You do not have to spend a fortune to acquire a good gaming PC. There are a few components that you should focus on to ensure that all games will perform to the optimum. A good gaming rig will last you at least 3 years without the need for upgrades or replacement. Here are the five essential elements of a good gaming PC.

1. The CPU or processor. PCMag says that the processor is the heart of any gaming system. Currently, the eight-core processors are the fastest available. You can choose between Intel’s Core i7 and AMD’s FX processors. The cost will go down if you opt for quad-core CPUs, which will still provide you with decent speed and a fulfilling gaming experience.

2. RAM. The RAM serves as your gaming PC’s memory and you will require a lot of it when playing high-performance games. Aim to get at least 8GB of RAM. You will find that upgrading to as much as 32GB will not be very expensive. If you have faster memory, you may overclock your CPU without worrying about stability issues.

3. Graphics card. The video or graphics card is highly important in any gaming system because it is responsible for displaying high quality graphics for modern games. There are several brands available providing you with dual, triple or quad-graphics card options. Cubed3 notes that having a powerful graphics card will render sharp and clear images when playing.

4. Screen. Today, LED flat screens are highly preferred by gamers. You can get at least 20 inches of screen space at a decent price although there are already much wider models that range up to 32 inches or more. You can pick from various brands that offer great lighting and resolution.

5. Accessories. Invest in a gaming mouse and keyboard so you can respond faster and play better against opponents. Many of these gaming accessories include special keys and buttons specifically for playing games, allowing you to conveniently perform moves and combos without taxing your hands and fingers.

At present, gaming PCs almost always have internet connection, allowing players to battle with others online any time of the day.