# How do you compare gaming PCs? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 26, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-compare-gaming-pcs/561938 "2010-11-26T01:33:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-compare-gaming-pcs/561938/1 "2010-11-26T01:33:14Z")
Comparing CPUs used to be rather easy when it was merely one CPU at a given speed and bus. Now, I’m at quite a loss. I’ve long given up trying to compare GPUs. I’m not sure how I can match RAM or a motherboard to the rest of the PC to make sure they’re not the weak link that slows down an otherwise powerful system. How can someone who is not a computer science major compare gaming PCs? If I can’t be expected to do it myself, are there reliable sources that can? ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-compare-gaming-pcs/561938/2 "2010-11-26T04:13:49Z")
It’s not that complicated, but if you find it difficult, sure there are at least 1,000 or so sites out there that can help you. Off the top of my head: Tom’s Hardware, Guru of 3d, PC Perspective, PcGamer. Just FYI: GPU’s and CPU’s are made by two companies. On the GPU side, AMD & Nvidia, on the processor side Intel and AMD. GPU’s tend to be named with a set of numbers. The first number stands for a generation, the subsequent ones stand for performance levels. So an Nvidia GTX 480 is a card in the 4xx gen of cards, and it’s a high end version of that family. An AMD HD 5870 is a 5xxx gen card and it’s definitely a high performing card. On the CPU side all you really have to worry about are Intel’s i3, i5, and i7 processors (guess how they compare), and AMD’s Athlon II and Phenom II processors. Ultimately though, names are created by the companies trying to sell these things to you. In order to gage real world performance you need to check reviews of the product in question in order to get the details. This is a strange question, really, one I always here from non PC-savvy people. They appear amazed when I suggest that before buying, it’s a good idea to check a review online. I mean, isn’t that what we do for everything else? I did it, when looking for a new coffee maker, a new car, a new TV, a new couch. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-compare-gaming-pcs/561938/3 "2010-11-28T17:41:20Z")
The hierarchy [charts](http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-radeon-hd-6870-radeon-hd-6850,2782-7.html)on Tom’s are a great resource for comparing graphics cards. If there is a game you are interested take the graphic card mentioned in recommended and minimum requirements and compare with your card or a card you are interested in buying.