maio 2019 ~ Pc games best graphics

sexta-feira, 31 de maio de 2019

Best Gaming Desktop PC of 2019

maio 31, 2019 No comments

Alineware Aurora

If you thought you had to build a gaming PC to get the most out of it, you'd be wrong. There are amazing pre-built rigs out there, like the Alienware Aurora, that give you all the fun without any of the fuss.

Best overall - Alienware Aurora R8

Alienware Aurora

Just like its parent Dell brand, Alienware has been making some amazing hardware recently. The Aurora is one such example, revived and reborn with a whole new design that's both striking and clever.

Thanks to touches like the swing-out vertically mounted power supply, you get more space for peripherals. You can squeeze in a pair of graphics cards as well as a liquid cooler for the CPU. You also get plenty of space for additional drive bays, with two on the bottom and a 3.5-inch HDD bay mounted behind the front panel. It's a little awkward to work in, but there's still a big opportunity for user upgrades.

It isn't even that expensive, either. While you're not getting the most powerful parts at the entry level, the ease of upgrade means you're not limited by what you can initially afford. Adding more RAM or a new graphics card is completely tool free and takes just a couple of minutes.

What the Aurora offers is something for everyone: those on a tighter budget, those looking for ridiculous power, those hoping to upgrade in the future, and everyone else in between.

Reasons to buy

Lots of configurations

User upgradeable

Powerful

Fairly compact

Inexpensive

Reasons not to buy

No optical drive

Awkward internal design

Best overall

Alienware Aurora R8

The latest Alienware Aurora is an incredible thing

Not only does it have room for incredible gaming power, it does so in a relatively compact, well-designed case. You get options galore, too, with the latest 9th-generation Intel Core i7 processors, RTX graphics cards, and 64GB of RAM. You even have it liquid cooled if you wish.

Best small form - Zotac MEK Mini

Zotac MEK Mini

There is a fashion for large gaming PCs with mad cases and more RGB lights than a Vegas hotel, but not everyone wants or has the space for a colossal rig. It's also not necessary any more, with some truly amazing and small gaming PCs like the MEK Mini.

It's small enough to fit inside a backpack, and yet has a six-core i7 processor and an NVIDIA RTX 2070 GPU inside it. That's pretty remarkable, and when you add 16GB of RAM and a mixture of SSD and HDD storage, you wonder why you'd ever want a large PC again. If you often take your PC on the go to LAN parties, this is the perfect option.

The RAM and storage are also upgradeable if you ever need more (although the space is, of course, limited). Even though it's tiny, there are all the ports you could ever want on the MEK Mini to connect all of your additional hardware.

Reasons to buy

Incredibly small

Lots of gaming power

Good price

Lots of ports

Reasons not to buy

Limited upgrades to make

Still on previous gen processor

Best small form

Zotac MEK Mini

Despite its tiny size, this PC still packs a punch

The form factor means it's a fraction of the size of a regular gaming rig, while still packing an RTX 2070 graphics card and 6-core Intel Core i7 processor.

Best budget - HP Pavilion Desktop

PC gaming can be very expensive, but if you were worried that you couldn't engage without spending a fortune, worry no longer. For not a lot of money, you can get this excellent desktop PC from HP that serves as both a solid entry point to gaming as well as keeping your budget firmly in check.

With a combination of a Ryzen 5 and 8GB RX 580 GPU, both from AMD, you're well placed for 1080p gaming, and the RX 580 in particular is a very good piece of kit to get at this price point. The only real drawback to it is that you're limited to a single HDMI output, the only other option is DisplayPort which isn't all that common on budget gaming monitors right now.

The Pavilion also serves well as a workhorse, with an understated design, a whole bundle of ports for connecting additional hardware and displays, and even an optical drive. The latter isn't that common any more, so this is also a great shout if you're looking for a home media PC, too.

Reasons to buy

Amazing price

Excellent graphics card

Optical drive

Plenty of ports

Reasons not to buy

Not future upgradeable

Limited display outputs

Best budget

HP Pavilion Desktop

Spending a little can still get you a lot

Not all PC gamers want to spend thousands or need the power from the top-of-the-line GPUs. For not a lot you can get a HP Pavilion Desktop with a Ryzen 5 processor and 8GB AMD RX 580 graphics card.

Best for work and play - Dell XPS 8930

XPS 8930

While RGB is all the rage these days in gaming PCs, such a thing isn't really suited to an office environment, at home or at work. Some just want a powerful PC that can game without it screaming "I'm a gamer." That's where the superb Dell XPS 8930 comes in.

It's pretty stylish to look at, although it's a bit boring by the standard of most gaming PCs, anyway. XPS is Dell's professional brand, and the 8930 fits right into that, except it's also packing some serious horsepower for gaming.

