Monday, November 10, 2008

Designing a Custom PC Gaming System

By Tim Banks

Many game fanatics won't settle for just the basics when it comes to their choice of personal computers. If you like gaming, then you should carefully select the hardware and software you will use to build your own PC, which is not that difficult if you already know what you need.

Here is a good question to start off with: what type of monitor works best for gamers? As you may already know, display is a vital element if you want to maximize your gaming experience. If you would recall your very first PC monitor, you can only imagine how huge and bulky it appears compared to the cool LCD monitors of today.

LCD monitors are way better for a variety of reasons, besides the stunning display and obviously brighter colors. Unlike the older CRT monitors, the LCD screens emit less radiation, which is why they are more eye-friendly. Plus, they are slim, lightweight, easy to move around, and takes up less space on your desk or office. What more can you ask for in a gaming monitor for your long hours of game play?

As for the graphic display, aim for at least 512 MB- then ask if you can still upgrade this later on if you are not satisfied with the game play. It all boils down to the number of slots in the motherboard, and whether the system would be able to cope with other added hardware in the future.

Speaking of having enough, are you sure your hard drive can accommodate the demands of game storage? Consider getting a hard disk that is extra generous on space, because you will be likely to save thousands of songs, video clips, and files, not to mention installing your games which take up megabytes of space at a time.

Also, be sure that you have a reliable and good quality DVD-R on your custom gaming PC. For people who can splurge on spending cash on boxed original versions of PC games, then an LG or Sony DVD-R should do the trick. Keep in mind that cheaper brands of DVD drives can tend to be unreliable, and might conk out without a moment's notice. What a bummer for gamers!

When there is a discussion on the type of processor needed for gaming, power and speed are top priorities. You should try to get the Intel Skulltrail, Intel Core Duo, or at least Pentium 4 for this. Anything less than Pentium 4 simply cannot support the type of gaming experience you look for. - 15634

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