How to build a computer cheaper. Building a budget gaming computer for the price of a PlayStation

It's no secret to any of us that today Personal Computer can be used not only as an assistant in work, but also as gaming platform, for which a huge number of games have been released today. But what if you have a limited budget and want to buy a fast car?

We will try to help you and tell you which components you need to pay special attention to.

What components are suitable for a budget gaming computer?

First, and most importantly, you need to understand that a powerful budget gaming computer You will only be able to buy it if you assemble it yourself from ready-made components that can be found in any electronics store today.

Second, what I would like to draw attention to, especially for novice “assemblers”, is the correct choice of components of the future system so that their performance is balanced and the price range is approximately the same. Remember, you have a limited budget and it is not wise to buy a video card for 19,000 rubles, and leave 5,000 rubles for the processor and motherboard.

Since we are talking about components, we will move directly to their selection. Building a budget gaming computer starts with process selection- Intel or AMD. Both companies have powerful, inexpensive solutions, but you can focus on models Intel Core i5 or i7 latest generation or similar solutions from AMD. Processors of these types can be bought today for approximately 15,000 - 25,000 rubles. It is also worth solving the issue with its cooling and buying a good cooler with a large radiator.

Next step - motherboard selection for our processor, and here it is important to pay attention to the chipset (chipset) and the socket for compatibility with the processor - for Intel Core-i5 it is 1155, for AMD it is AM3+. Also pay attention to the presence of two or more PCI-E slots x16 for connecting a video system, USB 3.0 ports and Sata-3 connectors for connecting SSD and HDD. The cost of such a motherboard is now about 7,000 - 10,000 rubles.

One of the most important components in a gaming PC is video card. Its price should not be less than the price of the processor, it should have a built-in memory capacity of about 2 GB GDDR 5 with a bandwidth of at least 256 bits, a high frequency of the graphics processor and be well cooled. For example, GF GTX 960 Ti or Radeon RX 480. The cost is about 15 - 20 thousand rubles.

Regarding memory in a computer - RAM You should choose one with a frequency of at least 1600 MHz, a capacity of at least 8 GB, or more.

You should choose a fast hard drive, Sata 3 format with a capacity of at least 750 GB, and the operating system can be installed on a high-speed SSD with a capacity of 128 GB - enough for programs and some games. The total cost is about 5 tr.

As for power supply, it is better to take it with a reserve of about 800W-1000W for the possibility of further upgrade.

Also don't forget choose a case for your computer, it must freely accommodate all components, have good passive cooling and a convenient location of the necessary ports.

Also for some, the sound insulation of the housing plays an important role. The cost is about 3 thousand rubles.

To summarize, I would like to add that today it is quite possible, with limited funds, to buy a budget computer that will also be a home gaming station.

Many people want to build a gaming computer in 2017, while staying within a small budget. But this is a very difficult matter, because the cost of computer components increases every year, as well as the demands of games regarding PC performance. At the same time, I want to build a computer whose hardware will remain relevant for at least several more years, because it is not profitable to invest in its modernization every year, and not everyone can afford it. In our material you will learn which parts are most important in games and how to assemble an inexpensive gaming computer.

Assembling a gaming computer 2019 with your own hands

CPU

The first step is to decide on the choice of processor - the most important element of the computer, which is responsible for all computing processes. You have to choose between products from two world-wide famous brands Intel and AMD. It is recommended to find performance tests on the Internet and compare the results with each other. The optimal choice, in our opinion, is the Intel core i5 processor - its power is enough for any games and the fast operation of the operating system.

The higher the processor generation, the better the performance, so take this into account when choosing. To build a powerful budget gaming computer, you can use the i5 7500 - practically the top-end solution in the line, which copes well with resource-intensive tasks. Of course Intel processors core i7 will be better, but the performance gain in them is not as big as the overpayment. AMD Athlon II X4 640 will be an excellent solution for the build budget computer, although in terms of its capabilities it is inferior to solutions from Intel.

Choosing a motherboard

You need to find a motherboard that will support the format of the selected processor. When choosing it, you need to pay attention to the processor socket (for example, to connect an Intel i5 you need an LGA 1151 socket). Also important is the standard of RAM slots, their number and frequency. There may also be additional connectors, which is worth paying attention to in order to choose a motherboard with suitable functionality.

