Vanquish 5 Review

Edit: Updated with dates, and each email sent to me!

So, a few weeks ago I ordered my Vanquish 5. UPS delivered it today just after 11:30am, eastern time. Before I get into the pictures and the breakdown, I'll start from the beginning.

(Note: I have to verify a few dates on the old pc, which is down at this time, I will have it back up on Thursday to retrieve the emails with the actual dates.)

Ordering:
I ordered through the site, using the configurator. I opted for the Level 3, and added in a Sound Blaster Z. The process was extremely simple, and I had no problems getting my order placed.

The Order was placed on March 3, 2016.

System Configuration: Chassis Model: Special Deal Hot Seller - Digital Storm VANQUISH 5 Exterior Finish: - Standard Factory Finish Trim Accents: - Standard Factory Finish Processor: Intel Core i7 6700 3.4GHz (Codename Skylake) (Quad Core) (Not Overclockable) Motherboard: ASUS/GIGABYTE (Intel Z170 Chipset) System Memory: 16GB DDR4 2666MHz Corsair Vengeance LPX (High-Performance) Power Supply: 750W EVGA/Corsair Expansion Bay: - No Thanks Optical Drive: DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW (DVD Writer 24x / CD-Writer 48x) Storage Set 1: 1x SSD (240GB Digital Storm Certified Performance Series) Storage Set 2: 1x Storage (1TB Seagate / Western Digital / Toshiba) Internet Access: High Speed Network Port (Supports High-Speed Cable / DSL / Network Connections) Graphics Card(s): 1x NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB (VR Ready) Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Z HPC Processor: - No Thanks Extreme Cooling: High Performance Cooler with Large Fan and Copper Pipes Cable Management: Premium Cable Management (Strategically Routed & Organized for Airflow) Chassis Fans: Standard Factory Chassis Fans Internal Lighting: Remote Controlled LED Lighting System (Multiple color options and lighting effects)

The build process:
I knew the process would take a little bit of time, as I'd read enough on the forums, and a date was clearly marked for an approximate date of completion. I was kept updated each step of the way, which was clearly emailed to me each time. That said, I think (I have to get emails off old pc) that the computer was completed before the date given! And on a Saturday! (I received the last stage email on Saturday, but I will verify the dates!)

Stage 2 and 3 emails arrived within minutes of each other on March 8, 2016.

Stage 3: (Phase 1 Integration) Your order is now placed into one of our specialized test benches. The installation of the operating system, drivers and any applications that are specific to the system you ordered are completed here. Our Digital Storm Integration Engineer will also install any demos, benchmark utilities, and burn-in software necessary to correctly monitor your systems performance throughout our burn-in process. Estimated Shipment Date: 9-14 Business Days (Mon-Fri) from 3/8/2016 (Note: This is only an estimation. If problems are encountered during testing, we may have to hold your order for a few more days to ensure you receive a rock-solid stable problem free system.

Stages 4 and 5 were sent at what seems the same time (the same minute anyway :p) on March 10, 2016.

Stage 5: (Phase 2 Stress Testing) Your order has been passed to our final phase 2 stress-testing team. They run a final batch of tests to verify the integrity and stability of your system. This allows us to ensure that every system we ship will be a rock solid machine for years to come. Estimated Shipment Date: 5-10 Business Days (Mon-Fri) from 3/10/2016 (Note: This is only an estimation. If problems are encountered during testing, we may have to hold your order for a few more days to ensure you receive a rock-solid stable problem free system.

Stage 6 was sent the next day on March 11, 2016. This is where I saw a big drop in estimated delivery! (Well done!)

Stage 6: (Quality Assurance) Your system is undergoing a very detailed quality control analysis. A Digital Storm Quality Inspector is tasked with inspecting your machine from missing screws, loose cards, checking for special requests, verifying the configuration, and double checking our stress-test results. Our Inspectors are trained with an eye for detail and ensure that every system leaves our facility with the art of perfection. Estimated Shipment Date: 2-5 Business Days (Mon-Fri) from 3/11/2016 (Note: This is only an estimation. If problems are encountered during testing, we may have to hold your order for a few more days to ensure you receive a rock-solid stable problem free system.

Stage 7 was done the following day, (Saturday!!) March 12, 2016.

