This affordable high end gaming PC comes with the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB graphics card, AMD B550M M-ATX motherboard, 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM, a 480GB 2.5" SSD and a 650W..
This affordable PC comes with the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor, AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT 12GB, 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM, AMD B550 M-ATX motherboard, a 480GB SSD and a 650W 80 Plus Bronze power supply. Select ..
This affordable high end gaming PC comes with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB graphics card, Gigabyte B550M Aorus Elite motherboard, 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM, a 480GB SSD and..
This affordable PC comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 3500X processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB graphics card, 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM, a 240GB SSD and a 550W power supply. Select your component upgrade..
This affordable PC comes with the AMD Ryzen 5 3500X processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB (2-fan variant), 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM, AMD B550M M-ATX motherboard, a 480GB SSD and a 750W power supply. Se..
This affordable high end gaming and workstation PC comes with the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X processor, a range of graphics card options from the AMD Radeon RX 550 4GB to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB, AMD B..
This affordable PC comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB graphics card, 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM, a 240GB SSD and a 750W power supply. Select your component upgrade..
This affordable high end gaming PC comes with the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB graphics card, AMD X570 motherboard, 16GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM, a 480 2.5" SSD and a 650W 80+ Bro..
This affordable high end gaming PC comes with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X processor and 240mm liquid cooler, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB graphics card, Gigabyte B550M Aorus Elite MATX motherboard, 16GB DDR4..
This affordable high end PC comes with the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, Ryzen 7 5800X, Ryzen 9 3900X or Ryzen 9 5900X processor and 240mm Liquid Cooler, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 24GB graphics card, Gigabyte Aoru..
This affordable PC comes with an Intel Core i5 10400F processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB graphics card, 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM, a 240GB SSD and a 550W power supply. Select your component upgr..
This affordable PC comes with the Intel Core i5 10400F processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB, 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM, B460 motherboard, a 240GB NVMe M.2 SSD and a 750W power supply. Select your compo..
These days gaming desktops are in great
demand. Everyone is looking for a durable gaming desktop that falls in their
budget. Budget is very important, as how much you have to spend on your gaming
desktop will ultimately dictate what games you can play, and what framerates,
quality settings and overall gaming experience you’ll achieve.
There are many different tiers of gaming
desktops available in the market, and each tier will play different titles at
different resolutions, framerates, and quality settings. Buying or opting for a
PC build, you must always plan around how you are going to use it. Are you
going to use it for AAA games at the highest settings on a 4K monitor, or are
you a casual gamer, content to play your favourite casual or Esports titles on
a regular monitor at average quality settings and framerates?
How much is the average gaming desktop?
Shopping around you’ll find the average gaming desktop will cost you anywhere
from AUD $1,200 to $1,600, for a prebuilt PC that will run most games at 1080P,
with a few compromises perhaps necessary in terms of framerates and quality
settings. But, if you want to run AAA titles with a frame rate of 60+ at max
settings, the cost can easily rise to AUD $3,500+ out there in the market. In
the end, the cost of the PC build depends very much upon what you are expecting
from your new gaming desktop. And the results you expect from your gaming
desktop will directly affect the price of your PC.
So before you begin shopping around and
looking at gaming PCs, take some time to think about what you want out of your
system. Ask yourself these questions to get a better understanding of what you
will be looking for:
●What kind of games will I be
playing?
●Do I want to play them on the
highest settings?
●Will I want to stream or record
the gameplay?
●Will I be using the computer for
any other resource demanding tasks? (Graphic design, coding, video editing and
rendering, etc)
●What is my budget range?
Answering these questions before browsing for
a new computer can help iron out what exactly you need in terms of specs and
performance, as well as how much you can afford to spend.
What Does a Gaming PC Cost?
In order to answer this question, several
groups will need to be defined based on their hardware and the performance offered.
This will help give a better idea of what a certain price tag can get you in
terms of usage and capability. An example build will also be included to give
an idea of the hardware that would be around a certain price point. The builds
are certainly not limited to what is shown, and there are a number of
combinations and changes that could lead to a similar price.
