Building a modern gaming PC

What makes a gaming PC different from any PC?

Actually to help us answer this question more effectively we need to know what a video game is really and how it differs from other tasks we use a computer to perform, like surfing the web, typing, reading, watching video, listening to music and editing etc.

The majority of end user programs these days that run on a PC have some type of GUI (Graphical User Interface) through which the user interacts with the computer using audio, visuals, animation and texts etc., called multimedia. However a video game is considered even more multimedia as it involves much more complex user interactions.

Photo by Resul Kaya on Unsplash

Video games are very complex programs

They are very complex because they combine a lot of physics and math calculations and 3D graphical rendered elements. For console gamers who think they are not running a program they are misinformed. Consoles are actually optimized and specialized computers for running games and nowadays doing many entertainment tasks a regular computer does.

This means a regular desktop workstation  computer or a 'gaming laptop' has to perform the work it was originally intended to execute, say normal programs like MS Office, web browsers etc. as well as have the capability to efficiently run many of those same game titles we play on a PlayStation or Xbox. 

On the contrary we will not use a PlayStation or Xbox to do professional video and audio editing, run a virtual machine or run an office suite like MS Office for writing a novel or Math textbook. Therein is the core difference of a gaming PC.

Software and Multimedia functions

Keeping things simple, the three major game consoles, the PS5, Xbox X|S and Nintendo Switch, can all connect to modern TVs and monitors for a great living room family gaming experience as can a laptop, desktop, or mini PC. All have some kind of Operating System software similar to Windows or Linux which apart from gaming, enable you to enjoy playing videos, music and wireless connectivity with phones and tablets etc. 

Out of the three, the Xbox X|S and PS5 will have more multimedia features, the Switch being a more dedicated device doesn't allow browsing natively. In fact these consoles run some kind of heavily modified version of Windows or Linux with a different user interface.

A modern computer on the other hand has a more elaborate operating system to allow it to multitask efficiently at high speeds and as such can run many complex, demanding programs simultaneously, including the latest 3D games in Ultra HD, with the integration of dedicated hardware components. 

Critical hardware components of a gaming PC

In a larger computer such as a desktop workstation, you have a lot of options for internal hardware modifications but in a small form factor like a laptop or mini PC, honestly not many these days besides a memory upgrade. Modern small form factor gaming PCs come with additional more powerful hardware preinstalled as most of this is built onto the motherboard already.

Dedicated hardware components like a high speed multi-threaded processor, powerful graphics processing unit GPU), high speed and capacity memory, high capacity and fast storage drives, high fidelity audio processor, a low latency high speed network interface card, a powerful power supply unit and advanced cooling system are required for a computer to quality as a gaming PC. Let's have a look at these essentials.

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

There are mostly two big chipset manufacturers when it comes to GPUs namely NVIDIA and AMD with Intel gaining some recent traction in small quantities. In the past, VGA (Video Graphics Adapter) was more widely used to refer to these as back then they were more dependent on the PC's resources than today.

It's one of the most critical components of any gaming PC. It's responsible for all the rendering of the graphical 3D elements in the game world that we see. Without a capable one all that visual detail won't look so stunning and realistic. Nowadays, these units are rightfully dedicated computers in themselves working in unison with the main PC, with massive heat-sinks, fans, shrouds, and PCBs no to mention quite hefty and large for a full size powerful one in a  workstation desktop gaming PC.

In smaller form factor PCs they are usually not fully on a dedicated board but split across the main board with additional high performance components which include a beefier cooling system, They are not as powerful as their large counterparts found in a desktop workstation tower and usually classified as mobile versions of the full size units but still very capable at HD resolutions. Popular manufactures like ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, Powercolor, XFX etc, market these full sized units as well as integrate them into their gaming laptops and Mini gaming PCs.

Motherboard

The main system board responsible for connecting all the other peripheral boards, the CPU and memory modules. It has chipsets to control the many busses (lanes through which data communication occurs), power delivery to the CPU and other components, memory controllers, storage devices, audio and input / output devices etc. A quite large PCB with extra cooling elements like fans, shrouds and heat sinks, air-flow ducting. RGB lighting and many sensors for temperature fan-speed and other things.

CPU

It connects to a dedicated socket on the motherboard usually by generation. Some CPUs are backward compatible with about 1 or 2 older generation main boards and forward compatible with about 1 generation. This is not always the case though and depends on the motherboard type and manufacturer.

Modern CPUs like AMD's Ryzen 5 and 7 series and Intel's 12th and 13th Gen, and aren't really classified as gaming CPUs per say. However, as CPU technology increased over the past decade gaming considerations have more or less been an inherent factor in CPU design due to multitasking, speed, amount of instructions and memory access speeds required by modern games. As mentioned above many modern 3D games are very complex programs that can surly put a fast CPU through its paces.

Photo by Krzysztof Hepner on Unsplash (An NVMe drive is installed below CPU)

Memory (RAM)

It's well known that computers store program instructions in Random Access Memory when they're powered on and on disk when off. Game instructions like any other program, needs to be accessed by the CPU and these instructions are loaded from disk storage into RAM, which needs to be very quickly read and written to via the memory controller for the efficient operation of today's graphic and computation intensive game titles and programs alike. 