Dell has a whole host of configurations to choose from, all of which offer dedicated graphics from NVIDIA, including the RTX 2060 or the GTX 1080. It has also been updated to offer 9th Gen Intel processors, and since it uses standard parts, much is upgradeable. Dell also uses superfast NVMe SSD storage, so this is a desktop PC that can hang with the best of them.

Reasons to buy

Lots of configurations

Easy to upgrade

Powerful

Optical drive

Reasons not to buy

Can get expensive

Entry level a little underpowered

Best for work and play

Dell XPS 8930

Looks like an office PC, games like a champion

If you want a PC to game on that doesn't look like a teenager designed it, here it is. The Dell XPS tower is sleek and sophisticated looking while still packing some serious horsepower inside.

Best barebones - Intel Hades Canyon NUC

Hades Canyon

The beauty of a barebones gaming PC is that you get to build most of it yourself while still, at least in this case, getting a really small package to start with. The Hades Canyon is Intel's top of the line NUC (Next Unit of Computing) and it's pretty special for a number of reasons.

For one, it uses one of Intel's special Core i7 processors that also contain a 4GB dedicated AMD Vega M GPU. So out of the box, there's some gaming you can do with the Hades Canyon. How much storage and RAM you want, though, is up to you. That means, of course, that the price is going to rise fast.

One of the best parts of the Hades Canyon is the freedom it gives you to build the gaming PC you want without having to start from scratch. It also has a Thunderbolt 3 connection so if you want to hook it up to a full desktop graphics card with an eGPU, you can.

Reasons to buy

Add your own storage and RAM

Extremely compact

eGPU over Thunderbolt 3

Lots of ports

Reasons not to buy

Only two CPU options

Can get expensive

Not a stylish PC

Best barebones

Intel Hades Canyon NUC

A devilishly good barebones gaming PC

Intel continues to push the boundaries and its latest high-end Next Unit of Computing the Hades Canyon, is easily the most impressive to date. You now get a choice of quad-core 8th Gen Core i7 processor, both with 4GB Radeon Vega M dedicated graphics.

Concusion

There are a lot of great pre-built gaming PCs out there but it's hard to do better than the Alienware Aurora right now. You can either save money now and upgrade it down the line or spec it up out of the box with an insane amount of hardware. There's something for everyone in this cleverly designed PC.

What's also very apparent right now is that there's a good selection of both small, and budget PCs for people who just don't want a massive rig full of RGB and the most amount of hardware you can possibly lay your hands on.

You can have a good time for $600, likewise you can have a powerful PC that can fit in your bag. LAN parties are still very much a thing, and when you can get such a small PC as a Zotac MEK Mini, why would you bother with a gaming laptop?

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Richard Devine Richard Devine is an Editor at Windows Central. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently you'll find him covering all manner of PC hardware and gaming.

Rich Edmonds is a staff reviewer at Windows Central, which means he tests out more software and hardware than he cares to remember. Joining Mobile Nations in 2010, you can usually find him inside a PC case tinkering around when not at a screen fighting with Grammarly to use British words. Hit him up on Twitter: @RichEdmonds.

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.

Best PC cases in 2019

maio 29, 2019 No comments

The best PC cases are often overlooked when it comes to building a new rig. Why spend cash on a fancy box when you could use that money for a better GPU? However, they should be one of the first things you consider for 3 important reasons. To begin with, they dictate which components you'll be able to use. To an extent, anyway; a huge graphics card may not fit into a smaller case, for instance. Secondly, they control air-flow through your rig to make sure it doesn't overheat. Your pride and joy catching fire kinda takes the fun out of it. Finally, they look damn cool. Alright, so that last bit isn't strictly relevant. But the point is, you don't want an eyesore on your desk if you're going to be spending lots of time with it.

Jargon buster

Full tower: Large, roomy goliaths built for the best kit.Mid-tower: A good all-rounder that ticks all the boxes.Mini-ITX: Small and compact. No space is wasted.Quiet: Championing silence over everything else.

Luckily, the best PC cases can be divided into 4 categories for easy browsing: full tower, quiet, mid-tower, and mini-ITX. As such, the ideal choice for you will depend on what you want it to do. Full towers are the biggest and give a lot of room for bulky components or cable management. Mid-towers are a little smaller, while mini-ITX cases stuff as much horsepower as possible into the smallest space. As for quiet cases… well, you can probably figure that one out for yourself.

No matter what you're after, you'll find something to suit you here. Our experts have thoroughly tested the best PC cases, and only the cream of the crop are available below. To save you a bit of money along the way, we've also included the top bargains and savings on each one.

