subject: Getting The Lowdown On Gaming Computers [print this page] Getting The Lowdown On Gaming Computers Getting The Lowdown On Gaming Computers
No matter how much practice the dedicated puts into his or her role chosen obsession in life, they will always be limited by the power at the fingers. As such, specialized gaming computers are as necessary as the latest techniques, plays and quick fire decision making skills.
At the base level, it is essential that gaming computers have a top of the range graphics card, the fastest CPUs and, wherever possible, liquid cooling technology. Built to process vast amounts of information for role playing to first person shoot 'em ups and everything in between, there is more to them than this however.
Because of the task being asked of them, gaming computers need to have a vast amount of RAM, which will only enhance the whole experience. They will need to be bristling with connectivity options too; to satisfy all the peripherals that need to be added. USB and FireWire ports need to be maximized, whilst there also needs to be easily accessed and well numbered head and microphone ports.
Gaming computers are individual pieces of kit though. They are not typical desktops of course, so often the way they look is almost as important as how they perform. From transparent panels to neon lights and many companies offering full customization, there really is no limit. A bit of thought should go into deciding what is needed and what isn't, here's a quick run down on what should be considered.
Audio/Visual: Sound is important here, so getting the best quality is important. A sound card should be able to produce a minimum of 5.1 channels of sound, though for the serious gamer 7.1 should be sought. Graphics are the controlling aspect of all games of course, so a minimum of 256 Meg video Ram is required.
Memory: The larger the better regards memory is what's important here. The quicker information can be accessed by the game, the better. A minimum of 1 Gig is needed on the RAM here. Sufficient hard drive space is needed too, particularly if the computer is to be used to store multiple games at the same time.
Processor: Having the quickest processor possible will help the video card to produce the best results; pulling as many as 51 billion polygons per second. Depending on the games being played, this will affect performance a great deal; certainly regards the growing trend of online multi player role playing genre.
I/O Devices: Not as important as the bones of the unit of course, but to many how the machine looks is important. Getting peripherals that all hang together makes the operation look slick of course, and can improve gaming. However, feeling comfortable with your devices is the critical aspect here.
Cost: In simple terms, gaming computers should be as expensive as possible. However, it is important to set a budget and, there are always discounts and offers going on. Shopping online is good of course, but better deals and a more bespoke service may be achieved by going in store and working with the team there.