Beginner Level System
This entry level build provides the capability
and performance to run typical lightweight games such as League of Legends that
aren’t very resource intensive. This would be a good system for someone who
plays games at a very casual level and doesn’t worry too much about getting 60+
FPS and running things on ultra-high graphics settings.
Pros
●Lightweight and budget friendly
build
●Provides more performance than
just a regular desktop
●You can play regular games on
low-medium settings with no performance issues
Cons
●Pretty limited when it comes to
using high or ultra-high settings
●Will not be enough for streaming
or recording gameplay
●Will become obsolete a lot faster
than other systems
A slightly higher performing example would be
the TechFast’s gaming desktop PC found here. This build incorporates a dedicated
graphics card and a small form factor M-ATX case before any customization.
Mid Level System
The middle tier build is a great choice for
active gamers that want the ability to play any game with decent quality. AAA
game titles shouldn’t have an issue on a system in this tier, and the only real
limits you might face are with extremely resource demanding titles on high
settings (think Cyberpunk on ultra 4K settings). This build will handle
multi-tasking well even while playing games, and it may even allow you to
record gameplay in lower quality.
Pros
●Good middle ground between price
and performance
●Provides solid performance that
shouldn’t hinder you even when running several programs at a time.
●All games are viable options and
should perform well between medium and high setting ranges.
Cons
●Playing certain AAA games with
high settings could result in some performance issues and decreased FPS.
●Streaming will still be pretty
limited, and recording might result in a decrease in FPS
Example System Build: AUD $1,800
❖Computer Case - ATX
❖CPU - Intel i5 10400F
❖Motherboard - LGA1200 Socket type
with robust features
❖Graphics Card - RTX 2060
❖RAM - 16GB
❖Hard Drive - Samsung SSD 1TB
❖Power Supply - 600 Watt
non-modular
A pre-built example of this type of build
would be this TechFast gaming PC before customization
or additional added options.
High End Level Systtem
The final level in this article is for those
who would classify themselves as hardcore gamers, and/or utilize the gaming PC
for professional reasons. Whether you are an aspiring eSports pro or a streamer
looking to grow and expand, this system will be able to do it all. You won’t
have to worry about any performance issues or FPS drops in any game even while
streaming high quality content to your viewers.
A high performance machine such as this also
provides an excellent system to utilize if you are a programmer, graphics
designer, CAD designer, and pretty much any other profession that utilizes high
resource demanding programs.
Pros
●Can handle pretty much any kind of
program or programs you throw at it.
●Excellent system that can provide
professionals with an excellent work environment.
●All games and programs can be
handled at the highest settings including 4K options.
Cons
●Can become quite pricey.
●These systems come loaded with
hardware so they can get pretty bulky and heavy.
●Might be louder than a normal
system build due to cooling requirements.
Example System Build: AUD $2,500
❖Computer Case - ATX
❖CPU - Intel i7 10700F
❖Motherboard - LGA1200 Socket type
with robust features
If money isn’t an issue, then looking into
purchasing a system in this tier would provide you with some of the best
possible performance a consumer could buy.
Example System Build: AUD $4,500+
❖Computer Case - ATX
❖CPU - Intel i7 10900KF
❖Motherboard - LGA1200 Socket type
with robust features
❖Graphics Card - RTX 3080 10GB
❖RAM - 64GB
❖Hard Drive - (2) 1TB NVME m.2 SSD
❖Power Supply - 850 Watt modular
❖Liquid Cooling - 240mm liquid CPU
cooler
❖Interior RGB programmable lights
If you are in the market for a beast of a
computer system like this, then you will want to check out TechFast’s top of
the line gaming PC here.
Tips on Reducing Your Build Costs
While it can be fun to look at a $4,500.00
computer build, the reality is that most people don’t need that kind of
performance and probably don’t want to spend their hard earned money on
something they wouldn’t use to its full potential.
Most gamers will probably fall into the middle
or high tier groups, and even those can get pretty pricey. So besides looking
for sales and the special deals companies can offer, what are other possible
ways to save some money and reduce that pricey system build down to something
more reasonable?
Looking for CPU/motherboard
combinations
If you are into building your own PC then
keeping your eyes open for promotions on CPU/motherboard combinations is a
great way to reduce the price of your overall build. These deals will limit you
to a specific CPU and motherboard, but if you get lucky you can get some pretty
high performing hardware for a relatively low price.
