Many parents approach the subject of buying their children a gaming PC with apprehension. Unless they’re gamers themselves, it can be difficult to see the value in introducing their children to playing PC games as opposed to other more traditional, “productive” pursuits. They might think of PC gaming as a dangerous distraction.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, PC gaming is one of the most popular forms of entertainment available today, but beyond that, it offers a wide variety of educational, creative, and social benefits for children.
If your child has been asking for a gaming PC of their own and you’re on the fence about it, this is the article for you. Below, we discuss what the benefits of PC gaming are for children, and how to choose a gaming PC for them.
PC Gaming: The Benefits
Improves cognitive skills
PC games often require problem-solving, critical thinking, and strategy. When children play games that encourage them to exercise these skills, they’ll become much better at applying them in their everyday life. It can also help them excel in school.
Enhances hand-eye coordination
Many PC games require precise movements and quick reflexes, which can help improve hand-eye coordination. This can be especially helpful for children who are just starting to develop their motor skills.
Helps them develop their communication and social skills
Multiplayer games often require teamwork and communication, which can help children develop their communication skills and work effectively with others. Additionally, they allow children to interact with people from all over the world, which can help them develop social skills and make new friends.
Encourages creativity
Some PC games, such as sandbox games, allow your children to create and explore their own worlds, which can encourage creativity and broaden the horizons of their imagination.
Improves their confidence
Success in PC games can give kids a sense of accomplishment and boost their confidence. This can be especially beneficial for children who struggle in other areas of their life.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Gaming PC
With so many options available, choosing a system for your child out of the plethora of gaming PCs out in the market can be challenging. Here are some of the things that you need to consider:
Buy or Build
When it comes to gaming PCs, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is whether you want to buy a pre-built system or build one yourself.
There are many advantages to building a gaming PC yourself. Purchasing components separately can help you save some money, and you can customize the system to your exact specifications. However, putting it together requires a certain level of knowledge and skill.
If you know nothing about computers, you’ll be better off purchasing a pre-built system from a reliable system integrator such as CLX. CLX is a custom SI that caters to PC gamers and content creators. They offer a wide range of ready-to-ship gaming PCs that can be delivered to your home on the very next business day.
Cost
Gaming PCs can cost anywhere from $500 on the low end to $5000 and beyond for higher-end rigs.
Yes, it’s tempting to just buy a “starter” PC for your child, but these machines typically can’t run games outside of the ones that can be found on Facebook. The easiest way to figure out how much you should spend is to take a look at the minimum system requirements for the games that your child wants to play, and then go the next level up. This ensures that the game will run smoothly and that the PC won’t run into any performance issues.
Components
There are a few components that put the “gaming” in “gaming PC”, and they’re the ones you should prioritize when buying. Chief among these is the graphics card or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), which is responsible for rendering the graphics and visual effects in games. A high-performance GPU can make a big difference in a gaming PC, as it can significantly improve the visual quality and frame rate of games. It allows for fast and smooth rendering of high-resolution graphics, detailed textures, and complex visual effects, providing a better gaming experience.
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) or processor is another critical component in gaming PCs. It acts as the “brain” of the computer, and is responsible for executing the instructions and commands that drive the games. It also manages other critical tasks such as input/output operations, system management, and data processing.
Finally, there’s the RAM (Random Access Memory). it provides a temporary storage space for the data and instructions that the CPU and other components need to access quickly. The faster the RAM, the more data the computer can store and access quickly, which can greatly improve the performance of the computer, especially when gaming.
CLX is the best place to find gaming PCs that suit your needs and budget. With the help of their Ultimate Configurator, you can put together the PC of your child’s dreams. Visit their website to learn more.