With the advancement of technology and gaming, everyone wants the biggest and brightest gaming machine. Building your dream gaming laptop or PC isn’t all that difficult, you just have to know what you want. You need to think about what you will be playing, what specifications and requirements those games need, and whether you want to be mobile or not.
Finding the ideal balance of computer components that fits within your budget can be a bit tricky but once you have an idea of what you will need, you can save up and work towards your dream gaming device.
The Basic Necessities
To get any gaming machine working properly you will need about six different components. You need a CPU or processor, monitor, RAM, hard drive, motherboard, and a computer case. If you have chosen to go with a gaming laptop, then all these components will be included in one simple device.
If you want a more robust computer, go for a desktop case. You can customise your hardware and software much more than with a laptop. This is because manufacturers of laptops have set sizes and specifications to work with. For a desktop computer case, you can mix and match your components depending on your needs.
Now, the Specifics
Once you have decided whether you want a stand-alone computer case or a laptop, it is time to shop around for the specific pieces of hardware that you will need. First, look at the games that you will be playing. Do any of them need an overload of RAM or an SSD to run faster?
You will need a minimum of 128 GB of RAM or at the very least a motherboard that can support additional RAM if you need to upgrade in the future. Also, be sure to check what type of graphics card you will need because this will have the biggest impact on your gameplay. Specifically, look at this page on the Intel Arc at Lenovo to get an idea of what graphics cards are available for you to choose from.
Software and Additional Features
You will need to consider installing at least three drives. A hard drive that will support your operating system, an SSD (solid-state) for more specific functionality, and a disc drive in case any of your games need to be installed locally. Your main internal hard drive should read and write at speeds of no less than 160 megabits per second. For a solid-state drive, aim for anything between 250 and 500 megabits per second. With a disc drive, you don’t need anything fancy unless you want to play a Blu-ray disc or write media and data to a CD or DVD.
For every piece of hardware, you also need specific drivers. Drivers allow the hardware to communicate efficiently with the software, and this is what allows you to use the various functions on any desktop computer or laptop.
Building your dream gaming machine is completely possible, and surprisingly cost-effective if you build your own PC out of components that you can source. It is when you buy the latest gaming machine pre-built that you will start paying a ton more money, so focus on getting the experience and fun out of designing a gaming device that suits your needs the best.