Gaming Laptop & PCs - Get the Edge on your Opponents

As the console wars begin heating up again, it is easy to forget some facts about the world of gaming. Consoles have their place, and they are great for the general public. For serious gamers, however, there is no comparison to the gaming PC. With machines designed specifically for gaming, you can spend as much as you like on a tricked-out PC or laptop to meet your gaming needs. When you want to go toe-to-toe with the competition, you need the best hardware you can find.

The best possible performance

Professional athletes choose their gear based on the sport they play. Runners wear running shoes because they are specifically designed to optimize running performance. They do not wear dress shoes, casual shoes or combat boots, because those are not designed for what they are doing.

The same mentality applies to gaming. An average, a mid-range desktop is capable of playing many different games - just as a pair of casual shoes can get you all about town. However, such a machine will only do a passable job on many demanding games. To experience each game in all its glory, you need a machine designed to pull out all the stops - something that is par for the course with gaming PCs.

The balance of CPU and GPU

Buying a gaming PC or laptop can be much like purchasing a car. If you have unlimited funds, you can try to purchase the model that has the highest overall speed, handles the best and has the fastest acceleration. For most people, however, it is necessary to strike a balance between cost and priorities.

When choosing a gaming PC, most people must strike a balance between CPU and GPU. According to PC World, gamers that play current first-person shooters may want to look more towards a powerful GPU - for graphics processing power - than the CPU. In contrast, those who play turn-based war titles may need a more powerful CPU to keep the AI moving at top speed. For those who play real-time strategy, it may be best to weigh both GPU and CPU evenly.

PC versus Laptop

Gaming laptops have come a long way in recent years, and it is now possible to get a very respectable system in a remarkably small package. However, the same issues arise in the PC versus laptop argument that have always applied - you will always get more bang for your buck in a desktop configuration than you will in a laptop.

Creating hardware that will perform optimally yet fit into a portable package is hard work. The components that make up modern gaming laptops are true feats of engineering. This innovation, however, costs money.

If your situation demands a portable system, then a gaming laptop is ideal. Still, you should never expect to get the value or the power from a laptop that you can get from a desktop.

Law of diminishing returns

You can spend an impressive amount of money on a gaming PC or laptop - a system filled with the latest and most powerful hardware - but it is important to remember what you will be using it for. Most games do not need the full capabilities of the most powerful hardware.

For instance, Digital Trends recommends splurging on a quad-core processor. Dual-core processors are more affordable, but modern gaming really needs a quad-core to shine. Digital trends recommends against dishing out the extra money for a six-core processor. No current games need that level of power, nor will most in the immediate future.

If your budget is unlimited, than by all means go for the best. For everyone else, try to find the sweet spot between performance and your budget.

Get the edge

It may take some deliberation to determine what will meet your needs and your budget. There is no question; however, that a good gaming PC or laptop will give you the necessary edge you need while playing. Faster, more responsive, and undeniably more beautiful - your games will shine on a powerful system designed specifically for gaming.

Author Bio: Alan McMahon works for Dell and is involved in marketing consumer and enterprise solutions, across a range for products from tablet pc's, servers, and storage to virtualization. Alan McMahon is based in Ireland and enjoys sailing as a past time.