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Computers for Gaming

by User:cmelgarejo @timeAndDate(1282337268) When people think of gaming, they usually think of consoles like the Wii, the PlayStation, or the Xbox 360, but a gaming computer can also be an awesome piece of hardware. No matter what kind of computer you are interested in, you can find a powerful rig for all your zombie killing, character leveling, and civilization destroying needs.

PC Or Mac?

For the most part, PCs are the go-to system for gaming. More games have been released for them than for Mac and often the Mac release dates are much later.  Because of the introduction of Mac OS X, there are plenty more games that can run on these systems, but many still need Microsoft Windows to function properly. Overall, Macs are not recommended as gaming computers. After all, you always hear of a "PC gamer," but there's not really an Apple counterpart.

Paying Attention to System Specs

PC games are different from console video games in that you have to pay attention to system specifications when buying them. What does that mean?  Well, console games are automatically made to work on the system they are created for. You don't ever have to worry about whether a ATI, and you'll want one that can handle the graphics like a champ, otherwise it may suffer from decreased speed or corrupted images; the game may even just refuse to run. * '''Operating System''': This refers to the operating system your computer is running; do you have Windows XP, Windows 7, or a dinosaur running Windows 95? Certain games will only be compatible with certain OSs. * '''Resolution''': Resolution is the width and height your screen's image can be set to. For example, a regular-sized tube monitor can't run as large of a resolution as a widescreen monitor. You could try upping the settings, but the edges of the screen would seem to stretch outside of the monitor. Some games may need to run in a specific resolution. * '''Network''': This is becoming more and more frequent: a lot of games need internet connections. It's basically the connection you have, whether dial up, broadband, or cable.

Minimum Specs

When buying or building a computer for gaming, you should have these numbers as your baseline. * '''CPU''': Pentium or Athlon Dual Core Processor. * '''Memory''': 2 gigabytes. * '''Video Card''': NVidia GeForce 8600/ ATI HD2600 Pro (these two cards are from separate manufacturers, but have about equal performance). * '''Operation System''': Windows XP or better. * '''Resolution''': This varies greatly (and some games don't have a minimum on resolution), but usually it's 1024 X 720. * '''Network''': Broadband connection.

Pre-Built Systems

You don't always need the most expensive or craziest rig to run everything; a lot of developers are making games that will work on older models. Still, having the most update computer now means you'll be able to run newer games at least into the next five years or so without any problems.  You can pick up a Dell or an HP with a souped up graphics card and a large amount of memory, and for the most part you will be fine. However, if you're going for a true gaming experience, there are companies who make computers that serve just that purpose, but they run a lot more expensive than the ones you'll find in Best Buy. These companies include: * Alienware * Velocity * CyberPower * Widow Which do you need? Well, if you are a hardcore gamer and enjoy spending your time and money on a monster of a rig that you can show off to all your friends, go with one of the highspecific companies. But if you don't care about all the extras and just want something to run the newest releases, the updated hardware from the more standard companies will be just fine.

Upgrading: Graphic Cards and Memory

Even if you buy a brand new computer for gaming, you are always going to have to keep upgrading as technology improves. That's the great thing about hardware, though: you can always swap parts no problem and buy what will suit your needs. The two major things you'd have to upgrade are graphic cards and memory. * Memory is the easiest to upgrade. Lots of computers nowadays have more than one memory slot so you can add more without backing up and removing the one that's already installed. * Graphic cards can be more difficult to find. Rule of thumb: Don't go for the top card on the market (unless you obsess about stuff like that). Chances are it's so powerful your games won't even utilize everything it has to offer. ** You can spend around $150 to $300 max and still get a good graphics card that will run newer games for a few years. ** Check out Videocard Benchmark for charts of all the latest graphic cards. It lists cards from best to worst, so you know exactly where yours falls and what you can upgrade to. * Shop online or in stores at places that specialize in computer parts. Usually, they have more reasonable prices and run better sales than your bigger generic electronic stores.

Gaming Accessories

After you've bought your system, if you really want to geek out you are going to want the best accessories and peripherals.

Related Guides

* Graphics Cards * Computers Accessories * Desktop Computers and Monitors * Blizzard * Computer Role Playing Games