Mac Pro Competitors: 10 High-End Models Vying for Power Users’ Favor

by Don Reisinger

Never heard of CyberPower? For years, the boutique PC maker has been building some of the most capable products on the market. And the Gamer Xtreme 9000 is just the latest in that long line. The device, which starts at $2,085 before customization, is downright gorgeous, and comes with not one, but two Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 GPUs. Add that to its 64GB of RAM and its downright stellar 3.5GHz Intel Core i7 processor, and power users will find a desktop worth loving.

It might seem odd to see a notebook included in this roundup, but the Apple MacBook Pro is a great alternative for power users who don’t need all of the extra “oomph” that a desktop would deliver. The device comes with Apple’s Retina display and a 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor. Plus, it has flash storage for speedy performance and a fully discrete graphics card. In other words, it can handle some serious video editing. Not bad for a starting price of $2,199.

Alienware was once the king of boutique vendors. But after it was acquired by Dell, the company became part of the giant, mainstream PC marketplace. Still, Alienware is offering some nice products, like the X51, which delivers Intel’s Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 2TB hard drive. Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 670 is also included. And one benefit from the Dell buy? Cheap pricing: The computer starts at just $1,449.

Velocity Micro isn’t one to skimp out on specs. And with the company’s Raptor Signature Edition, that’s apparent. The computer, which starts at $4,599 before customization, comes with the 3.3GHz Intel Core i7 Extreme edition processor. The device also includes a 2GB Nvidia GTX670 video card and 2TB of storage.

The Origin Chronos is one of the smallest computers in this roundup. But what the computer, which starts at $1,226, lacks in size it makes up for with its overclocked 4GHz Intel Core i7 processor and the customer’s choice of countless graphics cards. There’s also up to 16GB of RAM included in the options.

Falcon Northwest, another boutique desktop maker, has made a name for itself not by the specs of its devices, but their unique designs. Each computer the company sells comes with a custom painting on the box that the customer chooses. Still, it does a nice job on the specs side: It has an Intel Core i7 processor, an Nvidia graphics card and 64GB of RAM. Just be aware that the Mach V comes with a starting price of $3,339.

Although its starting price of $2,798 might not scare many customers away, the Steiger Dynamics Reference Custom is capable of being the most expensive product in this roundup. The device has a brushed aluminum finish, up to a 4GHz Intel Core i7 processor and custom overclocking for those who want it. Its design is also quite nice.

Looking for a system from a mainstream PC maker? Consider the HP Envy Phoenix. The computer, which starts at just $1,450, comes with the 3.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor and 12GB of memory. Its AMD Radeon HD 7770 graphics chip is also no slouch. And although its design is strong, it can’t quite compare to those from other firms.

The Dell XPS 8700 Special Edition isn’t the most powerful computer in this roundup—it comes standard with the Intel Core i7-4770 processor. However, the computer is nicely affordable at a starting price of $1,550 and can support up to 32GB of memory. It also comes with a 3TB hard drive. In other words, it offers a solid value for the price.

Despite being just $1,100 to start, the Acer Predator G still features an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and an awfully nifty case design. Acer’s Predator G is definitely behind the competition in this roundup, but those looking for a top-end desktop at a cheap price might want to consider it.