In the early days of gaming, only the most affluent players were able to say they had a dedicated gaming rig at home. Here in the 21st century, gaming PCs have become much more accessible and are providing considerable value for money for both curious gamers and pro players alike.
If you’re looking for a change from console gaming, or you’re only now dipping your toes into the world of digital games, read on to discover everything you need to know about buying your first dedicated gaming PC.
Setting a Budget
Buying your first gaming PC is a major investment but it is possible to do so without breaking the bank. The trick is to set and stick to a budget that is aligned with your individual gaming goals.
At a minimum, expect to pay up to $400 for a basic machine that will allow you to play games in 720p. If, on the other hand, you’re keen to get into 4K gaming, you can expect to pay several thousand for a compatible machine.
PC manufacturers typically release brand new models every year, most of which feature superficial upgrades. Unless you’re a pro gamer, you’re unlikely to need the latest high-spec gaming rig. Instead, you can afford to look at reconditioned models that are several years old.
Understanding Specs
To ensure you get a good PC, you will need to familiarise yourself with a few technical specifications.
First and foremost, the processor or CPU of the PC determines how well it will play games and other software. Six-core CPUs are the standard minimum that you’ll need in a long-lasting gaming PC. Look for machines running on at least Intel i5-9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X.
Graphics cards, aka GPU, are what you should pay attention to next. As you can probably guess from the name, graphics cards determine the visual aspects of gameplay, which are as vital to modern games as technical ones. Generally speaking, the higher the card number the better it will perform. For gaming in 1080p, for instance, starting with NVIDIA GTX 1650 or a comparable model will deliver a solid performance.
You also need to pay attention to RAM when choosing a gaming PC, but not for the reasons you might think. Yes, RAM is crucial to gaming performance, but since it’s one of the easiest and most cost-effective aspects to upgrade later, don’t make the mistake of splashing out on a high-RAM machine off the bat. Instead, if you’re willing to sacrifice frame rates for the short term, you’ll get more value out of a machine with a baseline of 8GB.
Peripherals
While some peripherals are a necessity, gaming culture has given rise to certain items that are potentially more superfluous than they are practical. Sure, pimping out your gaming room with LED-adorned keyboards, headsets and more is an aesthetic dream, but don’t fall into the trap of blowing your budget on overpriced accessories before you’re ready to use them.
As with choosing a gaming PC, the key point to remember when purchasing your first set of peripherals are your specific goals. As a minimum, you will need a monitor, mouse, keyboard and an ethernet cable. However, if you’ll be spending long hours using the rig, investing in an ergonomic chair would be a wise route to go down.
If you’re aspiring to one-day turn pro, you should be going all in on the functional accessories that can help you shave seconds off your time, or ensure you never miss a beat during gameplay.
Games Galore
PC gamers today are genuinely spoiled for choice when it comes to the sheer array of experiences out there that are compatible with desktops. From medieval battle arena games to Ancient Egyptian-themed slots, pretty much every game you can think of lands on PC. Furthermore, the indie game market on the PC is expansive, with platforms like Itch.io stocking innovative games just for desktop play.
While single-player gaming on the PC is improving annually, the hardware really comes into its own during online multiplayer gaming. For a start, the barriers to entry are getting lower all the time, as evidenced by the wealth of free-to-play games like Fortnite and Overwatch 2 now available. And, of course, thanks to the power of the internet, online gaming communities are thriving places to explore new games and tap into the latest trends.
Additionally, investing in a PC won’t just give you a convenient way to enjoy libraries of games. Even low-end budget machines are comprehensive entertainment systems which you can use to stream the latest TV series on Netflix, as well as blast out all your favorite tunes. Plus, gaming PCs can also double up as pretty efficient home computers, making them one of the most versatile pieces of tech you can own.
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