Velocity Micro Edge Z40

Pros: Beautiful, clean build, latest gen tech, great customer support

Cons: Motherboard supports crossfire, but not SLI and system ships with Nvidia (ATI optional)

Summary: This is my first gaming system and my first from VM. I was away at school for the last 7 years using a laptop and I wanted to get a desktop since I won't be moving around so much and would prefer performance over portability. I originally ordered a Dell XPS 8300 because I had been a customer of Dell's before and experienced fairly good service from them. I was aware of VM due to the CNET review of the Vector Holiday Edition, but I was hesitant to spend so much money with a company that I knew so little about. After waiting more than two months, the Dell system was having problems getting built, so based off of CNET's reviews of the Edge Z40 vs the XPS 8300, I cancelled the order and went with VM.

I cannot be happier. The system is beautiful and the features are top notch. With the k-series Core i7 and the extra PCI slots (vs the mainstream Dell system), I can be confident that system is future-proofed for a long time. Another perennial issue I had with Dell was build temperature and overheating. I've come to find out that large PC manufacturers use sub standard parts that are often hotter than retail grade parts. VM gave the option of upgrading the stock CPU for $35, and even though it probably wasn't necessary, my CPU never goes above 60 C even on full load. There are an additional three case fans that help to keep temperatures low inside the system.

Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase and would recommend it to someone looking for a quality computer from a trusted company.