MAINGEAR Drops Retro98: Looks like it's From 1998, Spec'd for 2026

A nostalgic nod to the rigs we modded as kids when our parents weren't looking; reimagined with uncapped 2026 PC gaming performance

WARREN, N.J., Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MAINGEAR, the leader in premium-quality, high-performance gaming PCs, today announced the next iteration of its retro-inspired drops - Retro98, a limited-edition gaming PC drop inspired by the rigs that sparked our obsession with gaming. Built around the SilverStone FLP02 tower PC case, this drop is for the gamers who swapped GPUs under cover of darkness, begged for RAM upgrades for their birthday, and lived for LAN parties.

On the outside, Retro98 looks like it was pulled straight from a 1998 gaming setup, but don't be fooled by the beige box. Inside, it's an absolute beast. Available in four fully loaded configurations, including an unapologetically over-the-top liquid-cooled rig co-developed with Alphacool, Retro98 is packed with today's most elite components: the newly announced AMD Ryzen 9 9850X3D (up to 9950X3D), graphics up to the GeForce RTX 5090, ultra-fast Kingston FURY RAM and SSDs, and modern airflow engineering. It's all hand-built with MAINGEAR's signature craftsmanship. From the LED fan speed display, turbo button, and power lockout key on the front panel, to the "ketchup-and-mustard" sleeved cable colorways to anti-kink coils on the tubing and a pump/res combo proudly housed in the 5.25" drive bay space, every detail plays like a love letter to the golden age of PC gaming. Even the front I/O is neatly hidden behind the MAINGEAR logo, no mods needed, just turn it on and relive the thrill of 3AM LAN sessions.

"This drop is for those of us who tore open the family PC just to install a 3DFX accelerator," said Wallace Santos, MAINGEAR CEO and founder. "Retro98 brings back that feeling of chasing every last frame, waiting for the dial tone to download driver updates, and building a system that could handle the most graphics-intense 32-bit games. Except this time, we built the one your younger self always dreamed of."

Each Retro98 system is hand-assembled by a single master technician at MAINGEAR HQ in New Jersey, and tested like we're keeping it for ourselves. These aren't slapped-together beige boxes, they're built with purpose, reinforced for longevity, tuned to get every last drop of performance, and backed by lifetime support.

Retro98 Configs:

Retro98 | 5070: $2,499

• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 265K
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070
• Cooling: MAINGEAR EPIC 360mm AIO
• RAM: 32GB Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 6000MT/s CL32
• Storage: 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
• Motherboard: MSI Z890 Gaming Plus WiFi
• PSU: MSI 650W G
• OS: Windows 11 Home

Retro98 | 5080: $3,499

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
• Cooling: MAINGEAR EPIC 360mm AIO
• RAM: 32GB Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 6000MT/s CL32
• Storage: 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
• Motherboard: MSI X870E Gaming Plus WiFi
• PSU: MSI 850W G
• OS: Windows 11 Home

Retro98 | 5090: $4,999

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
• Cooling: MAINGEAR EPIC 360mm AIO
• RAM: 32GB Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 6000MT/s CL32
• Storage: 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
• Motherboard: MSI X870E Gaming Plus WiFi
• PSU: MSI 1250W G
• OS: Windows 11 Home

Retro98α - Open Loop Liquid Cooled: $9,799 - Unapologetically overkill

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
• Cooling: Custom Alphacool Open GPU/CPU Loop, 6x Alphacool Chrome Apex Stealth Fans, Dual Radiators (360mm + 240mm)
• RAM: 64GB Kingston FURY Beast DDR5 6000MT/s CL32
• Storage: 4TB Kingston FURY Renegade NVMe Gen5 SSD
• Motherboard: ASRock PG X870E Nova WiFi
• PSU: XPG Fusion 1600W Titanium
• OS: Windows 11 Pro

Limited Means Limited!

Once it's sold out, it's gone forever! Only 32 units + 6 alpha units. No reruns. Period. Retro98 drops today exclusively at www.MAINGEAR.com, starting at $2,499.

AMD Ryzen 9 9850X3D Available Across The Board:

Kicking 2026 off strong with the latest high-performance gaming CPU in its arsenal, MAINGEAR has unveiled two new pre-configured MG-1 systems featuring the newly-released Ryzen 9 9850X3D CPU: MG-1 | Legend, which is paired with the RTX 5080 GPU, and MG-1 | Champion which packs the flagship RTX 5090 GPU. Furthermore, every MAINGEAR gaming and workstation platform, including the MG-1, North, Rush, shroud Edition, Force, APEX Rush, and APEX Force can be custom ordered with this new CPU.

Game Now. Pay Later. With Zero Interest

With MAINGEAR's flexible financing powered by Bread Pay™, gamers can gear up with the rig they really want and pay over time, with zero interest (on approved credit). No hidden fees. No prepayment penalties. Just easy monthly payments. Learn more and check your rate in seconds at maingear.com/finance with no damage to your credit score.

For more information about MAINGEAR please visit www.maingear.com. 

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About MAINGEAR: 

MAINGEAR is a leader in high-performance gaming and workstation PCs. With a passion for building the best computers, MAINGEAR continues to set the standard and drive innovation within the industry. MAINGEAR's mission is to create the ultimate gaming experience through superior products and exceptional service.

Media Contact:
Michael Farino
Lightspeed PR/M
[email protected]
949-346-1984

SOURCE MAINGEAR