We all know that PC games have been on the rise for years now and it’s hard not to want to play them with the quality graphics they offer. However, you need a good computer in order to do so without any lag or bugs. But building your own computer can be quite difficult so I thought it would be helpful to go over what one needs in order to build their perfect gaming machine. Will you turn into a PRO Gamer after building your first DIY gaming rig? Off course not. But this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a powerful, durable machine that generates smooth graphics and high frame rates or some cool peripherals such as mice, keyboards, or durable headsets used by pro gamers.
In this article, we’re going to cover a bit of a general overview of how to build your gaming rig. After reading this, you’ll have a good idea on what’s needed and hopefully have more confidence in building your own PC. If you do decide to build your own machine, we highly recommend checking out try10.com. You can use this website to choose the best parts based on your budget and needs.
Building your own PC is not only highly satisfying but can also save you a decent amount of money in the long run. But we need to know what are the most important parts of a gaming pc.
So, let’s start from the beginning:
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The Motherboard
The motherboard is possibly the most important part of your gaming pc. It links all of your components together and can be pretty difficult to pick out. You need to make sure that it has the right socket type for both your cpu and ram, as well as what other capabilities it offers you. The motherboard will dictate the number of memory slots, usb ports, built-in capabilities (such as wifi), fan connectors and more. Be sure to read up on these things so you don’t regret your purchase later on.
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The CPU
Your CPU is basically the “brain” of your PC and is really important for gaming purposes. You need to make sure that whatever CPU you choose has a high enough speed in order to run games smoothly without any hiccups or lags. Also, there are different types of processors you can get such as an i3, i5 or i7 just like with laptops, however these CPUs will not be compatible with each other. An i5 CPU is great for gaming, in fact, it’s what we use. However, i7 processors offer a bit more power and can be helpful for other tasks that you might want to do.
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The Graphics Card
Your graphics card is probably the most important part when it comes to gaming (more than your CPU). You can pretty much forget about playing games with bad or no graphics capabilities. A good GPU will change your whole experience when it comes to gaming, even if you have an okay CPU and RAM because this component really makes all the difference. I recommend finding a GPU that has at least 4gb of dedicated video memory but the more, the better!
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The RAM
The amount of RAM you have is always going to be a bit subjective since it has different uses for some people and not others. However, the more the merrier in this case because if you want to switch from a few programs open at once, to playing some games with multiple tabs open on your browser while trying stream some music, you’re going to need all the memory you can get! Also, make sure that whatever ram you choose goes well with your motherboard’s chipset.
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Storage
This part doesn’t affect your gaming too much but it is definitely necessary nonetheless. You need somewhere to store your files and install your operating system which usually comes on a hard drive (HDD) or sometimes a solid state drive (SSD). HDDs offer more space for a cheaper price but they are slower and can’t hold as much information. SSDs are faster for a bit of a higher price tag, but the speed makes it well worth it! I recommend having an SSD as your main drive and an HDD as secondary storage to store files on.
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The Case
The case is not the most important part in building your own gaming pc, however it can still dictate how easy or difficult you find the whole process. There are tons of different cases out there so try to look around and see what’s best for you both aesthetically and functionally. Just make sure that whatever case you choose has plenty of places where you can put fans to keep your machine cool!
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Power Supply Unit (PSU)
The PSU is pretty important because it provides power to all of your components and if you don’t have enough it can cause a myriad of problems for your pc. Make sure to look up how much energy each part requires in order to avoid an overload which can damage any one of the components or even all of them. I’d recommend finding a PSU that provides at least 500Watts but around 600-700 watts would be better especially if you’re planning on adding more into your PC later on!
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Operating System (Optional)
You don’t technically need an operating system in order to build a computer, however it’s still something you might want to consider getting if you don’t have one already. You can buy Windows for a pretty low cost or even get it free these days so long as you have activated your copy of windows on another PC before! Also, some pre-build computers might come with an OS so be sure to check if the computer you are looking at has any kind of OS pre-installed when buying parts.
Conclusion
So there you have it, if you are looking to build your first gaming pc be sure to keep all of these things in mind. Although I do believe that this list might look a bit intimidating at first, the process is actually rather easy and fun so don’t be discouraged! Going through with the entire building experience just might be one of the most rewarding things you will ever experience as a techy or even as a gamer because it’s something you built yourself.
