One of the greatest things about the
potency of the PC is the near unlimited customisation options on offer for the
ultimate in personalisation prowess. When it comes to forging a gaming PC, it’s
easy to get lost in the sheer number of available hardware peripherals;
particularly for savvy gamers seeking the right gear to gain a competitive
edge.
The near unlimited customisation options
on offer
for the ultimate in personalisation prowess
By ‘peripherals’, we’re referring to
non-essential computer hardware that isn’t required to run your game/s of
choice. These peripheral items do have the potential to greatly impact your
gaming experience, though. In this regard, this article is more skewed towards
professional or semi-pro gamers. In saying that, there are some key
consideration points that will be of interest to any dedicated gamer, or those
looking to enhance their gaming potential.
Ultimately, though, the exploration of the
competitive edge afforded by non-essential computer hardware also raises a question
of fairness. Can it be considered cheating if gamers are using supplementary
equipment that isn’t being used by all competing gamers? Before we have a crack
at that debate, though, let’s take a look at the all-important peripheral
hardware considerations.
Internal Hardware
Before considering the purchase of any
peripheral hardware, there are some crucial internal hardware assumptions to
take into account. You’ll want to possess a mid-to-high-end PC that’s capable
of running the latest games at a constant minimum of 60 frames per second (fps)
in order to be competitive on the ground level. Particularly when it comes to
fast-paced shooters such as Call of Duty: Ghosts or Battlefield 4, a
consistently high frame-rate is essential to being a competitor in the online
foray. The potent combination of high-end motherboards, multi-core/thread CPUs
and one or more video cards are par for the course of streamlining the optimal
gaming experience before looking at peripheral options.
Capable of running the latest games
This may mean the sacrifice of high-level
visual fidelity in favour of a smoother/faster frame-rate, whether on a laptop
or desktop. If you’re serious about gaming, you’re most likely already using a
desktop, which offer a greater range of flexibility when it comes to hardware
upgrades. External to your PC, you’ll also want to have a fast and stable
internet connection to ensure the best possible chance of measuring a
competitive edge increase online.
Solid-State Decisions
Now that they’re more commonplace,
solid-state drives (SSDs) are fast becoming essential gaming hardware.
Particularly when playing titles such as Battlefield 4—which has done away with
the start- of-round countdown timer that used to allow a grace period for
slower-connecting players— having a game installed on an SSD can mean the
difference between scoring a coveted vehicle or lugging it across the digital
battlefront on foot. No matter how fast the rest of your rig may be, there’s no
denying the start-of-round competitive edge afforded to those players who can
load the game before anyone else can get in.
Solid-state drives are becoming essential
gaming hardware
Despite speed increases over the years,
traditional moving- parts hard-drive technology can’t compete with the
lightning-fast speed of an SSD. SSDs such as the Crucial M500, available in a
variety of capacities, are a great place to start when looking to upgrade a
gaming machine on a budget. There’s no need to fork out for the
highest-capacity model, either, as even an entry- level 120GB ($104.81)
capacity can do the trick when coupled with a spare internal or external hard
drive. For example, install the 120GB M500 as a primary drive with your
preferred operating system, and popular gaming digital-distribution programs such
as Steam and Origin allow you to install specific games to specific drives.
Alternatively, keep the SSD as a dedicated gaming drive if you don’t want an
overall performance increase on your operating system. The games you play the
most can be installed on the 120GB SSD, while everything else can go on another
drive.