RAM

When assembling a gaming computer 2017, the optimal solution would be DD4 standard RAM with a capacity of 8 or 16 GB. There is simply no need for a larger volume, and everything will fly that way. But 4 GB will not be enough for modern games, especially since part of the memory is consumed by the system. You need to choose the amount of RAM based on your budget - the more you install, the faster games will load and the smoother the interface will work. But keep in mind that if in the future you want to expand the volume, then you need to install a bar with a similar frequency and preferably from the same manufacturer, otherwise it may turn out to be incompatible. It is better to choose memory with the maximum frequency; its performance largely depends on this. When deciding how to build an inexpensive gaming computer 2017, you need to make sure that the selected RAM standard is supported motherboard.

Please note that if you set the RAM level to more than 3 GB, then operating system must have a 64-bit architecture. Otherwise, no matter how much memory you install, no more than three will be available.

The video card is the most important part when assembling a gaming computer.

The question of how to build a good gaming computer is impossible to imagine without choosing a video card that is responsible for processing graphics in games. The video card and processor are the most expensive parts on which gaming performance is most dependent. When choosing, it is better to read reviews, since manufacturers offer a huge variety of models that vary greatly in their capabilities. For a budget PC, an Nvidia Geforce 1050 Ti with 4 GB of memory will be enough. But lately, not everything is so simple with video cards - they are being snapped up by miners, and if they can be found on sale, they are much more expensive than they should be. This applies to the entire video card market. If you have a large budget, then you should pay attention to Nvidia Geforce 1060, 1070 and 1080 cards - the top solutions today, purchasing which you will get maximum performance.

When deciding how to assemble a gaming computer yourself, you can also pay attention to cheaper solutions from ATI or Nvidia. When choosing, consider the connector to which the video card is connected. DDR5 is in the lead - this is the latest format with which almost all motherboards are equipped. Therefore, it is better to opt for it; DDR3 will become less and less popular over time until it becomes completely extinct. And remember that a higher model number doesn't always mean it's better. You need to look at reviews and comparisons of performance tests on special sites.

Selecting a drive

The best option today is to use an SSD drive paired with a standard one. The system is installed on the first one, which gives a noticeable increase in productivity. But due to the high cost, it will be unprofitable to buy a large-capacity SSD, which means that over time you will no longer be able to store all the files on it.

This is where the standard one comes to the rescue HDD, which costs much less. So, for 3000-4000 rubles you can buy a 1 TB hard drive, while for the same amount you can find a maximum 128 GB SSD. Again, when deciding how to build a good gaming computer inexpensively in 2017, you should read reviews and pay attention to such characteristics as rotation speed. It must be at least 7200 rpm. The speed of writing and reading data depends on this parameter. A fast drive allows games to launch faster and also reduces installation time.

power unit

When thinking about how to assemble a gaming computer in 2017 yourself, you need to calculate the required power supply power. To do this, you need to look in the specifications to see how much energy each part of the computer consumes, add up the sum and add about 20% just in case. Most power supplies come with 20 or 24 pin connectors, make sure they are compatible with your motherboard. You should not take the power supply included with the case. As a rule, it is not of high quality. For a gaming computer, you will need an option with a power of at least 500 W.

Frame

The case should not only be beautiful, but also contain all the connectors necessary for use. Particular attention should be paid to cooling, because even on the most powerful hardware, games will slow down if it overheats. Some cases have 80mm fans, others have 120mm fans. The top solution is a liquid cooling system, but it is unreasonably expensive, so it is better to opt for a case with 3-4 powerful coolers. How more powerful filling, the more efficient the cooling system should be.

Selecting the optimal components for a future PC is a very difficult task. Here you need to take into account the budget allocated for gaming needs, the current generation of components, and the desired performance in certain games. The easiest way is to buy a ready-made gaming PC and enjoy the perfect tandem between different parts of the system. However, in this case, you will have to fork out a markup of 10-20% of the cost of the components and will not always get the desired speed of operation.