Utilize specific brands
When looking for a gaming PC it can be pretty
easy to get caught in the “Intel vs AMD” arguments or the “this brand is best”
comments. The reality is that a lot of brands are quite similar when it comes
to performance and quality. While Intel has dominated the CPU marketplace, AMD
has done a great job in developing highly competitive hardware for much
cheaper. So if you are looking to lower the price of your CPU and you don’t
want to sacrifice performance, take a look at AMDs Ryzen CPU line.
Graphics cards are another place where you
will see a lot of fights of whether AMD or NVIDIA is better. While NVIDIA is
known as the ‘premium’ brand that offers a lot of great technology in its GPU
lines, the reality is that most of the time you won’t even notice the small
benefits that technology provides. AMD is a great choice whether you are on a
budget or not, and their line of graphics cards will provide you with excellent
performance with a lower price point.
Plan for upgrades
Whether you are building your own gaming PC or
thinking about buying a pre-built one, planning for upgrades can save you some
money. Graphics cards are one of the priciest components in a gaming rig, so
oftentimes it can be beneficial to include a lower end option initially and then
upgrade it later on when money is available.
If you are planning on doing this, just be
sure to size your power supply to the video card you are going to upgrade to.
The high end graphics cards can have some pretty big power requirements so make
sure your current power supply has enough wattage to power any future upgrades,
otherwise you will have to replace that as well.
Wrapping Up
Searching for the right computer can be a
pretty complicated and daunting process, and pre-built solutions can oftentimes
limit you to components that you might not necessarily want in your build.
While building a custom gaming PC can provide you with some great
customizability and control over your hardware, it’s also an extremely
complicated and time consuming task. Luckily there are a few select services
that have combined the best of both worlds by providing you with the ability to
have a pre-built system with some great customization and part selection.
TechFast is one of those services and can
provide you with a wide variety of options to incorporate into your gaming
build. The best part? It shows up at your door ready to be plugged in and
turned on. It also comes with a one year warranty and an operating system
already installed.
So if you’re looking for a competitively
priced pre-built gaming PC that you can customize, check out our website and
see what we can offer you.
Can A Gaming Desktop Be Used For Work?
With the increased interest in working from
home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for quality desktops has risen
significantly. PC sales have skyrocketed as people look for good computers to
support working remotely. At the same time, many popular games are reporting
some of the highest activity they have ever had, so much so that servers are
having to be upgraded to accommodate the increased traffic.
So while people are out shopping for a PC that
can suit their remote work needs, they probably aren’t considering the
possibility of the requirements of the games they might play. While most
typical remote work tasks such as emailing, creating documents, and using
remote meeting software are not resource demanding tasks, gaming can require
considerably more computation resources.
This means that while a desktop might be
adequate for remote work, it might be completely useless depending on the games
you want to play. However, if the roles are reversed and a gaming PC is used to
complete work related tasks, there will be plenty of performance to fulfill
your work and gaming needs.
But what if your job requires more than just
the ‘typical’ tasks, and the software or programs you use are more demanding.
In order to figure out the requirements you will need from your PC, work
related tasks should be grouped up by resource intensity.
Typical jobs and their
requirements
There are a wide variety of tasks and jobs
that can be done while working remotely, and your PC requirements are highly
dependent on the resource demand of those jobs. In order to figure out the
performance requirements for your job, the tasks can be split up into groups
based on the amount of resources they will require.
Low Demand
These tasks are generally very lightweight and
basic. These tasks can include email, web browsing, remote meetings, and
document creation and management. These tasks do not require very much when it
comes to computational resources and can be performed by pretty basic machines.
However, it’s important to remember that
computers usually end up being used for more than just work. They can be
utilized for streaming media such as Netflix, listening to music, downloading
and editing pictures, and a wide range of other tasks that can add to the
resource demand.
If you’re someone who enjoys multi-tasking and
might have Netflix going on one screen while you work on the other, you may
want to think about purchasing a computer that offers a little bit more
performance than just the very basic. Running multiple programs can quickly use
up a computer’s available resources, so making sure you have plenty of room to
play with can go a long way.
