A 5-Step Guide to Buying Your First Gaming PC

If you are new to the world of gaming, you might be curious about what type of setup would be best for you. Do you want a console system like Xbox or PlayStation? Or would you rather invest in a designated gaming laptop? Better yet, would you prefer to invest in a fully customized gaming desktop to meet all your needs?

It can be quite daunting to figure all this out, so let us walk you through the process of buying your first gaming PC in 5 easy steps!

1.  Determine your budget

First, you need to decide how much you want to spend. Gaming setups come at various price points depending on the features. To simplify, we can divide them into three segments – lower, mid and higher range.

A lower-range gaming PC can cost between BDT 40,000-60,000. This type of PC has a standard setup that is great for gamers who play low-spec video games.

A mid-range gaming setup can cost between BDT 70,000-90,000 or even higher. It is the ideal starting budget if you want to be a serious gamer. This type of setup provides above-average performance and has ample capacity for upgrades in the future.

A higher-range PC typically costs over BDT 125,000 and is best suited for experienced gamers. This type of setup includes specialized equipment that provides the smoothest, clearest, top-of-the-range performance and is perfect for high-spec video games.

2. Decide on a setup

Before getting into the technical details, determine which setup you want to invest in. There are mainly three options to choose from – console system, gaming laptop or gaming desktop. Depending on your needs, each type will have its pros and cons.

Gaming Console

Though this is not technically a PC, it is still popular among gamers. Consoles are dedicated gaming devices. There are mainly two console giants that you have probably already heard of – Xbox and PlayStation. These systems are extremely popular gaming platforms for which a variety of games are widely developed, and are played with hand-held controllers and headsets.

Pros:

• Quick to set up as it is designed to be plug-and-play.
• Automatic updates.
• Access to exclusive games that are not available for PC.

Cons:

• The incremental upgrades do not provide significant improvement.
• No option to use mouse and keyboard or VR to play games.
• Cannot be modified.

Gaming Laptop

We have previously looked at some popular gaming laptops in the market. Laptops are quite versatile in terms of performance – there is an ideal type for every individual. A gaming laptop provides a compact solution to your gaming needs, with the addition of being portable. However, it definitely has its drawbacks.

Pros:

• It is an all-in-one PC.
• More versatile compared to a console.
• Portable.

Cons:

• Most expensive among the options.
• Limited hardware capacity.
• Extreme overheating may lead to hardware damage.
• Unsatisfactory power supply due to poor battery life.

Gaming Desktop

A desktop is the most popular gaming setup by far. Gamers frequently opt for a gaming desktop due to its unlimited customization options. It is the easiest setup to modify and upgrade, ultimately granting you a long-lasting gaming rig. You can get a pre-built PC or build one yourself using the parts you want. This is an ideal option if you want to get the best gaming configuration to match your requirements. However, desktops also come with their own drawbacks.

Pros:

• Complete customization options.
• More reasonable compared to laptops.
• It can provide high performance without too much overheating.

Cons:

• Too many component options.
• Difficult for inexperienced users to set up.
• No portability.

3. Decide what games you want to run

This is a small step but it will help you determine the best gaming configuration to match your needs.

If you want to play low-spec games like Minecraft, for example, you can make do with a standard PC setup from a lower price range. On the other hand, if you want to play high-end AAA games like Assassin’s Creed, you will need a gaming rig with the best performance, graphics, and audio to capture the full experience.

Depending on your gaming preference, your need for external devices will change too. If you want to play a lot of virtual reality games, you will need to invest in a good quality VR headset and a compatible setup. VR aside, you still have a choice to make between hand-held controllers versus a keyboard-and-mouse setup. If you want to play online multiplayer games, you will need to invest in a good microphone and speakers as well.

There are so many decisions to make before purchasing a gaming rig, therefore it is best to first list down your requirements before moving onto the next step.

4. Understand the essentials

Now comes the technical aspect.