Useful on the topic:

While building a gaming PC may seem like a risky endeavor, once you delve a little deeper into the interplay of the various components available for purchase, the simplicity becomes clear. this process. So let's look at the best components in different price categories to build your dream PC. Our topic today is building a gaming PC in 2018.

A budget gaming PC for 20,000 rubles is a myth

The most economical options in all respects may be suitable as components for this PC, which It will be difficult to call a gaming PC. On the other hand, you can use individual components from old system(if available) and calmly invest in this budget, selecting the remaining details from the list below.

If you want to make a total upgrade, we recommend leaving at least the case (if it is well ventilated and has enough space for new components) and a power supply with sufficient power reserve (preferably above 500 W). In addition, old drives are great for storing videos, most games, photos and music.

Building an entry-level gaming PC for 30,000 rubles

This category includes systems whose total cost is around $470, excluding the monitor. Selected components will allow you to enjoy stable operation of almost any new product in Full resolution HD, using medium or even high graphics settings with anti-aliasing disabled and most visual effects. At the same time, older games from 16-17 years in most cases (except Dishonored 2) will demonstrate 30-60 fps even at high graphics settings. Therefore, let's look at each part of the system separately.

Gaming PC Processor entry level — Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 ($113 and $93 respectively). 4-core processors that can easily cope with all assigned tasks and have good overclocking potential. After changing the cooling, of course.

The FX-8300 and corresponding AMD 3+ motherboard are also available for AMD based systems. However, in this case, the possibility of an update in the future will have to be abandoned, and we consider the use of parts from the previous generation in the 2018 selection inappropriate. If you are using an AMD 3+ motherboard, you can simply get the 8-core FX-8300 and the video card below without throwing away extra money on other components.

ASUS Radeon RX 560 1326Mhz PCI-E 3.0 4096Mb 7000Mhz 128 bit

Entry-level gaming PC graphics card- GeForce GTX 1050 2 GB (or a new 3 GB, the price of which is only 10-15 $ higher) or RX 560 4 GB (about $ 170 for both options). We give preference to the GTX modification with 3 GB on board, which in most cases is slightly faster than the original, and another gigabyte is eaten up very quickly by modern games. If the system is limited by RAM, in the near future it is better to take the RX 560 with 4 GB, which is slightly inferior to competitors in speed, which will eliminate unnecessary freezes and texture loading.

Motherboard- any using the LGA1151 socket for Intel and AM4 for AMD. We recommend that you pay attention to the Intel H310, costing $75, and AMD A320, costing $65.

RAM. Select any 8 GB stick from the company you like, type DDR4 with a frequency of 2400/2666 MHz. The best option will cost $76.

power unit For an entry-level gaming PC, it is advisable to go for 500 W. Can be purchased together with the case. This tandem will cost $35. If you buy only a power supply, then $23 will be enough for you. We advise you to pay attention to the company's products FSP, time-tested.

Storage device. If you are going to play one or three games, then we recommend purchasing a 128 GB SSD, costing $34. This will allow you to launch games in a few moments, just like the system itself. If you want to have quick access to an extensive game library, then we advise you to pay attention to a 1 TB HDD. Such a drive will cost $46.

Building an entry-level gaming PC with these Intel-based components will cost $503. This is taking into account the purchase of a case and an SSD. Using AMD as the preferred manufacturer will reduce the cost of the finished PC to $473, which is in line with the price set as a target.

Now let's move on to a more expensive variation of the gaming PC.

Building an optimal level gaming PC for 60,000 rubles ($950)

An additional budget will dramatically expand the capabilities of your PC and create the conditions to enjoy maximum graphics quality in all modern games at 1920x1080 (with the exception of some particularly unoptimized projects). This system is also suitable for playing in 4K, but the graphics settings will have to be reduced to medium-high, depending on the requirements of the game. Building a gaming PC to achieve the specified performance is not difficult and requires the following components.

Optimal Gaming PC Processor— Intel Core i5-8400 ($203) or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 ($227). The use of 6-core processors with high frequency will provide the video card with all the necessary computing power. IN in this case AMD is ahead of the competition with 12 threads and higher cache memory.

