A good gaming computer should allow you to play the most challenging and demanding MMORPG today. But, not all gaming rigs have the same levels of performance. Finding the computer with the right specs for your needs will depend a lot on the types of games you play, how often you play, your personal preferences, and, of course, your budget.
It’s easy to say that buying the latest and the most expensive hardware with the highest level of performance will ensure that you have a quality system. Sadly, not everyone has deep pockets. Your focus should turn to each component that must work together smoothly so that you don’t experience lags in the middle of your game.
Before you decide which components or ready-built computer to buy, there are some basic guidelines as to what makes a good gaming computer. While price points will be a major consideration, you should know that a deep dive into different PC guides, like pcgamehaven.com, can shed some light on how and where to find gaming computers with the perfect price-performance balance.
Here are the six things to consider when looking for a good gaming computer.
- The Right Motherboard
The motherboard is one of the most crucial components of the computer. It doesn’t necessarily affect performance, but it will determine your computer’s overall functionality and reliability. All the other parts of your machine will be connected to the motherboard, from the CPU all the way to the soundcard. Plus, it’s where all the ports for components such as storage or USB will be located. If you need to upgrade later, all the parts needed will have to be compatible with your motherboard. With that in mind, this component is a key factor to consider when buying or building your gaming computer.
- High-performance Processor
The processor is the brain of the computer. For gaming purposes, you need a high-performance chip. True, most of the graphics in a gaming unit will be handled by the separate graphics card, but your CPU will still do the most important tasks within the system. As of now, 16-core processors are the top-tier, but a decent gaming rig can use, at least, a quadcore chipset.
Experts recommend that you get the best processor you can afford right at the start. You see, it’s difficult to upgrade this component, unlike RAM or storage.
- Fast System Memory
It’s important to have fast system memory or RAM to enjoy the full performance capability of your gaming computer. Nowadays, an 8GB RAM is the minimum. But, you can always opt for a 16GB or 32GB if you’re a serious gamer. Generally, more RAM means better computer responsiveness. While memory will allow you to perform different tasks or run several applications simultaneously, a gaming rig will rely more on the video RAM for improved graphics.
- Discrete Graphics
Computer or video gaming relies heavily on visual clarity. It’s true that sound quality plays an important role in defining a particular game. But, computer games are not music jamming sessions. So, when all is said and done, gamers focus on the video display. In this regard, a good gaming computer should have the latest—not necessarily the most expensive—graphics system.
The graphics unit is what separates gaming computers from ordinary business or school computers. For gaming purposes, a discrete or separate graphics card is the standard. This means that the graphics processor doesn’t share memory with the CPU. A dedicated graphics card will enhance your computer’s gaming performance. It’s recommended that you devote a significant portion of your budget for a graphics card even an entry-level GPU should give you enough video RAM for enhanced gaming display. When buying or building a gaming computer, avoid integrated graphics units.
- Efficient Cooling
Even ordinary computers require cooling units to keep the CPU cool. With a gaming computer, you may need to upgrade to a cooling unit with higher efficiency. The high-performance expected of a gaming computer will require more processing power. It will generate a lot of heat which can be detrimental to the CPU.
Don’t rely on stock air cooling units. There are aftermarket cooling solutions that perform a better job at keeping the CPU at optimal temperature levels.
- Enough Storage
Most computer games today require large file storage. Fortunately, storage drives now come in terabytes so that you can install more games. You also need to choose between a solid-state drive (SSD) or a hard-disk drive (HDD). The SSDs are faster, more efficient, and more durable than the legacy HDD. Most gaming laptops have both SSD and HDD. You don’t have to lose sleep deciding which type of storage to install. You can easily upgrade anytime you want.
Conclusion
There are two ways for you to get a good gaming computer. You can choose to buy it, or you can choose to build one for yourself. But, whichever way you choose, you must factor in the motherboard, processor, RAM, graphics card, cooling solution, and storage capacity. Getting high-performance components will give you gaming experience that will blow your mind. But, the price may be prohibitive for some gamers. Striking a balance between price and performance is a smart move. Remember, a gaming computer is a huge investment. Finding the right system is worth every penny.