Memory operating at ultra-high speed needs to cool properly to prevent the chips on the modules from literally melting the PCB! As a result gaming modules usually come with heats spreaders. They also these days come with RGB lighting for aesthetics as well. Usually for a gaming PC it is recommended to always run memory in a dual channel configuration to increase memory bandwidth. 

The corresponding module arrangement to enable this configuration are usually visible on modern boards either by label or color coded slots if the board supports more than two modules. Regular PCs can also benefit from dual channel mode but it's not a big downside if not configured as with gaming and other high bandwidth applications. Memory is available in both full size DIMMs and SODIMMs from major vendors like Samsung, Kingston, Micron, just to name a few.

Storage disks

As with memory they are not volatile when the power to them is cut and as such they can be slower than RAM. Traditionally the gap between these two were much larger back in the day but nowadays its becoming increasingly smaller with advancement in Solid State Drive (SSD) technology, notably NVMe (Nonvolatile Memory Express) drives that use the PCIe bus and new M.2 slots on a state of the art motherboard for communication with the RAM controller. These are much faster than older generation SATA drives and much, much faster than traditional mechanical rotating HDDs so it's no surprise that NVMe SSDs are the norm in high end gaming PCs, both large and small.

Display (Monitor)

This can't be overlooked else all that money spent and hard work to build that rig will be in vain if you can't see the game in its full glory right? Most gaming monitors are not less than 21" with IPS panels. Generally any new monitor with an HDMI port can be used for gaming however, if it's advertised as a gaming one then it should ideally satisfy some criteria. 

Firstly a higher refresh rate than 60Hz. Regular PC displays have been traditionally 60Hz for decades now but with new graphic card tech, the need for higher refresh rates have arisen. 75Hz and over is considered bare minimum for a modern gaming monitor to match with the output of the VGA card otherwise you will experience stuttering game-play. Ideally 120Hz and above should be targeted as most mid-range and high end VGA cards render well over 100hz these days in major triple-A titles.

Many people still game at HD and full HD resolutions and as such a Full HD (1080p) monitor is a decent buy even today however, if you have a larger than 24" display and high end graphics card and want to enjoy UHD resolution then consider 1440p (4K) monitors although they will be significantly more expensive.

Response time in milliseconds ideally should be lower than 4ms to avoid ghosting or heavy motion blur during high speed gaming. This affects how clear and smooth our eyes perceive the changing images on the display and has a little effect on color presentation as well.

There are many gaming monitors on the market with a lot of different specs but these are the core basics to look out for. There are curved screens with ultra- thin bezels that allow for multi-screen setups that have a more depth effect. There are also different panel types with varying strengths and weaknesses but usually a good IPS is a decent all round buy for any gaming.

Power Supply Unit (PSU)

This as one will guess, delivers the amperage and voltage to all these critical components that comprise a state of the art gaming PC. Especially in full sized workstation desktops these can be quite large units with one or more fans. They are smaller and compact in small form factor PCs but regardless all have to supply ample power for these hungry components to do their job efficiently. For bigger systems these days they can range all the way up to 1 kilowatt (1000Watts!). Now that can heavily impact your electricity bill if you game often with such a rig. 

Photo by Andrey Matveev on Unsplash (showing modern modular PSU with several connectors for GPU etc.)

The Larger Gaming PSUs usually have multiple 12v power rails for the CPU and Graphics card as these two tend to need external direct connection to the PSU. Due to the high power demands, there will be heavy currents in the conductors hence the need to have multiple cables (as much as 4 power connectors each) to avoid overheating and melting the conductors and insulation during heavy gaming.

Optional hardware components of a gaming PC

As discussed above those are the components that define a gaming PC by performance. As people like to dress in nice clothes or add fancy accessories to their cars, so to do gamers with making their PCs actually look like a powerhouse PC. RGB lighting is the go within the last couple years and many computer towers apart from providing ample space and cooling etc., also facilitate lighting. Motherboard, RAM and GPU manufactures also include many options on their products for lighting and cooling that integrate nicely with a gaming tower. Aesthetically, laptop manufactures make their statement too!

Speaking about cooling, liquid cooling has become more common place in the larger very high end workstation desktop towers due to the amount of power consumed and heat generated by these larger powerful components inside the case. Even these liquid coolers include options for RGB lighting no wonder these modern high end gaming PCs look like a decked out super car these days! This brings us to the final element of the Tower. Well the tower itself!

Modern gaming towers and laptops really look like super cars with their innovative design and lighting features. Gaming towers usually house the PSU in innovative ways for minimum electrical interference and have optimized dust filtering, cabling and cooling management built in with expandable slots and mounting points in the chassis for add-in cards, water cooling and optional accessories. In addition one or more panels of the case will be clear to show-off the RGB effects.

Photo by marcelo-chagas on Pexels (A Logitech gaming mouse with extra buttons)

A gaming mouse and keyboard is always helpful for good game-play or an optional a game controller. Gaming ones have much better ergonomic designs and additional buttons to assist in this regard. Regular ones tend to get uncomfortable during extended gaming and usually don't last too long when gaming either. Good audio hardware is obviously required to hear all the in-game sound effects as well. This can range from a quality wireless headset to large surround sound Hi-Fi audio system connected to the rig.

Hopefully if you're now building your first gaming PC or thinking, you haven't done it well last time and making the second build and don't want to spend badly or miss any critical things, this article can help you understand some of the intricacies of a good gaming PC.