You’ve just downloaded the newest game to your laptop that every Youtuber you follow has been playing. It’s an exciting day – or at least, it should be. However, your game isn’t running so well, and your computer is getting really hot.
It’s probably time that you upgraded to a gaming computer if you want to continue playing the newest releases. But what is a gaming computer, and how does it differ from the standard models you see at Target?
Here’s what goes into making a computer a “gaming” one, and how you can get your own.
What Is a Gaming Computer?
As the name implies, a gaming computer is one made specifically for gaming. The reason you would want to purchase a gaming computer is that video games take a lot of power to run.
Standard laptops and Chromebooks aren’t built with the intent of processing huge loads. They’re built more for web browsing and running office programs like Word or Excel. While modern computers are also made to handle high-resolution video playback, video games are more complicated.
However, gaming computers aren’t only good for playing games. The components that go into them make your computer more powerful in every way possible. Even if you’re not a gamer, you should consider buying one.
While it may sound a little redundant at first, not everybody gets a gaming PC for gaming, and even if your main goal is gaming, there are still different levels of requirements depending on what kind of gaming you’re planning to do with it. Maybe you just want to enjoy some retro emulation or some casual online gaming. If you want to play the newest games you will need a system that has a lot of power.
Designers, artists, and editors also use gaming PCs most of the time, thanks to the sheer power they offer, and the low price when compared to a “creator’s” computer. A lot of the software creative professionals use is GPU accelerated and consumes a lot of RAM.
If you want to be a streamer then you have to consider the resources that will be consumed just for streaming, and what will still be available for your real gaming. For this reason, we also recommend using more than just one computer to handle streaming while gaming. This way you can dedicate the entire power of your gaming PC to just gaming and leave the streaming part in a separate computer.
Still, what we are trying to say here is that depending on the use you intend for your gaming computer, you need to find a different set of resources. Knowing this is the first step in getting a prebuilt gaming PC.
Why You Need More Power
The video game sector is huge. Even though many people are unaware of the fact, it’s actually larger than both the movie and music industries.
You have content for kids, adults, and everything in between. VR gaming has been growing rapidly, and you have massively multiplayer online games that have their own economies. Some types of cryptocurrency have also integrated themselves with the gaming community.
With all of these advances and changes also come improvements in the types of games created and the kind of power needed to run them.
One of the biggest games released this year was Elden Ring. That game alone requires a minimum of 12 gigabytes of RAM and an Intel Core i5-8400 processor. Most lower-end computers only come with 8 gigabytes of RAM.
A lot of times this is an important component in which some manufacturers decide to save some money. It can be extremely dangerous to use a cheap power supply or one that is not able to deliver enough power for your entire build.
Modern GPUs can get very power-hungry, and while you could use them on some cheaper power supplies, as soon as you start squeezing more power out of your computer they will not cut it. There are some great tools online you can use to verify if the power supply is good enough for powering all the components, like Sea Sonic’s Wattage Calculator.
It is good to go beyond what you’d need when getting a PSU, this will make it safer to get your system running. A low-quality PSU can mess things up pretty bad even if it’s technically enough for your specs. Using an unqualified PSU can burn out the rest of your components and cost you a lot in the long run.
Gaming Computer Components
If you’re considering buying a new computer gaming setup, you should know what components are more important than others.
For example, you could have the best CPU and GPU on the market, but they won’t manage much if you don’t have enough RAM. You also need to make sure that you have the right motherboard if you plan to make any improvements in the future.
When it comes to building your own computer, these are just some of the things you’ll need to purchase.
When to Build a Gaming Computer
Sure, you can buy an all-in-one gaming computer or a gaming laptop, but most of them are difficult or impossible to upgrade. If you want something that you can upgrade over time, you should try building one.
It’s helpful if you ever need to replace a failing part without sending it to the manufacturer. In some cases, building a computer is actually more affordable than buying an equivalent model online.
Some websites let you order a custom build, which is helpful for those who aren’t too savvy with technology or are not positive what is a gaming computer and what components go in it. Don’t forget to buy the necessary gaming accessories to go with your new computer, like a high-resolution monitor and stereo speakers.
Where to Start
If you are going to build your own gaming PC, you need to start with knowing what is a gaming computer and then you should start with the case!
Being a PC gamer means a lot more than just playing your games mainly on a PC. One of the main things about being a PC gamer is the desire to tinker around and experiment with your software and hardware. A big part of this is building your own gaming PC, so it is important to know how and where to start.
