Buying a gaming PC - What you should pay attention

Computers have various hardware components that ensure that the PC functions smoothly and you can play your games smoothly.

Case: The case forms the basis of your gaming PC. If you want to build a computer yourself, you should make sure it is large enough. Only then will all the components fit into your PC. Also consider that the case has enough connections for headsets, controllers, and other gaming accessories.
Mainboard: The mainboard, also called the motherboard, is an important basis for your PC. All other hardware components are attached here. Your gaming computer should have enough connections for graphics cards, RAM bars, etc.
Hard drive: Your data is stored on the hard drive. Since games require a lot of storage space, it should be large enough in your gaming PC. Depending on the number of games, at least 2 TB is recommended. A basic distinction is made between HDDs and SSDs. While the former are usually cheaper, the latter can access the stored data more quickly.
Processor: The processor, also known as the CPU (Central Processing Unit), performs all calculations.
Graphics card: The graphics card is also known as GPU and is responsible for the graphical representation. It ensures a smooth image and its display on the monitor.
RAM: RAM (random access memory) is also known as RAM and is used to temporarily store all running processes on your PC. If it is overloaded, your computer will freeze and you will not be able to play games smoothly. Gaming PCs in particular need a lot of RAM (at least 16 GB, preferably 32 GB).
Fans: Fans ensure that the hardware is cooled with air from outside the case and that warm air from inside can be removed. Especially in gaming PCs, the various components heat up quickly. This can lead to a loss of performance.
Disk drive: A disk drive allows your PC to read CD-ROMs, DVDs, or Blu-rays (depending on the drive). In the past, a disk drive was necessary to install games and other software. Nowadays, you usually need a download code to do this, so you don’t need a disk drive unless you plan on using DVDs or CDs on your computer.
Price for gaming PCs: Ready-made gaming PCs are equipped with basically suitable hardware starting at around 750 euros. However, you will have to do without the latest equipment in this price range. It is difficult to name an ideal price range, as the equipment differs greatly from PC to PC and the prices from retailer to retailer. Ready-made PCs with ray tracing-capable graphics cards are available starting at around 1,200 euros.
Build it yourself: It is important to know that you can save a lot of money if you configure and assemble your gaming PC yourself. You save money if you keep an eye on the price developments of the individual components. For example, there have been price increases for graphics cards because they have been used to make money with cryptocurrencies.

Cases for gamers

If you are putting together a gaming PC yourself, you will also need to consider the right case size. If, on the other hand, you are buying a ready-made PC, you should primarily consider the other relevant factors such as the CPU and graphics card. As long as you do not want to make any subsequent changes to the hardware, you can assume that the PC is equipped with a suitable case.

When choosing the right case, you first have to consider two things: the case itself and the motherboard. The former must support the form factor of the motherboard.
The most common form factor for motherboards is called ATX. If you have one, you will need to find a case that supports it.
The three common case sizes are mini-tower, midi-tower, and big-tower. For gaming PCs, midi-tower remodels are usually a good choice. These usually offer enough space for the hardware but are not too bulky.
Other housing shapes include cubes or rack mounts. Due to their size and structure, however, these are usually not of interest if you want to buy a gaming PC. There is simply no space for the corresponding hardware.
When choosing the right case size, you also need to make sure that your PC can be cooled sufficiently. You can choose between air cooling and water cooling.
With air cooling, the case must offer enough space for fans and allow good air circulation. If you want to install water cooling, it needs enough space. Cases that already have mounting options for pumps and other accessories are ideal for this. There are also adapters for water cooling that can be retrofitted.
You also have to make sure that the power supply fits into the case. Especially with mini towers, it can happen that you cannot install a sufficiently powerful power supply for your gaming PC. Your power supply should have at least 500 watts. The better your hardware, the more power the power supply must deliver. For particularly well-equipped gaming PCs, power supplies with 1,000 watts or more may be necessary.
If you are building your gaming PC, you should also consider that the case is large enough for any additional hardware that you may add later. For example, do you want to start with one hard drive but are now thinking about installing a second one? Then make sure that there are enough slots and space in the case.

Graphics card: AMD vs. NVIDIA

To ensure that your games are displayed well graphically, you need a suitable graphics card. AMD and NVIDIA have been dueling for years in the battle for the best graphics cards.

