A good high performance gaming PC can be a big investment. It’s not like the console market where everyone gets the exact same build to run the same games the same way. Choosing the right gaming system for your needs requires more thought. The nice thing is that you actually have a lot of control over your experience and your end product. Before you make any final decisions on your next custom gaming PC though, there are a lot of factors you should consider, just to make sure your investments pays off.
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1. What Games are You Playing?
The most important thing to consider upfront is the kind of games you expect to play on your gaming PC. Even on a competitive level, strategy gamers simply don’t need the same kind of power and graphics to deliver a great experience. On the other hand, a modern first person shooter is going to require some top-of-the-line hardware to stay on top of the game.
2. The Processor
Once you know exactly how you will use your computer, you will know what kind of processor to get. If you’re just a casual gamer, an Intel Core i5-based CPU will probably be enough. However, if you really want to push the most modern games to their limits, you’re going to want a processor with multiple cores and a higher clock speed.
3. Overclocking
Some processors are made with overclocking in mind. In other words, the manufacturers estimate the clock speed much lower than it can really handle. You can, however, boost the speed for some impressive performance gains. You have to be careful with this, though, because any damage caused by overclocking probably isn’t covered in your warranty.
4. Cooling
High-performance computers generate a lot of heat which can damage your system if it isn’t removed from the system. This is especially problematic when you are overclocking your processor. You need a reliable cooling system. If you’re a casual player, the normal air fans are probably fine, but if you are pushing your system to higher levels, you may need a liquid cooling system.
5. Graphics Card
Games often live or die on their graphics. There is a huge selection of graphics cards on the market, and you can actually do pretty well with a mid-range card for most games. If you insist on running every game at the highest resolution possible on multiple displays, you might need something more powerful.
6. Multiple Displays
More and more games are starting to incorporate multiple displays into the experience. This means you can stretch the game out across three monitors, which opens up the game world more than you might imagine.
7. Memory
The system memory is where a lot of the performance can start to bottleneck, so make sure you have sufficient for your needs. You won’t find many games that require more than 8GB of memory, but if you really want a sleek and smooth experience, you might consider upgrading to 16GB.
8. Storage
If you’re a serious gamer, you can run out of hard drive space pretty fast. The latest trend among gamers is toward the Solid State Drives which provide a much better and faster user experience. While your game won’t necessarily have to access the SSD throughout the game, it will make loading and saving times much faster.
9. Chassis
The right chassis is about more than aesthetics. It needs to provide easy access to all the internal components, be open to future upgrades, and make it easy for air cooling systems to move heat away from all those expensive parts.
10. Peripherals
While it is possible to play almost any game with a standard keyboard and mouse, there are a range of peripherals that are designed specifically to improve your gaming experience. There are different mice for different grip styles and gaming keyboards have enhanced keys to make it easier to use some in-game functions for different games.
So, before you go out and spend a lot of money on a new gaming PC, take these top ten factors into consideration. It’s worth the upfront thought and research to get a gaming PC that suits all your gaming requirements and that will give you the performance you need to take your game to the next level and enhance your overall gaming experience.
