Modern 3D gaming is demanding and a brand-new gaming computer bought today may struggle with the latest games in only a few years’ time. If you find that your computer is suffering, here are a few tips to upgrade it to match the best gaming computers.
1. Find the “bottleneck”. This is the component that is most slowing down your gaming. If you don’t first determining the bottleneck, you might waste money unnecessarily upgrading good components without getting near to fixing the problem. Determine how old each of your components are and compare specifications with those of the latest games and with the top gaming computers on the market.
2. Balance is important. When you’ve decided on a budget, try to split it evenly between components. It’s tempting to splash out on the best processor available, but users upgrading to high-speed CPUs won’t achieve the best results if they’re still using old-age graphics cards.
3. Get a new motherboard. If your computer is several years old, upgrading to a new motherboard and inexpensive CPU is the equivalent of purchasing a new mid-range PC. If your motherboard is too old to handle modern multicore CPUs, prioritize upgrading it.
4. Power supply (PSU). The best gaming computers need a strong PSU. Without adequate power, the processes of your machine will be crippled. Cheap PSUs are under $20; but will be inadequate for top gaming computers. The best gaming computers, with top graphics cards and processors, require an efficient and stable PSU to power all components.
5. Replace the processor (CPU). If you are running a low-speed CPU, upgrading is vital. Check documentation to ensure that the CPU is supported by the motherboard: you can only upgrade to a model within the same family. However, if you are running a CPU toward the top end of specifications, upgrade other components first and see if there is a notable difference in performance. If your CPU is a few years old, look to swap it for a multicore processor.
6. Add Memory. Today, the best gaming computers run with over 8GB of RAM. To upgrade RAM, determine how much is currently in your computer by accessing your systems information. Consult your manual or the manufacturer’s website to find out if your motherboard has open RAM slots, the maximum memory your computer can handle, and the type and speed of RAM it requires. If the slots are full, you will need to completely replace the memory.
7. Upgrade your graphics processing unit. The GPU is vital in top gaming computers. It processes visuals, and as you increase the in-game resolution and visual settings, the GPU becomes increasingly burdened. With GPUs, it is generally true that the more you pay the better the upgrade you will receive. If it’s within your budget, purchase two high-quality graphics cards to run in tandem.
8. Revamp peripherals. If your hardware is inferior, you’ll notice a drop in performance on even the best gaming computers. Flat-panel LCD monitors are considered essential for using with top gaming computers. Ideally, use monitors with a very quick refresh rate: at least 12 milliseconds. Buy a specialized gaming mouse and keyboard made by a manufacturer such as Logitech or Razer.
