Building a PC has changed dramatically in recent years. While it may be physically easier to build a PC, the number of items to consider for a build list has gone up dramatically. Back in the day, the prime considerations were the number of Mhz, the amount of RAM the GPU and system required, your monitor and if you needed a sound card.
The good ol' days
The purchase process is a bit different nowadays. Today, a builder needs to decide their monitor's resolution, color depth, refresh rate and form factor, as well as the form factor and size of the system itself, networking considerations and more.
That “more” is largely due to a number PC-related technologies to enter the scene that builders may want to their new system to support. This includes the introduction of G-Sync, FreeSync, virtual reality (VR) and ray tracing. VR-ready builds really deserves an article unto itself, and ray tracing, pitched as the future of gaming, is mostly novelty at this point (this is, of course, subjective and endlessly debatable).
However, variable refresh rate (VRR) technologies seem to have finally reached a mature stage and is all but mainstream, available in most monitors and even some TVs. G-Sync and FreeSync are, for the most part, bug free, easy to use and add demonstrable improvements to the quality of a game’s graphics. Even better, Nvidia cards can now use G-Sync with FreeSync monitors certified G-Sync Compatible by Nvidia. Although your mileage may vary, gamers are no longer required to pay a $200-$300 tax to purchase a VRR monitor that is compatible with their Nvidia GPU.
The widespread adoption and availability of G-Sync and FreeSync means there are more of you using the tech than ever before. So, now is a perfect opportunity to pose a new discussion topic to our readers in this week’s Community Questions.
Joshua Simenhoff was a former Tom's Hardware community manager. He covered a wide range of topics, including PC hardware how-tos and articles with a focus on community engagement. His expertise lay in connecting with readers and providing practical, informative content about the latest technology.
