Know Your Gaming ComponentsWhether upgrading an existing PC or building one from scratch, knowing the essential gaming components will help guide your decisions. Ensure compatibility and future-proof your build by understanding CPUs, GPUs, RAM and storage - essential elements to success when building for gaming!
CPU (Central Processing Unit): As the central nervous system of your system, your CPU plays an essential role in providing instructions and assigning tasks to all other components. Therefore, upgrading this component should often be one of your first priorities when setting up a gaming rig.
Processor
An efficient CPU is one of the key elements in any gaming PC, impacting every aspect of system performance and helping you reach frame rates and resolutions you desire. When selecting your CPU, take into account how it will be used and any budget restrictions. Also be sure that both its compatibility with GPU aren't bottlenecking each other!
To find the appropriate processor, consider what requirements your games require of them. A more powerful CPU may be necessary than the GPU if you plan on playing high-demand titles that require high frame rates and resolution; otherwise, less costly options should suffice.
Intel and AMD are both competing to gain your attention with new gaming CPUs. While gamers might be tempted to choose between Team Red or Team Blue, your selection should depend on which CPU offers the best value within your budget. Take into account factors like maximum turbo frequency, core count and overclockability2. Overclocking2 allows you to increase your CPU clock speed allowing it to handle more tasks simultaneously.
Graphics Card
Gaming PCs rely on dedicated graphics processing units (GPUs) to render 3D game visuals, making the GPU the single most crucial factor when it comes to performance.
GPU performance depends on both budget and your gaming requirements. If you plan on playing AAA titles at their highest settings, top-of-the-line GPU and CPU will likely be necessary in order to reach desired frame rates; otherwise, midrange solutions should suffice.
Finding the GPU that's perfect for you requires conducting thorough online research on benchmark scores and reviews as well as games' recommended system requirements - these will all help guide your decision.
When selecting a GPU, take note of its VRAM capacity, clock speed, ray-tracing capabilities and monitor refresh rate support as well as features like FreeSync or G-Sync that synchronize frame rates with display refresh rates for smoother gameplay.
Once you've narrowed down your options, compare prices to ensure that they fall within your budget. Keep in mind that it's not necessary to splurge immediately on every component; upgrades can always be added later as your budget permits. For example, purchasing an entry-level GPU may suffice until your budget allows an upgrade later on if desired.
RAM
RAM (Random Access Memory) is one of the cornerstones of any gaming PC, responsible for quickly accessing data by both CPU and GPU to provide quick response times. Without adequate RAM available to the CPU and GPU, poor frame rates, long loading times and overall performance issues may arise as a result.
RAM memory specifications to consider when purchasing RAM are speed (in MHz) and capacity. The faster its read/write speeds are, the faster your RAM will read/write data. You should also ensure it fits with your motherboard. Some motherboards require specific types or maximum capacities of RAM memory modules for optimal operation.
There are other specifications you should take into consideration, such as timings (CAS latency). However, these don't have the same impactful impact as speed and capacity on performance. Furthermore, depending on how much overclocking you plan to do with your RAM modules, heat sinks may or may not be required depending on their intended overclocking power. While high-end gaming RAM kits often include one with heat spreaders to keep the modules cool; most gaming PCs do not require them as an accessory. XMP profiles in BIOS should always ensure your RAM runs at its rated speed; especially important if using newer processors which require faster memory speeds to function optimally.
Storage
Your gaming PC's storage is an integral factor in how quickly games load and run, reducing loading times and giving you access to higher frame rates with greater visual clarity.
Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) were once the standard, but solid-state drives (SSDs) now provide significantly faster read/write speeds, increasing game performance and decreasing load times. SSDs use NAND flash memory technology which eliminates moving mechanical parts to retrieve data more rapidly than HDDs.
Gaming-grade SSDs come in various sizes to fit the needs of gaming PCs. Selecting an SSD based on how many games you need to store and your willingness to sacrifice space for faster load times varies, with some SSDs reaching as much as 250GB but gamers typically opting for 1TB drives as their storage solution of choice.
Select a high-performance NVMe SSD, which connects directly to your motherboard and offers up to 3,500MB/s read/write speeds. NVMe storage devices are an excellent way to increase gaming performance as they offer significantly faster access to games, apps and operating systems compared with traditional HDDs and SSDs; however they may be more costly.
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