The Advantages of Building your own Gaming PC

As has already been established, custom gamingand it is recommended that you research these
computer systems can offer wonderfulthings before making your final decision. Moreover,
performance numbers and sleek styling, but theythe performance and configuration that you are
can often be cost-prohibitive. Furthermore, evenultimately looking for will determine your
non-custom computer systems can representmotherboard selection. How much system
more than you are looking to spend, and thememory to you plan on running? What type of
component quality is not always up to par. Forgraphics card and interface are you leaning
gamers looking to achieve the highest possibletowards? The current industry standard is PCI
performance at the lowest cost, building their ownExpress, so if you plan on running more than one
gaming system has become a more viable option,of these cards, your selection of acceptable
especially when a tower is all that is needed.motherboards narrows considerably. Once you
One of the key advantages to building your owndetermine exactly which components you plan on
gaming system is the cost efficiency of it. If youusing with your system, selecting the right
know where to shop for your components, youmotherboard becomes significantly easier.
stand to spend a great deal less moneyYou will want to determine fairly early how much
assembling your system than you would for asystem memory, or RAM, you plan on using with
comparably-powered, pre-made computer gamingyour system. This decision will help determine
system. Furthermore, the statement above iswhich of several main components you will end up
true: creating your own gaming system allowspurchasing. If you plan on using your new
you to closely monitor the quality of individualcomputer system primarily for gaming, it is
components. Many computer manufacturers willrecommended that you purchase and run at least
save money on the manufacturing of their1GB of RAM. The old level of 512MB of RAM
systems by cutting corners in specific hardwaresimply is no longer acceptable for most heavy
areas, from motherboards to onboard audio. Bygaming applications, especially when the rest of
purchasing each component separately, you areyour system utilizes so many resources. For
afforded the opportunity of comparing thehigher-end gaming, or if you plan on running most
reviews and reputations of each piece andgames at their highest possible graphical level, you
determining which brand or incarnation will be bestwill probably want to upgrade to 2GB or RAM.
for your system. It is possible and recommendedDDR2 is the latest memory standard. DDR stands
to create a system using only the highest-qualityfor dual data rate, and it essentially means that
parts by purchasing each piece separately andthe memory operates at a higher overall speed
assembling the gaming rig yourself.than traditional SDRAM. DDR SDRAM itself is
How do you Go about Building your ownrated at several different speeds, so check the
Computer?specifications on your motherboard to see which
Once you decide to build your own gamingmemory speed it supports.
system, how exactly do you go about it in anOnce you determine your ideal storage device
efficient and effective manner? The first stepconfiguration (DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, hard drives,
seems simple enough, but it is often the one thatetc.), one of the last ways that you can directly
proves most problematic in the long run:impact your new gaming system's performance is
determine what you are looking for from yourthrough its graphics card. As stated previously,
system right at the outset. Do you want to gothe current standard in terms of graphics card
for a complete top-of-the-line gaming monster, orinterface is PCI Express as it allows for the
would you prefer to keep the setup at a moregreatest transfer speed between card and
cost-effective midrange level? Do you plan onmotherboard. Furthermore, both of the major
running multiple monitors separately, or will agraphics chipset manufacturers, nVidia and ATi,
standard display setup suffice? What types ofnow offer support for multiple-card configurations.
activities do you see yourself doing on yournVidia calls their particular offering SLI, and ATi
newly-assembled computer system? Is gamingrefers to theirs as Crossfire. By running multiple
going to be chief among those activities? Oncegraphics cards together, you stand to dramatically
you determine exactly what you want from yourincrease your gaming system's 3D-processing
new computer system, you can start looking atcapabilities, greatly boosting the gaming potential
individual components.of your new computer. In fact, nVidia now offers
The logical place to start when looking atquad-SLI technology, allowing users to
computer components is the central processingsimultaneously run four graphics cards. Obviously,
unit, or CPU. The CPU is the heart of yourthe cost and heat output associated with doing so
computer system, and every other decision fromis quite high, so this option is not for everybody.
memory to motherboard will be based on yourThe debate between nVidia cards and ATi cards
choice at processor. The most important factor inis a subject for another discussion; their rivalry is
selecting the proper processor remains thealmost as storied as the Intel-AMD rivalry, and
cost-to-performance ratio. As mentioned in anthere are stalwarts on both sides that will not be
earlier article, AMD's latest dual-core 64-bitswayed. However, determining which video card
processors represent the pinnacle of technologicalconfiguration you plan on using will ultimately
achievement, at least for the time being. Thedecide which motherboard, computer case, and
performance numbers generated by thesepower supply that you end up purchasing.
processors indicate that the gaming experienceResearch, Research, Research!
found through them is unparalleled. However, atIf you have never before assembled your own
the highest end the cost for just the processor iscomputer system, it is recommended that you
over $1000. Obviously, not everybody is preparedresearch the process thoroughly before finalizing
to spend a grand on one particular componentany decisions. The components listed above will
regardless of how well it performs. It is stillgive you flexibility in terms of your system's
possible to get a very well-performing processorperformance, but there are other important
for significantly less money, one that will anchorcomponents to consider including storage devices,
your new gaming system for years to come.a computer case, and cooling solutions. This latter
Websites like NewEgg offer some of the bestis particularly important; today's components
prices in the industry for computer components,operate at drastically higher temperatures than
and they allow you to compare both price andtheir predecessors, so it is important to do so at
product reputation before buying.all costs. The actual assembly of the components
Once you have determined the type of processoris quite easy as they are primarily plug-and-play,
you will use in your gaming system, the next stepbut research is again recommended for those
is to select an adequate motherboard. Again, thewho have never done so or who are the least bit
key is to determine what it is that you wantuncomfortable with the process. If all else fails,
from your system. Certain motherboard chipsetsturn to a computer professional to handle the
work better with different types of processors,actual assembly of your new gaming system.