PC Resource Center

Considering the high price of PCs and the complicated configuration process, you may wonder why everyone hasn't abandoned the PC for the console systems yet. People remain loyal to the PC platform because it's on the cutting edge of gaming. Game developers love the consoles because the hardware always stays the same, but superstar tech developers such as Epic, id, and Crytek all make games on the PC because that's where you find the most powerful graphics technology.

If you're in the market for a gaming PC, the most important hardware components to consider are the video card, the processor, and the system memory. The video card plays the biggest role in how your games look and how well they run. You'll also need a decent processor, and be sure to get at least 1GB of system memory, 2GB for optimal performance.

Yes, the PC is more expensive than a game console, and configuring a machine requires an alarming amount of homework. At the same time, if you're going to get a PC for Web browsing, word processing, and basic multimedia functionality, then you might as well get one that can play games, too.

PC Video Cards

The video card you have in your system will determine what games you can play, how good they'll look, and how well they'll run. We won't call out specific video cards to buy in this section because cards stay relevant only for a year or so before they're replaced by newer models. Instead, we'll talk about how the video card can affect the quality of your gameplay experience and give you some tips on understanding game system requirements.

You can expect to upgrade your video card every two or three years to keep up performance levels and to maintain support for all the latest graphics-quality advancements. New games tend to take advantage of the features and extra processing power introduced by the latest video cards. Older cards that aren't as powerful and have fewer features won't perform as well or, in the case of extremely old cards, won't even work with some new games. For example, many of today's games now require video cards compatible with DirectX 9 or higher.

Choose a powerful video card to get the best graphics experience.

Having a powerful video card lets you increase screen resolution and graphics-quality settings while still maintaining playable frame rates (how quickly the game updates onscreen). Faster frame rates help games run smoothly, without any choppiness. Players often have to compromise on graphics quality with less-powerful video cards. You'll have to reduce screen resolutions and disable some graphics effects to keep frame rates at an acceptable level on weaker video cards.

Games offer video card guidelines in their minimum and recommended system specifications. These guidelines can specify video memory sizes, DirectX compatibility levels, and even GPU type. The video card requirements can vary widely from game to game, given that some games can be much more graphically demanding than others.

Always check the system requirements to make sure the game will work with your PC.

In general, you can expect video cards that barely meet the minimum specifications to run games at the lowest graphical settings, whereas cards that meet baseline specifications are good for medium graphics-quality settings. You'll need a much more powerful card if you're the type of person that plays on a big widescreen display with the highest graphics settings.

Read our 10 Things to Know Before Buying a Video Card guide for advice on selecting a new video card upgrade. Also check out our Video Card Roundup 2007 to see how cards currently compare.

PC Processors

Games use the CPU for physics, artificial intelligence, sound, and calculating world information. With increasing CPU power, developers can start designing better characters with smarter artificial intelligence, as well as incorporate more complex physics into games.

Processor manufacturers Intel and AMD have recently switched from producing single-core processors to multicore processors, and we're still waiting for the software to catch up. The majority of the PC systems out there are still single-core; it'll take a few years before the majority of the installation base becomes multicore.

This AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Black Edition processor has two processing cores and serious overclocking potential.

Processors for the most part aren't the bottleneck in PC game performance. You'll find that if you already have a processor that offers good performance, upgrading to a CPU with higher clock speeds or additional processing cores won't improve game performance as much as upgrading your video card.

However, that doesn't mean you can go cheap on the CPU. You still need to have a good processor that's powerful enough to run the game. Upgrading from an Intel Pentium 4 to an AMD Phenom or an Intel Core 2 processor will certainly increase frame-rate performance. You don't have to get the top-of-the-line $1,000 CPU if you're upgrading your processor or configuring a new system. A $200-$300 processor will perform almost as well in gaming applications.

Game system requirements will specify baseline CPU speeds and model types.

The processor will become more important in the future when game developers start exploiting multicore processors. Those changes will definitely come because all the major gaming platforms have switched to multicore. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game consoles both use multicore processors, and recent product releases from Intel and AMD indicate that PC processors are going to improve through additional cores rather than increasing clock speeds on a single core.

We can't forget that processors are useful for other applications besides gaming. Faster processors can accelerate computationally intensive tasks such as video encoding, and can improve the overall system feel by speeding up boot times and reducing how long we have to wait for applications to launch. Having multiple cores also increases system resources to improve multitasking performance.

PC Laptops

The desktop system has been the standard PC-gaming platform for the longest time, but recent advances have made the laptop system into a viable option for gaming. It wasn't too long ago that laptops were merely expensive, underpowered machines, but today's laptop systems are more affordable and offer satisfactory gaming performance.

Today's laptop processors are just as powerful as desktop versions. Some PC enthusiasts have even taken to using mobile CPUs in their desktop systems because they use less power and, in some cases, offer a decent amount of overclocking headroom. Graphics manufacturers Nvidia and ATI have reduced the amount of time it takes to bring new desktop GPU technology to laptops.

It's common to see entry-level and midrange performance-level GPUs come to laptops only months after debuting on the desktop. However, portables generally have very few high-end GPU options compared to what's available for the desktops. It's more difficult to outfit a laptop with a performance GPU because mobile system designs have strict space, power, and thermal budgets that just can't support a monster GPU.

I can shove this right in next to the laptop battery. No problem!

The graphics problem illustrates just one of the compromises facing laptop manufacturers, who need to please customers that demand both performance and portability. Powerful CPUs and powerful video cards require tons of power and a lot of cooling. If you want a highly portable, thin, and lightweight laptop, be prepared to give some ground on the CPU and graphics. And if you're looking for the best performance possible, understand that your only options might be "desktop replacement" laptops that weigh over 13 pounds and give you just over half an hour of battery life.

