If you’re a gamer you know how important it is to have your environment set up so you can play better, and for longer. The perfect gaming setup can take a while to get right – there are many factors to refine and decisions to make.
If you’re just starting out on your gaming bedroom journey, it can feel overwhelming, and you may not know where to start.
Here are some tips to help get your beginner setup right.
The PC
First things first, you’re going to need the right equipment to play your games on. Chances are, if you know you enjoy gaming and you’re not considering your overall setup, you’ve already got the most basic element sorted.
When it comes to PCs, there are endless modifications you can make to the hard drive, memory, cooling fans, etc. The list goes on. For beginners it’s important just to focus on the functional aspects of your PC – you can worry about the cosmetic stuff later.
So ignore the light-up keyboards and cool glass computer cases for now. Make sure you’ve got a good GPU (graphics processing unit) or video card so your games will run at high frame rates and look great, and don’t forget to switch to gaming mode for optimal performance.
The Chair
It may not seem that important, but a reclining office chair is essential when fine-tuning your setup. You’ll likely be sitting in your gaming chair for hours at a time, and you don’t want to end up with back problems from poor posture support.
There are plenty of affordable, super comfortable, highly functional gaming chairs out there. It’s worth investing in!
The Desk
It’s not just something that your monitor sits on – it’s an integral part of the setup, almost as much as the chair. If your desk isn’t right, you won’t be able to game comfortably, which will affect your performance, and the whole thing will be much less fun.
There are hundreds of thousands of desks available, and even specific gaming desks now. Integrating desk mats becomes a noteworthy consideration in the expansive world of desks, which now includes specialized gaming desks among the myriad options. A lot of these gaming desks are height adjustable and have special draws, trays, and areas for keyboards, mouse mats, and headphones.
The Accessories
Headphones
Most online games have some kind of chat feature, and some of them even require you to collaborate and strategize with teammates in order to play. A good gaming headset will normally include headphones and an adjustable mic, and they can either be Bluetooth or wired.
Choose one that’ll be comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and make sure the audio quality and connectivity (if it’s wireless) are of a high standard.
Mouse
Not all computer mice are created equal. The standard, wired, or wireless mouse intended for general PC use is not going to cut out there on the virtual battlefield.
Look for mice with extra gaming buttons and a high rate of DPI (dots per inch). The higher the DPI, the quicker your cursor will move on the screen.
Keyboards
As with the mouse, a gaming keyboard is a lot different to a stock keyboard that comes with the PC, or that you can buy for general use. Gaming keyboards are usually bigger, with a full array of keys and even some extra ones that you won’t find on a normal keyboard.
Button responsiveness is faster, and some are even designed in a different layout to facilitate better gaming. Do a little research and choose the right one for your style of gameplay.
And the Rest…
With these basics covered, you should be good to go! Anything else you can add or change after you’ve got the basic setup will be something you didn’t know you needed until you’d done a good few hours of gaming.
Performance modifications for your PC, a supplementary controller, or perhaps a second set of headphones to rotate while the others charge.
Then, you can focus on cosmetics. The lighting in the room, the layout of your equipment on the desk… the list goes on, and it’s all up to you!
Sitting for long periods of time while gaming can be bad for you so you should take regular breaks and move around. This is where a walking pad can be useful; it’s a small treadmill that can let you exercise at home with ease.
