Maingear has launched a new lineup of Zero pre-built PCs that hide all their cables behind the motherboard. The lineup includes nine different configurations, ranging from a mid-range Intel processor with an NVIDIA RTX 5070 graphics card to a top-end AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D paired with an RTX 5090. All systems, including a limited-run version called the Zero Launch Edition, were available when the announcement was made. Engadget

The key feature is something Maingear calls MG-RC, which stands for Maingear Rear Connector. The company has patented this technology. It moves all the power and data cable connections to the back and bottom of the motherboard, so that when you look at the PC through its glass panel, you see no cables at all. This works with special motherboards, like MSI's Project Zero boards, which are designed to put all those connections on the back side instead of the front. The MG-RC system also requires a compatible case, such as Maingear's own MG-1. Engadget

Maingear is not the first company to use these backside-connector motherboards. It previously sold models called the NV9 Zero and ZERO Drop, which used MSI's backside-connector boards with NVIDIA's RTX 40 SUPER series graphics cards. The new Zero lineup updates that same design approach to the latest Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen 7000/9000-series processors, paired with the newer RTX 50-series graphics cards. WCCFTech

The standard Zero lineup includes six configurations. The entry-level Zero Emerald pairs an Intel Core Ultra 5 250K with an RTX 5070 at $2,799. The Zero Platinum offers an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D with an RTX 5070 at $2,999. The Zero Sapphire steps up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 270K with an RTX 5080 at $3,799, and the Zero Elite pairs a Ryzen 7 9850X3D with an RTX 5080 at $4,099. Two flagship configurations top the standard range: an Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with RTX 5090 at $6,199, and a Ryzen 7 9850X3D with RTX 5090 at $6,499. Engadget

The Zero Launch Edition, made in limited numbers, adds several premium features. Its case has a continuous, seamless curve of 4mm tempered glass wrapping the front and side panels with no pillars or seams. It includes the TRYX Panorama SE liquid cooler, which has a curved OLED screen that follows the curve of the case and can display programmable looping video. A braided GPU cable is the only cable visible in the entire build. The Launch Edition also includes stands for placing figurine and brick collectibles inside the case, next to the hardware. Engadget Maingear

The Launch Edition comes in three configurations. The Platinum variant pairs the Ryzen 7 7800X3D with an RTX 5070 at $3,299. The Elite variant pairs the Ryzen 7 9850X3D with an RTX 5080 at $4,399. The Champion variant pairs the Ryzen 7 9850X3D with an RTX 5090 at $6,799. Maingear

The full product page lists nine pre-built configurations across the standard and Launch Edition tiers. Maingear also sells Zero Stands accessories separately, starting at $30. Maingear Maingear

The backside-connector motherboards that MG-RC depends on have been gaining ground since at least early 2024, when MSI's Project Zero boards started showing up in systems from other builders. The idea is simple: by moving cable connections to the back of the motherboard, builders get a clean-looking PC without the tedious manual cable routing that has long been part of building or buying a PC. Maingear's patent on MG-RC adds a proprietary layer on top of a shift that is happening across the industry.

In my view, the Zero lineup sits where two trends meet. The first is that backside-connector motherboards are moving from a novelty to a mainstream option, which removes the single biggest aesthetic pain point in PC building: cable management. The second is the rising price ceiling of pre-built gaming PCs. A $6,799 Launch Edition Champion is not competing with a self-built PC on value for money; it is competing with luxury display pieces and enthusiast collectibles. The figurine stands and the programmable OLED screen on the cooler make that positioning clear.

GamesRadar named the Maingear Zero Ruby the best gaming PC it tested earlier this year, which suggests the design is appealing to reviewers beyond the hardcore enthusiast press. GamesRadar

For companies watching this space, the Zero lineup shows that the backside-connector approach can work at scale across multiple price levels. The question worth tracking is whether MG-RC stays a Maingear advantage or whether the broader industry's adoption of rear-connector motherboards eventually makes the clean-cable look standard across the board. For now, Maingear has a patented head start and a nine-configuration lineup priced from $2,799 to $6,799 to press that advantage.