Medium Demand
This group can have a wide variety of special
programs that they use in order to complete their jobs. This can range from
graphic design programs, video editing software, light coding software, and
even some programs that might be specific to your job. All of these jobs
require a decent amount of performance from your computer and will require a
computer that has more than just the basics.
While you might not necessarily need a
computer on the same level as the average gaming PC, the hardware requirements
are getting pretty close to what might be classified as an entry level gaming
system.
High Demand
The jobs in this group will be pretty close to
the same level of resource demand of the average video game, and thus requires
a PC with the same performance standard as a gaming PC. This group would mostly
consist of coding software that may require compiling, CAD and Revit design, and
significant video editing and rendering.
At this point there are very few computers in
this range that wouldn’t be classified as a “gaming PC”. The performance
requirements would be on par with what a gaming PC would offer and could
certainly put one to work.
The Differences Between a Normal
PC and a gaming PC
Now that the different resource demands are
separated into groups, it will be easier to explore the differences between a
normal and gaming PC. There are several large differences between the two, and
it’s more than just the amount of RGB lights one has over the other.
Performance
One of the biggest and most glaring
differences between the two is the massive discrepancy in performance. A gaming
PC is specifically designed for performance and the hardware choices are all
oriented offering the best performance within the targeted price point. This
usually means that gaming PCs can be a little bit bulkier and heavier than
their counterparts due to the hardware selection.
Gaming PCs usually come with optimizations or
software that help get the most out of their hardware. Compare that to a
typical computer that usually comes loaded with bloatware (useless software
installed to make you spend more money) and the gaming PC already comes out
ahead, even if they have similar hardware.
Gaming PCs definitely win this category.
Aesthetic
In some cases regular PCs can have a nice
clean appearance, however there isn’t a whole lot of attention put into making
it look nice. It usually comes in a generic looking computer case with some
stickers and that’s it.
A large part of the design of a gaming PC is
the general look and feel of the product. Companies spend hundreds of thousands
of dollars developing the look and feel of their gaming brand, take the famous
MSI dragon for example. When looking at computer hardware it’s very easy to
distinguish MSI products from the competition because it prominently displays
their dragon emblem.
Gaming brands also spend a lot of time
designing the computer cases and layouts of their gaming PCs. Computer cases
that have see-through sides are often used, and there is a heavy focus on the
layout of the hardware within the PC. These computer cases are oftentimes
embellished with RGB LED lights, and the cable management is impeccable.
While focusing on the aesthetics of a computer
might seem like a waste of time and money, it can create an excellent
experience for the buyer as well as create a beautiful centerpiece out of an
otherwise boring metal box.
Gaming PCs definitely win this category as
well.
Mobility
If size is an important factor for you, then
the regular PC is going to win this category. When designing a typical PC,
companies tend to focus on small form factor cases that provide a much smaller
footprint compared to the standard size cases. This can help with desk space as
well as when you need to move the PC itself.
Gaming PCs tend to get a little bulkier due to
the hardware and power requirements. Whether you compare the size or weight,
the regular PC will generally come out on top. However, this doesn’t mean that
all gaming PCs are large metal boxes. TechFast has done an excellent job in
designing gaming PCs within small form factor M-ATX cases while also retaining
a real attractive aesthetic through the use of RGB LEDs. Take this system for example.
Regular PCs win this category as they are
generally more lightweight and are focused on providing a smaller form factor.
The Advantages and Disadvantages
of Purchasing a Gaming PC Over a Normal PC
So while this article has explored the
differences in computational resource demand, and the major differences between
a regular and gaming PC, it has yet to answer the actual question that was
posed. In order to answer that question, let's look at the advantages and
disadvantages of using a gaming PC.
Advantages
Increased performance
Gaming PCs are designed to offer some of the
best performance you can get out of a computer. In the case of low and medium
demand work, the offered performance might be a little over the top, but it
gives you a lot of leverage and flexibility to use the computer how you want.
If you aren’t currently a gamer, but you decide to try it out later on down the
road, you don’t need to purchase another machine because you already have one
that can handle it.
