No matter what sort of tech you’re thinking about, it’s always tempting to go for the best of the best. The biggest, the fastest, the most complicated, all of these factors can enchant us with possibilities, but they can also leave us wasting money on elements we’ll never really use. This is just as true in the gaming space as it is anywhere else, where the difference between a system that is perfect for what you need and perfect for a hypothetical dream can be thousands of dollars. Here we want to look at some of the most common mistakes, to set users up to get more of their best options.
Know Your Goal
Before you set off looking at parts, you’re going to have a definite goal in mind. Without knowing what you’re looking for and what you need, it can be possible to completely overshoot your requirements. For a quick breakdown of how this works, let’s look at three different types of targets.
The first target is to play the most-demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and the Dead Space remake at the highest possible settings. When taking this route, going all in for some components like a CPU and GPU is fine, but other components are more complicated to choose from. For players interested in eSports titles like Counter-Strike or Overwatch, the most expensive CPU and GPU aren’t required at all, but monitors can again prove a more complicated part of the equation.
On the less demanding part of the spectrum, users could be turning to the types of online casino games featured on websites like Vegas Slots Online. Playing games like Bier Haus and Spin Island doesn’t require much more than the power needed to simply browse, to begin with. If users collect special features like deposit matches and free spins on websites such as CasinoUniverse and Spin Samurai, they’ll be ready to go. Even if branching out into other games like blackjack, roulette, or craps, the same applies to this level of gaming requirements.
CPU and GPU
For the keenest gamers, players will want the most cutting-edge 13 series Intel or Ryzen 9 AMD CPU. In terms of GPU, an RTX 4090 from Nvidia illustrates the top of the market, while AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the best from the other side of the aisle, according to Tom’s Hardware.
Mid-range eSports gamers can instead consider any mid-higher range Intel CPU from the 11th gen onwards, or the same range from AMD’s Ryzen 7 series upward. In terms of GPU, these gamers could turn to any card from Nvidia at or above the RTX 2070 level, or from AMD at the Radeon RX 6600 XT level upwards.
Gamers looking for casual browser games could be happy with any mid-range system, where even integrated graphics will often work without issue.
Monitor Matters
At the forefront of gaming, players will need to look towards screens capable of 144Hz output at 4K resolution. Additional necessary features here are G-Sync or Adaptive Sync compatibility, and a low response time (close to 1 millisecond). eSports gamers don’t have to worry so much about the resolution, but high refresh rates and low response times are also musts. Casual gamers can get away just fine with standard 1080p monitors, and response time won’t be an issue to worry about either.
Gimmicks and Game Changers
Looking at peripherals, there’s a lot out there that can overshoot needs, and for high-mid-level gamers, the difference in performance isn’t too profound. A good mechanical keyboard and eSports mouse are great fits for both these groups, and can really improve your in-game performance. Just be aware that mice with a huge number of features aren’t necessarily better for many games, as while they can suit MMORPG fans, they can prove frustrating gimmicks in other titles. As usual, a standard mouse is fine for casual gamers, though going wireless can be better for reducing cable management hassle.
With these elements in mind, you can head to a website like PCPartsPicker and build a system that you know will fit together without issue. Just remember to buy a surge protector as well, to prevent an overload in the case of bad luck. Follow this guide, and you’ll have more money for the important things, like the Star Wars merch that we’ve covered at Modern Man before. Good luck out there, and remember: it’s not the gear that makes the player.