Best CPU for gaming | Best graphics card | Best gaming motherboardsBest SSD for gaming | Best DDR4 RAM | Best gaming monitors

1. Cooler Master Cosmos C700P

The best full tower PC case in 2019

Integrated RGB lighting system

Adjustable motherboard layout

May require PSU extension cables

Lots of plastic

Much like the original Cooler Master Cosmos, the C700P is a hefty beast with a similarly large price-tag. However, we'd argue that it's worth the expense. A beautiful handlebar design, curved glass panel, and sleek color-scheme are matched by features that'll support even the most high-end components (including E-ATX motherboards and oversized GPUs). A larger footprint mean that you won't be pushed for space either. What's more, understated RGB lighting also means it's not going to distract you while you game. Yes, this is a lot to spend on an enclosure. However, those who are willing to go all out on a build will get a case with every tool they need to create a stunning PC.

Want more full tower recommendations? See our guide to the best full tower case.

2. NZXT H700i

The best mid-tower PC case

Form Factor: Mid tower | Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX and EATX(Up to 272mm or 10.7-inches) | Dimensions: W: 230mm H: 516mm D: 494mm | Weight: 12.27 kg | Radiator Support: Front: 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm with Push/Pull, Top: 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm, Rear: 1 x 120mm | I/O Ports: 2 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x Audio/Mic | Drive Bays: 2.5": 7, 3.5": 2+1

Integrated addressable LED lighting

CAM powered "smart device"

No USB Type-C

Cramped HDD space

One of our latest favorites is NZXT's H700i, released in 2017. The ease of building in it and the satisfaction it provides are second to none. NZXT markets the H700i as a "smart" case thanks to the inclusion of a new smart hub powered by the company's CAM software.

This hub acts as both a digital fan controller and a RGB LED controller that uses machine learning to find the perfect balance between noise and cooling for your fan speeds in real-time. The H700i generously includes four pre-installed fans and two RGB strips to make full use of the smart hub out of the box.

These features already set the H700i apart from the crowd, but the cable management on the backside is the star of the show. Four different cable routing channels with integrated cable tie downs made the process effortless and extremely satisfying. Priced at $200, the H700i is one of the more expensive cases we've recommended but it's about as premium as it gets.

Fancy more cases like this? Check out our list of the best mid-tower cases.

3. NZXT H200i

The best mini-ITX PC case

Excellent cooling support

Pre-installed addressable RGB lighting

Integrated CAM smart device

Airflow isn't too great

NZXT's H200i is essentially a miniaturized version of our favorite mid tower, the H700i. Built to support mini-ITX builds, the H200i is all about packing a high end system into a compact, minimalistic package.

Like its bigger brother, the case comes equipped with NZXT's smart hub and also includes two fans and one RGB LED strip. With plentiful support for liquid cooling and full sized components, the H200i is the perfect compromise between smaller ITX builds and larger mid-sized towers.

If mini-ITX is your thing, see more recommendations in this guide to the best mini-ITX cases.

4. Nanoxia Deep Silence 3

Silent

Affordable

Solid build

Generic appearance

Sometimes having a quiet PC case is more important than anything else. Whether you're playing some PC games, or just trying to chill and watch some Netflix, having a quiet PC can be a game changer. And, that's why we love the Nanoxia Deep Silence 3.

Now, this PC case isn't much to look at. It's a plain, black metal box, and that might not be too exciting. But, it's what's beneath the surface that counts. Behind the closed front of the case is noise isolating foam that'll stop any noise dead in its tracks. That means even if you have an extremely loud Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti like we do, it won't be too obnoxious.

And, there's plenty of room for expansion, too. You can fit up to five 3.5mm hard drives, and if you have an extra-long graphics card you can remove one of the hard drive bays to fit even the longest graphics cards.

5. Corsair Carbide 275R

Minimal branding

Full-length dust filters

Great cooling support

Lacking cable management space

One of Corsair's newest cases, the Carbide 275R might just be the ultimate minimalist's case. Aside from a small "sail" logo on the front panel, the 275R ditches additional branding for the sake of a clean design that anyone can respect. While the design may be minimal, the functionality is anything but.

Unlike NZXT's minimal S340, the Carbide 275R can support a 360mm radiator in the front and up to a whopping six 120mm fans. With a modest $80 price tag, the 275R is a great case for beginners as well as advanced users looking to create a sleek custom loop.

6. Corsair Obsidian 1000D

The best high-end PC case

Form Factor: Super tower | Motherboard Support: ATX, Extended ATX, Mini-ITX, SSI EEB, microATX | Dimensions: 27.4 x 12.1 x 27.3 inches | Weight: 29.5kg | Radiator Support: 120mm; 140mm; 240mm; 280mm; 360mm; 420mm; 480mm | I/O Ports: 1 x Audio/Mic, 4 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 3.1 Type-C | Drive Bays: 2.5": 6 3.5": 5

Supports just about any crazy build

Can house an E-ATX and Mini-ITX build at the same time

Supports dual 480mm front radiators

Expensive

Speaking of roomy builds, the Corsair Obsidian Series 1000D is a behemoth of a PC case ready to house the biggest and baddest systems. Standing tall at a staggering 27.3", this "super tower" features enough space to house 18 fans and up to four massive radiators installed simultaneously.

