Building a Gaming PC: What you Should Know

Even if you are not that IT competent, it isn’t difficult to purchase all of the components and build your very own gaming PC. Most people would lack the confidence to actually set out to build from scratch, a top of the range gaming PC, yet with a little research, it is not beyond your capabilities. It is important that you understand the basic principles of computing and that you know what each of the key components are used for, and with that in mind, here is some important information to help you get started.

Online Suppliers

You can source all the key components from a single online supplier, and with any gaming PC build, you must select components that are compatible. It is very easy to compare prices online, and when you are on a hi-end gaming component supplier’s website, you can read the product specs, then go and find some online reviews from serious gamers, which will tell you whether the component actually does perform in real-life situations.

Avoid No Name Brands

When looking at hi-end computer components, stick to the best brands, as they are tried and trusted and can perform at optimum levels. For CPUs, check out Intel and AMD, who are the two major processor manufacturers, while ASUS make the best mainboards. The VGA card is, of course, an integral piece of hardware, and Nvidia and AMD are the market leaders, with many models, each with its own set of specs. Here is an informative blog on how blue light readers can affect your eyes, which is worth a read if you spend long periods in front of your screen

Cooling

Temperature is your biggest enemy with gaming PCs, and you need a case with its own cooling system, along with separate coolers for the CPU and the VGA card. The faster the speeds, the more essential cooling becomes and when you are over-clocking, keep your eye on the processor temperature, as this could cause a shutdown, or worse a card burnout. You can load special software that keeps you informed about component temperatures, and if things are getting too hot, you can shut down before any damage occurs.

Solid State Drives

SSD offers much higher data transfer speeds, especially when compared to SATA drives, so do make sure that your mainboard is compatible with SSD drives. You can always have a second drive for storing data, while your game runs on the SDD, which offers a smoother gaming experience, and with a single online supplier, you can order all the components that you need, which might include the following:

  • Case
  • Mainboard
  • CPU
  • VGA Card
  • RAM Chips
  • Keyboard & Mouse
  • Monitor

Online Gaming Forums

If you register with one of the big gaming forums, you can ask for advice regarding the components that you plan to use, and the resident experts are always happy to help a novice get things right. This will also help you with game strategy, as talking to players at a higher level than yourself will improve your skills, plus they can offer you some tips on playing strategies. If you are worried about spending lots of money online, here is some consumer protection information, which highlights your rights as a consumer.