Video card— NVIDIA GTX 1060 6 GB ($340) or AMD RX 580 8 GB ($375). In most cases, the GTX model is more than enough and the speed is not inferior to its competitor due to its high overclocking potential, but new products (for example, Battlefield V) demonstrate much more better performance on the RX 580. Therefore, we advise you to opt for graphics adapter from AMD.

Motherboard— Intel B360 or AMD B350 ($80 and $72). When choosing the optimal gaming PC motherboard, pay attention to the presence of many slots for video cards and RAM. This will allow you to add another bar and increase productivity after a few years.

Maternal MSI board B360-A PRO based on Intel B360 chipset

RAM. Any 16 GB stick, DDR4 with 2666-3000 MHz ($180). In addition, we recommend buying not one, but two 8 GB sticks at once - this will distribute the load between two slots and increase the RAM speed by 2 times.

power unit with a power of 550-600 W and the case will cost you $60-72, depending on the power of the power supply and the manufacturer.

Building a gaming PC with the appropriate components will cost $968 (Intel) or $1019 (AMD). As you can see, we have deviated a little from our goal, but you may be lucky enough to get on sale and grab expensive components a little cheaper and get closer to the $950 mark. Next up is the most expensive variation of a gaming PC.

Building a top-level gaming PC for 100,000 rubles ($1,600)

We would like to point out right away that in a few months we are expected to announce a new generation of video cards from Nvidia (not exactly) with higher performance (10-15%) at a more affordable price. However, from the announcement to the appearance of adapters on store shelves, it can take from several months to six months (given the hype). These components will allow you to enjoy a comfortable game at 30-60 fps with 4K resolution at the highest graphics settings in any game.

Top tier gaming PC processor— Intel Core i7-8700K ($360) or AMD Ryzen 7 2700 ($300). We can discuss the advantages of each processor for a long time, but one thing we can say for sure is that not a single modern game is capable of loading them 100%.

Processor Intel Core i7-8700K

for top-end PCsNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 8 GB ($645). Here we are left without a competitor from AMD - their models are either very behind in performance or have an incredible price. In addition, if you want to have a reserve of productivity for the next few years, look away GTX 1080 Ti($910). Moreover, after the release, prices for 10th generation video cards should drop significantly.

Gaming GeForce video card GTX 1080 Ti

MotherboardIntel Z370($170) or AMD X470($140). Choose towards compactness or the presence of many different sockets.

RAM. Two 16 GB DDR4 sticks, or one 16 GB and the other 8 GB with a frequency of 3200 MHz ($300). However, keep in mind that 16GB is more than enough for any gaming PC these days.

Storage device. A 1 TB SSD ($260) is enough for any needs of a real gamer.

Power supply 650-700 W and the case will cost $70-115, depending on the manufacturer.

In total, building a gaming PC for real gamers based on Intel will cost around $1,805 for the version with 24 GB of RAM and $1,705 for the version with 16 GB. The AMD version is $1715 and $1615, respectively, which allows you to invest within your desired budget.

We hope, together with our advice, assembling a gaming PC will not seem difficult to you and will bring only positive emotions.

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  • 1. Decide on the desired resolution
  • 2. Do you need an expensive processor?
  • 3. Motherboard
  • 4. RAM
  • 5. Internal memory
  • 6. Power supply
  • 7. Body

Assembling a gaming computer is not an easy and important task, because you will have to use the assembled configuration for several years to come. And in 2019, a gaming computer costs a lot of money - the golden times, when for 30,000 rubles you could get a powerful machine that would remain relevant for many years, are a thing of the past. If you are not ready to completely disappear from life for a few days and immerse yourself in studying technical characteristics various devices, then our material today will try to help you avoid making the most common mistakes when assembling a gaming PC.

Decide on your desired resolution

The most pressing issue today is choosing a decent video card. After cryptocurrency mining became widespread, the demand for the most effective and up-to-date cards skyrocketed, and the price of such devices followed suit - flagship boards today cost several times more than they cost before this excitement began.

