Shopping for computers remains a daunting task for many. There’s a lot you need to know before buying a computer, and even more mistakes you can make shopping for a computer. Matters only get more complicated when you set your eyes on a buying a gaming computer. In order to play the latest video games on a computer, your rig is going to need to have at least a graphics card on top of the other hardware a typical PC needs.
Of course if you have a fat wallet, you can check the system requirements and buy yourself a top-notch rig that meets those requirements. But assuming you don’t have a fat wad of cash that you can freely blow on the most expensive machines on the market, let’s consider good value PCs that balance price and performance, both pre-built and projects you want to put together yourself, and clear up some of the easy mistakes you can make that are specific to gaming computers.
I. Buying a gaming PC because it looks cool
This mistake is quite similar to the idea that bigger is better. A gaming rig with a cool looking case and snazzy lighting can easily fail to have the high-end components inside necessary for the best gaming experience. In fact, a simple black box could easily outperform a fireworks display of a gaming PC as long as it has the right components.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy a stylish computer, as having something flashy and original is one of the fun parts of having a gaming PC. Just know that all the visuals of the machine are going to be a superfluous cost and should be last in line for your consideration. If you want a solid machine, think about putting your money into the machines guts and not its cover.
II. Not Spending on Power Supply
We often forget that without a solid source of power there is no use of a high end PC. Power sourcing is the back bone of any gaming computer. CPU consumes a lot of power when high end games are on. The component delivers the electricity to all the other components in your rig. If you buy one that doesn’t do a good job or is of questionable quality, it has the potentially to result in sub-optimal performance, damage or destroy your components, or even start a fire. A low quality power supply will also probably be inefficient, meaning it could increase the cost of your electricity bill at the end of each month. You’re also going to need to make sure that you power supply is of a high enough wattage to actually support all of the components in your computer. A good CPU and GPU are going to require more power than the average non-gaming computer.
III. Don't spend huge money on RAM
It is true that computer games will require a certain amount of RAM installed in your computer. But you’re probably not going to need a lot. Make sure that you have enough RAM for whatever game you want to play, but don’t go thinking you need to put in as much RAM as your computer can handle. It will definitely save lot of money.
IV. Not spending money on Hard Drives
You should always remember one thing that modern video games are big. Even some games can easily exceed 30GB. Future games are going to use even higher quality textures and models that will make the game files even larger. Plus, games these days get all sorts of expansions that require even more space on top of the original file. If you only play one game at a time, and remove them from your machine afterward, then you should have no problem working with a smaller drive, but gamers who like to have all their games downloaded and ready to play on a moments notice should plan on having large storage and a computer with extra SATA cables and drive bays for additional hard drives or solid state drives. For fastest access to your games, make sure to get either an SSD or at least a 7,200 RPM hard drive that connect to your motherboard via SATA III 6.0 Gbps. If you don't know where to get this, don't worry just click on the link: High end Hard drives.
