The 10 Things To Look Out For In A Powerful Gaming PC
When you’re on the hunt for a good gaming PC, there’s plenty you need to keep in mind. It can seem a little overwhelming; there are so many components and things to remember that it can be hard to know exactly what you’re looking for.
It’s worth it, though; many still think that PC gaming is vastly superior to console gaming. As such, we’ve put together a guide to help you understand what exactly you’re looking for in a powerful PC. Here are 10 things you need to be on the lookout for when you’re putting together your monster machine.
- A great graphics card
First and foremost, your PC needs to have a good graphics card. What this looks like will depend entirely on a number of factors; what your budget is, what kind of gaming you’re going to be doing on your PC, and more. Believe it or not, you probably don’t need the kind of expensive graphics card that you think you do. If you’re not upgrading your monitors beyond 1080p, for example (more on which later), a top-of-the-range card is only necessary if you’re effectively replacing your consoles entirely with a PC. A good graphics card is essential, though, so don’t settle for anything less than a solid mid-range option.
- Lots of processing power
Google Chrome is the most popular browser by far in 2020, and it’s also a pretty big resource hog. Let’s say you’re an online casino gamer and you’re browsing sites that you want to win big on. You navigate over to find out about the best online casinos in South Africa 2020 by CasinoHEX.co.za, but your PC is stuttering. That’s happening because you don’t have enough processing power. It’s not just gaming you’ll be using your PC for, after all. Again, you probably don’t need the highest top-of-the-range components for this; a mid-range Intel Core i5 or i7 will more than likely suffice (or the AMD equivalent, of course).
- RAM to spare
Just as you’ll need a good processor to run a decent gaming PC, so you’ll also need a reasonable amount of RAM. 8GB is the absolute bare minimum if your PC is going to run Windows 10 (which it absolutely should in terms of compatibility). Any self-respecting gamer shouldn’t craft a gaming PC with any less than 16GB of RAM, however. That’ll allow you to run even the most demanding programs side-by-side without your PC even breaking a sweat. If you’re seriously dedicated, aim for 32GB, because this will mean you never need to worry about memory again.
- A decent cooling system
There’s nothing worse than the components in your gaming PC overheating because you haven’t installed a decent cooling system. For a gaming PC, nothing less than liquid cooling will suffice, especially if you’re going to be putting your PC through its paces with demanding games and overclocked graphics cards. A conventional fan would be fine if you weren’t planning to demand too much of your PC, but then you wouldn’t be putting together a powerful gaming machine, so do yourself a favour and add liquid cooling to your setup.
- A solid-state drive for your OS
A good gaming PC likely has at least two storage drives. The first should absolutely be a solid-state drive because you don’t want your OS to boot up on a conventional spinning disc drive; it’ll be much slower and more cumbersome, especially as you add more data to the drive. If this is your only drive, it’s pretty much essential that you have at least 1TB of space, which is why you should consider adding a second drive to your system. That way, you can keep your OS and essential programs separate from game data.
- A second storage drive
If you want somewhere to store all of your data, then a second drive would be an excellent idea for your gaming rig. You’ll never see the end of your data if you do this; your OS drive won’t fill up because you won’t be installing games on it, while your second drive won’t be burdened with your OS so you’ll have plenty of space for your gaming endeavours. Opt for at least 1TB in your second drive; if you can stretch to it, it’s a good idea to have a 2TB drive, because the file size of games is only increasing as time goes on.
- A great gaming keyboard
Trust us when we say that gaming on PC takes on entirely new characteristics when you’re using a great gaming keyboard. Mechanical keyboards are much better than membrane keyboards because each individual key has its own switch that feels tactile and distinct. Of course, if your budget absolutely can’t stretch to a mechanical keyboard, there are plenty of membrane keyboards out there that will suffice, but you can have a mechanical keyboard on a budget nowadays so there really is no excuse. You won’t want to go back once you’ve experienced a mechanical board.
- A great gaming mouse
Just like your keyboard, your mouse is essential for a great gaming experience, and while the difference between standard mouse peripherals and gaming equivalents isn’t as pronounced as it is with keyboards, it’s still worth picking up a great gaming mouse. The best gaming mice (mouses?) feature extra buttons that you can map for extra functions in your gaming endeavours, as well as excellent response times and tactile scroll wheels. You should also ensure you buy a good mousemat, or else the mouse won’t feel anywhere near as fluid as it should.
- Great gaming monitors
Your gaming PC is nothing if you’re not using the right displays with it. The best gaming displays offer not only high resolutions but also fast response times and high frame rates. You won’t necessarily notice the difference on a moment-to-moment basis in single-player games, but in multiplayer experiences like League of Legends and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, having that crucial edge is incredibly important. Again, like other peripherals and aspects of your gaming PC, excellent budget options are available if you don’t find you have the money available for high-end gear.
- A high-capacity PSU
Many gamers neglect the power supply when they’re putting together a super-powered gaming machine, but this would be a mistake. A high-capacity (and high-quality) power supply unit is essential, especially if you’re looking to install high-end components in your PC. The more power you have available to you, the further you can push your components without worrying about whether they’re going to overheat or break while you’re playing. Don’t neglect this incredibly important part of your setup, because you’ll regret it later down the line.