Ava Direct or Maingear?

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Alkasier

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Hey guys,

After much confusion and bouncing around from Digital Storm to Vigor Gaming I've finally settled on the last two companies that I want my first gaming computer, Maingear or Ava Direct.

My question is: Can anyone give me any advice on which company to place my finally bid? Currently the computer quote that Jmundy gave me over at Ava Direct was, simply put, AWESOME!

But Maingear also seems to make great systems and they are only 2 hours away so I could pick up my order - compared to Ava Direct which is 6 Hours.

So both of the companies build great computers, one company offers a great amount of options and the other is close by...

Any advice about who I should purchase from?
 
Honestly, I've heard amazing things about both, so you'll probably be happy with whomever you go with. I chose Maingear because AVA has too many options to choose from, but that's just my opinion. You might be someone that loves a lot of options.
 
SouLXIV said:
do you have to pay in state tax if you can pick it up?
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I think that depends on whether you actually live in the same state,Maingear is about two hours away for me,too,but is in a different state.At least he'd save on the shipping charge,though.
 
not to sway your opinion away or anything, but have you thought about building one yourself? taking time to learn on my own awhile ago was probably one of the more rewarding things ive done.
 
To Bigfoot: Yes I have heard Amazing things from both as well, that is why this makes this choice so hard. I do like alot of options but I will be the first to admit that Ava Direct was a little intimidating before I got used to the site.

Evanisthecoastie: I really wish that I could build my own, but my biggest fear of computers is that I know enough about them to just be able to break it ! I rather buy my first "real" gaming computer now and save up to build one on my own at a different time, after I've learned more about BIOs and such.
 
I don't know if maingear can do this or not, but would be really cool, if you DID order from them, would they be able to let you see the WIP build? :eek: That would be really cool to me. I know they do occasionally send build update photos (Occasionally or all the time. I'm not sure. ) and AVA sends them when it is done, correct?
 
The results from my research say AVA and here is why:

Their warranty.

Maingear has a 14 month Warranty whereas AVA offers a 3 year parts warranty and lifetime tech support and for $56 more you can get lifetime labor as well.

On their site, Maingear only gives you the option for one case. Yes, call them and I am sure they would do any case you want, but I like the fact that AVA gives you the choice.

The 2 hours/6 hours debate is a moot point really. Consider how much you will pay, to drive a 4 hour trip, in gas.
Is that more expensive than the shipping costs that AVA will charge? For them to ship me a rig to Kansas from Cleveland it would cost me $47.46.
I don't know what you drive but a 4 hour trip will most likely cost more than that.

I don't know what you are putting into your machine so I can't compare prices but I am willing to bet AVA is a little bit cheaper. Based on my research with other builds, they may be a lot cheaper.

The warranty and price is what does it for me which is why I would go AVA.

However, you won't go wrong with either company. They both have great reputations.
 
I'm still waiting on my pc to come back from these people at ava its been on RMA for 15 days so far. They keep telling me its ready but never ship it....
 
I just recently purchased an F131 (specs in sig) from Maingear and couldn't be happier. I have been meaning to post my review, though I wanted to wait a few months to put it through some heavy gaming.

Maingear is quality. The cable management, attention to detail, customer service, I'd rate 4/5 (This is just about the highest rating I give, as 5/5 is almost impractical in my eyes). I had a few minor problems, but they fixed them in a breeze - and even made up for them.

I highly recommend Maingear.
 
18 days now. I just bounced them on it again. Thursday they told me my pc was ready to be shipped "tomorrow" which would of been Friday. No reply yet I asked them a minute ago directly why they said it was ready on the 4th to be shipped. This isn't looking too good and I'm starting to get suspicious. Warranty may be nice but its useless if they hold your pc hostage.
 
schneider said:
I'm still waiting on my pc to come back from these people at ava its been on RMA for 15 days so far. They keep telling me its ready but never ship it....
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AVA or maingear, Which reps have you been in contact with (By name. Their CEO's look here from time to time ;) ) and What issues were you having with it.
 
