So, you could attribute the Shift Super Stock’s sterling gaming performance largely to the advancement of technology that’s occurred since late 2010. But Maingear's got more in its repertoire than just shiny new high-end components. This Shift carries a quad-core Intel Core i7-2600K CPU that, while a speedy and smart balance of price versus performance, is normally outclassed by the costlier six-core Core i7-980X that was found in our Origin PC Genesis configuration.
But Maingear took the Core i7-2600K CPU, which normally runs between 3.4GHz and 3.8GHz (its speed is variable, thanks to Intel's auto-adjusting Turbo Boost tech) and adds what it aptly calls its "Redline Overclocking Service," cranking the CPU up to a mighty impressive 5GHz. Do this without the right expertise and impressive cooling, and your CPU will supernova in the blink of an eye. But Maingear has added its (aptly dubbed) "Epic 180 Supercooler" to the hyper-clocked processor in this rig. The Epic 180 is a new self-contained water-cooling system backed by a 180mm fan. We're exceedingly impressed with the cooler since, despite the aggressive overclock, the Shift's CPU was still solidly ticking after days of testing. That being said, we're happy that, given how much the CPU is being pushed in this PC, Maingear includes a generous three-year parts warranty with the Shift. (More on that in a bit.)
Two memory slots are free, but don't expect to plug any extra expansion cards in between the three graphics cards.
Moving away from the CPU, to the rest of the Shift's innards, you’ll quickly notice that there’s not very much room to move about inside the case. Perhaps surprisingly, none of that is because of the cooling system. The bulk of the Epic 180's hardware (namely the radiators) are stashed below the motherboard. What does dominate the interior real estate are the aforementioned trio of GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards, each equipped with 1.5GB of GDDR5 memory. They take up the bulk of the space inside the case, blocking all other card expansion, unless you happen to have a PCI Express x1 card lying around that's about three inches long. The memory slots are easily accessible, however. Two slots are filled with 8GB of Patriot DDR3-1866 memory; the other two are unoccupied, so adding extra memory will be an easy upgrade.
If external port expansion is more your speed, there are enough USB ports (four 2.0, six 3.0), eSATA , and FireWire sockets on the back panel and under the pop-up cover on top of the computer (where you'll also find a multi-format card reader) to handle a plethora of peripherals and external drives. The usual analog and digital connectors for 7.1 surround sound are also present so that your external audio can be as impressive as what's inside the Shift.
In a bold move for a computer at this price point, or perhaps once again indicative of the progress and price drops that bring bleeding-edge tech to more affordable levels, Maingear included two 120GB OCZ solid-state drives (SSDs) our test config of the Shift. They're configured in a RAID 0 (striped) array that improves performance but doesn't offer the protection of file redundancy. Since this system is aimed squarely at gamers and speed freaks, that's fine by us, especially since the Shift is also equipped with a 2TB mechanical hard drive to store your voluminous media library. An LG 12x Blu-ray reader/DVD drive burner is also on board for HD movie duties.
You can fill the three internal drive bays (as well as the two externally accessible bays) with whatever you want, either when configuring the system on Maingear's site for an added up-front cost, or down the line on your own when you decide the Shift's generous drive assortment is no longer sufficient for your needs. We think that day, if it ever comes, will be at least a few years in the future. The 1,200-watt Silverstone power supply Maingear includes with this configuration of the Shift should suffice for about all conceivable future upgrades we can think of.
As for the case itself, the Shift is housed in the same chassis that we've seen previously: a brushed-aluminum beauty that's large and intimidating, and feels very solid. Instead of the traditional motherboard orientation, where the ports and card connectors run along the back of the case, the Shift's case rotates the motherboard 90 degrees so the ports live on top of the case, underneath a snap-off panel. This orientation is becoming increasingly common in high-end systems and cases, as it lets the heat from components rise naturally up and out of the case.
If you're tired of black being the new beige, however, you do have options at Maingear, but don't expect them to come cheap. Six colors other than the basic black our review unit shipped with are available (Brandywine, Purple, Cobalt Blue, Frost White, Organic Green, and Root Beer) for an added $599. If you're up for a two-tone look, the same color palette is available on the inside too. Brandywine is a mere $235 extra, while the others will set you back $349.
If you're selling the family farm anyway, you can toss $1,200 more into the pot and opt for carbon-fiber-reinforced panels on the exterior of the system. That doesn't guarantee your PC will be bulletproof, but it will sure look that way. At least you'll have something to hide behind when the angry creditors come calling.
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