If you decide to invest in a console, this step is not very important for you. On the other hand, if you decide to invest in a gaming desktop or laptop, you will need to understand the following components and their uses:

Processor and Motherboard

A good processor is an integral part of your whole setup. The central processing unit (CPU) is responsible for running computer programs. Without it, your setup will not function.

For a good gaming PC, you need a powerful processor like the Intel Core i7, accompanied by a good motherboard that fully utilizes performance capabilities. The motherboard is a printed layout that holds all the crucial components of a PC such as the CPU and memory and allows for smooth communication between the components. The best motherboards for gaming come from the following brands:

• Asus
• Gigabyte
• MSI

Graphics Card

This is another gaming essential. A good quality graphics card is needed to produce an adequate visual output. The graphics card – or video card – is responsible for what you see on your display. When you go for a standard pre-built PC, it comes with integrated graphics which is good for daily use. However, these types of cards do not perform well with games and can lead to game lags and severe overheating. For a gaming PC, it is ideal to invest in a dedicated graphics card that is built for gaming and video editing. For a new gamer, we would recommend the NVidia GeForce RTX 2060 or 2070 graphics card. It is a great mid-level option that can run most games without any issues and will last for 3-4 years.

A really good video card such as the NVidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti can produce fantastic 4K graphics, but it can cost anywhere between BDT 100,000 to 150,000. It’s best to buy such high-end graphics cards when you’re more experienced with gaming and are absolutely certain you need it!

SSD

A Solid-State Drive or SSD is a must-have for a gaming computer today. It is a mass-storage device that does not depend on a moving mechanical arm to read and write data unlike its traditional counterpart, the Hard Disk Drive (HDD). This makes the SSD comparatively much faster in reading and writing data. What it gives you is an incredibly fast startup. The SSD enables “instant on” performance which lets you start playing immediately after you boot your computer – without having to wait forever for the system to load.

Power Supply

You need a sufficient power supply to run your rig and all its components. The more add-ons you have, the more power you will need – which can quickly rack up quite a large electricity bill.

This is why it is ideal to invest in an 80 plus power system to improve energy consumption and reduce electricity wastage.

Display

A good display monitor is essential to get the best use out of your whole setup. Without a display that can produce vivid crystal clear images, there really is no point in having all the gaming components. A display can make or break your gaming experience, so it is best to invest in a good one.

We recommend going for a minimum 144Hz 1080p display as they produce fantastic visuals. It can do a remarkable job in capturing vibrant details in your game, and it’s also great for users working with animation and graphic design!

Miscellaneous

These are the standard equipment that every PC should have. Starting from a mouse and keyboard, all the way to webcams and headsets; depending on your requirements from step 3, you will need certain external components to streamline your gaming experience.

Another important component is a proper cooling system. You can choose between fans or liquid-cooling which will immensely help with the overheating caused by prolonged gaming. Without a good cooling system, you risk the chance of hardware damage.

Additional miscellaneous equipment like LED-backlit keyboards or CPU units are not essential, but they definitely add a nice touch to your gaming rig.

5. Buy gaming PC

Once you have done proper research and know exactly what you need, it is time to buy your gaming PC!

Buying a console or gaming laptop is relatively easy as they are all-in-one systems. You can purchase them from any physical shop or buy them online.  For the latter option, you can buy a PC in Bangladesh through Bikroy.com. Through our site, you can find listings for both new and used gaming systems and easily compare prices from different sellers across the country and pick the best deal for you!

Buying a desktop, on the other hand, can be a bit trickier. There are numerous components to go through and each of them serves a different purpose. If you are new to buying desktops, it is best to buy a pre-built PC that has all the components installed in it. If you have some experience with desktops and know-how to set them up, you can go for building your custom gaming rig. Bikroy has both types of desktops for sale and you can get really good deals on second-hand gaming PCs. With these, you get the convenience of a pre-built PC whilst enjoying the custom components installed by experienced gamers!

We hope this article has helped in your quest for the perfect gaming PC. Happy gaming!