Fun ActivitiesGaming

Lesson 1: Upgrade or buy?

In this lesson, you'll learn how to determine whether a game you are interested in playing will run on your PC–or not. Welcome to the Playing Games on Your PC course! In this class we'll explore the wonderful world of PC gaming, and discover what you need to know to avoid frustration and ensure a great gaming experience.

One of the main things we'll cover is how to optimize your computer to handle the heavy requirements of games. Modern game software is extremely demanding of your computer's resources. Rendering 3D graphic environments and displaying complex animations requires enormous processor power and memory. So even though your PC works fine for everyday tasks like e-mail, Web browsing, and playing music, it might not be able to run many of the latest games. But fear not–there are many ways you can tweak your system so it can rise to the challenge.

Tip: Before purchasing a new game, let's take a look at your PC and determine what its specifications and capabilities are.

Before you buy: Check out your PC

While some people may be "uber geeks" who know the exact specifications of their PCs and how to build or customize systems, many of us would benefit from a review of the basics.

Here's what you need to know about your PC before buying a game:

• The CPU type and speed (for example: AMD Athlon, 2.2GHz)
• How much RAM (memory) you have
• How much hard disk space is available
• Version of Windows XP and upgrade level (for example: Windows XP Home Edition, SP1)
• Graphics card information
• Sound card information

The trouble with trying to find all this information is that there is no single screen in Windows XP that can show it to you–you have to go to a number of locations and make a note of the information you find. However, if you are a Windows XP user and have Internet Explorer 6 or above (and your PC is connected to the Internet), you can get an instant analysis of your machine at GameSpot's "Can You Run it?" online PC tester.

This site allows you to specify a particular game so you can immediately find out whether your PC is capable of running it.

Tip: Make sure your PC has the minimum requirements to run a game before you purchase it. Most retailers won't provide a refund for an opened game.

Note that some computer games will need network or Internet access for multiplayer features, so be sure to factor this into your plans before buying. Most games that require Internet access need a high-speed connection as opposed to a dial-up connection.Here's an example of specs for a well-equipped gaming PC from CNET's Desktop Buying Guide. You don't necessarily need this much power for all games, but it gives you an idea of the kind of performance level serious gamers aim for.

• Intel Core 2 Duo, or AMD Athlon 64 FX processor
• 1GB of DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200)
• 200GB or larger hard drive(s)
• 256MB graphics card from ATI or Nvidia, or two Nvidia graphics cards in SLI mode
• DVD-recordable drive
• 19- to 22-inch CRT or 18- to 21-inch LCD
• 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 surround-sound speaker system
• Windows XP Pro

LESSON ASSIGNMENT:

Answer the following question(s):

• What game do you most want to play on your PC? Why?
• After running GameSpot's "Can your Run it?" and Futuremark's PC testers, which do you prefer?
• Print out your PC's specs--are you a candidate to upgrade or buy?

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