Does it always have to be a high-end gaming PC? No, what matters is which games you want to play in which resolution. How to find the right gaming computer
Full HD, WQHD or 4K? Is 60 frames per second enough or should it be 144? These are all questions most PC gamers ask themselves when looking for new gaming hardware. Experienced screwdrivers build their gaming PC themselves. However, buyers are on the safe side with a computer that works right out of the box. It is advisable to use specialist dealers because they do not clutter up your computer with all kinds of additional software, as consumers are used to from discounter PCs, for example.
A good graphics card and processor are decisive for gaming performance. This is where gamers want to invest the most money. A reasonable power supply unit with appropriate protective devices is also important. Unfortunately, many PC builders save here. A fallacy, because if the power supply burns out, the whole PC is usually gone. On the other hand, SSD storage and main memory are easy to retrofit yourself. Here, gamers can save at the beginning and add butter if necessary – if the motherboard allows it. Unfortunately, this is not the case with many ready-made computers and should be considered before buying. In addition, the case should not only satisfy aesthetic preferences, but also provide reasonable airflow so that all components remain cool.
Gaming PC for beginners: For Full HD gamers
At first glance, the System Treff gaming PC is an excellent entry-level gaming PC. The built-in Intel Core i5-12400 processor is perfectly sufficient for games. In four to five years, however, gamers might want an update. Unfortunately, this is not possible with the mainboard because Intel changes its socket every two years. If a more powerful graphics card is also to be installed, the power supply unit could be a bit undersized with a power consumption of 600 watts. Be that as it may: Thanks to the RTX 3060 and 16 gigabytes of RAM, Full HD gamers should have at least four years of fun with the gaming PC. Gamers only want to have expanded the internal memory by then. At 512 gigabytes, it is extremely small for current games. Too bad: The built-in mainboard only offers two slots for the main memory. There are no upgrade options here either.
In 2022, casual gamers will mostly still be playing in Full HD resolution. But on 144 Hertz monitors. Shooter players in particular benefit from the high refresh rate, which ensures that action-packed game scenes run smoothly across the screen. Gaming computers that cost up to 1300 euros fall into the entry-level category. That may sound like a lot at first glance, but it is related to the currently tense situation on the chip market.
Buyers should make sure that at least one six-core CPU is installed in the computer. The system memory should be between 512 gigabytes and 1 terabyte in the category, while the working memory is only 8 to 16 gigabytes – which is sufficient for most games. As in every gaming computer, the heart is the graphics card. And that’s where the Nvidia RTX 3060 currently offers the most interesting price-performance ratio for Full HD gamers.
In popular e-sports titles such as “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive”, “Dota 2” and “Fortnite”, the card delivers more than enough frames per second to satisfy a 144 Hertz monitor. It also runs the latest triple-A titles – i.e. games that impress with particularly sophisticated graphics. This may not be with a continuous 144 frames per second – but it doesn’t matter, since this high frame rate is primarily an advantage in competitive games.
Mid-range gaming PC: WQHD at 144 frames per second
The Acer Predator Orion 3000 (DG.E2CEG.00V) is a mid-range gaming PC that comes up with a good price, but a little headache. The fact that it is not clear what kind of power supply and mainboard is slumbering in the PC causes construction pains. The processor (Intel Core i7 11700K), graphics card (RTX 3070) and RAM (16 GB), on the other hand, are convincing. The SSD hard drive is a bit small at 512 gigabytes. If you look past the power supply and mainboard, the PC offers a convincing price-performance ratio.
Beginners and middle class are mainly separated by the graphics card. Why not the processor? In theory, more cores in the CPU are of course better – but only if a program also uses these cores or several programs are running at the same time. Most games are currently optimized for six cores. How many images a processor calculates on the screen depends largely on the clock of the individual cores. So if you gamble with a six-core CPU that clocks at the same rate as a comparable eight-core CPU, both processors display roughly the same number of images on the monitor. Unless other programs are running in the background at the same time as the game.
Lightweight programs like Teamspeak or Discord make no significant difference. This would only come into play if, for example, you were editing a video in the background. Gamers shouldn’t do that during the gaming session anyway. Gamers should therefore put the price difference between six and eight cores in a more powerful graphics card, because in most cases they get more frames per second on the screen for their money. The same applies to working and system memory, which can later be retrofitted more easily.