I just got a new message from avadirect shipped. Thank god. Now I need to see what parts they used when it gets back. If they used a refurbished motherboard I will be pissed. Anybody know how to tell with an asus board? I'm still not pleased with the way they gave me wrong information I would expect them to give and know correct dates. I was also upset by them when they asked me to ship them my video card I bought from newegg I removed for use in this old pc.

If something is broken again I will probably get repairs done local or sell it as is on ebay. The next pc I buy I will build myself or try to find a local company to do the work. I don't trust these custom pc companies anymore.
 
Please Keep this post updated on your final thoughts Schneider. I have yet to order yet, pushed back till this or next weekend. I would like to hear about the end results of the computer Ava Direct sent you.
 
looking forward to what you say about it. I am in the loop for a new rig and have priced it out at AVA.....Maingear doesnt have their SFF out right now so they are not an option.
 
schneider said:
18 days now. I just bounced them on it again. Thursday they told me my pc was ready to be shipped "tomorrow" which would of been Friday. No reply yet I asked them a minute ago directly why they said it was ready on the 4th to be shipped. This isn't looking too good and I'm starting to get suspicious. Warranty may be nice but its useless if they hold your pc hostage.
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A warranty IS nice, no matter what way you look at it.

Whats really useless is your broken rig if you have no knowledge on how to repair it and no warranty. I think on these forums they call that a paper weight. :D

Regardless, I'm also interested in seeing how your computer is doing when you get it back and I hope it works they way you want it to.
 
Got it back. Can't use it they reused the old sata cables from the old board and they wont stay in or stay flush the bottom ones just hang in. I can't even fit my big hands in the little space to fix it and replace them I'm going to end up breaking the sata connectors if force it any harder. I didn't know this replacement board has no mouse ps/2 input so I'm going to have to get an adapter or 30ft usb cable & mouse or something now. I going to fool around with it a little longer if I can't get them in I'm going to ebay it away let someone else deal with this shit.
 
Well I'm still trying to work on it. I got all the old sata cables dissconnected and am getting the replacement ones in but I wil have to cut the heads off the old ones to get them out since the cables ties on the psu cables they are tied too have no space for me to cut the cable tie. This wasn't a problem before the RMA but now it is. The red asus sata cable actually snaps in I can hear the snap and its secure. The evga ones they reused won't even line up right and are tooo big in the head to fit on top each other.Its an asus maximus formula board the sata slots are sideways.
 
I just cut out the old sata cables I would have to remove everything from case to get them out and not skilled to do that so I'm cutting them out as much as I can. This is fuckin ridiculous.
 
They replaced an evga 700 series junker with an asus maximus formula. Board had video corruption. Anyway I got all the cables replaced now they all fit snug and proper and aren't reamed in. My video card and hard drives I have put back in now. The sound card that goes to this motherboard was never screwed down by them they just rested the hatch on the case on it to hold it in. I have to put an oversized screw in it now since the case is stripped.
 
I'm too tired to work on it anymore tonight. I need a ps/2 to usb adapter now to continue. I replaced all the old sata cables now and cut out as much as I can of the old ones the rest of it I can't get too. I put my video card in added my data drive and 2 hard drives I got from newegg last week. I also fixed the motherboard soundcard which had no screw. I should not have had to of done this. It was their job to repair this cutting corners by using the old cables that won't fit and stay in the sata socket is bull. The heads are huge compared to the asus ones boxed with the board no its wonder the evga recycled ones are half in and falling out and reamed in place. The red asus ones snapped right into place and in flush. After I go to the store tomorrow we will see if this thing actually runs or frys my card and drives. Here is a pic of it after working on it all since 6pm. I'll post a pic of all the cut up evga cable sata head on my floor in the morning.
 
Back at it again. Its dead won't start the lcd says chipinit. Tried unplugging everything but one drive and nothing. lights are on and nobodys home.

edit: got it to boot pressing the power button on the board the lcd starts going through post then says cmos error enter set up and it powers off.
 
Maingear all the way! I got one and couldnt be happier! Search for my review.
 
