Turn your normal PC into a Gaming PC

Saying the above in the 90s would require a lot of support and would most likely result in people laughing at you for stating such a nonsense. Not anymore, though. Most PCs that are made 10 to 15 years are more than capable of gaming provided they are clean from viruses and have a decent installation. I will highlight a few simple upgrades that can be done to turn your normal home PC into a gaming PC capable of running most new games at decent settings.

Determine your OS

The firs thing to do is make sure you are running Windows 7 or higher as older Operating Systems such as Windows XP no longer support new games or even hardware. If you do, great you can upgrade it to Windows 10 for free provided your running a legit copy of Windows. If not, a new Windows key cost around $100 on Amazon and even less on eBay. The Home edition is more than enough so don’t go for anything higher.

An important note before purchasing the key/disk is to determine your PCs CPU capability whether it’s a 32 bit or 64. Here is how to check.

Upgrade your Ram

Having 6 GB of Ram should be OK. Before buying extra Ram check the amount installed by right clicking on my computer and go to properties.
Having 4 GB or less will require you to get extra for better gameplay. Determining what type of Ram you have can be done by installing CPU-Z. Install the software and check the DDR type you have (most likely DDR 3).

New 8 GB Ram goes around $35.99 on eBay.

Upgrading you Graphics Card (GPU)

The most important part of PC gaming. You can check your GPU type by using CPU-Z or simply typing dxdiag in run and clicking on Display tab. I suggest going with a used or new Geforce 750 Ti for around $140.

The above GPU will allow you to play games on Mid to High settings and even ultra on older titles. Setting the right in game settings is another topic which I will cover soon but for now, a Geforce 750 Ti is all you need to turn a home PC into a gaming one. You can also go with a Geforce 650 and save even more if you like. Still a decent GPU but obviously less powerful.

Upgrading your CPU

Upgrading CPU is little more complicated as you need to carefully install the paste and what not but is still doable. You can buy a faster module online and let a local PC shop install it or a person who knows his way around computers. You can even watch YouTube tutorials and do just fine.

. . .

So that’s the fundamentals on turning almost any PC into a gaming capable one. Yes, you can find better parts and components than the one listed but based on my experience these will do just fine. Also, make sure that your PC is virus free by downloading a free version of AVG Anti-Virus. Hope this mini guide helped you, talk to you in my next post.