Getting good quality parts for your gaming PC is key, and today we are going to talk about one of the most basic elements of your gaming PC: the case. But keep in mind that first, we have to explain that there are some differences between your average PC Case and a Gaming PC Case. So now you may be wondering what a gaming PC case is, right? Well, let’s talk about it.
Computer Gaming Tower
You can’t build a computer without a gaming computer case. A gaming computer tower functions as the body that houses all the important components. In general, you want one big enough to house all of your internals as well as the necessary openings for your cooling system.
Gaming PC Case 101
As you know, while every gaming PC can do anything a normal computer can, not every computer can do what a gaming PC does. A lot of what we are capable of with gaming PCs comes from the way they are built and designed. There are real design reasons behind a lot of the crazy, and sometimes even wacky, elements you see on most gaming PCs.
Getting a good Gaming PC Case ensures your computer components will stay alive and healthier for a longer time. If you’re reading this, chances are you already have at least a vague idea of what a gaming PC case is. You surely know how they usually look, but why do they look like this? Well let’s take a look at a few examples and dissect why are they made this way.
Smart Design
This is the Corsair Crystal 680X RGB Computer Case, and as you can see, it clearly is nothing at all like the average desktop computer you’d see in an office. Starting with all the glass and fans, many elements catch the eye, but they are actually pretty useful for the PC gamer.
There are four fans integrated already in the case, and sure, the three on the front are filled with RGB, but that doesn’t mean they are for decoration.
All these fans are especially located and designed to work in sync to ensure a great airflow for all the inner components of your computer. They aren’t just intended to get the warm air out, but also to get fresh in, and cycle it through the entire computer.
Accessibility and Organizing
Here we have the Redragon Steeljaw GC608 as you can see it is a bit more extravagant than the past one. Especially with that dragon design and crazy RGB all over the place. But there are even more glass panels in here too. And it’s good to note that the location of the fan coolers is also pretty different from the last one.
But why do pretty much all of these gaming PC cases have glass panels all around? Well, it turns out they are incredibly handy.
In more ways than just aesthetics, having a glass panel that can help you keep an eye on your components means a lot to a PC gamer. This is especially useful when you have components with display monitors inside to keep everything in check, stuff such as the temperature and revolutions of the CPU fan can be displayed this way.
Even slightly less flashy cases like the Thermaltake Core X71 Tempered Glass Edition have a tendency for having glass side panels. As we mentioned before it’s not just about the aesthetics, but they can be pretty helpful in keeping an eye out on what’s really going up with our hardware.
They are also excellent for any quick adjustments or modifications we might need to do to our gaming PC. Whether you’re going to add a different part or check something specific about the ones you have already installed, having a clear view of the inner works is always great.
They are also pretty easy to open up or remove, allowing you to get your hands inside the computer in a matter of seconds, without looking for a screwdriver or any other tool.
Speaking of quick adjustments, you might also notice that this particular case has another compartment. This is pretty common to see in many gaming PC cases, and it is means that they have a lot of room for cable management and adding extra parts.
Keeping all the cables inside of your computer nice and tidy is more important than you might think. Going beyond pure aesthetics, keeping your cables organized is great for keeping them in the best condition and shape possible.
Obviously, the better condition your hardware is, the better it’ll work. And since you’re going to be investing good money on your parts, you better make sure they are kept safe right?
In some cases, the extra room for cable management is hidden by a different panel on the other side of the computer. This is excellent to keep the many cables hidden. Even when well-managed, fewer cables hanging around always look way better.
Liquid cooling and IO
And to wrap things up we have The Tower 900 by Thermaltake, as you can see you don’t always need to have tons of RGB to have a great gaming PC case. You can add them later anyway.
You’ll notice right away that this case combines all the elements we’ve previously mentioned, and it also has other two important things present in most modern gaming PC cases.
One of these elements is having a pretty accessible and complete IO on the front of the case. This is great for gamers that use external drives, wired headphones, or simply like to connect some external hardware to their gaming PC. you should never underestimate the importance of having good, accessible IO on your computer case. But cases like this one actually stand out by their cooling possibilities. Believe it or not, this case can accommodate over 10 fan coolers.
But we also have to mention just how important it can be for modern gaming PC cases to have good compatibility with water cooling. It is one of the best and most popular ways to cool modern computers. Keep in mind that this is not really for the beginners at building PCs, as it can get quite complicated sometimes.
