Computers have been the most popular platform for gaming for quite a while. There are a lot of reasons why they’re so notorious between us gamers as the best machine to run games on. They’re the peak-performing, gaming-capable pieces of hardware, they’re highly customizable. They provide different levels of immersion with support for high refresh rate displays, widescreen aspect ratios, and an abundance of tools like DMA cards that help raise your overall experience. You may be wondering what is a DMA card? and how can it improve my gameplay? These cards are designed to enable certain components within your PC to communicate directly with the main system memory, meaning this completely bypasses the CPU, speeding up the data transfer process. If you’re curious to learn more about DMA cards and how they can be used in improving gameplay you can search for DMA game cards online.
With such an impressive set of feats, most of the uninitiated folks think that PC gaming is hard to get into because of the big budget needed to afford a gaming rig and for the skills required to build one. These are common misconceptions. We’re ready to convince you that a cheap gaming PC is easier to get than you think, it’s also the best way to enjoy any type of video game.
Building your own PC
Building your own PC lets you pick the parts you want for the budget you have. The first thing you should think about is what resolution and frame rates are ideal for the type of game that you’re interested in. Once that’s decided, you can check benchmarks to find the hardware that brings the best value for your choice.
Check for benchmarks for the games you want to play. So, if you’re interested in playing a certain game, like Battlefield V or Escape from Tarkov, just search for a CPU and GPU combo and type benchmark afterward. The GPU is the component with the most impact in terms of gaming performance, so here’s where you want to invest most of your money. Any mid-range CPU should be able to handle any AAA title with ease, and 16 GB of RAM will have you covered for the next few years.
Before assembling your PC, make sure to do your homework. There are a ton of helpful videos on Youtube that take you through every step of the way, from installing the CPU to putting RGB LED strips (if that’s your thing). You can also upgrade in the future, so you don’t have to spend a lot now if you don’t have the budget for it. Just get a good motherboard and next year you can just buy the parts that you want to upgrade.
Buying a Prebuilt PC
Prebuilt systems are oftentimes more expensive than building your own rig, but that’s not to say that they’re inherently bad. If you go with a good manufacturer like Falcon NorthWest or iBuyPower you will be able to buy a good gaming PC that’s already decked out with the best hardware on the market.
You can also buy custom-cooled systems for ultra-high performance, but we feel like we should emphasize that all prebuilt systems from reputable manufacturers are much more expensive than the DIY alternative.
Game Streaming
While PC gaming isn’t exactly unaffordable, it is more expensive than the alternatives. Developers like Nvidia and Google planned to give everyone a cheap and high-quality PC gaming experience under the form of a subscription, cloud-based gaming service.
Nvidia GeForce Now and Google Stadia give you the option to rent a remote desktop and run games via the internet. Note that you need a high-bandwidth network, so a high-speed internet connection is required for a playable latency and good image quality.
If you have a subscription and a good internet connection, then you can rent and stream games from a remote PC to a device of your choice, whether it’s a notebook or a tablet. You should at least have a 1920×1080 display with a refresh rate of at least 60 fps if you’re planning on using game streaming services. Oh, and stay away from Google Stadia for the moment.
Wait for Future Gadgets
Gaming is constantly evolving. If you like the idea of the Nintendo Switch but are disappointed by the seemingly child-targeted game library, then rejoice. Alienware is currently working on a portable gaming device that’s compatible with PC titles, dubbed the Alienware Concept UFO. This shows us that high-quality gaming can soon come to your pocket without the input lag associated with streaming devices. It’s really a great time to be a gamer.
Conclusion
Gaming is a great hobby. 2020 is a year that gives gamers plenty of options to enjoy PC titles. Whether you’re a fan of the mouse and keyboard or you’re into the thrills that come with playing motorsport simulators, you now have access to hardware with big-enough firepower to enjoy highly-immersive experiences. Get some good peripherals, a high-quality display, and PC gaming can leave you with amazing experiences.