Many PC games demand robust components.
Building a new gaming PC can be a fun experience. By doing it yourself, you have free reign to choose exactly the components you want for your new computer. Planning your build ahead of time helps ensure not only that you have not forgotten a critical element, but also that your components will all work well together.
Operating System
Your choice of operating system is important, because it can limit what hardware you can use. A 64-bit Windows operating system offers the best security features and it will allow you to utilize more RAM in your gaming PC than a 32-bit OS.
CPU
While most games will run fine on a dual-core central processing unit, processors with four or more cores are affordable enough for most builders and offer your build some extra longevity. Intel's Core i5 and higher series of quad cores are a good choice for a gaming rig as of 2011, and AMD's Phenom series offers six cores for a similar price.
Motherboard and Sound
While installing a dedicated sound card will give you a slight performance boost, the on-board sound chipsets on most motherboards are sufficient for gaming purposes and will not tax a multi-core system very much. Look for a chipset that provides at least eight channels for the best surround effects.
Memory
When it comes to gaming, more RAM is always better, and choosing a 64-bit build will let you use more than 4 GB. Installing at least 8 GB should provide more than enough power for your gaming needs.
Graphics
The right video card can make or break a gaming system. AMD and Nvidia both produce quality graphic chipsets, and cards based on their designs are available from many manufacturers. As a basic rule of thumb, cards in the $175 to $250 range are usually a good mix of value and performance, and will last a year or two before becoming obsolete. The more video RAM a card has, the better it will handle high resolution gaming and visual effects. Certain motherboards offer the ability to install two video cards for extra power, but a single quality card should suffice in most circumstances.
Monitor
When shopping for a monitor, look for a low response time, under 5 milliseconds. This will minimize graphic artifacts in demanding gaming situations. Widescreen 25-inch and larger LCDs give an excellent field of view for modern games.
Drives
If you have enough room in your budget, a solid-state drive will really boost your system's speed. SSDs are limited in size, however, so your best bet is an SSD as your system and games drive and a larger SATA drive for file storage.
Power Supply
All these high-end components require a lot of power to function. If you are installing a single video card, a 500-watt power supply should be sufficient for your needs, but you might want to opt for a more powerful unit if you choose a dual-card setup.
Case and Cooling
Powerful computer and graphic processors produce a lot of heat. While your CPU and GPU will both have their own fans, choosing a case with good airflow and a few exhaust fans can help keep everything running cool even under load.
Peripherals
Input devices are largely up to personal choice, but you should look for a balance between precision and performance and ergonomic comfort. A hyper-accurate gaming mouse will do you no good if it causes wrist pain and numbness after a few minutes of use.
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