Shroud Joins Maingear And Launches Next Generation MG-1 Gaming Desktop

We are obsessed with DIY-built desktops as a matter of principle around here—we are tech geeks, after all. Nevertheless, we can still appreciate the system builders who do things right and offer beautiful rigs with extra flourish. It seems Michael “shroud” Grzesiek, a veteran of the professional Valorant and CS:GO scenes, would agree, and has joined with Maingear as a co-owner. Together, they have released the new MG-1 and MG-1 shroud Edition gaming desktops for discerning gamers looking for a competitive and creative edge.

“I spent much of my professional career constantly hunting for the best hardware, looking for any performance advantage — first as a competitor, and now as a creator,” said shroud. “Since I bought my first system from them, Maingear has been powering my gaming and streaming setups, and the craftsmanship and performance delivered are second to none.”


Shroud’s partnership with Maingear is accompanied by a brand refresh. Maingear now sports a new logo and color scheme incorporating shroud’s iconic light blue. I personally liked Maingear’s original logo, but the new pixely-M looks equally clean and is reminiscent of a Space Invader or 8-bit era skull.

Maingear says it has been working with shroud for the past year to develop the new MG-1 systems. The company has benefited from shroud’s experiences both as a top-tier professional player and as a prolific content creator to yield a mid-tower desktop that is as powerful as it is upgradeable and customizable.


Speaking of customization, Maingear has launched a new “Live 3D Configurator” to preview how your build is coming together in real-time. Users can click and drag to pan around and see the system from all angles, and there’s even an option to “View in your space” similar to what other e-tailors like Amazon have enabled.


The front panel is magnetic and swappable. This is a nice touch for content creators who, like Maingear itself, may undergo a rebrand. Using the Live 3D configurator, buyers can upload their own artwork or even link to an NFT. Maingear will have individual panels available for sale, but also encourages users to further customize them either by themselves or with a professional artist’s touch.


If you are not interested in customizing the rig, Maingear has created four MG-1 prebuilt models around the RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 3070, RTX 3080, and RTX 4080, which start at $1449. Most of these preconfigured options use DDR4 memory, but the RTX 4080 setup bumps to DDR5-5600. All options use Solidigm P41 Plus drives with AIO liquid cooling in all but the entry level option.


For shroud fans who do not want to compromise, the MG-1 shroud Edition offers faster Solidigm P44 Pro drives and scales up with an extra GeForce RTX 4090 “Ultimate” tier. The MG-1 shroud edition also features his logo on the front panel.

“With the MG-1, we are providing buyers with a whole new level of customization and self-expression,” said Wallace Santos, Maingear Founder and CEO. “Paired with our new Live Configurator, it’s easier than ever to create your dream machine! We can’t wait to see what people are able to build with it.”


If you want to check out the new system for yourself, head over to Maingear's website. The preconfigured options are ready to ship, though custom orders may take 5-10 business days for delivery.