The status of your amazing new Digital Storm system has been updated! Your order has successfully passed our stringent quality assurance process. Everything from top to bottom on your purchase has been verified by an experienced Digital Storm technician. ------------------------------------------- Verified By: Scott ------------------------------------------- Estimated Shipment Date: Within 1 business day (Mon-Fri) from 3/12/2016 (Note: This is only an estimation. If problems are encountered during testing, we may have to hold your order for a few more days to ensure you receive a rock-solid stable problem free system.

Now, even to nitpick would be a bit much. The pc shipped on Tuesday, March 15th - which was 5 business days after the order was started. The computer was done in 3 business days (and a Saturday - Hey, and thanks Scott for putting in the extra time!). Well before the original estimated 9-14 business days!!

Shipping:
Digital Storm does a SUPERB job in packaging the computer for shipping. It's like they know UPS can bang this stuff around.





A close up of the loose part:



I do not blame Digital Storm for this coming loose. I've had another PC delivered by UPS in the past, and it was several loose parts in my case on that one. Besides it was nothing more than just reattaching the clip.



After reattaching the clip, I verified all the parts were in tight (see the above part about UPS). I put the cover back on and connected the monitor, and other peripherals.

The Machine:
First, let me say, when I had the side panel off, the first thing that jumped out at me was how clean and organized the inside looked. Simply put - beautiful. I was wowed upon opening tower, that raises the bar high for starting it up!

I pushed the power button with baited breath, and within 10 seconds I was on my desktop. Wait what? Yes, the machine booted very fast. So much faster than my last machine, that I was a bit confused.

Since I am a WoW player, I downloaded the client and went back to work. (I opened, inspected, reattached, connected and booted up on my hour lunch break).

After work, I shut it down and connected the second monitor, and booted it up and played a bit of WoW. Two words: HOLY SMOKES! (Note: These are not the actual words I used to describe my experience, but due to this being a public forum, I try to avoid profane language.)





Ignore the cash on the desk!

Overall:
Ordering: Simplicity rules: 10/10
Build Time: I would have loved faster, but it beat the estimated time given: 10/10
**Edit: Even with the 10/10, I'd like to point out that this build was MUCH faster than the estimated time. Scott deserves a case of beer, or wine...or whatever his beverage of choice is! Great job and thank you Scott!
Shipping: Digital Storm did a great job on packaging: 10/10
The Machine: WOW! 10/10 Can't say enough about it.

My initial thoughts - hard to beat the quality and beauty of this purchase. I have no complaints on the price I paid, and I have no issues. By far and away a wonderful purchase for me. I did fire up WoW and, man it's beautiful! Quick response and no video problems! Just so blown away by this computer!

I will update again in about a month! (After verifying dates on my build times!)

Edited by cbsheaf - 24 Mar 2016 at 10:31am

Thank you for the review and pictures. Awesome

when you replaced the dislodged cooler, did you reapply the thermal interface material?  you might want to do that or at least keep an eye on the cpu core temps for awhile.  if you notice any of the cores getting hotter than the others there's good chance the TIM coverage was disrupted and you'll need to remove the old/clean and reapply so you don't damage the cpu.   

Nice to see that you handled the CPU cooler getting loose from shipping. It's rare for that to happen.

I'm amazed at how fast they got the system to you. I've been in Stage 3 for two full days and it seems like forever.

Pushing 3 years! So, the PC remained in it's original state until yesterday. I've made ZERO changes to the computer, until some power issues at our house.

I ended up having to replace both the SSD drive and the storage drive. I'm pleased to say, this was through no fault of the computers! We had an issue with a circuit breaker popping repeatedly under load - and traced the problem to a heater. The downside - I was at work, and the PC was left on - and it crashed both hard drives (this happened more than once in the past few weeks).

To this day, the computer still takes everything I throw at it. I was discussing it with my father, and he asked me if I'd go back to Digital Storm. I said without a doubt - the quality is obviously there, and the product has been, and continues to be outstanding!

I may look to upgrade soon - but I'm not seeing any immediate need. I do still love this computer!

Edited by cbsheaf - 27 Jan 2019 at 5:11pm

Enjoyed it, thanks.

Edited by cbsheaf - 15 Mar 2021 at 5:29pm

Edited by hoserator - 17 Mar 2021 at 10:43pm