It’s no secret that I’m a big geek. What’s possibly less known is that I love gaming too. With that in mind, today I’m sharing some things for parents to consider when choosing a gaming PC. So if you’re clueless where to start, hopefully this post will help you choose the best setup for your child.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Gaming PC

If you’re not into gaming / PCs yourself, the terminology used on many websites can be overwhelming. I’ve had a few parent friends ask me for recommendations recently, so I decided to put this post together to help explain what each aspect is, and also recommend minimum requirements etc. So keep reading to find out what to consider when choosing a gaming PC for your child.

Mac VS PC

This decades-long feud is still going on. Mac is Apple’s equivalent of Microsoft’s PC. When it comes to gaming, PC is by and far the best option. There’s several reasons for this, but the main one is how easy most PCs are to customise and upgrade. If you need more memory, you can get some added pretty cheaply. When you buy Mac, you’re much more limited with what improvements you can make after purchase, and they are much more costly.

Additionally, many games simply won’t work on Mac. So for this reason, no matter how much of a “Team Apple” person you are, please don’t opt for Mac if your child wants a gaming system.

I’m a steadfast Apple user. (I’m typing this on my MacBook Pro, with my iPad Pro and iPhone within reach). However, my year old MacBook Pro which cost almost £1600 can’t run many of the games I like to play, because Mac doesn’t tend to offer the same level of graphics as PC does. Mac is more of a business setup, so doesn’t focus heavily on meeting the needs of gamers.

Hopefully that explains why I am focussing on things for parents to consider when choosing a gaming PC, rather than Mac.

Minimum Processor for a Gaming PC

The Processor is also known as the CPU or Central Processing Unit. It is essentially the “brain” of the PC. The Processor is responsible for sending, receiving and transferring the data around a PC. Personally, I’d recommend AMD Ryzen 5, or Intel Core i5 processors at a minimum for anyone who is serious about gaming.

Gaming PC Graphics Card Options

The graphics card is what powers games within the gaming PC, so it’s important to choose a decent one. Nvidia GeForce is the most common brand, and the prices vary massively from their lowest to highest spec. As with most things, the higher the price point, the better the graphics card.

With this in mind, it’s important to look at the minimum system requirements on the game(s) your child wants to play. To meet Diablo 4 high spec requirements, you need to pair an Nvidia RTX 2060 or AMD RX 5700 XT graphics card with either an AMD Ryzen 2700X or Intel Core i7 8700K Operating System.  (Diablo 4 is an age 17+ game, so please bare that in mind if you’re considering buying it for a child).

On the flip side, Forza Horizon 5 is suitable for all ages. It requires an Intel i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X operating system and NVidia GTX 1070 OR AMD RX 590 graphics card to play well. This makes it much more accessible to a newer gamer with a lower grade setup.

Minimum Gaming PC Memory (Also Known as RAM)

RAM stands for random access memory. It is the PC component which stores data while the computer runs. This is not where you save files etc. That’s known as storage, and we’ll discuss that later. Each PC’s included RAM can vary massively. The higher the number, the better.

As a general rule of thumb, 8GB of RAM is only enough for casual computer use and internet browsing. 16GB RAM is enough to run spreadsheets and other office programs, like word etc. Gamers and multimedia creators need 32GB of RAM for seamless gameplay, streaming and editing.

The team over at vibox have created a really cool PC customisation page, which lets you flick between different specifications and see how it affects the price. It’s a brilliant company based close to where I live. Definitely worth a look if you want to check the price fluctuation as you research things to consider when choosing a gaming PC.

Minimum Gaming PC Storage / Hard Drive / SSD Size

When websites mention PC storage, they mean the hard drive. This is where downloaded games / files etc are saved, and it is measured in GB. This should not be confused with the previously mentioned PC Memory. The Hard Drive was the only storage option on older PCs. Now, many gamers choose to use a Solid State Drive (or SSD) instead.

A solid-state drive (SSD) is the new generation of storage device used in PCs. SSDs store data using flash-based memory. This is much faster than the traditional hard disks they’ve began to replace.

At an absolute minimum, I’d recommend any gaming PC has at least 500GB, of storage – either on a Hard Drive or a SSD when you consider when choosing a gaming PC. If funds allow, 1TB will mean there’s twice the minimum storage, and 2TB will definitely keep them going for a while.

The good thing about PCs is that you can upgrade this later, if funds don’t allow you to choose a huge hard drive and a good graphics card. I’d prioritise the graphics card over extra storage, if you have to consider when choosing a gaming PC.

Other Important Factors

A few final things to consider when choosing a gaming PC are:

Wireless – It sounds silly, but double check the PC tower has built in wifi, if you plan on using it. Most serious gamers prefer to use a wired internet connection as it’s more reliable, so wifi isn’t always included as standard.

PC Fans – If you’re choosing a beefed-up setup, make sure enough fans are included in the device. Overheating is something that can happen when the PC is used for long periods. This is another reason to ensure you have a good warranty.

The Warranty – If you’re not confident with computers, ensure you get a decent one.

Tower Size – If space is of a premium, make sure you double check the space the gaming PC will be in. Many gaming towers are large to accommodate the fans a pumped-up setup requires.

Online Safety – If your child will be playing online or live-streaming, it’s important to familiarise yourself and your child with online safety.

Final Thoughts on What to Look for When Buying a Gaming PC

Have I missed anything? Let me know in the comments if you can think of anything else for parents to consider when choosing a gaming PC for their child.