Longevity
Gaming PCs incorporate a lot of the newest
hardware and features in their builds. Couple this with the added performance,
and you have a PC that should last you quite awhile. Regular laptops can
struggle with becoming obsolete relatively quickly due to the lower quality
hardware and minimal performance they offer. When you purchase a gaming PC it
can be a great investment for the future because they can often last for
several years and can keep up with most of the system requirements of new
programs.
Dedicated graphics card
One of the biggest hardware differences
between a regular and gaming PC is the addition of a graphics card. Regular PCs
generally utilize an integrated graphics processor that is built directly into
the CPU. While this can work just for normal day-to-day tasks, an integrated
graphics processor provides considerably less performance than a dedicated one.
Almost any gaming PC you see on the market
will have a dedicated graphics card inside of it. A graphics card is an
integral piece of any gaming build because it’s so heavily relied on. A key
part of almost any video game is going to be its graphics and processing
graphics is a heavily demanding task. But graphics processing isn’t just for
video games either, the graphics card is also utilized when using a graphics
design program, rendering and editing video footage, and a load of other tasks.
These graphic intensive tasks put a lot of
demand on the graphics processor and the performance it provides. That’s why
it’s extremely important to have a dedicated graphics card, so that your PC is
never bottlenecked by slow graphics processing.
Disadvantages
Cost and budgets
It’s no secret that a gaming PC will cost you
more money upfront than a regular PC. However, the additional money is buying
you more performance, a computer that will last much longer and retain its
usefulness over the years, and much fewer limitations on what programs you can
and can’t use.
A regular computer might last you for a couple
years before beginning to run into performance issues, but if you only need to
use it minimally then it might be the choice for you. A gaming PC will provide
hardware that will last much longer and keep up with the increasing performance
demands of new software and programs.
Can a gaming desktop be used for
work?
Yes, a gaming PC can absolutely be used for
work as long as it meets the minimal requirements that were brought up in the
resource demand section. An entry level gaming PC should have no problem
handling the requirements of a low or medium demand job. It should have ample
resources to fulfill any needs you would have, while also providing you decent
performance in most games as long as you don’t want to play them at maximum
settings.
Things can get a little trickier when talking
about the high demand jobs though. The programs and tasks in the high demand
group are directly tied to the performance of your machine. Many of the tasks
you need to perform are large processes that utilize a large amount of
computational resources. This means that the more resources you have available,
the faster the process can go.
So yes, gaming PCs are an excellent option
when looking for a machine that can provide you with excellent performance and
can handle resource intensive tasks and programs.
A Step By Step Guide on How to Build a Gaming Desktop Computer
Building your own custom gaming PC can be a
complex but rewarding process. It’s also a great way to learn more about
computers and how they are put together. This can come in handy later down the
road when your machine needs upgrades or replacement parts, and you can simply
swap out your hardware instead of purchasing a new rig.
The most important part in putting together
your custom gaming PC is understanding the parts and pieces that go into your
build. In this guide you will learn what kind of hardware you will need, how to
plan your build, and tips on assembling your gaming PC.
Typical Hardware in a Gaming PC
The hardware required to run a gaming PC is
all pretty similar, there are some small variations and different types of
equipment, but this guide will focus on the general core pieces that will get
your build up and running with no issues.
Computer Case
A computer build requires a case to house all
of your other hardware within it. While there aren’t any strict requirements on
computer cases, it's best to stick with an ATX case for your build as there can
be some size issues if you go smaller. The ATX is the standard size for most
computer builds, and provides some of the best flexibility when it comes to
hardware choices.
Power Supply
The power supply is exactly what it sounds
like, it supplies power to your entire gaming PC. The required wattage of your
power supply will be highly dependent on your other hardware choices, the
biggest influencers being your motherboard/CPU combination and your graphics
card. Before purchasing a power supply check the technical specs of those parts
to make sure your power supply meets the minimum watt requirements.
Power supplies come in three different
variations, modular, semi-modular, and normal. A modular power supply allows
you to pick and choose which cables you want to connect within your computer
case, this can be a great way to ensure your computer build is clean and free
of excess cables.
A semi-modular power supply has only the core
required cables permanently attached to it, and gives you the option to add
additional cables similar to the modular power supply. Finally, the normal
power supply has all cables permanently attached to the casing so you can pick
and choose what cables you want in your build. This can add some clutter to
your build, but if you aren’t too worried about excess cables then you can save
some money with this option.
