What to know when maximising your PC for ultimate gaming performance

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Despite the recent hardware supply woes and game delays, 2022 is turning out to be an exciting time for PC gamers. With the releases of highly rated games, such as anticipated Elden Ring, the third installment of Total War: War Hammer, and the unexpected hit Stray, as well as the launch of new components from the likes of Intel and AMD in the next few months, the PC gaming market is set to reach US$40 billion this year.

Although the choice in gaming platforms is down to personal preference, the popularity of PC gaming is largely due to gamers being able to choose from an extensive array of options to upgrade and customise their PCs. They are also able to ‘mod’ or adapt games more easily than with other platforms. Together, this enables gamers to create a tailor-made experience to fit to their budget and needs.

Invest in these PC gaming components

Whether you are a newbie or well-versed in the art of upgrading, one of the most important, and often the most expensive, hardware components of a gaming PC is the graphics card (GPU). The better the GPU, the better gaming performance, with some older graphics cards unable to function with the latest games. Just as significant is ensuring the PC’s core processor (CPU), which handles all the computer’s operations, is compatible with the GPU to avoid bottlenecks, and that it can get the most out of a system’s hardware.

The good news for PC gamers wanting to upgrade their GPU and CPU components, is that stock is now more easily accessible than the previous year or so. As the crypto mining bubble has burst, graphics cards have become readily available, with their recent inflated prices dropping to match the current supply and demand. There are also the launches of new generation processors, such as Intel’s 13th-gen Raptor Lake and AMD’s Ryzen 7000 ‘Raphael’ (featuring a new AM5 socket), scheduled for later in 2022, giving gamers access to cutting-edge technology to boost their gaming experience.

What about the latest in PC gaming peripherals?

As gaming technology continues to evolve, so too have PC gaming peripherals and accessories to help ensure gaming is highly engaging and immersive. For example, wireless keyboards and mice used to be considered less responsive with a noticeable delay, but now with improvements in technology, can offer a similar level of performance as their wired counterparts, with the convenience of mobility and less cord clutter.Providing aesthetics and functionality, lighting has also become integral to creating an amplified PC gaming experience. This is not only lighting on peripherals, such as keyboards, but adjustable RGB strip lighting and RGB wall-mounted panels, such as Nanoleaf’s modular colour-changing lighting products, which bring the ideal LED illumination for a transformed, personalised gaming set-up.

Rookie mistakes to avoid

For gamers just starting out on building their PCs, focusing only on the minimum requirements may seem a budget-friendly option, but won’t give you the full experience for which the games have been designed. Spending more at first, particularly on GPUs and CPUs, can help future-proof your playing potential in years to come when new games are launched.Most of the latest PCs have enough memory to function adequately for gaming purposes, however, not all RAM is equal. Check the speed of the RAM and the type – DDR5 is the fastest and is increasingly becoming standard whereas anything lower than DDR4 will lead to problems with performance.

Another option to make a gaming PC perform faster is installing SSD storage, as files can be read quickly, decreasing the loading time. If you are using a PC for other purposes, a combination of a hard drive and SSD for gaming can work well.

Often so much time and money are spent focusing on the PC components, that by the end of process, the monitor is an afterthought. Put a minimum 4K resolution monitor with a superior refresh rate as one of the priorities when upgrading, else you’ll be left with a screen that has the risk of motion blur and low-quality images, after all your efforts.

Building or upgrading a PC may seem daunting, but with the right know-how when it comes to parts and peripherals, can open a world of opportunity to enhance personalised gaming performance. Time and money spent now on customising your PC can help you make the most of the latest games while setting you up for gaming pleasure in the future.


Matthew Hall, Product Director at Rectron

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