Getting the most out of your gaming PC

Getting your gaming PC to be future proof is always going to be tough, particularly with the announcement of the brand new PS4 and the expectation of other brand new consoles including Steams eagerly awaited gaming computer. Gaming is one of the fastest moving technologies in the world, these top tips will help you manage your gaming rig so its future is long lived.

Choosing the right PC components

Buying the latest components might seem like overkill for your current gaming needs, a powerful i7 processor will handle every request you can through at it, However as games progress – you only need to see the blistering new trailer for watch dogs to show how much PCs will need to handle, coupled with an incredible graphics card, nVidia have just launched their “titan” card which is what they have put in the US supercomputers which along with AMDs 7900 series and APU series (processor and on-board graphics) series will power the next generation of games on PC.

Getting the right PC case

Choosing your PC case is crucial, if the case you choose is too small, you will have no room for upgrades or improvements to your system, particularly if you expand your gaming experience, you might need dual graphics, bigger power supplies etc.

Getting the right Monitor

Maxing out the frame rate is not always cool, if your components are running at full power, there is more likelihood of your components failing, if everything is running at an insane capacity, slow your pc down, prolong the life of your gaming pc, unless you plan to upgrade your monitor or go for an eyefinity system work hard not to overkill your graphics card.

Getting the Correct Motherboard

Don’t go for a cheap motherboard and get high end CPU and graphics, not only will you be more limited in your BIOS options, but newer motherboards allow for easier upgrading and general future proofing, newer mobos will have four slots, more USB and SATA ports, a decent motherboard will be a big help to keeping your system happy.

Get A Warranty On Your Machine

If you are getting a company to build your PC take out a comprehensive warranty, this will cover you for any faults and software issues. Otherwise, buying parts should come with manufacturers warranties always be careful when buying parts from suppliers and make sure you’re covered for any breakdowns.

Buy the latest graphics Card

Yep, this is the most costly but will protect you from buying a mid range card that will not play any new games in the near future, getting a high end card will future proof you for the next couple of years.

Cleaning Your Gaming PC

Dust is your PC enemy and like it or not, however good the airflow is in your system – your pc will accumulate dust and insulate your components, this can really burn and damage your system, get the vacuum out, use your high powered air spray and give it a good thorough clean every few months.

Mirroring Your Hard Drive

If you invest in mirroring your hard drive using RAID (redundant array of independent disks) you will have another copy in case your main hard drive fails, it isn’t a hard drive backup, more like a protection against your hard drive so all those saves, macros and games are not lost!
Software: keep it up-to-date, right now windows 7 and windows 8 are both the prime choice for the gamers, with most still preferring 7, eventually it won’t be available and an upgrade will be necessary!