How to begin PC gaming in 2018

Gaming has never been as big as it is now, there are a number of platforms providing a variety of games for a multitude of tastes. You do not have to confine yourself to gaming using your consoles either. If you’re looking for the best in terms of performance, the best idea for you would be to opt for gaming using a PC.

The graphics fidelity, the support for esports and the multiplayer experiences are all top notch when you use a PC to satisfy your gaming needs. The huge number of titles available to you and digital distribution services like Steam and GOG makes it very easy to build a game collection. You can do this without leaving the house. We will walk you through the steps that you have to take in order to configure your PC, start on digital stores and get the best you can out of Windows 10 if you’re using it for games.

Hardware

PC games usually have different power requirements, you will need to adjust your graphics settings while paying attention to the performance in order to get the most out of your PC. Though there are a lot of pre-built options available for you, opting to build your own will definitely allow you to cut costs. Opting for at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor and Nvidia GTX 1070 GPU will allow you to play games at 1440p resolution and 60 frames-per-second.

Although you will be able to get some pretty decent resolution, it will be tough for it to match up to an Xbox One when it comes to 4k gaming.

Setting up Windows 10

Games perform very well on Windows 10, even without additional tweaks, you can start using it for games the moment you install the OS on your laptop. But you will get more out of your system by updating your GPU drivers, this will depend on which vendor you go with, NVIDIA or AMD.

Making sure that you have all the latest updates for Windows 10 and having all the other PC components installed will also allow you to make sure that everything works in sync.

Getting your games

After you have your PC configured and ready, the next thing that you will have to do is install some games. The two major storefronts that are prominent nowadays are Steam and GOG (Good Old Games). You could also opt for publisher stores like Ubisoft’s UPlay, Blizzard’s Battle. Net, and EA’s Origin, this is in addition to Amazon and retailer websites where you can get your hands on physical copies of games.

Most of the digital stores work in the same way. You download and install the software, create your account where you attach the necessary payment information, browse through a catalog of games and then make the purchases. You will have the option of downloading and installing any of the games that you buy. GOG does not require you to have the GOG suite installed in order to play games. You do not have to be logged in to play your games either.