Chicago startup Uberclok announced recently that they are tossing their hat into the boutique PC gaming rig space with two new models, the Ion and the Reaktor.

The Ion (http://www.uberclok.com/ion.html) is priced based on the native monitor resolution the customer wishes to emulate (an interesting marketing choice), and retails for approximately $1,500 for a 3.4 GHZ system, while the more fully-featured Reaktor (http://www.uberclok.com/reaktor.html) boasts a 3.7 GHZ processor (overclocked from 3.0 GHZ according to the manufacturer's web site) on an overclocked Intel E6850 motherboard, all for around $2,500. Intriguing. Furthermore, Uberclok claims that all of their systems feature a full 3-year warranty, which should help offset any worries about the long-term effects of overclocking on the system hardware.

According to a recent press release (copied in full at the bottom of this post): "…an Überclok PC costs significantly less than a competing product of equal capability". While we have not yet been able to get our hands on an actual review unit, the prices listed for the Ion and the Reaktor are certainly enticing, so we can't wait to put a demo unit through its paces.

As PC gamers ourselves, we've waited for quite a while for a young, upstart boutique hardware vendor to provide a valid challenge for the Dells, Falcon Northwests and Alienwares of the world… Could Uberclok be that vendor? Only time will tell, but this is one manufacturer we think is worth watching. As soon as we have a review unit, you can be assured that we will post up specs and frame rates.

More details on the Uberclok line can be found at:

http://www.uberclok.com/

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Überclok, LLC, a startup based in Chicago, hit the ground running this week with its entry into the Gaming PC market. Überclok uses hardware overclocking to produce faster, more powerful computers than those sold for the same price by other gaming PC companies. By the same token, an Überclok PC costs significantly less than a competing product of equal capability.

Overclocking is the art of configuring essential computer components (memory, processors, video cards and motherboards) to run faster than factory default speeds. Before 2007, only a handful of gaming PC manufacturers offered overclocked products, and even fewer offered a full warranty for them. Overclocking with previous technology had a history of unpredictable results and a reputation for causing components to overheat. Recent breakthroughs by hardware manufacturers like Intel, nVidia, Antec, and Tuniq have made overclocking significantly more reliable and effective. With better component manufacturing and cooling, these companies have finally cleared the way for overclocking to emerge as a mainstream commercial process.

Although the technology is here, overclocked PCs are still a small subset of vendors' product lines, and customers often pay huge premiums for them. Überclok sees this as an unprecedented opportunity to offer the considerable benefits of overclocked PCs to gamers who don't want to spend a lot on high-priced machines.

Every Überclok Gaming PC is overclocked by default and is covered by a three-year parts and labor warranty. If a component fails in those three years, Überclok will replace it free of charge. Überclok's Gaming PCs come in two models: the $1,500 Ion and the $2,500 Reaktor. The Ion offers smooth performance for the most demanding games on monitors up to 22 inches. While there are upgrade options available for the Ion, emphasis is on packing as much power into it as possible while remaining in that price range. The Reaktor similarly offers incredible performance on larger monitors and includes a comprehensive list of upgrade options. This gives customers the ability to scale up the Reaktor's capabilities to whatever level they desire, while still enjoying the tremendous cost-savings that Überclok brings to the table. Überclok PCs are designed for gamers who might not have the time to fully research the latest advancementsin computer hardware. Unlike its competition, Überclok selects processor, motherboard, power and cooling options to provide the highest performance-to-price ratio possible. Customers may choose various video card, memory, sound, and optical disk upgrades. This approach takes the guesswork out of what equipment gamers need to slide down the rabbit hole and immerse themselves in another world.