Build An Awesome Gaming PC...

A gaming computer is almost like building and modding a hot rod was for earlier generations. Simply put, a gaming PC is all about power, pure and simple. I've gone about selecting what I would look for today in a gaming PC by using a couple rules of thumb:

The video card and the RAM are the two most important parts of any gaming machine. I would argue that more RAM is absolutely more worthwhile an investment than a marginally faster processor. Without enough RAM, your gameplay will end up being slow and choppy and unenjoyable. Invest in RAM.

You don't necessarily have to own the fastest processor for your gaming machine; as long as it's coupled with decent RAM and a good video card, you should be fine. Also, the hard drive needs to be somewhat large, as game installations can take close to 1 GB of data by themselves.

Having the most recent version of DirectX is also critical to any game-playing machine.

My Parts List is the easiest way for me to keep you up-to-date on my recommendations. TigerDirect also has a separate 'Gaming PC' category, which could help you get an idea of what generally comprises a decent gaming desktop computer.

 

 

Building your own gaming PC is truly a bargain for the type and quality of components that you recieve. As you see by doing a quick Dell comparison (the Dell option would cost even more with tech support!), it can really pay off financially to learn how to build your own PC.

Here again are my complete recommendations for building your computer with quality parts at a low price!

 

Tip: If you are looking to slightly lower the above recommended price, I would suggest looking for a video card in the $150-$200 range. You'll definitely notice a performance drop, but you'll save over $100. The only other thing you could do without severely changing the machine is not purchasing a sound card and going with the motherboard's on-board sound.