Motherboard/CPU
The motherboard and CPU are technically two
separate components, however they are tied together by socket type
requirements. CPUs are designed to fit certain socket types, whether you choose
an AMD or an Intel CPU, each CPU will only fit a single socket. It can be a
good idea to choose which CPU you want to use in your build before picking out
a motherboard. Once you have a CPU in mind, take note of the socket type listed
and then search for a compatible motherboard with the features you want.
RAM (Random Access Memory)
Your RAM choices will be pretty dependent on
the motherboard you choose. Every motherboard is compatible with a certain
range of RAM speeds as well as having a limit on how much RAM it can house.
Check to see what RAM speed your motherboard is compatible with and then see
how many dedicated RAM slots it has available. Motherboards will generally have
2-4 slots available for RAM, and you don’t have to use them all. In fact, most
gaming rigs can get away with 8-12GB of RAM without having any issues.
Graphics Card
While some CPUs come with an integrated
graphics processing unit (GPU) and can work without a graphics card, almost all
gaming PCs will have a dedicated graphics card. Integrated graphics can’t get
anywhere close to the performance a standalone GPU offers. Since a gaming PC is
generally built to provide excellent performance and handle resource intensive
tasks, an integrated GPU just doesn’t fit well into a build.
The GPU market is dominated by two companies,
NVIDIA and AMD. These companies both offer excellent performance and quality
when it comes to hardware, however NVIDIA is more well known for providing
premium features such as Ray Tracing. Don’t sleep on AMD though either, Radeon
GPUs can provide similar performance and quality with a smaller price tag.
Hard Drives
The final piece of hardware you will need to
complete your computer build is a place to install your operating system and
store all of your files. Hard drives come in two different types, Solid State
Drives (SSD) and Hard Disk Drives (HDD). HDDs are the older and slower of the
two, but they supply a higher amount of storage room for less. SSDs are a newer
type of hard drive that is similar to the SD cards you would use in a digital
camera or your smartphone. These hard drives are incredibly fast and allow your
system to boot up within seconds.
It’s highly recommended to incorporate a
smaller SSD at minimum for your gaming PC. This will allow you to install your
OS and some main programs on the SSD, and then you can utilize a cheaper HDD to
store the rest of your files, documents, and programs.
SSDs have come down in price considerably, so
you might be able to find a 1TB or higher at a reasonable price and then you
can simply enjoy having a single hard drive with amazing performance.
Product Selection and Planning
Now that you have a basic grasp of all the
hardware it takes to run a gaming PC, it’s time to plan your build and select
the products you want to incorporate into your custom gaming PC.
Before getting into the parts selection,
consider what you will want to use the PC for. The most obvious answer is
“gaming”, but are there other uses you may want to utilize it for as well? It
has become extremely popular to stream and record yourself while gaming, and if
that is something you will want to do then you should consider that while
selecting parts.
Some games can be pretty resource demanding,
and if you plan on streaming then it will become that much more resources
intensive. It’s important to consider this while picking out the parts that
will provide you with your performance. No one wants to have a brand new
computer that suddenly can’t keep up with everything demanded of it.
1.CPU Selection
Start out by choosing which CPU you want to
incorporate into your build. There are two companies that provide desktop CPUs,
Intel and AMD. You can get excellent performance out of either brand, but Intel
is the more established company that is seen as a ‘premium’ option. AMD has
garnered a reputation of being more affordable, but that doesn’t mean they
offer any less performance. In fact if you take a look at many of the CPU
benchmarks you will notice that most of AMDs CPUs are on par with Intel.
Once you choose which brand you will want to
go with, you should do some research and check benchmarks like this
to compare your different options. Once you find a CPU that matches
your criteria and price point, check the socket type and use that for the next
step.
2.Motherboard Selection
When shopping for a motherboard you should
first use the socket type of your CPU to filter your selection and then begin
looking at the other features they offer. Features to keep in mind while
choosing your laptop include:
●RAM slots - Usually come in
variations of 2 or 4.
●Input selections - Do you need
specific connections for your peripherals such as an optical audio output or
USB 3.0?
