Do you feel overwhelmed by the dizzying number of choices that you have to make as you look at gaming computers for sale? In addition to being no small investment, gaming computers are made up of multiple components, and there’s a wide variety of options available for each of those components. If this is your first time browsing gaming computers for sale and want a bit of help narrowing down your choices, this is the article for you.

Gaming computer or gaming laptop?

The gaming laptop has truly come a long way. Gone are the “desktop replacements” of old–laptops that were too heavy for your lap, let alone be brought around anywhere; nowadays, gaming laptops are as thin and light as their non-gaming counterparts, and perform almost as well as a gaming desktop computer.

If portability and gaming on the go are your major priorities, then a gaming laptop may be the best choice for you. However, you’ll have to make a few compromises. While gaming laptops have gotten significantly more powerful and capable in recent years, the ones equipped with the latest hardware are often much more expensive than buying a desktop computer with the same specs. You may have to settle for a machine that has less powerful key components if you have a certain dollar amount in mind and want to keep to it.

Gaming laptops are also extremely limited in terms of upgradability and repairability. At most, you’ll only be able to upgrade your RAM and storage, but not the CPU or GPU. And if one component fails, chances are the entire laptop won’t be usable and you’ll have to buy a new one. 

Do you want to build a gaming computer or buy one?

There are several advantages to building your own gaming computer. You’ll be able to choose all of the parts that go in it yourself, and you can save a lot of money by doing so, too. It can also be a fun learning experience that gives you a better understanding of your machine and how all of its components go together.

However, building a computer from scratch can be extremely time-consuming, and it can take several hours or even an entire day. You also need to possess a certain level of technical knowledge to do so: you’ll need to know how each part of the build works, figure out whether they’re all compatible with each other, as well as how to assemble them properly. If you don’t, you risk damaging those components, and they’ll need to be repaired if not replaced.

The warranty and support process for computers that you build yourself can also be rather complicated. Most components come with a limited manufacturer’s warranty, but there is no warranty on the build itself. If something goes wrong with your custom-built computer, you will be responsible for troubleshooting and fixing the problem yourself.

Buying a pre-built gaming computer is the best choice for those who aren’t tech-savvy enough to build their own. CLX’s selection of gaming computers for sale takes all the hassle out of buying a new rig. You can view all of their ready-to-ship offerings here. Every system they ship out is backed by their premium, free lifetime technical support, as well as free lifetime warranty on labor and a 1-year parts warranty by default. They stress test every machine before shipping it out to you, and you can always contact them via phone, email, or text message should you ever run into trouble or just want to upgrade your computer.

Which components really matter in a gaming computer?

The following components are the ones that you should pay the most attention to in a gaming computer:

1. CPU (Central Processing Unit): The CPU is the “brain” of the computer and is responsible for executing most of the instructions that drive the games you play. For gaming, you’ll want to get a high-end CPU with a fast clock speed and as many cores as you can afford.

2. GPU (Graphics Processing Unit): The GPU is responsible for rendering the images and videos that you see on the screen. A high-end GPU is essential for smooth and detailed graphics in modern games.

3. RAM (Random Access Memory): RAM is a type of memory that your computer uses to store data temporarily while it’s working on a task. For gaming, you’ll want to get at least 8GB of RAM, and 16GB or more is recommended.

4. Storage: You’ll need storage to store your games and other data. A solid-state drive (SSD) is recommended for gaming as it provides faster load times and better performance compared to a traditional hard disk drive (HDD).

5. Motherboard: The motherboard is the main circuit board in your computer that houses the CPU, GPU, RAM, and other components. You’ll want to choose a motherboard that is compatible with the components you’ve selected and has sufficient space for any future upgrades.

6. Power Supply Unit (PSU): The power supply unit provides power to the other components in your computer. For gaming, you’ll want to get a high-quality power supply unit with a high wattage rating to ensure that it can handle the power needs of your components.

7. Cooling: High-end gaming components generate a lot of heat, so adequate cooling is important to ensure stable performance and prevent overheating. You’ll want to consider getting a high-quality CPU cooler and/or a dedicated graphics card cooler.