Powerful hardware, high speed, a full range of features and many upgrade options – that’s what current gaming PCs promise. But do they deliver? And can they increase your experience at Azurslot?
Test winner: One Gaming PC IN1516
The One Gaming PC IN1516 (price at the time of testing: 1,799 euros) completed the tests at the highest gaming speed and was also really fast when working with energy-sapping photo and video editing. The equipment was also impressive, and its upgrade options are also excellent: for example, a second M.2 SSD can be installed, and there is even space for a more powerful graphics card if required – the 750-watt power supply still has reserves for an RTX 4080 Super. You can read the full test of the One Gaming PC IN1516 (23287) here.
Price tip: Medion Engineer X20
The Medion Engineer X20 cost around 1,200 euros at the time of testing. For this price, gamers get a well-equipped gaming PC that offered plenty of power in the test. On top of that, its workmanship is impeccable and it offers plenty of upgrade options. However, a memory card reader and a keyboard would have fitted into the calculation. You can read the full test of the Medion Engineer X20 here.
How to test the gaming PCs
From well-behaved office workers to powerful gaming machines: PCs are available in many price and performance classes. But which computer is really worth the money? For a meaningful test result, the laboratory and editorial team put the devices to the test. The following criteria and measurements are decisive here:
Speed
A fast computer not only pays off when gaming, but also in everyday office life. Various automated benchmark tests determine how fast a PC actually works. Our lab uses both specially programmed benchmark tools and industry standards. They test the speed of office tasks as well as photo, video and 3D editing. The lab tests gaming performance in different resolutions and detail settings and determines the displayed frames per second (FPS). The endurance test of the copy speed using synthetic benchmarks shows whether the hard disk and interfaces also deliver a decent speed. To measure the USB speed, the lab transfers data between the computer and an external SSD.
Loudness and consumption
It’s not so easy to concentrate when the computer is constantly humming and buzzing. Special microphones in a soundproof room measure whether this is the case. They determine the operating noise in normal working mode and under full load. Those who use their PC frequently will be pleased with its low power consumption. The laboratory measures this during operation, in stand-by mode and when switched off. Then uses the data to calculate the annual operating costs of the device.
Equipment
The lab takes a close look at the built-in components. In addition to the type and design of the components, upgradeability and expansion options also count. For example, the hard disk, RAM and available connections are put to the test. WLAN frequency and Bluetooth version are also inspected, as are memory card readers and existing drives. A large package of included software has a positive effect on the rating.
Gaming PC test: PC or console?
Whether PC or console – that’s a question of faith. Both have advantages and disadvantages: Consoles such as Sony’s PlayStation 5 or Microsoft’s Xbox Series X are easy to use and much more than just gaming machines: they show movies from streaming services, surf the net and play music. The PC can be used for even more: as a gaming computer, streaming machine, office PC for all providers or for complex image processing and video editing. However, PCs are not as self-explanatory as consoles.
More powerful hardware
New top games for the PC often have better graphics than on consoles, but push the hardware to its limits. If the gaming computer is too weak, the player can either reduce the details or swap individual components for models with more speed. Only experienced gamers should venture into the innards of the computer, but the effort is worth it: upgrading saves money, as a new graphics card often gives a lame computer a boost. If that doesn’t help, a more powerful processor is needed.
