Choosing the Best Gaming Computer
May 1, 2013 | By Hector
Finding the best gaming computer has been the goal of every gamer at one point or another. Statistics show that sales of PC games went up by a whopping 230% recently with the release of Diablo III. In its recent release, expansion of the Gods and Kings to Sid Meier’s Civilization V did extremely well. PC games shipped by smaller companies are also attracting good reviews.
If you have decided order your own best gaming computer, you must keep in mind a few important aspects. Especially when you hear manufacturers toss around terms such as GDDR5, liquid cooling, SLI, DirectX, Shader Model 5 and so on, it is imperative for you to know what they mean in order to make the right choice. Apart from technical knowledge on what a gaming computer should include, it is also important to consider other aspects such as your needs and budget as you choose the best system.
Set a final budget at the onset
One of the major considerations when getting the best gaming computer shoppers is budget. Before you venture out to shop, you must first determine how much you are going to spend on your system. If you do not set a limit at the onset, there is a huge risk of going overboard and spending a fortune. If you are custom ordering your gaming PC, the budget you set will determine the components you use. For example, a great option could be to use two graphics in CrossFire or SLI mode but if your budget is limited to within $1000, you may not be able to afford dual graphics cards. After setting the final budget, you can then divide it up into product choices.
Determine the types of games you will be playing
Your choice of games also plays a role in choosing your gaming computer. Graphics hardware takes priority over the performance of the CPU if you love playing first-person shooters or other modern games. You may need to process the AI quickly with a faster CPU if you love to play turn-based war games, in which case you may not have to insist on a high-end GPU. Again, you may need to balance between the CPU and graphics for real-time strategy games.
Display – another factor to consider in gaming PCs
Ask any avid gamer and he or she will tell you how you must certainly get a high-end graphics card that will ensure an amazing display. Most certainly a 1680 x 1050 pixel resolution, 20-inch display screen will take your games to a whole new level. Your choice of GPU must depend entirely on the types of games you will be playing. A good rule is to allocate one-third of the budget set for the gaming PC towards graphics.
Remember to get the latest generation GPU you can afford, as they tend to perform much better than the previous generations. For example, as compared to the older high-end $500 graphic cards from two years ago, the newer Radeon HD 7850 performs much better and is available at a much lower price.
Affordable CPUs
Contrary to what many think, you do not actually need six cores to play your game. There is no need to spend a fortune on Intel six-core processors. Especially if you are going to use the PC only for gaming, it is a good idea not to spend too much on the CPU and invest instead on the graphics.