Cases like The Tower 900 here have great accommodations for the tubing inside the computer. After all, adding water cooling means that a good gaming PC case needs to have that extra space to accommodate the reservoirs, the pumps, and all the tubing you’ll need for your computer.
At the end of the day, gaming PC cases need to be reliable and have great build quality. It will be housing expensive components that need to be kept safe. Investing in a good computer case is just as important as any of the other parts of the computer.
After all, you can think of your gaming PC case as the house of your computer. You wouldn’t want all your precious parts to live in the dumps. Getting them a house with all their needs covered is the best thing you can do for them. And here at Nerdy Ape Gaming, we’ll be your real estate agent helping you get the best house for your gaming PC. Check out all our gaming PC cases, components, and much more at NerdyApeGaming.com!
Motherboard
If the case is the body, then the motherboard is the brain. All of your components plug into the motherboard. However, not all of them are compatible with one another.
If you’re building your own computer, make sure you match up your motherboard with the other pieces.
RAM
RAM is your computer’s memory. You’ll need more RAM if you intend to run multiple programs and processes at once. Without enough, your computer may stutter or stall when loading or switching between windows and programs.
Most computers come with 8 gigabytes by default, but upgrading to 16 gigabytes should be more than enough for your everyday gaming use.
CPU
Your CPU, or computer processing unit, determines speed. A higher CPU means faster load times and lets you run more powerful games. If you’re upgrading your computer, this is what you should purchase next after getting the minimum RAM you require.
GPU
The GPU, or graphics processing unit, handles image and video rendering. Many standard CPUs come with integrated graphics, but gaming computers often have them separate.
For most gaming, you can expect to spend anywhere from $200 to $500 for a new graphics card. Higher-end cards will cost over a thousand, though.
Storage
If you’re a PC gamer, then chances are good that you will want to have a lot of games downloaded and ready to play. You’ll need a lot of storage for that task.
However, you should spend a little extra and get an SSD instead of an HDD. An HDD is a standard hard drive that has slower read times, which means things take longer to load. A solid-state drive, or SSD, is much quicker which helps you jump into gaming.
Cooling
High-end video games take a lot of power to run, and that generates a lot of heat in your computer. Most CPUs come with cooling systems, but you should look into buying a better one if you intend to overclock it.
CyberPowerPC recently announced a new air circulation design that allows users to open and close different vents to meet their demands.
Look For a Future Proof Built
One thing common about computers is that they need to be upgraded from time to time. Even if it is something really small, you’ll need to be able to upgrade your computer at some point. As we mentioned when talking about the computer being user-serviceable, you need to make sure you can upgrade your computer.
Also, try to make sure its IO works for you. Your computer needs to have all the ports you need available for you. It is great if there’s a good amount of front IO available for you. But also make sure there are enough USB ports in the back too. Keep in mind that you will also need display ports, thunderbolts, internet, audio, who knows, anything you need.
This is important to make sure your prebuilt gaming computer works for you, as chances are you are going to use it A LOT.
These are some of the things you will need to know about when buying a prebuilt gaming PC. But we always do recommend that you do in-depth research on everything about your prebuilt gaming PC.
Sure, we know that a lot of people go for a prebuilt gaming PC to skip all the trouble of buying the individual components and having to build it all from the ground up. But you should always make sure you know what you are buying, and don’t worry, it is actually a pretty fun thing to do!
While you’re researching what you want in your prebuilt gaming computer, make sure to take a look at our store Nerdy Ape Gaming, where you’ll find the best-prebuilt gaming computers at the best price. And if you are in for the challenge of building your own PC, we have you covered too. We are your one-stop shop for everything gaming-related!
Upgrade Your Rig
What is a gaming computer to the average consumer? It’s a more powerful option that can handle whatever task you throw at it. Whether you’re a gamer or a video editor, it’s worth the investment for faster speeds and more processing power.
Whether you buy a pre-built gaming desktop or laptop or you are building your own, you want to make sure it is upgradeable. Is there room to add more memory? Room to change out the motherboard, fans or power supply? All things to consider if you want this computer to last you for years. If you cannot upgrade, you will eventually have a huge paper weight.
When it is time to find your next gaming computer, head on over to Nerdy Ape Gaming for deals in computer components, gaming desktops, laptops, and more. We can help you get set up with the right accessories and upgrade to improve your overall gaming experience.
Check out our stock of computer components online or reach out if you have any questions about what to buy.