●PCI slots and variations - You
will need a PCI slot for your graphics card for sure, and if you choose to add
additional equipment they may also require a PCI or PCI express slot as well.
●SATA and eSATA - How many hard
drives will you be using? Will you be incorporating an eSATA SSD?
These are some of the things you should keep
in mind while browsing motherboards. You shouldn’t worry too much about monitor
connections as your graphics card will be providing those.
3.Graphics Card Selection
There is a pretty wide variety of graphics
cards to choose from and you shouldn’t have to worry about having many
limitations. The only things that might limit your selection is the size and
power requirements of the card itself. The size will be limited to the space in
your computer case, but if you went with a normal ATX or larger case then you
shouldn’t have any issues.
The power requirements will change how big of
a power supply you will need to have, which is why selecting your graphics
cards is one of the first things on the list. Several websites offer benchmarks
and comparisons between graphics cards, so using a list like this can help you find the right card for you.
Keep in mind that you will not want to go
cheap on your graphics card if you are going to use your custom gaming PC to
stream or record while playing video games. Rendering and encoding your video
is pretty demanding on your graphics card, so you will need a card that offers
high performance.
4.Hard Drive and RAM Selection
Hard drives choices are pretty much entirely
up to what you want and can afford. SSDs are an excellent option when it comes
to offering high performance and a small form factor, but if you are really
into storing media and videos then you may want to consider a high capacity HDD
as a storage option.
RAM options will be dependent on your
motherboard’s speed compatibility and the amount of RAM slots it has available.
The amount of available RAM is more important than the speed of the RAM you are
using. In other words, you will get a lot more performance out of 16GB at
2666MHz, then if you had 8GB at 3600MHz. With this is mind you should see the
speed as more of a compatibility requirement rather than a performance
indicator.
5.Power Supply Selection
The final selection on this list is the power
supply. It’s located at the bottom of this list because the size of the power
supply is entirely dependent on the other hardware you choose. Before choosing
a power supply check the power requirements on your motherboard and CPU, as
well as your graphics card. These will be the two biggest factors in your power
supply choice.
The power supply types discussed earlier will
not affect the performance of your gaming PC, and are rather just for ease of
use and aesthetic purposes. So don’t worry if you can’t find a good choice in
modular or semi-modular power supplies, go with the one that fits your budget
and power requirements and your build will be just fine.
Putting it All Together
Assembling your gaming PC is the final step in
building your custom rig. Because a lot of parts and hardware require certain
setups, it’s difficult to provide direction on how to put it all together, but
here are some tips to help you assemble your own gaming PC.
●Watch a youtube video - Watching a
video on how to assemble your PC can give you a good idea on how things are
done and where things should go.
●Use anti-static mats - One of the
big risks while building your PC is damaging one of your components with stray
static electricity. Before handling any of your components make sure to ground yourself
and get rid of any static you might be conducting.
●Do not touch the CPU pins - The
CPU pins can be found on the underside of the CPU or in the socket on the
motherboard. Avoid touching these at all costs because a bent pin can be very
problematic and is very hard to fix.
Overclocking
You might have heard the term overclocking being thrown around by
your friends or online guildies, and while this guide won’t go in-depth into
it, just know that it’s a way to boost the performance of your hardware by increasing
the settings beyond the factory standards. Overclocking is more of an expert
level task and requires knowledge of some of the “under the hood” settings
within a computer’s Bios settings.
Increasing the performance of your custom
gaming PC through overclocking will increase the energy consumption as well as
the heat generated. So aftermarket cooling is generally required to counteract
the increase in temperature. Overclocking will also void most warranties on the
hardware, so do it at your own risk.
Wrapping Up
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed after
going through this article, don’t fret. Building a PC isn’t for everyone, it
can be time consuming, complicated and risky. But there are still excellent
alternatives to building your own custom gaming PC. TechFast offers
an excellent selection of high end pre-built gaming PCs that can provide you
the same performance as you’d get from building your own.
The best part about using TechFast is
that you still get a variety of customization options so you aren’t just
limited to a single PC design. You will save time and eliminate the risk while
still having access to a great variety of options and even a one year warranty
on all PC systems.
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