An adequate graphics card for the mid-range gaming PC is the Nvidia RTX 3070 or 3070Ti. Both cards offer enough performance to calculate popular e-sports titles even in WQHD resolution with stable frame rates well above 144 Hertz. Current AAA titles also run stably and smoothly in terms of resolution. The performance of the graphics card is often sufficient even for gaming sessions in 4K. For a mid-range gaming PC in this category, you should calculate between 1500 and 1700 euros, depending on the size of the system and RAM.
BTW: If you are looking for mouse, keyboard
High-End-Gaming-PC: 4K ohne Probleme
Buyers of this high-end PC from Alternate are prepared for the future. The built-in AMD Ryzen 9 5900X with its twelve cores will ensure carefree gaming in the years to come. In addition, the built-in mainboard offers enough upgrade options for working and system memory. Beautiful: The powerful power supply from premium manufacturer be quiet! can also cope with power-hungry graphics cards and processors – although an RTX 3080 Ti will not need an update anytime soon. The graphics card is also suitable for 4K gaming in high detail levels.
If you don’t want to make any compromises in terms of processor, system memory, RAM and graphics card, you have to go for a high-end PC. These computing machines are particularly suitable for gamers who want to gamble on multiple screens in high resolutions. In addition, the processors are usually so powerful that the computers are ideal as workstations for demanding 3D modeling or video editing. Of course, this has its price, because you can’t get away with it for less than 2500 euros at the moment.
At least one RTX 3080 should be installed in a gaming computer that calls itself “high-end”. In addition, it can also be a CPU with at least eight, but better ten or twelve cores – although these high-end processors still do not justify their price difference of several hundred euros compared to fewer cores. The situation is different, of course, when the computer is used for other computing-intensive applications.
High-end gaming PC with water cooling
If you absolutely do not want to compromise in terms of performance and cooling performance, there are also ready-made computers with water cooling solutions. A truly monstrous solution of such a system is the Alternate PC NEXT Level Intel Liquid RTX 3090 Edition, in which the processor and graphics card are cooled by water cooling. Gamers will not have to worry about sufficient gaming power for the next few years.
The built-in Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 is one of the most powerful graphics cards on the market. And the Intel Core i9-12900KF should also calculate every new game in the next three to four years without any problems. The RAM is lavishly dimensioned at 32 gigabytes. The same applies to the 2 terabytes of internal storage, which is divided between two 1 terabyte M.2 SSDs.
Buy PC with water cooling at Alternate
High-end gaming PC for streamers
If you are looking for a high-end PC for streaming, you should make sure that the processor has at least eight cores and the internal memory consists of at least a 1 terabyte SSD. An advantage is 32 gigabytes of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 or better does not hurt.
Except for the entry-level PC, all the computers presented combine these properties. There are no rules without exception: With the HP Omen 25L GT-1037ng, you should add another 16 gigabytes of RAM. Alternatively, grab the We Love Gaming AMD Edition from Alternate. Instead of Intel, the processor relies on the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, whose eight cores clock at 3.8 gigahertz. In turbo mode, it goes up to 4.7 gigahertz.
Unfortunately, Alternate only gives the PC 16 gigabytes of RAM. It can therefore be worth upgrading to 32 gigabytes directly. A 1 Terbayte M.2 bar acts as SSD storage. It is also a good idea to order a large SATA SSD in order to have enough space for videos. With the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070, a powerful graphics card works in the computer, which can cope with the higher loads from gaming and streaming.
High-End Gaming PC: Buy or Build?
There seems to be a never-ending argument among computer enthusiasts as to whether it makes more sense to build your own computer or to buy one. In general, it can be said that do-it-yourself builders have more control over what they put into the PC. This is particularly important for the power supply, because manufacturers like to save on this component with computers from the factory. If gamers want to upgrade the graphics card after a few years, they are unlucky to have to buy a new power supply because the retort part from the finished PC is too weak.
In addition, do-it-yourself builders always save a few euros because they can buy the different components at the best price from different dealers. Another advantage: Old components such as SSD memory or a hard drive can quickly be accommodated in the new computer, which saves the annoying reinstallation of your favorite games. And last but not least, do-it-yourself builders also save license costs for Windows because in most cases they already have a license. PC manufacturers, on the other hand, buy them expensively from Microsoft and are willing to pass the costs on to their customers.
However, the ready-made PC is still worth it for everyone who appreciates comfort. If something does not work as desired, ready-made buyers have a contact point to make their complaint known. This is particularly useful if the computer is used for work as well as gaming. Do-it-yourself builders, on the other hand, always have to search for errors themselves if something doesn’t work. And that can (not infrequently) cost time and nerves.
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