If you prefer to play on a standard monitor in Full HD resolution, then we recommend taking a closer look at two models that entered the market back in 2016 and earned the highest ratings from experts and users - the Radeon RX480 (aka RX570 in the updated line) and GeForce GTX 1060. Both cards show a stable 60 fps in a resolution of 1920x1080, and if you do not plan to run your favorite games on a TV that supports the Ultra HD 4K format, then you simply do not need more powerful video accelerators, especially since the demand for them is now going through the roof.

Such cards today can cost twenty thousand or more, the price ultimately depends on the specific brand and the cooling that it offers. If such expenses are undesirable for you, then you can take a closer look at the younger models of these generations of video cards - Radeon RX 560 with 4 gigabytes or GTX 1050 with 2 GB. The first card is generally enough for any modern 3D blockbuster, but the number of frames per second will drop by half compared to the older model, but the card from Nvidia is already morally outdated - the amount of memory is not suitable for the best and most technologically advanced games of our time.
In general, if you decide to build a gaming computer at the beginning of 2019, the first thing you need to do is decide on the video core and understand how much you are willing to pay for it - the remaining components will cost less and will be easier to find on sale.

Do you need an expensive processor?

The emergence of a new generation of Intel processors has turned the heads of many tech geeks, but we must admit that the i9 today is not a necessity even for people who stream their gaming adventures to a multimillion-dollar audience. Yes, and the i7 today looks more like an unreasonable luxury; the updated i5 processors with six high-frequency cores cope perfectly with the tasks and perform well in tandem with even the most advanced video cards. If you listened to our advice from the previous paragraph and decided to go with the GTX 1060, then a fresh i3-8100 will be enough for you, which will cost a very reasonable 7,500 rubles.
If you are one of those who squeeze the maximum out of the available hardware, then when you decide to overclock your processor, immediately think about purchasing a decent cooler that can cope with a stone operating at maximum speed. You shouldn’t chase incredible performance unless you are the happy owner of the seventh or ninth generation; the same fives, as a rule, do not exceed the power dissipation rate of 70 W, and the budget and time-tested DeepCool Gammaxx 300 is designed for as much as 130 W and will cost you about a thousand rubles!

Motherboard

In an effort to build a gaming computer with maximum performance for minimal money, many make a common mistake and try to save on a motherboard, thinking that it does not affect anything - this is not so. Budget motherboards from AMD traditionally show dismal results - the B350 almost all have problems with overclocking, and the A320 have such a weak power system that it can only work comfortably with weak and outdated Ryzen 3. Thus, it is better not to risk the performance of the gaming computer you are building and buy something something quite powerful and reliable, for example, Asus Prime X370-Pro for a little less than 10,000 rubles.
Coffee Lake started presenting new line motherboards improved with additional cores and frequencies, but at this moment Only the flagship chipset was released - Z370. The more affordable Z300 should become available in the coming days, and buying them looks like the best solution, although it’s too early to draw conclusions. If you decide to use previous generations of processors to build a PC, then you shouldn’t fool yourself and it will be enough to purchase a reliable and inexpensive option like the Asrock H110M; together with the processor, such a board will cost less than the Coffee Lake motherboard alone.

RAM

With memory today everything is quite simple. As for volume, the principle of more is better. If we talk about manufacturers, processors from AMD do not work with all brands, and they also like high frequencies. If you don’t want to overpay for frequencies that are imperceptible when working on a computer, then you can solve this issue by purchasing a 2400 or 2666 megahertz stick from Samsung or Corsair and subsequently overclock them to a respectable 3200 through the BIOS.
Processors from Intel do not create such problems and you can save a lot of money here by taking the most cheap option, so one can only envy the owners of such system cores and recommend using the remaining money to take a larger amount of memory with an eye to the future - the growth in needs for RAM is quite fast and it definitely won’t become superfluous.

