What is the Difference Between an Extreme Gaming PC and a Normal PC?
The most important component of a gaming PC is its video card. This is not an area to skimp on to save money. A top of the line video card, such as the most up-to-date versions of the ATI Radeon and the NVIDIA GeForce, is needed to keep your graphics from being choppy which would delay game play. Most video games require a higher-end video card to be played at even the most basic resolution level.
Memory is probably the second most essential component in a gaming PC. You have to have substantial memory to run the game, that expensive video card, and your sound card otherwise it will all be wasted money. For most games out there you will need at least 512 MB just to run the game at the lowest resolution level. However, 1 GB or higher is recommended for action packed games, such as first person shooter games, to be played at a higher resolution level.
Your processor speed is also of a concern, although not as much so as your video card and memory. You can usually run most games at a basic resolution level on an AMD Sempron, for example, but the performance will be greatly improved if you have a processor such as an AMD XP, AMD 64, or a Pentium 4.
A good sound card is also of great importance. In many games you must be able to clearly hear commands or instructions to help you. Although you can play the game just as well with a low-end sound card, if you are going to spend money on a gaming PC anyway you might as well make it worth your expense by receiving the best experience possible.
Your monitor, keyboard, and mouse need to be looked as well. A monitor that has a good response time, such as a high-end CRT is a great choice for a gaming computer. Size may also matter to you if you want to be more “in the game”. You also need a smooth running mouse, preferably an optical one, and a keyboard that does not stick easily. You could run right into enemy fire or be unable to switch weapons quickly enough if your keys tend to lock up.
These are the main features that need to be looked at when choosing or building a computer for extreme gaming. The rest is up to you. If you have extra money to spare, after you have build the inside of your dream machine, you can work on a specialized outer casing which can have many great features of its own. But remember to save this for last. Do not get lower-end products for the inside of your computer, which will compromise your gaming performance, just to make the outside look great.