Once you get your laptop, you're going need a couple of accessories to make it ready for gaming. The one accessory we absolutely recommend is a USB mouse. You can play games using the touchpad, but they'll be as much fun as eating soup with a fork. We also recommend looking into a few optional accessories, such as a full-size keyboard and a headset, to add a little comfort to the laptop-gaming experience. Peripheral manufacturers also make laptop stands that can hold the system up to keep the screen at eye level. You can consider hooking the system up to a larger widescreen LCD monitor when you're gaming at home, but note that midrange video cards might have difficulty driving an external monitor at high resolutions.

PC Accessories

The PC category has an overwhelming number of products that could be classified as "accessories." Instead of putting together a mishmash of webcams and USB-powered drink coolers, we've decided to focus on the most important peripherals by discussing a few mice, keyboards, and headsets you might see on the market.

• Microsoft SideWinder Mouse

  

  Microsoft brought back a familiar gaming brand name for its newest mouse, the Microsoft SideWinder. The mouse features on-the-fly DPI switching, an adjustable weight system, five programmable buttons with macro support, and three sets of mouse feet for glide customization.

• Logitech G9 Laser Mouse

  

  The Logitech G9 Laser Mouse joins the G3, G5, G7, and MX518 in Logitech's increasingly packed gaming-mouse collection. The G9 includes two interchangeable grip covers to satisfy gamers that like skinny mice as well as those who want a more full-figured mouse. Other features include DPI-switching support, onboard memory profiles, and an adjustable weight system.

• Logitech G15 Keyboard

  

  If you've ever looked at your plain old keyboard and said, "Hey, this thing needs an LCD panel that can display ammo count, character stats, and other useful game info," then the Logitech G15 is for you. The G15 comes with a GamePanel LCD, 6 programmable macro keys, amber key backlighting, and a smart cable routing system. You can also download programs to add customized game support for the LCD screen.

• Ideazon Zboard Keyboard

  

  The Ideazon Zboard features interchangeable keysets that let you customize the keyboard for specific games. The standard keyset has a generic keyboard layout, but customized game keysets have unique key shapes and specialized keys that can be mapped to game actions. The basic package includes the standard keyset and a gaming keyset, but Ideazon also offers limited-edition keysets dedicated to the most popular games, such as Counter-Strike and World of Warcraft.

• Sennheiser PC 166 Headset

  

  The Sennheiser PC 166 Headset is one of the most comfortable headsets you'll find. The ear cushions rest on the ears instead of over them, but the soft velour material makes them very comfortable. The headset also features a built-in USB sound card that lets you maintain the same sound experience if you need to switch between different systems. The headphones also come with a generous three-meter cord.

• SteelSeries 5H v2 Headset

  

  Serious gamers will want to consider the SteelSeries 5H v2 headset. The headset highlights important in-game sounds, such as footsteps and gunfire, to give players an advantage in multiplayer games. The headset comes with a retractable microphone that you can hide away when not in use. The cloth-covered foam ear cushions rest over the ears for a comfortable fit. The headset also comes with a braided cord that you can extend up to 10 feet with the included extension cord.

PC FAQ

Why should I buy an expensive PC when consoles are more affordable?

You already need a PC for word processing, email, IM, and Web surfing, right? Upgrading that machine with a decent processor and good video card will cost as much as buying a console.

Which component is more important, the CPU or the video card?

You can't really say that one is more important than the other because you need quality parts in both areas to get acceptable game performance. Pairing a great CPU with a lousy video card will result in terrible frame rates, as will pairing a lousy CPU with a great video card. Many Web sites, including GameSpot, publish video card and CPU game-performance benchmarks. Use the benchmark results to determine which components help game performance the most.

How do I get DirectX 9 or DirectX 10?

DirectX 9 is built into Windows XP, and DirectX 10 comes with Windows Vista. DirectX 10 is backward compatible with all earlier versions of DirectX. You might need to update your DirectX files from time to time, but downloads are free from Microsoft.com and are often included with new game installations.

Having a Windows OS with the appropriate DirectX level isn't enough--you will also need a DirectX 9- or DirectX 10-compatible video card. GeForce 6 series, ATI Radeon X1K series, and later cards all support the latest version of DirectX 9 (9.0c). GeForce 8 series, ATI Radeon HD 2000 series, and later cards support DirectX 10.

Will a DirectX 10 video card work in Windows XP?

Yes, your DirectX 10 card is compatible with all the previous versions of DirectX. Your DirectX 10 card will work in Windows XP with all of your DX9 and older games.

Do I need to upgrade to Windows Vista to play all the latest PC games?

No, not yet. The PC game developers understand that most people are still running Windows XP with DirectX 9 video cards. We'd guess that Windows Vista won't become a mandatory upgrade for at least two or three more years.

Can I play PC games on a Mac?

PC gaming generally refers to gaming on the Windows platform. Yes, Mac games exist, but there aren't many of them. The majority of PC games are compatible only with the latest Windows operating systems. The good news is that you can install Windows on newer Intel-powered Macs if you have boot camp installed. Keep in mind that your Mac will also need a decent video card (integrated graphics don't count).

Are "Games for Windows" games the only ones I can play on my Windows PC?

Games for Windows is a program developed by Microsoft to help make PC gaming easier for consumers. Its goal is to make games more recognizable in retail stores and to ensure that games meet certain standards, such as widescreen resolution and gamepad support. Many popular PC games participate in the Games for Windows program, but there are also many PC games, such as The Orange Box and World of Warcraft, that aren't part of the program.