Sunday, November 16, 2008

Designing a Custom PC Gaming System

By Tim Banks

When you finally want to customize your own personal computer for extreme playability and maximum output, then you would also want to make sure that you would be buying the right hardware, or at least the right prefabricated packages in your favorite computer store. Now, customizing your personal computer is not that hard, as long as you know what you want to do, you know what those hardware are for, and you know what to say to the personnel in the computer store.

First up, what kind of monitor should you get? Display is a very important factor that determines your level of enjoyment during game play. Forget about huge and chunky monitors of yesteryear, as they just won't do. Why not invest in something classy and tech savvy, such as an LCD monitor for your PC.

Why are LCD monitors the thing when it comes to your gaming needs. Obviously, LCD screens give off better color displays and higher resolutions. Plus, unlike CRT monitors that used to be the norm, these slim type screens do not emit high levels of radiation, so you don't risk damaging your eyes. If you are after portability and less bulk, then an LCD will be perfect for you; they take up very little space on your desk.

As for the graphic display, aim for at least 512 MB- then ask if you can still upgrade this later on if you are not satisfied with the game play. It all boils down to the number of slots in the motherboard, and whether the system would be able to cope with other added hardware in the future.

For the hard drive, of course you want space. Go ape on this one- get at least three hundred gigabytes of hard drive space for your computer. Not only would you be securing all the games that you want to install in your computer, you would also be able to load your computer with thousands of mp3s and mp4s and mpeg files for your viewing pleasure.

Also, be sure that you have a reliable and good quality DVD-R on your custom gaming PC. For people who can splurge on spending cash on boxed original versions of PC games, then an LG or Sony DVD-R should do the trick. Keep in mind that cheaper brands of DVD drives can tend to be unreliable, and might conk out without a moment's notice. What a bummer for gamers!

When there is a discussion on the type of processor needed for gaming, power and speed are top priorities. You should try to get the Intel Skulltrail, Intel Core Duo, or at least Pentium 4 for this. Anything less than Pentium 4 simply cannot support the type of gaming experience you look for. - 15478

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