How Can Custom Gaming Computers Meet your Needs?

by Jordan Hall

How Can Custom Gaming Computers Meet your Needs?

Pre-made computer gaming systems are a dime a dozen; walk into your local Best Buy or Circuit City, and youre likely to see dozens of computer configuration options ready to be rung up and carried out the front door. Many of these assembly line computers carry impressive specifications, including the latest processors and video card combinations. However, at a certain point these big box computers show their limitations. They generally carry with them proprietary BIOS systems that are difficult or impossible to alter or update, making it difficult to make your gaming system compatible with the latest generations of processors and video cards. Additionally, the prefabricated computer options generally give you only one option in terms of hardware configuration. If you prefer to drop the multi-card reader, you are responsible for removing it yourself. More pressingly, if you desire to run two nVidia graphics cards simultaneously in an SLI configuration, you may not be able to; not every motherboard can support SLI, and there is no guarantee that the computer you just left Wal-Mart with will allow you the freedom to upgrade at your discretion. For serious gamers, increased configuration flexibility is a must. No two gamers are alike, after all, and each particular gaming predilection carries with it a necessary hardware solution.

One possible answer for these gaming requirements is custom computers. Primarily sold by companies online, custom computers start with impressive base configurations that consist of several of the top few processors and video cards and a hefty amount of system memory. Where these gaming computers differentiate themselves from their big box brethren, however, is in their ability to be customized in a multitude of areas. Avid gamers can elect to upgrade everything from the processor to the hard drive array, thus ensuring that any conceivable gaming need will be met by their new system. Many of the custom gaming computer providers also allow their customers to design or select a unique PC case, ensuring that their purchase is truly an individual one. Cooling systems and power supplies are also ripe for customization, and in most cases they need to be in order to accommodate the more powerful hardware that is added to the configuration. Though many companies offer custom gaming computer options, some of the more reliable ones and their respective products are listed below.

What are Some Winning Custom Options?

- Alienware Aurora ALX - Alienware has long been known among the computing and gaming community as one of the industry leaders in custom computer systems. Alienwares computers are as or more powerful than anything else in the market, and they often compliment this technological superiority with unique styling, cooling, and sound dampening options. The Aurora ALX is no exception. The base price includes the top-of-the-line AMD processor, the dual-core Athlon 64 FX-60. The heat generated by this powerful CPU is dissipated through Alienwares custom liquid cooling system. As anyone who has dabbled in liquid cooling can attest, creating a successful and unobtrusive liquid cooling system is a daunting task, so having a company provide one for you is a marked benefit. In addition to the processing and cooling, the Aurora ALX sports two top-end, 512MB ATi video cards running in conjunction via ATis Crossfire technology, resulting in amazingly powerful graphics processing capabilities. Where the Aurora ALX shines, however, is in its customization. The processor and video card array are capped out, but nearly everything else can be bumped up. If you so desire, you can even opt for such obscenely powerful options as 4GB of DDR RAM and a full terabyte (2 x 500GB) of hard disk storage. Dont expect this massive power to come cheaply, however; fully upgraded, the ALX can run upwards of $7000.

- Overdrive PC Torque SLI - Earning a lofty 8.4 from CNET.coms well-respected review staff, the Overdrive PC Torque SLI is another system that can run any piece of software that you throw at it, but it comes in at a much lower price than the Alienware offering. The Torque SLI sports a powerful AMD Athlon 64 FX-57 processor, 2GB of DDR RAM, and two top-end nVidia video cards running together in an SLI configuration. As you might surmise, the polygon-crunching power of this setup is quite impressive. Where the Overdrive really shines, however, is in its overclocked specifications. Overdrive calls their method of overclocking--pushing components to run faster than their rated speeds--Hyperclocking, and it entails bumping up the speed of the CPU, memory, and video cards together. The result is a configuration that easily topped CNETs different computing power tests. And while overclocking often results in system instability, Overdrive has created a combination that runs as stably and reliably as any non-overclocked configuration. Moreover, Overdrive employs a custom sound dampening system and whisper quiet fans--so quiet, in fact, that the reviewer claimed to be able to hear the hard drive heads. Though the case is fairly plain and no-frills, the system inside sports ample power to drive any game on the market at its maximum graphic potential. Its still pricey at over $4000, but it represents a substantial savings over the Alienware model.

So Whats the Catch with Custom Systems?

The two above options illustrate the unparalleled power of custom gaming computer systems, but they also indicate their major (and, one could say, only) downfall: their massive price tags. While computer technology often falls in price rapidly, the newest components invariably carry exorbitant price tags. When you construct an entire system based off of these technologies, then, its easy to see how their costs can soar through the stratosphere. There are other, less expensive options. The ABS Ultimate M6 Sniper, for example, has a base price of roughly $1600, and configured as it was for its 7.5-worthy CNET review it still is priced almost $2000 less than the Overdrive Torque. However, you cant expect the same level of performance from this non-overclocked model. Regardless of where you look, the same basic principal applies: you have to pay for the best performance and the best components. If the idea of forking out that kind of cash makes you cringe, building your own custom gaming rig might be a more feasible solution.

Jordan Hall is an avid computer gamer, author of best-gaming-computers.com and technology enthusiast who enjoys providing consumers with advice concerning custom gaming computers, gaming laptops, and computer hardware and construction.