Inner memory

The SSD market has undergone major transformations in recent months, and therefore it is necessary to carefully analyze everything that has happened in order to keep up with the trend. If earlier the best option saw solid state workers with MLC memory, and cheaper TLCs showed themselves to be insufficiently reliable and quickly fail, then since mid-2017, the 3D NAND volumetric structure has become widespread, thanks to which it has been possible to increase the durability and reduce the cost of such devices.
Thus, as of today best choice SSDs with TLC memory and 3D NAND are seen. For example, you can take a closer look at the already legendary Samsung 850 Evo, which has received a new structure and is now available for 6,000 rubles in a 250 GB version - an excellent offer. If you are used to storing terabytes of media files on your computer, then the remaining volume should be filled with ordinary hard drives, from which you can create a raid array if desired.

power unit

The situation with this type of component is the same as with motherboards. When answering the question of how to assemble a gaming computer and what is needed for assembly in the first place, many push these components to the background, which they later bitterly regret. We do not suggest that our readers urgently begin to understand the elemental base of such devices or find out what a varistor is, but we urge them to abandon the approach of choosing a power supply based on the residual principle and hope to insert the cheapest power into a powerful system unit.
If you want to completely protect yourself from the problems common in power supplies, you will have to fork out the cash and purchase products from a premium brand, for example, SeaSonic, but such a miracle will cost about twelve thousand, and not everyone is mentally prepared for such expenses. As for cheaper options, choose a reliable and high-quality model- not an easy task, because under the same brand in the same case there can be two completely different devices assembled in different factories with different levels quality control. After you have approximately decided on the price segment and the models you are interested in, spend some time and look at reviews of these devices on the Internet, then you will be able to form a more adequate picture, based on which you can predict the behavior of the power supply during operation.

If you are so far from technology that reviews are incomprehensible gibberish for you, then pay attention to time-tested models like the Zalman ZM500-GVM at 500 Watts for three and a half thousand or Fractal Design Integra M at 450 watts for four. Power in the range of 400-500 Watts has long been established as a reference and is enough for almost any modern gaming computer.

Frame

The market for cases for system units has not offered us anything fundamentally new this year; the classic budget Zalman Z3 Plus remains, perhaps, the most popular model. If it appearance If your idea of ​​beauty is disgusting, then you can take a look at DeepCool Kendomen for about the same money - it has good dust protection and quite good five fans.

If aesthetics is a top priority for you, then you need to be prepared for the fact that really interesting cases are quite expensive, for example, the current NZXT H440 Black/Orange will cost a hefty 8,000 rubles. But it looks really premium and it’s no longer a sin to put such a system in a prominent place - the interior of the apartment will not suffer. We hope our article today has shed some light on the complex world of building gaming computers so that you can make an informed purchase that you will enjoy for many years to come.

A gaming computer can be considered a computer that is capable of playing all modern games, providing an acceptable level of comfort from this entertainment. But user requirements differ, so very few fall into the category of gaming PCs. different devices. For many users, it is enough that games play smoothly, the game world is displayed correctly and there are no control problems. Professional gamers (who make money from gaming) and those who spend a significant portion of their leisure time playing games have more stringent requirements for PC performance.

This material will tell you how to assemble a gaming PC with your own hands, both for users who just need a smooth rendering of the picture on the screen, and for gamers for whom the quality of graphics is paramount. Of course, for these two categories of buyers, both the performance of the components and their cost will differ significantly (up to ten times). But the general recommendations on how to assemble a gaming PC with your own hands will be similar for everyone.

Assembling a PC on your own is, first of all, a solution that allows you to select the optimal configuration for the needs of a particular user. Also, setting up your own computer is a way to save money. The question of how to build a cheap gaming PC interests many users. Unfortunately, the performance of a computer largely depends on its cost. Therefore, it is now impossible to assemble a completely cheap (for example, for 10-15 thousand rubles) gaming PC.

Where to begin

Budget is a key factor when choosing components. Therefore, first of all, you should decide how much money will be allocated for the purchase. It also matters that you need it yourself system unit, or and peripherals(monitor, acoustics, keyboard, mouse).

IN model range Each manufacturer has several sockets (processor sockets). Each of them requires a motherboard with its own connector. If the CPU is equipped with Socket 1155, then the motherboard must have the same. In addition, you should consider the compatibility of the board with specific models processors. As a rule, board manufacturers publish lists of supported CPUs on their official websites.

