{{short description|American custom PC assembler}} {{Infobox company | name = Falcon Northwest Computer Systems, Inc. | logo = Falcon_Northwest_Logo.png | type = Private | industry = Personal computers | founded = 1992 | founder = Kelt Reeves | hq_location_city = [[Medford, Oregon]] | hq_location_country = | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Kelt Reeves, President | products = | num_employees = | num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) --> | parent = | website = [https://www.falcon-nw.com/ falcon-nw.com] }} '''Falcon Northwest Computer Systems, Inc.''' (doing business as '''Falcon Northest''') is a private company headquartered in [[Medford, Oregon]]. It designs, assembles, and markets high-end custom computers. The company was founded in 1992 and was one of the first to specialize in PCs built specifically for gaming.
==History== Falcon Northwest was founded in April 1992<ref name="Slagle 2002">{{cite web | last=Slagle | first=Matt | title=Gamers Go for Custom Looks | website=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=September 2, 2002 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-sep-02-fi-techanother2-story.html | access-date=April 8, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Obrien 2010">{{cite web | last=O'brien | first=Bill | title=Boutique PC builders: When you want the very best | website=Network World | date=November 16, 2010 | url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/2194714/boutique-pc-builders--when-you-want-the-very-best.html | access-date=March 13, 2019}}</ref> by gamer hobbyist and former pilot Kelt Reeves.<ref name="JOHN DARLING 2004"/> Falcon Northwest released the first pre-built computer model intended specifically for gaming, the Mach V, in 1993,<ref name="pcgaming">{{cite news|quote=When Falcon Northwest shipped its first Mach V system in 1993, it was the only gaming PC available, meaning its components were selected for their ability to support the more complex graphics and . . . |date=November 1996|newspaper=Horizon Air|title=Gaming Ground}}</ref><ref name="dropbox">{{cite news|newspaper=Computer Gaming World|date=January 1999|title=Falcon Northwest Mach V|url=https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dg78brpzbvq2w9q/AABWT9mHp5X4o4AXFpBFIBJea/1st%20Gaming%20PC/cgw%20jan%2099%20hires%20-%20highlighted.jpg?dl=0}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Gamers Go for Custom Looks|publisher=Associated Press|date=September 2, 2002|quote=widely considered the creator of the gaming computer market.|first=Matt|last=Slagle|url=https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dg78brpzbvq2w9q/AAD8sZ5H351VgucSBKyTKNSXa/1st%20Gaming%20PC/LA%20Times%20-AP-Sep%202%202002%20-highlighted.pdf?dl=0}}</ref> starting the "[[Gaming computer|gaming PC]]" category of computer products.<ref name="Ung 2015">{{cite web | last=Ung | first=Gordon Mah | title=Reviewed: Falcon Northwest Mach V with triple Titan X cards rips the lid off our gaming tests | website=PCWorld | date=April 6, 2015 | url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2904849/reviewed-falcon-northwest-mach-v-with-triple-titan-x-cards-rips-the-lid-off-our-gaming-tests.html | access-date=March 14, 2019|quote=Falcon Northwest, the company credited with creating the 'gaming PC' category}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Herold | first=Charles | title=BASICS; Ultimate Machines For Serious Gamers | website=The New York Times | date=June 19, 2003 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/19/technology/basics-ultimate-machines-for-serious-gamers.html | access-date=April 9, 2019|quote=Falcon, in business since 1992, is generally acknowledged as the pioneer of the gaming PC concept. }}</ref> The company was founded in Florida, but later moved to [[Coos Bay, Oregon]], then [[Ashland, Oregon]], and finally Medford, Oregon.<ref name="JOHN DARLING 2004"/>
