Everything You Need for a Dream PC Gaming Setup

PCs might not be the newest entries in the gaming world, but the classics never go out of style: the format has been experiencing a boom in popularity in recent years. And it’s no wonder, since, as it turns out, the humble PC is not so humble after all: These machines are incredibly powerful and offer incredible advantages to at-home gamers. A desktop PC can play the latest and greatest games at stunning levels of fidelity. PC gaming platforms also offer the widest and most affordable selection of games. What’s more, gaming on a PC can be extremely comfortable and immersive thanks to dedicated peripherals like monitors, keyboards, mice, and headsets. As someone who has played games on a desktop PC for more than 20 years, it is my preferred gaming platform.

One downside to gaming on a PC is the barrier to entry: Gaming on your smartphone or a Nintendo Switch might be a less complicated affair, with just one device needed. But I’m here today to help guide you through the multi-step process of building your dream PC setup, so you can get the full-blown, adrenaline-pumping experience that PC gaming has to offer.

What to Consider

When diving into the PC gaming world, there are two major things to consider before you start buying: performance and cost. In the simplest terms, the higher the resolution and frame rate you want for your game display, the more expensive your PC will need to be.

In terms of PC peripherals like mice, keyboards, headphones, and the like, personal taste plays a much greater role than it does with PC parts. If affordability is your number-one priority, try to avoid equipment boasting wireless connectivity and flashy RGB lighting, as those features tend to bump up prices somewhat unnecessarily. If performance is your main concern, turn to trusted gaming brands like Corsair, SteelSeries, Logitech, and others.

How We Selected

Many of these recommendations come from hundreds of hours of in-house use, by me and other Popular Mechanics staffers. Personally, I’ve been an avid PC gamer since childhood. I have built desktop PCs for the last 10 years and tried a wide range of products.

For the items we couldn’t test ourselves, we researched expert sources like Wired, CNET, Wirecutter, Tom’s Guide, Insider, and Techradar, as well thousands of consumer reviews from online storefronts on Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and more. As for the products themselves, we made evaluations based on performance, design, longevity, and price.

The Essentials 1. A Great Pre-Built PC If you want to dive right into playing the newest and most advanced games at peak graphical fidelity, you’ll want to pick out a pre-built desktop PC. Buying a pre-built PC is similar to purchasing a laptop in that everything is ready to go after you open the box.

There are a ton of pre-built PC options out there, ranging from budget-friendly picks to multi-thousand-dollar towers. The easiest way to narrow down the choices is by setting your budget. From there, try to find a pre-built PC with plenty of professional and consumer reviews to reference.

One of the most powerful pre-built PCs we like is the OMEN 30L Gaming Desktop PC. We recommend a configuration of an Intel i7-10700KF CPU, 1 TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM. This configuration strikes a good balance between performance and price. Thanks to the RTX 3070 graphics card, this build is able to run most games at higher resolutions without issue, and it can leverage advanced tech like NVIDIA DLSS and ray tracing for premium graphical fidelity even while streaming.

Alternatively, Build a PC Yourself

I built my first desktop PC about 10 years ago. During the process, two things struck me: how simple it was, and how much cheaper it was compared to pre-built options. If you are a generally tech-savvy person—or even just have a real knack for LEGOs—you can probably handle building your own desktop PC.

Sorting out all the parts needed to build your own stellar PC can be intimidating. My first recommendation is to use PCPartPicker, a site that’s well-loved within the PC-building community for simplifying the part-picking process. Next, select the PC graphics card you’d like to use for your desktop. Your graphics card is an important component of your PC, and it has a major effect on what kind of monitor you’ll want to use.

I highly recommend NVIDIA’s latest line of RTX graphics cards. Not only are they high-performing and widely compatible, but they also open up an extensive range of added tech that enhances your experience, such as the above-mentioned NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Reflex to lower your system latency, and NVIDIA Broadcast for AI-powered voice and video.

2. A Cutting-Edge Monitor You can have the latest, most powerful PC parts available, but they won’t look like much on a subpar 1080p monitor. Especially for gamers playing at high resolutions, a beautiful, responsive monitor is a must-have.

For anyone aiming to game at a 4K resolution, check out Acer’s Predator XB273K 27" monitor. It checks all the boxes: crystal-clear 4K resolution, 144Hz response rate, built-in HDR, G-SYNC compatibility, an IPS panel, and a competitive price point. Games of all kinds look amazing and perform beautifully on this monitor.

While 4K gaming offers an amazing visual experience, not all PCs are built to operate at such a high resolution. If you build a particularly budget-friendly PC, 4K gaming may be out of reach, in which case I’d recommend checking out our list of budget-friendly gaming monitors.