The requirements for the board itself are determined based on the number and capacity of RAM sticks that will be installed, the number of connected drives (HDD, SSD), their interfaces (SATA, PCI-Express or M.2) and overclocking capabilities. The future upgrade also matters: if one is planned in a couple of months or years, you need to choose a motherboard with big amount interfaces and a fresh chipset (for example, MSI H61M-P31/W8 for Intel, ASUS M5A78L-M LX for AMD). If the computer is taken to long term, and “pumping” of its components is not provided, you can save a little on the system board.

An advanced motherboard is needed if an upgrade is planned

Video card

The GPU in a gaming computer is just as (if not more) important than the CPU. It is the video card that is responsible for processing the three-dimensional image and displaying it on the display. However, you can’t just pick up and install a powerful video card and save on other hardware. Information for subsequent processing by the graphics processor is prepared by the “CPU + RAM” combination, which, in turn, receives data from the drive (HDD and SSD).

A weak processor will not allow you to unleash the potential of a gaming video card

The “weak link” (regardless of whether it is the processor, video card or hard drive) will drag the system down, becoming a bottleneck. An analogy can be drawn with a logistics terminal: no matter how high its throughput, no matter how many cars are ready for loading, if there is a lack of loading equipment and labor, expanding the capabilities of the terminal itself will not help speed up its work.

Tandems of the type " inexpensive Intel Core i3 (or similar AMD FX 4xxx series) + Geforce GTX Titan X” are thus extremely inefficient and a waste of money. The “ceiling” of such processors is video cards of the Geforce GTX 750 Ti class. Such a chip will not reveal the potential of a more productive GPU.

To assess whether the combination of the selected processor and video card will have the optimal balance of capabilities, you can compare their prices. The cost of the GPU should exceed the price of the CPU. In the budget category (Intel Core i3, AMD FX 4xxx and 6xxx series) the difference is 10-30%, and in the niche of more expensive devices it can reach 100%. That is, if you plan to buy a processor for 8,000 rubles, then there is no point in installing a video card for 15,000 or more. But the GeForce GTX 980, costing up to 50 thousand, will be optimally combined with an Intel Core i7 CPU for 25-30 thousand.

You can install 2 video cards if the motherboard supports SLI technologies (for Nvidia GeForce) or CrossFire (AMD Radeon). In the budget segment, such a solution looks pointless (1 GPU for 15 thousand will be more productive than 2 for 8 thousand). In the top class, connecting two video cards allows you to achieve an increase in performance that cannot be realized in other ways.

Two video cards in SLI will increase the performance of your gaming PC

If you plan to upgrade your PC, you can purchase a motherboard that supports two video cards and get a GeForce GTX 960-level GPU. For now, the capabilities of this video card are enough to play all games, and in a year you can pair it with another one of the same kind to improve performance.

It should be remembered that to work in SLI/CrossFire, video cards must be, if not identical, then built on the same version of the graphics processor.

RAM

When choosing RAM, the main thing is to take into account the compatibility of generations and operating frequencies. For example, sixth generation Intel Core i7 processors (and motherboards compatible with them) work with DDR4 RAM sticks, and AMD FX 8xxx - DDR3.

DDR4 memory is faster, but not supported by all processors

The amount of RAM is limited by the wallet and the number of slots on the motherboard. RAM is a resource that can never be enough (thanks to software developers who, after switching to 64-bit Windows, do not bother themselves with excessive efforts to optimize memory consumption). Therefore, whether to install 8 GB of RAM or 32 is up to users to decide.

When selecting RAM sticks, it is recommended to install them in pairs or triplets. In this case, the chips operate in two or three-channel (depending on the CPU model and motherboard) mode. In this case, the speed of data exchange theoretically increases, respectively, by two or three times. Two 4 GB modules will work faster than 1 8 GB module.

Drives

Hard drives are gradually losing ground under the pressure of rapidly reducing prices, gaining capacity and becoming more reliable SSDs. Since it is impossible to build a powerful gaming PC without a high-speed drive, a gaming computer without solid state drive not enough. Capacity of 256 or 512 GB is enough for Windows installations and games, and for multimedia content (music, movies) you can simultaneously install a capacious HDD of 2, 3 or more terabytes.

The capacity of modern HDDs has already reached 10 TB