In the late 1990s, Falcon grew to $3 million in annual revenues<ref name="Malik 1998">{{cite web | last=Malik | first=Om | title=Workstations are now Gamestations | website=Forbes | date=November 18, 1998 | url=https://www.forbes.com/1998/11/18/feat.html#966d5685d3d8 | access-date=March 13, 2019}}</ref> and opened a new manufacturing facility in Oregon.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Start-up heaven|newspaper=Oregon Business|volume =22|issue=19|date=October 15, 1999}}</ref> Later on, the company collaborated with [[Intel]] on early liquid cooling components.<ref name="Patrizio 2019" /> Intel worked with Falcon Northwest in secret, in order to avoid the appearance of endorsing [[overclocking]] by selling liquid cooling products under its own brand.<ref name="Patrizio 2019">{{cite web | last=Patrizio | first=Andy | title=Bless the overclockers: In the data center world, liquid cooling is becoming king | website=Ars Technica | date=February 4, 2019 | url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/02/cheaper-greener-cooler-how-liquid-cooling-came-to-dominate-the-data-center/ | access-date=March 13, 2019}}</ref>
==Products== [[File:Falcon Northwest PC Lineup Summer 2022.jpg|thumb|right|A collection of Falcon Northwest computer products]] Falcon Northwest sells high-end computers that are optimized for gaming, scientific, or military applications.<ref name="Xconomy 2013" /> As of 2013, about half of its sales were from gamers.<ref name="Xconomy 2013">{{cite web | title=Xconomy: Going Big and Bad: Custom PC Makers Build Hot Rods for 4K Gaming | website=Xconomy | date=October 8, 2013 | url=https://xconomy.com/new-york/2013/10/08/going-big-bad-custom-pc-makers-build-hot-rods-4k-gaming/ | access-date=March 14, 2019}}</ref> Falcon's computers are consistently highly ranked in benchmark tests,<ref name="dropbox" /> but cost $1,500 to over $10,000 depending on the user's configuration.<ref name="Walton 2006">{{cite web | last=Walton | first=Jarred | title=Falcon Northwest FragBox SLI: Dare to Dream | website=AnandTech | date=May 3, 2006 | url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/1999 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110912234756/http://www.anandtech.com/show/1999 | url-status=dead | archive-date=September 12, 2011 | access-date=March 14, 2019}}</ref> Many Falcon PCs are sold with custom paint jobs,<ref name="Walton 2018">{{cite web | last=Walton | first=Jarred | title=The $3K Titan V is the fastest graphics card, even though it's not for gaming | website=pcgamer | date=January 3, 2018 | url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-3k-titan-v-is-the-fastest-graphics-card-even-though-its-not-for-gaming/ | access-date=March 14, 2019}}</ref> high-end graphics cards,<ref name="JOHN DARLING 2004">{{cite web | last=John Darling | first=The Mail Tribune | title=Medford firm wins high-end gamers | website=Mail Tribune | date=March 25, 2004 | url=http://mailtribune.com/business/medford-firm-wins-high-end-gamers | access-date=April 8, 2019 | archive-date=April 30, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430181259/https://mailtribune.com/business/medford-firm-wins-high-end-gamers | url-status=dead }}</ref> and special low-latency components.<ref name="Xconomy 2013" /> Though it was originally known for [[Computer tower|tower]] desktops like the Mach V, and also sells laptops, as of 2017 Falcon is best known for its smaller, portable mini-PCs.<ref name="TechCrunch 2017">{{cite web | title=Falcon Northwest's Tiki is the sleek sports car of VR PCs | website=TechCrunch |first=Darrell|last=Etherington| date=April 23, 2017 | url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/23/falcon-northwests-tiki-is-the-sleek-sports-car-of-vr-pcs/ | access-date=March 14, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Case 2012">{{cite web | last=Case | first=Loyd | title=Falcon Northwest Tiki Review: Gaming Monster in a Petite Package | website=PCWorld | date=June 27, 2012 | url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/258374/falcon_northwest_tiki_review_gaming_monster_in_a_petite_package.html | access-date=March 13, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Falcon Northwest">{{cite web | title=Falcon Northwest | website=Falcon Northwest | url=https://www.falcon-nw.com/ | access-date=March 14, 2019}}</ref>
Their products include: *Mach V - Desktop tower PC *Talon - Desktop tower PC *FragBox - Small Form Factor (SFF) PC *Tiki - Micro-tower PC *TLX - Thin & light class laptop PC *DRX - Desktop replacement class laptop PC