3. A Reliable Keyboard Unlike with a laptop, a desktop PC requires a classic keyboard and mouse to use. Especially after spending considerable cash on PC parts and a monitor, it can be tempting to go cheap when it comes to peripherals like the keyboard. My advice: don’t. You’ll be interacting with your keyboard (and mouse—more on that below) more than anything else in your PC setup. A great keyboard can make your entire experience superb, while a terrible one makes everything terrible. As such, we recommend Corsair’s K70 RGB TKL keyboard.

A pick from our Best Mechanical Keyboards for Typing and Gaming list, the Corsair K70 TKL is a joy to use for gaming and everyday tasks. Its durable frame, dedicated media controls, programmable RGB lighting, and customizable profiles make it a layered and robust keyboard option. The gaming-centric Cherry MX Speed key switches offer fast response times thanks to low travel distance and soft operating force.

If you desperately need a number pad, the Corsair K70 comes in full-sized variants, but we recommend the TKL version for its smaller size and better ergonomics.

4. An Agile Mouse Like your keyboard, your mouse may seem like a minor purchase in comparison to your PC or monitor, but it’s actually is one of the most important pieces of your setup.

For an excellent all-around wired mouse, consider the Logitech G502 HERO. The G502 HERO is a best-seller for a reason: ample programmable buttons, adjustable weight, customizable profiles, widely compatible Logitech software, and an affordable price point. If you can get used to its rather angular look, you’ll find it’s an incredible companion for all of your gaming needs.

There is a wireless version of this mouse, the Logitech G502 Lightspeed, but do note that it sells for more than double the price of the wired G502 HERO. It’s a nice option if you’re willing to splurge, but the standard G502 HERO is suitable for most gamers.

5. A Quality Mousepad To complete the classic desktop trio, you’ll need a good mousepad to go with your mouse and keyboard. While many mice perform adequately on all kinds of surfaces, the precision needed to excel in most competitive games requires a dedicated mouse pad. Having personally used the SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface for nearly a decade, I’d call this model the best mousepad for most people and setups. It has got a sleek all-black design and very precise handling, and it's also comfortably sized and sturdy. It’s a piece of gear that does its job so well you almost forget it's there. For gamers who prefer hard mouse pads or full desk-sized options, check out our other gaming mouse pad recommendations. 6. An Immersive Headset For experiencing all that a game has to offer (plus communicating with friends, family, and fellow gamers), you’ll probably find your monitor’s built-in speakers lacking in sound quality, sound clarity, and bass level. Instead, fulfill all your sound and communication needs with a well-made gaming headset. Known for built-in mics and wide, all-encompassing sound, gaming headsets are one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in the experience.

I’ve tried many gaming headsets over the years, and none has served me better (or longer) than the HyperX Cloud Alpha S. Updated to the Cloud Alpha S, these headphones have been featured in our 2021 Gifts for Gamers and Best Xbox Headsets lists. They deliver expansive, enveloping sound in a comfortable, easy-to-use, and durable form.

7. A Comfortable Chair It’s easy to get wrapped up in numbers and technical specs when designing a PC gaming setup. But one thing you don’t want to forget about it is the place you’ll be perched to enjoy your favorite games: your chair.

There are a ton of comfortable, ergonomic desk chairs out there. I particularly like options from Steelcase, Herman Miller, and Branch, which all offer a wide variety of options at varying price points. I personally use Herman Miller’s Aeron Chair, a classic and well-loved task chair that’s highly adjustable, super durable, and very breathable thanks to its use of mesh.

Regardless of the chair you end up picking, the most important feature is its adjustability. A highly adjustable chair is much more likely to fit your individual setup compared to a chair that’s stiff and static. Try to find an option with plenty of range to customize seat height, tilt, tilt resistance, armrest height, and armrest angle.

8. And Finally, Unforgettable Games

With your dream PC setup complete, it’s time to put it to the test with some dynamite PC games. One of the best things about going with a PC is the endless variety of game options across all genres.

If you want to immerse yourself in beautiful, wide-open gaming landscapes, check out amazing titles like Red Dead Redemption II, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, Minecraft, and Grand Theft Auto V.

Competitive gamers will want to check out FPS titles like Valorant, Fortnite, and Apex Legends. If you have a compatible NVIDIA graphics card, be sure to take advantage of NVIDIA Reflex for even lower latency and excellent responsiveness during tense firefights.

For anyone who loves racing or simulation games, a new PC will pair incredibly well with cutting-edge titles like Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Forza Horizon 5.

The list goes on…and on, and on. Unfortunately, it’s way too long to fully cover here, but with these options, you'll be off to a brilliant start for your game library.

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