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Build An Awesome Gaming PC...
For the current generation, tinkering with 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:
- A top-line video card like I recommend. You aren't going to get any performance out of a motherboard's built-in video card, so go for the best bang & performance for your buck.
- Lots of RAM, like the kind that I suggest earlier. A good rule of thumb, though, is whatever the 'minimum' might be for your version of Windows, at least double the amount you put in your machine. Memory is cheap, so no harm in trying to max-out Windows 7's memory capacity.
- A separate sound card from the motherboard like those that I recommend . Motherboard sound cards generally are not adequate in handling hi-fidelity, surround sound applications.
- At least a 3-piece speaker system that can render hi-fidelity sound with the all-important sub-woofer. The difference in a speaker system without a sub is extremely noticeable once you upgrade.
- A 250 GB or larger hard drive
- A DVD drive, to read the larger and larger discs EA and others use nowadays.
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. Every PC will inherently have a bottleneck, and with the increasingly higher graphic demands and intricate game play features, a processor takes the backseat to the items which render the game play, video cards and RAM. Make sure to shop for some of the particular processor features I do emphasize in my buying guide.
With the constant evolution and growth in PC games, more and more a DVD drive is a necessity to install and run computer games. Make sure to include one on your PC build list. The hard drive likewise needs to be large to handle the increased size of games, as game installations can take close to 1 GB of data by themselves.
Making sure you are upgraded to 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 for a screaming Fast PC! 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 truly is a bargain for the type and quality of components that you recieve. As you see by doing a quick Dell comparison on their website (the Dell option would cost even more, in time and $s, when you include 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 notice a performance drop, but the slight drop in performance can save a budget, with saving 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.