I was so tired I couldn't stay awake. AVA has been trying to contact me while I've sleeping it seems. They want to know how I want to settle this problem and that is going to depend on if I get this working or not. I found the trouble the case power button is broke or miss wired.. How did they miss that? I had to rewire the reset button on the case to the power thing on the board. The cable the goes to the board where the power button is meant to be connected has a wire named HDD light hooked on it. Why is a hard drive light hooked to the power button connection thing? Didn't no one try to turn this thing off or on? I need to get run errands then I'm going to get a ps/2 to mouse adapter from the store and we shall see how fucked up the OS is later compared to the inferior wire job they did. I must say though this computer is in worse shape than before I RMA it for a new board without video corruption.
 
Sorry to hear about your problems man. That stuff should have been handled and tested before it shipped out. I wish you luck with getting it fix and having them settle the problem for you.

Keep us updated and hang in there :)
 
michael.pa2 said:
Was this a complete system or just a barebone?
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RMA warranty service of a complete system. I had to RMA it to get rid of an evga board that was lousy with video corruption its been replaced by an asus maximus formula.

I got it up and running now and am reinstalling programs to test it. The main case power button is still broken can't find the wire in the case for it must be hidden in the mess of psu cables. The case hard drive light I left unplugged until I find where I connect it too. I am very disappointed in quality of the wiring. A blind person could of felt those old sata cables and known they weren't going to stay in the sockets since they are too big in the heads to stay in the sideways asus board sockets. I still don't understand why a cable named HDD light was hooked to the power button jumper or whatever its called on the board. I'll mess around with testing it more and make sure its working before I go looking for the power button wire though.

Almost forgot to add I discovered an overlooked problem. My two original hard drives from them which I have had since april the jumper was never removed from them. I have been using the drives at half speed since they never removed them and I never knew till now. If I didn't buy two more extra drives form newegg I never would of known or paid any attention to it.
 
I've fixed the case power buttons and lights now. They never installed the asus Q connector they just plugged the cables into random spots. The HDD cable to power button the power cable was plugged into the hard drive light. I ripped them out all out including the reset cable I rewired up temp as a power button. I used the Q connector and wired it right and plugged it in. All front case buttons an lights work now. This Q connector is idiot proof and they couldn't even use it if they had it would of been wired right.
 
Wow, this is a mess. This is AVA??

Have you notified them of everything you are telling us after you got the system back?
 
Yes its AVA. I asked them already why the old sata cables were used but have not spoken to them anymore yet. I still have to ask them why the case power buttons and lights were wired wrong. I have pointed this thread out to them. I am trying to get the system running before I discuss anything more with these clowns If that is even possible. I need to consider what options I have at this point. I don't know if I should demand a refund or try to get it running after all the work I have put into fixing it now. I do know one thing I am not going to waste another $80 on UPS shipping to return it for more incompetent warranty service. If it has to go back again I will want a refund. This asus board was to have a copy of the stalker game in it too which is missing.

I would appreciate any advise on how I should go from here. The one thing that worries I can't check is the job they did transplanting my cpu from the old board to this one. I guess a benchmark would show if its seated right and thermal paste is applied properly? Everest has my E8400 cpu at 34 degrees C at idle.
 
They are making you pay for shipping for the RMAs? I thought they had changed their policies on that.....
 
just get a refund, not worth paying to send back to get something fixed that should have been working before they sent it to you.
 
Wow Im glad I never bought from AVA Direct. I was pricing a system with them awhile back but ended up buying a homebuilt from someone on Ebay and it has been the most stable trouble free computer I have ever had. I have been reading this board and seeing more and more problems with AVA that are really scary.

Someone was mentioning that AVA has the better warranty over Maingear which is great.
The point is that you really dont want to have to use the warranty or for the company to use it has a crutch? What you want is a well built trouble free system with high quality new parts. Sending a desktop system back and forth for warranty work cant be fun.

I would rather pay less for a system with no warranty and fix it myself if something goes wrong. Actually it sounds like this is what a lot of people are having to do anyway.:eek:
 
Can't really say I've seen a lot of complaints about AVA,mainly their ratings are good.They're certainly not in the CyberPower/IBuypower category,I've seen more complaints about VelocityMicro,even.Every builder is going to make a few mistakes,some just hide them better.
 
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