Audio:
The audio portion of video games plays a major role in the overall experience. Games are developed to take advantage of surround sound stereo audio, and the system the games are played on need to be able to share this with the user.
The first step is to make sure a sound card capable of properly reproducing the sound is available. Many modern motherboards include a 5.1 channel stereo sound processor onboard, but there are PCI card upgrades available for those who need it. Budget-conscious gamers can add something like this 7.1 channel sound card to their system, or if they have the money for it, they can add the extreme performance and features of the 7.1 channel Creative Audigy 2ZS Platinum.
Once you have the sound card, you need a decent set of speakers to realistically duplicate the sounds of things like gun fire, explosions, and foot steps, as well as to indicate where the sounds are coming from. A set of surround sound speakers are necessary for distinguishing where approaching enemies are when out of your field of view, or to determine where distant gun shots are coming from. Two stereo speakers may work well enough for quietly listening to music, but they aren't going to cut it for game play. A 5.1 channel, six piece set providing two front speakers, two rear speakers, a center channel, and a subwoofer are required for a realistic gaming experience.
Some may find that their neighbors don't care to share in the excitement of their latest game. For them, perhaps a set of headphones is a better investment than a set of speakers. The performance of headphones may be just as good as speakers, as some have been designed with multiple speakers to reproduce 5.1 channel stereo sound, like the Zalman ZM-RS6F 5.1 Stereo Headphones. Other headphones provide "force feedback" that actually vibrates to enhance the effect of things like explosions. These Meritline Vibra 2 channel headphones provide such a feature, as well as including a microphone. Many multiplayer games support the use of microphones to allow team members to communicate with each other.
Input Devices:
The interface between the player and the computer is obviously an important one. Items such as keyboards, mice, and game controllers are all critical to ensure that a player can't blame poor performance on anything but a lack of skill.
Some may say a keyboard is a keyboard, and that it can't possibly matter, but it does. Having a comfortable keyboard is the top priority, and other features may make things even more enjoyable during game play. A keyboard such as this one may be desirable for two reasons. One, the backlit keys allow for easy viewing in dimly lit rooms. Lowering the lights makes the monitor appear brighter and perhaps have better contrast. Two, the multi-function keys may allow for combination commands to be programmed into one button. For those who want to get really serious with a keyboard for gaming, look into the Zboard, considered to be the "ultimate gaming keyboard."
Most computer games utilize the mouse as the main control for direction and weapon selection/use, so a good mouse is obviously quite important. Being able to have smooth, precise movement is critical to getting around quickly and making sure the shot hits the mark. An old roller ball mouse jammed full of dust probably won't help, and an optical or laser mouse is the way to go. Logitech has mice that provide the precision needed, as well as ergonomically designed bodies that should remain comfortable through hours of intense game play. The MX510 is a wired optical mouse and the MX1000 is a wireless laser mouse that takes performance and comfort to the extreme.
While talking about precision and smooth movement, we can't neglect the mouse pad. Performance "mousing surfaces" such as the X-Ray Pad and the Maxill G-Pad provide uniform surfaces in various sizes to suit any user's needs.
When considering games, we have to talk about game controllers. Many computer games don't need anything more than a keyboard and mouse, but many games do require specialized controllers to enhance game play. Some controllers have cloned the popular shape of controllers found on popular console gaming systems. This controller bares a striking resemblance to a PlayStation controller, allowing those familiar with the controls on that system to be comfortable on a PC, as well. In addition there are controllers for driving games and flying games, among others.
Final Words:
Having a computer configured to be the ultimate gaming system with all the latest and greatest hardware could easily cost several thousand dollars. Guess what? Within a few months, all of those cutting edge components will be old news, and a whole new batch of products will be available with even greater performance. But, if you are like most consumers, you have a budget and picking components that provide decent performance is possible without mortgaging the house.
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