Gaming PCs have become extremely popular over the last few years, mostly because they’re equipped to play the latest titles and the cost has come down considerably. Unlike buying a console, which is a set-in-stone system, there are a lot more components to think about when choosing a gaming PC. With this in mind, we’ve put together this short overview of features to look out for when buying a gaming PC.
RAM and CPU
Computers need CPU and RAM to process any tasks, whether you’re looking to play the latest Call of Duty or games at online casinos like those from BonusFinder. AMD and Intel are the go-to manufacturers when it comes to CPUs. We won’t get into which is the best right now because it can be a very touchy subject for some people. Like with most products with tiered releases, the higher the number on the CPU, the better it will be.
Computer RAM is your computer’s memory (not to be confused with storage), which is what is used to support the CPU. When it comes to choosing a gaming PC, you will need at least 16GB RAM to play the latest titles.
Graphics Card
To have a decent experience on a gaming PC, you need to make sure it’s got a quality graphics card, which is what enables the system to output modern graphics. The graphics card will be the most expensive part of the whole system, so it’s well worth spending more money here and making savings for other components.
There are two primary companies for graphics cards: AMD and Nvidia. While both companies have a range of brilliant GPUs, Nvidia has the edge on the market right now. If you’re not bound by a tight budget, then go for an RTX 3090 Ti because it will easily play games in 4K resolution.
Hard Drive
Modern games take up a lot of space on a hard drive, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve got one with a large enough capacity. The majority of gaming PCs on the market today include an SSD (solid-state drive), which is much faster than a traditional bulky hard disk drive (HDD).
Motherboard
Depending on the types of gaming you want to enjoy, you’ll have to consider what peripherals you’ll need to plug into it, which is where the motherboard comes into the mix. The motherboard is what every component in the PC plugs into, and it uses a series of tracks to send messages between the CPU and the rest of the board. When you’re choosing a motherboard, make sure you double-check to make sure there’s enough space for your gaming gear. Popular gaming peripherals include:
- Headsets
- Webcams
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Gamepad
- Joystick
- Steering wheel controls
- External hardware
Cost
The cost of your gaming PC will depend entirely on your budget. You can buy or build a fairly decent one for around $500 or you could end up spending $5,000. Think about how much time you’ll spend gaming and what you can afford to pay right now.
The beauty about buying a desktop gaming PC is that it’s really easy to take them apart, which means you can swap out and upgrade parts later. Therefore, if you need to make sacrifices now, you can make improvements down the line. However, you should always check with a computer parts checker to see what components are compatible.
A gaming PC can be bought within almost all budgets, so choosing the right product largely depends on current circumstances and desired use. However, having a full understanding of the above features will make the process much easier.
