews, like the wiring, crafsmanship, performance, what a great and knowledgeable guy Mario is, etc. I can say that they are all true, but what I like is that all the original benchmarks screenshots are saved on the hard drive, and left the same benchmark tools installed for you to run, so that you can compare your current system performance to what it was when it was shipped. Also comes with a system restore image if you ever needed that. Do not hesitate to buy your next gaming rig from overdrivepc. They will not upsell you to anything you don't need. I know there is no way I could build a box by myself that would come anywhere close to the excellent job that they do. "

"My experience w/OverdrivePC has been absolutely top-shelf. Mario(builder/partner) of OverdrivePC helped me put together a machine that has made me a believer ...

I called one day after returning another boutique builder's machine for a refund, and talked with Mario explaining my situation. I told him about the problems I had run into with the "other" system, and wanted to see what OverdrivePC could build for me. He knew that I was not ready to order that day, but still spent 45 minutes or so discussing OverdrivePC's ability to give me the absolute best bang for the buck. He went on to explain the different methods of overclocking, giving you more for less money, what would be the best set-up for what I wanted to spend, and gave me an estimated price. I cannot express how impressed I was from that one conversation,....

Later that night, I went to the website, overdrivepc.com, and read as much about the company as I could. This was what I had been looking for. A "real" custom built machine. The next day I placed my order.

There was quite a wait until the Radeon X800XT graphics card was to be released, but I went ahead and placed my order with the understanding that as soon as the card was released, my machine would ship.

The wait finally ended, and I received my machine, oddly enough..on my birthday!! I received an e-mail and a phone call from Mario, ...before I could even get to where it had been shipped!! Talk about a "personal" touch.


The desktop was absolutely stunning. The paint is the first thing you notice. No orange peel reflections, runs or flaws anywhere to be seen. It was "perfect" and beyond my expectations. After checking out the paint..lol, I proceeded
to take off the side panels to see the heart and mind of the system. Once you look inside one of OverdrivePC's desktops, there will be no doubt about the time and care involved in assembly. It is a sight to behold. All the wires are sleeved and hidden, hand soldered,..rounded ATA cables, the list goes on, and the attention to detail is obvious.

As for performance, the machine is a monster. It runs thru the latest games (Doom3, Far Cry, Pandora Tomorrow) with ease and runs like a champ. No blue screens or freezes period. I was amazed at the settings and framerates achieved by Mario and OverdrivePC.

If you are looking for a truly "unique and custom-built" desktop....You've found your maker.

Address for pictures and additional comments:
http://forums.andrax.net/index.php?showtopic=5802


"

"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.




"