Games nowadays are increasingly made for devices with really high specs which begs the question as to which companies provide the best hardware to support the “heaviest” games out there.
In this article, we will look into various hardware components of a gaming computer, such as video cards and keyboards, and discuss top-rated companies that make them in our attempt to find the best ones.
CPU
It’s best to start by discussing the central processing unit, or CPU, because it’s rightfully considered to be the “make it or break it” of a good gaming computer.
The CPU is the processor of a computer that runs the device’s operating system and all of the applications, which means that it affects every aspect of your gaming experience.
Currently, in the field of CPU for gaming, there are two big companies which compete for the first spot – Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Curiously, both companies were founded around the same time (Intel in 1968 and AMD in 1969) and they are both still fighting for that coveted first place.
When AMD released the Ryzen brand of processors in 2017, Intel instantly knew it was in trouble. Still, that is not to say that Intel hasn’t come up with good processors since then.
There are varying opinions as to which company performs better, so we will instead give you the latest releases by both, including only the CPUs ranked best by experts and gamers:
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- Intel Core i9 13900K
- Intel Core i5-13600K
Graphics Card
The graphics card, or video card, is next on the list of most important hardware components for best gaming experience. The video card is responsible for rendering visuals on a display such as a monitor.
Contrary to popular belief, a graphics card is not the same as a GPU (graphics processing unit). The GPU is the chip which processes visual data, while the graphics card is the physical component that includes a GPU, among other components like power connectors and video memory.
Sometimes, the CPU itself includes a GPU. For optimal results, especially when gaming, it’s best to rely on a dedicated graphics card with a well-performing GPU, since GPUs found in CPUs are used for lighter tasks like Microsoft Office usage and emails.
In terms of the top companies offering high-end graphics or video cards, there are more competitors in comparison to GPU companies. Our research found Nvidia and AMD to be most liked by critics and players alike. Nvidia and AMD partners with GPU brands like MSI (Micro-Star International) and ASUS.
Here are some of their best-rated graphics cards:
- Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
- AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
Monitor
You might have a very powerful graphics card but does it really matter if your monitor can’t take it? We suggest investing in a monitor which can quickly render images with impressive fidelity, so you can play games with high FPS (frames per second) rate. Every pixel is worth is, trust us.
There are many hardware companies which offer monitors with stunning performance, so there is much more competition when compared to other hardware components.
As a result of the relatively saturated monitor market, opinions highly vary, so we recommend exploring more brands and testing their products at a physical store in order to see what they are each capable of.
Popular brands for gaming monitors include ASUS, Alienware, LG, Samsung, MSI and Gigabyte, among others. Here are some of their most popular high-end models:
- ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM
- Alienware 34 QD-OLED
- LG 27GS95QE-B
- Samsung Odyssey Neo G8
- MSI OPTIX MPG321UR-QD
- Gigabyte M28U
Keyboard
Naturally, you need a good keyboard to ensure smooth output. Nowadays, many gamers don’t only look at the specs when they are choosing a keyboard, but also at the sheer enjoyability that each model provides which is why we have things like keycaps that make duck sounds (yes, these do exist).
For the best gaming performance, we recommend using a keyboard with a cable because it would always provide better output, but there are also some really good wireless keyboards, one of which made our list of top gaming keyboards.
Some of the most famous brands for gaming keyboards are Razer, Logitech, Corsair and SteelSeries. Here are their top gaming keyboards:
- Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro
- Logitech G915 Lightspeed Wireless
- Corsair K70 RGB TKL Champion Series
- SteelSeries Apex 5
Mouse
There cannot be a keyboard without a good mouse for support. Similarly, there are many hardware brands out there that sell top-notch gaming mice, so we again recommend to test each mouse before you buy it or to at least read reviews online to make sure that you’re choosing the best one for your needs.
Popular brands for a gaming mouse include Razer, Logitech, Corsair, SteelSeries, which, as you probably noticed, are the same brands as the keyboard ones we just showed you. Here are their top products:
- Razer DeathAdder V2
- Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless
- Corsair IRONCLAW RGB Wireless
- SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you learnt a thing or two about gaming software.
While we stand by our recommendations, we wish to remind you that we showed you some of the most expensive products for each component. Let’s remember that you don’t have to break the bank to have a good gaming computer, so only buy products you can afford.