You’ve probably heard it a thousand times before, but shopping for a gaming PC is not an easy task. There’s plenty you need to know about purchasing a computer, and there are even more mistakes you are likely to make as you shop around. Things get worse when you are finally determined to find that perfect gaming PC that’s capable of handling the latest video game you’re looking forward to playing.
If you have a loaded credit/debit card, you can always just check out your favorite game system requirements and purchase a system that surpasses these requirements. However, if you don’t have a fat wallet, its best you consider good value PCs balancing performance and price. Here are a few mistakes that can make purchasing a gaming PC that much more difficult.
- Purchasing a PC for its Cool Looks
This is a common mistake among gaming PC buyers. A gaming computer with flamboyant lighting and a great looking case might not have the high-end components required to offer you a great gaming experience. In fact, a simple black box with the right components can easily outshine the fireworks of a fancy gaming PC.
However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get yourself a fancy PC, since having a stylish unit is just part of gaming. Just consider that the visuals are likely a superfluous cost that should be last during your consideration. If looking for a sturdy machine, consider investing in a machine offering you better power under the hood rather than great looks.
- Not Thinking of the Future
PC games are advancing fast, which is why file sizes are constantly getting bigger, and demanding more from a PC’s hardware. Fortunately, upgrading gaming PCs is a lot quicker than updating consoles like PlayStation and Xbox. You can wait before upgrading your computer, or you could just run newer game releases at low settings; however, waiting too long can make running the games difficult.
When purchasing your gaming PC, the last thing you want is to discover that you need to replace your entire system just to upgrade! There’s no way of preventing your gaming PC from becoming obsolete, but you can set up plans of delaying this. Ensure the unit has extra bays and ports for installing extra storage when needed.
The most important thing is ensuring that you purchase a computer with a newer model motherboard. If you’ve decided to build your own gaming PC, purchase a motherboard with an Intel or AMD compatible processor CPU Socket; otherwise, you will throw yourself in a fix trying to swap multiple parts.
- Purchasing Extra Features You Don’t Need
The assumption here is that your gaming PC is for nothing more than gaming. If that’s the case for you, you need to ensure that you don’t spend more money on extra features and components you don’t need. For instance, you don’t need a Wi-Fi adapter because its best to use Ethernet to your router for a better, more stable connection for playing online games – as a plus, check out DD-WRT routers for a better streaming experience.
Other things you don’t necessarily need include DVD/CD/Blue-ray drives because you should plan on downloading your games off the Internet. If you don’t plan on using all the 7.1 channel surround audio ports, you don’t need them – instead, you can get quality USB headphones that will take on the task. Overall, you should avoid the extra expenses and instead focus on improving your unit’s RAM, storage, GPU, and CPU.
- Forgetting About Your Monitor’s Compatibility
The monitor is a critical component when setting up your game PC. While you are tempted into purchasing the best computer you can find, remember to set a substantial amount of cash aside for a well-reviewed gaming PC monitor. Make sure your monitor has a low input lag and responds fast – at least, within under 10ms.
image: Pixabay
For a responsive game experience, your monitor should have an input lag of at least 40ms. Make sure the monitor matches your GPU’s output; otherwise, it will not connect at all. For example, your graphics card might not support HDMI out, so don’t purchase a monitor with a HDMI port only. When purchasing a monitor with a high refresh rate of about 120hz, 144hz, 1440p or 4k, make sure the graphics card is setup with the right outputs for supporting high refresh and resolution display.
- Forgetting Game Files are Big
When picking out your computer or choosing a storage device to add to your build, keep in mind that today’s video games can be enormous. In fact, some games are known for extending beyond 30GB, and future games will only become bigger as graphics improve. In addition, modern games tend to expand all the time, requiring more space on top of what you originally got when you downloaded or bought the game.
If you will have more than one game on your computer, consider installing a large drive or extra drives. For faster game access, get at least an SSD or a 7,200RPM hard drive connected to the motherboard with a SATA III 6.0Gbps cable.
- Ignoring Power Supply
Skimping on your unit’s power supply can be a major problem while running your games. For starters, the power supply provides all other components with the juice they require to run. Therefore, if you buy a sub-quality unit, it’s likely to undercut performance and even destroy your computer; with a real possibility of starting a fire.
In addition, a poor quality power supply will also increase your electricity consumption to astronomical figures. Make sure that the power supply provides you with enough wattage capable of supporting all your computer components. If you intend on adding more components to your gaming PC, make a plan for this and purchase a power supply capable of accommodating your future upgrades so you don’t need to purchase a new power supply at the same time; focus on getting between 50 to 100 watts more what your current build demands.
top image: Pixabay
