Do you want to use your PC as a gaming PC? The more you know about the inner workings of your computer, the easier it is to make informed decisions about which parts are worth improving. There may be only one or two pieces of hardware that could use a good upgrade before the game starts, but you may have to change almost everything (or nothing) before your computer is considered ready to play.
This guide will explain what to pay special attention to when working with game setup and how to find out what’s already on your computer so you can avoid paying for upgrades if you don’t need them.
Gamingprocessors
The processor or CPU is what processes instructions from applications. It gathers information from the software and then decodes and executes the commands. This is important for general computing, but is a particularly important element to consider when thinking about games.
Processors can be designed with different numbers of cores, e.g. dual core (2), quad core (4), hexa core (6), octa core (8), etc. If you are looking for a high-performance system, a quad-core or hexa-core processor works well in multi-threaded applications. Speeds vary depending on model and voltage, but to avoid bottlenecks you will usually want the processor to run at a minimum of 2.0 GHz, although 3.0 GHz and 4.0 GHz are even better.
Computer motherboard
Another important component when considering a gaming PC is the PC’s motherboard. After all, the CPU, the memory and the video card(s) all sit and are directly attached to the motherboard.
If you are building your own gaming PC, you will want to look for a motherboard that has enough slots for the amount of memory used and the size of the video card installed. In addition, if you plan to install two or more graphics cards, make sure the motherboard supports SLI or CrossFireX (NVIDIA and AMD terms for multiple graphics card configurations).
Computermemory
This hardware is often called RAM. The computer’s memory provides space for data to be accessed by the CPU. Basically, it allows your computer to use data quickly, so the more RAM you have on your computer, the faster a programme or game will be used.
The amount of RAM needed varies dramatically depending on what the computer is being used for. A gaming PC needs more RAM than one used simply to browse the internet, but even in gaming, each game has its own memory requirements.
A normal PC that is not used for gaming can probably cope with 4 GB of system memory, maybe even less. However, a gaming PC may need at least 8 GB of RAM. In fact, some motherboards can have huge amounts of memory, such as 128 GB, so your options are almost endless. In general, you can assume that 12 GB of memory is enough to support most video games, but don’t use this number as a reason to avoid reading “system requirements” next to downloaded or purchased games.
If a video game says it needs 16 GB of RAM and you only have 8 GB, there’s a very good chance it simply won’t run smoothly, or even at all, unless you upgrade to fill the 8 GB gap. Most PC games have minimum and recommended requirements, such as at least 6 GB and 8 GB. Usually these two numbers are just a few gigabytes.
Graphic map
Another important part of a gaming PC is the graphics card. This is the meat and potatoes of the visual experience when you run the games. There is a wide range of graphics cards on the market today, from budget models costing around $50 to extreme multi-GPU solutions that can easily cost $600 or more.
If you are just starting to play games on a PC, look for a graphics card that has at least GDDR3 video RAM (GDDR5 or GDDR6 is even better) and supports DirectX 11. Most, if not all, video cards offer these features.
Hard disk
Files are stored on the hard disk. While the video game is installed on your computer, it occupies hard disk storage. While your average computer user may be perfectly fine with, say, 250 GB of hard disk space or even less, you should really think about the fun of using that little space for gaming.
For example, a downloaded video game might need around 50 GB of hard disk space. OK, so you install it and get started, then later download some game updates and some patches, and now you’re looking at 60 or 70 GB for just one game. If you only want to store five video games on your computer, at that speed you are wondering if you only need 350 GB for a handful of games.
That’s why it’s important to have a huge hard drive for your gaming PC. Fortunately, most desktop computers can support two or even three hard drives, so you don’t have to worry about replacing your current drive and upgrading to a brand new, extra-large hard drive – just add another one on top of your main, existing drive.
In addition to size, you should also think about the type of hard drive you want. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are much faster than traditional hard drives (the ones that spin), but they are also more expensive per gigabyte. However, you can get by with a normal hard drive if you need to.
SSDs also work well in desktop computers as they offer faster boot times and higher file transfer speeds.
RPM is another HDD component you should pay attention to when buying a new HDD. It represents rotations per minute and shows how many revolutions the plate can turn in 60 seconds. The faster the rpm, the better (7200 rpm is usually used).
Special gaming mouse
A gaming mouse is an essential tool for every gamer. It can be the difference between success and failure in a game. A good gaming mouse should be comfortable to use, with programmable buttons, a good DPI setting and a good response time.
Comfort is key when it comes to the games. A good gaming mouse should be lightweight, comfortably designed and adjustable to fit the size of the user’s hand. Programmable buttons are also important for customisation and convenience. Most gaming mice have a number of buttons that can be programmed to perform specific tasks in the game. Good DPI settings are also important. It represents dots per inch and determines the sensitivity of the mouse. A higher DPI will ensure greater precision and accuracy. Finally, a good reaction time is important for a gaming mouse. This is the time it takes for the mouse to react to a movement or click.
When it comes to the best gaming mice, there are a variety of manufacturers and models to choose from. Logitech is one of the most popular companies and its G502 Proteus Spectrum and G703 Pro Wireless are two of the best gaming mice. Razer is another popular brand, and two of their best models are the DeathAdder Elite and the Mamba Wireless. Corsair also makes great gaming mice, with the M65 Pro RGB and Glaive RGB being two of the most popular models. Finally, SteelSeries is another great manufacturer and the Rival 600 and Sensei 310 are among their best gaming mice.
As for gaming headsets, you can read about them in the blog post Best gaming headsets. For other accessories, see Gaming accessories.