Building the Ultimate PC Gaming Rig: A Complete Guide.
Gone are the days of plugging a console into your television, clunking in a game disc, and having your gaming world be limited to the few titles you own. With the world of PC gaming becoming more accessible and diverse than ever before, the time has come to give your gaming experience a major upgrade – by building the ultimate PC gaming rig.
The debate between PC and console gaming has been going on for years, and with both having their pros and cons, there’s no single answer that’s right for everyone. However, if you’re a serious gamer looking for the best possible performance, PC is the way to go. Here, we’ll take a look at the components that go into building the ultimate PC gaming rig, as well as why they’re important and how to choose the right ones.
The key to building the ultimate gaming PC lies in understanding your needs and budget. Sure, it’d be nice to have a rig with a Core i9-9900K processor, a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti graphics card and 16GB of RAM, but those components cost a lot of money. On the other hand, if you don’t need the very best components and are looking to save a bit of money, you can get away with something a bit less powerful, such as a Ryzen 5 2600 with an RX 580 and just 8GB of RAM.
The fact is, everyone’s needs and budget are different, so for our purposes here, we’ll look at a reasonable balance of good performance and value. That means choosing components that will provide excellent performance without breaking the bank. What’s more, we’ll also throw in a few extras along the way to make your gaming experience even more enjoyable.
The first step to building your ultimate gaming PC is figuring out what type of case you’ll use. Cases are available in a variety of sizes, ranging from mid towers to full towers, with various features like side panels, removable drive bays and more.
A mid tower case is the most common type, and they range in size from 18” to 22”. These are excellent for most gaming builds, since they give you plenty of room for your components, while still being small enough to fit on most desks. However, if you’re looking to do some serious overclocking, or you just want extra room for future upgrades, a full tower case might be a better choice.
When choosing a case, there are several factors to consider, besides size. Some important questions to ask are: does it have good airflow? Does it have enough drive bays for your storage needs? Does it come with cable management features? Does it have any added features that could come in handy?
When it comes to airflow, it’s important to ensure that your case is well-ventilated and has plenty of fan mounts. You’ll want to make sure that your components stay cool during intense gaming sessions, which is why having good airflow is so essential.
It’s also important to have plenty of drive bays, since you’ll likely be installing multiple hard disks and/or SSDs. Some cases have detachable drive bays, which can provide extra convenience when adding or removing hardware. Also, look for a case with cable management features. This will make organizing your cables much simpler, resulting in a neater and more professional-looking build.
Once you’ve chosen a case, the next step is picking out your processor, or CPU, and your motherboard. The processor is the brains of the system, and determines how fast your PC will run. It’s also the most important factor in determining how powerful your gaming rig can be.
When selecting a CPU, it’s important to consider two things: performance and budget. If you want to maximize the performance of your PC, you’ll need to invest in an Intel Core i7 or an AMD Ryzen 7/9 processor. These processors are significantly more powerful than budget options such as the Intel Pentium or AMD A-series.
In terms of budget, you could get away with spending $100-$200 for a mid-range processor that’s still plenty powerful for gaming. Of course, you can always spend more if you want the absolute utmost in performance.
One thing to keep in mind is that the more powerful the processor the more expensive the motherboard needs to be. This is because more powerful processors require more features and components to keep them running smoothly. As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to get a motherboard that’s at least as expensive as your processor.
Along with the processor, you’ll also need a graphics card. The graphics card is the “engine” of a gaming PC, and determines how well it can render graphics. It’s important to select a card that can handle whatever type of game you’re interested in playing. While you can get away with a beginner-level card such as the Nvidia GTX 1050 or AMD RX 560, we recommend investing in something more powerful such as the Nvidia GTX 1060 or AMD RX 580 if you want to enjoy more demanding games.
The more powerful the GPU, the more expensive it’ll be, so if you’re on a budget you can save a bit of money by opting for something slightly less powerful. That said, when it comes to gaming, you’ll still want to invest in a reasonably powerful GPU.
The next component you’ll need is RAM, or Random Access Memory. RAM is a must for gaming, as it determines how quickly data can be accessed from the hard drive. Generally speaking, you’ll want to get 8GB of RAM for most gaming PCs. If you’re doing a budget build, you could get away with 4GB, but 8GB is the sweet spot for most gaming builds.
Finally, to really finish off your PC gaming rig, you’ll need a decent monitor and perhaps a good gaming headset or speaker system. If you’re on a tight budget, you could get away with a basic 24” monitor, but if you want to make the most of your gaming experience, you’ll want to invest in something with a higher refresh rate and/or a larger display.
Gaming headsets and speakers are another great way to upgrade your gaming experience, as they can provide a significantly more immersive experience. Whether you choose a pair of headphones with a microphone, a 5.1 surround sound setup, or something in between, it’s something that most serious gamers will appreciate.
Building the ultimate gaming PC isn’t an easy task, but with the right components and a solid plan, you can create an awesome PC gaming experience that you’ll never want to give up. Whether you’re looking for an entry-level build or an ultra-high-end system, the key is to choose the components with your needs and budget in mind. Doing so will allow you to get the most out of your gaming PC and make every gaming session as enjoyable as possible.
So, what are you waiting for? Go out there and build the ultimate PC gaming rig today!