I've personally only taken BSN's NO-Xplode, 1 scoop is a really strong dose, along with some up-tempo music before your workout and I guarentee you'll be awake just wanting to lift.
The only stack i've taken is No-Xplode, Cell mass and ON Whey, and this has definitely given me the most strength gains.
I'd like to suggest reading more and researching yourself about the different supplements out there, as in KNOWING what they do, what caffeine does, what creatine does EXACTLY, not the benefits they tell you, but researching what they actually do to your body.
As far as I know everyone has a different tolerance to caffeine, and that is really the only thing a pre-workout helps you become alert, its the caffeine, its not the nitric oxide or the BCAAs or any of that shit, the caffeine is the only thing that makes a pre-workout a pre-workout.
I'd also like to suggest you do not really need supplements all the time, it is perfectly fine to gain muscle with a simple whey, creatine and a good diet/sleep