==Reception== In benchmark tests by ''[[Maximum PC]]'' in 2018, Falcon Northwest's Tiki mini-PC performed better than a tower computer with a high-end [[graphics card]], but was also the most expensive computer the reviewers had ever used.<ref name="tiki">{{cite news|date=Spring 2018|first=Jarred|last=Walton|title=Falcon Northwest Tiki|newspaper=Maximum PC}}</ref><ref name="PC Magazine review">{{cite web | title=Falcon Northwest Tiki (2017) | website=PC Magazine | date=January 27, 2017 | url=https://www.pcmag.com/review/351350/falcon-northwest-tiki-2017 |first=Matthew|last=Buzzi| access-date=March 14, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Ackerman 2016">{{cite web | last=Ackerman | first=Dan | title=The Falcon Northwest Tiki review: A compact powerhouse for virtual reality | website=CNET | date=April 13, 2016 | url=https://www.cnet.com/reviews/falcon-northwest-tiki-2016-review/ | access-date=March 14, 2019}}</ref> Similarly, Falcon's FragBox mini-PC was praised by [[Tom's Guide]] in 2017 for its appearance and power, but the configuration cost $5,000.<ref name="Andronico 2017">{{cite web | last=Andronico | first=Michael | title=Falcon Northwest FragBox Review: $5,000 Worth of Awesome | website=Tom's Guide | date=February 25, 2017 | url=https://www.tomsguide.com/us/falcom-northwest-fragbox,review-4209.html | access-date=March 14, 2019}}</ref> Tom's Guide said it was "one of the best options out there" for consumers that have the budget for a high-end portable gaming computer.<ref name="Andronico 2017" />
''[[PC Magazine]]'' said in 2018 that the Talon tower gaming PC from Falcon Northwest set records in benchmark performance tests and has high-quality components but was too expensive for most consumers.<ref name="PC Magazine 2018">{{cite web | title=Falcon Northwest Talon (2018) | website=PC Magazine | date=January 31, 2018 | url=https://www.pcmag.com/review/358833/falcon-northwest-talon-2018 |first=Matthew| last=Buzzi| access-date=March 14, 2019}}</ref> The same publication gave Falcon's Mach V desktop gaming computer a 5 out of 5.<ref name="PC Magazine 2004">{{cite web | title=Falcon Northwest Mach V | website=PC Magazine | date=June 17, 2004 | url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1614223,00.asp | access-date=March 13, 2019|first=Joel Santo|last=Domingo}}</ref> A 2015 review in [[PC World|PCWorld]], praised the Mach V's performance but noted the high price that comes with buying a computer running three graphics cards.<ref name="Ung 2015" />
In 2022, ''PC Magazine'' reviewed the Falcon Northwest FragBox,<ref name="Jefferies 2022frag">{{cite web |last=Jefferies |first=Charles |date=December 13, 2022 |title=Falcon Northwest FragBox (2022) Review |url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/falcon-northwest-fragbox-2022 |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=[[PCMag]]}}</ref> Talon,<ref name="Jefferies 2022talon">{{cite web |last=Jefferies |first=Charles |date=October 26, 2022 |title=Falcon Northwest Talon (2022) Review |url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/falcon-northwest-talon-2022 |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=[[PCMag]]}}</ref> and Tiki.<ref name="Jefferies 2022tiki">{{cite web |last=Jefferies |first=Charles |date=May 26, 2022 |title=Falcon Northwest Tiki (2022) Review |url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/falcon-northwest-tiki-2022 |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=[[PCMag]]}}</ref> In each case, the reviewer gave the computer a 4.5 out of 5 rating. The reviews praised the three models' performance, noise, and build quality, though, like previous reviews, noted that all of Falcon Northwest's products had a high price as a result.<ref name="Jefferies 2022frag" /><ref name="Jefferies 2022talon" /><ref name="Jefferies 2022tiki" />
==See also== {{Portalbar|Companies|Telecommunication|Electronics|Technology}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.falcon-nw.com/ Official website]
{{commons}}
[[Category:1992 establishments in Oregon]] [[Category:American companies established in 1992]] [[Category:Companies based in Medford, Oregon]] [[Category:Computer companies of the United States]] [[Category:Home computer hardware companies]] [[Category:Privately held companies based in Oregon]] [[Category:Video game hardware]] [[Category:Computer enclosure companies]] [[Category:Computer hardware companies]] [[Category:Computer systems companies]]