For a while, NVIDIA GPUs were particularly popular with gamers. AMD products were often seen as cheaper alternatives. But now the two manufacturers are on equal footing, so you can find suitable products from both.
Depending on which games you want to play and with which graphics settings, you should have different requirements for your graphics card. If you already know which games you want to play on your gaming PC, you can look at the system requirements. This will tell you, among other things, which graphics cards from AMD or NVIDIA are recommended.
If you want to enjoy ray tracing, NVIDIA offers you a larger selection of graphics cards. Since the GeForce RTX2000 series (released in 2018), NVIDIA has been installing its processing cores for this technology in its GPUs. AMD has also been able to use ray tracing since the Radeon RX 6000 series, but these do not use special cores for the technology.
You should also consider image synchronization on your gaming PC. NVIDIA’s technology is called G-Sync, and AMD uses Freesync. Both technologies adjust the refresh rates of the monitor and PC to each other. This reduces or prevents image errors in the form of offsets in the image, which are known as tearing. G-Sync requires a corresponding module in the monitor. These are therefore usually a bit more expensive. However, more and more NVIDIA GPUs are also compatible with Freesync monitors.
Price range up to €500: AMD has a few GPUs from the Radeon RX 6000 series available. These support ray tracing. According to AMD, you can achieve up to 126 FPS on 1440p monitors in this price range. NVIDIA has GeForce RTX 3060 models to choose from. Ray tracing is also possible with these.
Price range up to €1,000: For under €1,000, you can choose from AMD’s Radeon RX 6800 and 6900, and with a bit of luck, models from the 7900 series. Compared to the class under €500, you get a higher FPS number and the GPUs are better suited for 4K monitors. The performance is also significantly better. At NVIDIA, you can look for a GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, which should provide better ray tracing and enable gaming on 8K screens at 60 Hz (with display stream compression).
Price range up to €2,000: Here you can have almost everything you need. NVIDIA provides GPUs from the GeForce RTX 4090 series. With these, you can play in 8K and HDR. Manufacturers such as Sapphire and Asus also offer AMD graphics cards from the RX 6900 series or the 7900 series in this price range. However, this price range is primarily aimed at enthusiasts and gamers who want to squeeze the last bit out of their PC.

CPU: AMD vs. Intel

The CPU is the core of every computer. All important calculations take place here. You should therefore think carefully about choosing the right processor.

Here, too, AMD is one of the market leaders, just as it is with graphics cards. However, CPUs from Intel are just as popular with gamers.
The mainboard is particularly important when choosing the right manufacturer. If you want an AMD CPU, the mainboard must be equipped with AMD chips. It must also be compatible with Intel processors if you want to use one.
However, it is important to note that the sockets of a manufacturer also change over time. Not every Intel processor is compatible with every Intel socket on a motherboard. The same applies to AMD. Therefore, before purchasing, check whether the motherboard has a suitable socket for your CPU.
At AMD, the CPUs from the Ryzen family are primarily of interest for gaming PCs. This is further divided into Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7, Ryzen 9, and Ryzen Threadripper (ordered by ascending performance). AMD uses increments of 1000 to indicate the generation. The addition of 7000, for example, indicates the seventh generation.
With Intel, you should use processors from the Core I family. This is divided into i3, i5, i7, and i9 (also sorted in ascending order of performance). Intel designates the generation with the corresponding number. For example, if the designation Intel Core i7 is followed by a 13, it is the 13th generation.
If you’re just starting out or only playing games that don’t require much computing power, we recommend looking for an Intel Core i5 or an AMD Ryzen 5. You can get a 12th-generation Intel Core i5 or a 5th-generation AMD Ryzen 5 for under 200 euros.
At Intel, you can also look for an Intel Core i5 in the mid-range. Here you can also get the latest generation. By the way: A K at the end of the CPU name at Intel means that you can overclock the processor. This way you can get more performance out of the CPU. You can also overclock AMD CPUs. However, please note that manufacturers generally do not accept liability for damage caused by overclocking and you may lose your warranty.
If you are looking for an AMD mid-range processor, it is worth taking a look at the seventh generation Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 CPUs. These cost around 250 euros or 360 euros respectively (as of February 2023).
The top-of-the-range processors (Intel Core i9 or AMD Ryzen 9) do not provide enough added value for most gamers, so the extra cost is usually not worth it, even if they are theoretically the most powerful. By the way, processors from the Ryzen Threadripper family can easily cost several thousand euros.

Ready-made PC vs. building your computer

If you want to buy a new PC, you can either buy a ready-made one from a dealer or put one together and build it yourself. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages.

Ready-made PCs are usually more expensive than equivalent self-built ones. After all, the dealer has to make money too. In addition, there may be components on board a complete PC that you don’t need and whose costs you could avoid if you built it yourself.
If you build your gaming PC, you know exactly which components you need. You can then buy and install them specifically. With ready-made PCs, you are dependent on the parts provided and often cannot configure them.
In addition, some components such as the motherboard or RAM bars are often not specified in more detail in ready-made PCs. This makes comparing different models or exchanging them more difficult.
However, you must be aware that doing your work on a finished PC often means losing the warranty. In most cases, you are not allowed to open the case at all. With a self-built computer, however, you do not lose any warranty when opening the case and can easily exchange or replace individual components.
However, self-built PCs have the disadvantage that you have to know a lot about computers. You have to make sure that all the components work together, that the case is big enough, and that the cables are properly connected. Often a small mistake is enough for the PC to not work.
Some online retailers help you by telling you directly when you are putting together whether chipsets etc. are compatible with each other, such as Alternate.
With ready-made PCs, you can be sure that the various components are coordinated with each other and that the computer starts. The appropriate operating system is also usually included and is ready to use straight away.
If you want to assemble your PC components yourself and still be sure that it will work, you can look for a place that will assemble the computer for you with the parts you want and test it to make sure it works. However, be aware that the retailer may have a limited selection of components and you may incur additional costs for the service.