If you want to know before getting into PC gaming, this article will explain literally everything you need to know about the platform from getting started for the first time, differences versus console gaming, the advantages of PC gaming, and of course the price. By the end of this, you will be an expert on everything – I promise! So buckle your seat belts and learn everything you need to know.
What is a Gaming PC?
A gaming PC technically doesn't actually exist – it's literally just a computer. But it's one that has more powerful components than your average off-the-shelf PC. It'll have a significantly faster graphics chip and usually a much beefier processor too. The key is to understand exactly which components you need to make your PC great for gaming.
But before we get there, what does great gaming on PC actually look like? And ultimately why should you bother in the first place? Well, put simply it's because PC gaming is just so flexible – it can literally be whatever you want it to be. You get plenty of benefits over console gaming such as cheaper games in the first place, free consistent online gaming, backwards compatibility that spans decades, support for mouse and keyboard, ultra wide support, and of course ultra level graphic settings that will blow even the Xbox Series X out of the water.
I'm not here to lie to you though – PC gaming currently has one major flaw that makes console gaming a lot more accessible, and that's the price. Because currently, the cost of entry into the PC gaming ecosystem is kind of ridiculously high. It is a sad, sad time of price gouging at best and an immovable barrier at worst. And it's all caused by the great GPU crisis of 2020.
I'll spare some time and give you the short version – essentially in a nutshell, during 2020 the demand for PC gaming went through the roof as everyone was at home and wanted new graphics cards. Unfortunately the actual production of these chips went down because of manufacturing delays, and it created a situation where people were selling graphics cards for really high prices.
While it has improved because there isn't really any scalping anymore, the actual prices of the cards have gone up. When companies like Nvidia and AMD realize people are willing to pay more, you now have graphics cards like the RTX 4080 and 4090 that cost over $1000. And the budget cards that used to cost $150 are nowhere to be found.
Understanding Graphics Cards
It's really important to understand how all of this works. A better graphics card will give you more GPU horsepower in your games, increasing frame rates and allowing you to use higher quality settings.
If you take nothing else away, understand how frame rate works. It's not necessarily harder than console, but there's more control. Imagine your gaming PC – how good it is is determined by the FPS (frames per second) that comes out and goes into your monitor. That's how smooth your game actually feels.
As with game consoles, 30 FPS is the minimum for a smooth experience, but any real PC gamer will want at least 60 FPS, where possible. High frame rates are most important in multiplayer games, as it reduces the time between you seeing an enemy, clicking fire, and something happening on screen. Frame rate can determine the winner or loser.
You can even go above 60 FPS into high refresh rate screens. PC monitors have been doing high refresh rates for decades – you can buy a 500 Hz monitor now. There's also screen resolution – 1080p HD gaming is cheaper, while 4K needs 4x the horsepower to get the same frame rate. This is why you need the right graphics card – one that can play your games at the resolution and frame rate you want.
If you want to learn more, I have a video explaining this in detail with gameplay benchmarks so you can see different GPUs in action. Just click the card in the top right corner of the screen.
Other PC Components
Okay, let's not get too technical. We know about graphics cards – but what about everything else?
A PC is made up of:
- A motherboard – like the chassis of a car
- A processor – the drivetrain
- A power supply – provides power like fuel
- An SSD – stores games and files
- RAM – fast memory for open apps
- A case – as big or small as you like
Prices are good on most parts now, it's really just graphics cards and some cases raising costs. See my Amazon store for complete build lists at different prices.
Building Your PC
At this point you may be thinking – okay, that doesn't sound too bad. But what about building it? That's scary! The answer is it's generally not difficult at all. I've built hundreds of gaming PCs and yes, they can be annoying sometimes, but they aren't hard.
All you need is some screwdrivers, a table, and good lighting. There's even live builds you can join to ask questions and see every step. Of course you can always pay someone to build it for you, whether a friend or a system integrator. Just know paying someone will cost more, and some pre-built components can be low quality.
Once built and powered on, install Windows 11 – buy a license key online as they are cheaper. Booting up your own built PC is incredibly satisfying! Make sure to install the latest graphics drivers too.
Getting Games
Now you're ready to game! Get Discord for communications, and you can download most games through Steam. But there's also EA Launcher, Battle.net, Epic Games, etc. It's a bit finicky compared to console.
To optimize games, match the resolution to your screen, max textures/view distance based on VRAM, and tweak other settings to balance visuals and frame rate. Turn on AMD FSR, Nvidia DLSS, or Intel XeSS for free performance. I aim for 60+ FPS in single player and 120+ in multiplayer.
That covers everything you need to know to get into PC gaming! Let me know if you have any other questions. And check out the Gigabyte G5 gaming laptop – it packs a 144Hz display and RTX 4060 graphics into a solid laptop for both immersive and competitive gaming. Grab yours today!