How to set up a gaming PC? Let’s find out everything you need to know before building a good gaming PC
Unlike those who use a console to play, the gamer who plays on PC must have a good level of computer skills at the hardware level as well as videogames; in fact, in order to play, just any PC is not enough, but a PC da gaming that is a personal computer assembled with hardware components chosen “ad hoc”.
CPU and RAM – How to configure a Gaming PC
Even if there are more important components for the realization of a gaming PC that cannot be ignored (eg CPU and 3D video card) in reality all the components must be chosen according to the gaming; especially in recent years, manufacturers have launched entire lines of products, from mice and keyboards to monitors, intended for videogame use (see for example the ROG brand of ASUS).
The CPU suitable for gaming today must have at least 6 physical cores, therefore you can choose an Intel I5-9600K or an AMD Ryzen 3600 if you do not have a large budget, both solutions still guarantee excellent performance in the videogame field. However if you don’t have budget problems we recommend a CPU with 8 physical cores as although at the moment the video games that exploit multicore well are still few in the near future could increase.
The optimal amount of RAM for gaming, on the other hand, still settles at 16 gigabytes, strictly in configuration dual channel to obtain the doubling of the passband. In order for the dual channel to be activated, the RAM modules must be 2, therefore you need to buy a 2 × 8 Kit. As for the RAM speed, if you choose an Intel CPU, 2.666 Mhz (3.200 Mhz recommended) would be enough, while for AMD the minimum is 3.200Mhz (3.600 Mhz recommended).
Video card and SSD – How to configure a Gaming PC
Coming to the video card, the choice of this depends a lot on the resolution of the monitor you will use to play. If you have a monitor that allows you to set a maximum resolution of 1920 × 1080 (Full HD) to keep the 60 fps (minimum limit of frames per second playable) you just need one AMD Radeon 5500XT or one NVIDIA Geforce 1660 Super and stay within the budget of 250 euros. On the contrary, in case you would like to be guaranteed a higher frame rate or to play at a higher resolution than Full HD (e.g. 2K or 4K) you will have to orient yourself on more powerful and expensive models: in particular to play in 2K at high frame rates, we recommend AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT or one NVIDIA Geforce 2080.
So far we have talked about the main components for the best gaming PC configuration, and choosing them from the higher-end ones, even if this involves a greater expense, will ensure you advanced gaming sessions and at maximum performance which you will not regret in the future. Let’s now move on to the other devices to mount our gaming station, we will consider them later but they are also very important.
As for the disk subsystem, the choice from a gaming perspective can be made with less attention, as to play an SSD the other is valid as the loading times of video games are only minimally influenced by the type of SATA or NvME interface. Rather, the choice should focus on the aspect related to the storage capacity according to the number of video games we want to install. In this sense, we believe that solutions of less than 512 Gigabytes should be discarded and we strongly recommend the installation of a 256 GB SSD for the operating system and main programs and a second 512GB SSD (preferably 1 TB) dedicated exclusively to video game storage. .
The importance of the right monitor
The choice of the monitor is important for the realization of a gaming PC as this component must be in line with the power of the installed video card. The main feature that you look at when you choose the monitor is the size (now from 24 inches upwards) and only afterwards do you move on to look at the resolution, the refresh, the response time of the panel etc … resolution (full HD, 2K, 4K) this should be chosen according to the size avoiding to choose low resolutions for large monitors, in fact We do not recommend 1080p or full hd resolution for monitors larger than 24-25 inches. As for the refresh rate, we recommend from 75hz to 144Hz according to your budget, although there are monitors with higher refreshes on the market (240 Hz and lately also 360Hz!) These are designed for those who are dedicated to competitive online gaming through the so-called E-Sports where fluidity and response times come before graphic rendering. Last but not least the choice of 16: 9 or 21: 9 format, for the latter aspect we think that over time the new, more squashed 21: 9 format is an obligatory choice in case you want to play with car driving simulators (e.g. racing setup, F1 2020, Project cars, etc ..) , as the wider view provides greater immersion and allows you to better simulate the view from the cockpit.