Game on! Creating the ultimate gaming lair…

There is a lot more to gaming than just getting a couple of pieces of hardware and piling them on the desk in your room. Serious gamers know that you have to get a lot of things together for the ultimate gaming lair, or man cave, or whatever you like to call your personal domain. Anyway, here is a list of some key things to consider when getting your gaming computers online.

The Monitor

First things first, you want to see what you’re doing. To get a first-rate picture, you need to look beyond the generic screens that come with most desktop computers, and even though laptops come with monitors built-in, it’s easy enough to connect an external one. Basically what you need to look for is a screen with a high pixel count and a low black-white pixel response. This will ensure the picture doesn’t lose focus when the action gets intense.

The Keyboard

Because of the nature of computer gaming – fast action, multiple command types – the keyboard needs to be able to do a lot more than type and gaming keyboards are often the best quality keyboards in existence. Mechanical switches are now the norm in gaming keyboards and this design allows for a much higher number of Action Per Minute, which can be the key element between victory and respawning. You will also want a keyboard that has programmable keys so you can customise the controls.

The Mouse

What’s true for gaming keyboards is true for gaming mice. You will find that the best quality product on the market is one designed for gamers. You can also get pretty good wireless options now which gives the gamer greater freedom in how they want their system set up.

The Network

No serious gamer plays just on their own these days and you want network connectivity to be part of the online community. A super fast Internet connection is pretty important, especially for any fast moving game with high definition graphics. But an Internet connection also allows game upgrades to be performed quickly and hassle free.

The Sound

Equally important as your graphics set-up is how your system deals with sound and here you have two options. A good speaker set can be pretty expensive, but if you want the best sound possible then this is the way to go. Choose speakers that are an appropriate size for the room you are using, not too big in a small space for example, and play around with placement to find the best spot in the room for them to sit. However, if you are playing a lot of multiplayer games and you need to communicate with other players, then what you really need is a headset with built-in mic. Again, there are various price ranges for headsets but you are more likely to find a good product at a lower price than a speaker system.

The Accessories

While the above is a list of the basics, any good lair is equipped with extra accessories, and the gaming industry does a good job of churning these out.  A good chair is something that most gamers will go for first after covering the basics, it’s important to take care of your spine. Then there are things like gloves and glasses to offer extra protection from the hazards of spending long hours at the controls. And for the really dedicated, there are gadgets that most gamers will pass on, like the thing that hold pesky USB cords out of the way or the network expansion devices that allows you to play in any room of the house.

The main thing to remember when setting up the gaming lair is that it’s worth going for the quality product that is going to last longer and enable a better performance. If you’re going to be spending a large part of your life in there, then you may as well do it in style.  Eada Hudes