In addition to the insane cooling support, the 1000D features a unique triple-chamber design with convenient french-door-styled storage compartments and telescoping radiator trays for easy installation. Because it is 2019 of course there is also an RGB lit front panel I/O with built-in smart lighting and fan control courtesy of Corsair's built-in Commander Pro controller. The Obsidian 900D has long been a top choice for massive, over-the-top builds and it's only fitting that the 1000D was designed to knock it off its throne.

7. Corsair Obsidian 500D SE

Brilliant RGB lighting

Easy cooling installation

Not much cable management space

Corsair's Obsidian 500D took everything we loved about the 900D added a ton of modern updates and brought it to a smaller more accessible mid tower. Like its predecessors, the 500D offers an elegant blend of smoked tempered glass and brushed aluminum for a truly premium look and feel.

As expected from a modern Corsair case, the 500D and the newer 500D SE offers plentiful support for liquid cooling and convenient cable management options. The latter replaces the aluminum front panel with more smoked tempered glass and features a built in version of Corsair's RGB LED/fan controller along with three pre-installed addressable RGB LED fans. The end result is an iconic enclosure that is as beautiful as it is functional.

Look to buy either the 500D or the 500D SE to suit whatever you really need. The regular model is brilliant, and widely available, but the SE adds some lovely RGB lighting and costs significantly more.

8. be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900

The best case for modders

Form Factor: Full tower | Motherboard Support: E-ATX, XL-ATX, ATX, M-ATX, Mini-ITX | Dimensions: 577 x 243 x 586 mm | Weight: 14.39 kg | Radiator Support: 120mm, 140mm, 240mm, 280mm, 360mm, 420mm | I/O Ports: 1 x Audio/Mic, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C, Qi Wireless Charger | Drive Bays: 2.5": 10 3.5": 5

Highly modular

Wireless Qi charger

Extensive cooling support

Expensive

Originally known for their silent power supplies and fans, be quiet! entered the case market with a big splash and has done quite well in the short period of time since their first case launch in 2014. One of their newer cases, the Dark Base Pro 900 remains one of our highly recommended full towers thanks to its sleek design and enthusiast-friendly interior.

The Dark Base Pro 900 is large enough to support the biggest motherboards and radiators up to 420mm in size. The case also features total modularity with options for an inverted motherboard layout and even some nifty features like wireless qi charging and preinstalled LED lighting.

9. Lian-Li PC-011 Dynamic

The best case for Razer cultists

Synapse 3-compatible lighting

Plenty of headroom for upgrades

Poor instructions

The worst we can say about the Lian-Li PC-011 Dynamic is that its instruction manual is incomprehensible. If you already know how to build a PC, however, piecing it together shouldn't prove too difficult.

For the most part, it's a standard tempered glass mid-tower case with a few bells and whistles to make it all worth the enduring trial and error of the PC building experience. For one, it has three removable panels—one on the front and one on each side. Naturally, this makes for an easy installation. Incorporating a liquid cooler in its exposed ceiling area is an effortless undertaking.

Once everything is in place, assuming you have the coveted Razer Edition of the PC-011 Dynamic, you can get started customizing lighting schemes in the tri-snake compnay's Synapse 3 software, coordinating it with your other Razer peripherals along the way.

10. Cooler Master MasterCase H500M

It's massive (supports E-ATX)

High airflow with 2x 200mm RGB fans

No magnetic dust filters

Expensive

Cooler Master's H500M is the company's latest flagship mid tower, but we'd really rather it be called a full-sized tower. Measuring 21.4 x 9.8 x 21.5 inches, the H500M is the biggest mid tower on this list. Thanks to its large size and internal layout, it's really easy to build in and supports a huge variety of components and custom cooling options.

The H500M comes with two massive 200mm RGB LED fans installed which do a fantastic job of increasing airflow out of the box. Other modern touches include a USB 3.1 Type-C connector and tons of modularity including the option to choose between mesh and tempered glass.

Our only major issue with the case is the lack of easily removable magnetic dust filters for the front fan intake. Luckily, all of the mesh in the entire H500 line features a secondary filter layer that'll help keep dust out of your build.

Some online stores give us a small cut if you buy something through one of our links. Read our affiliate policy for more info.

Top 10 Best PC Games in India

maio 28, 2019 No comments

By Digit | Updated 27-May-2019

Our list of the Top 10 Best PC Games that are highly recommended for their gameplay, graphics and experience. Click on the individual Best Computer Games listed to read detailed reviews and know more about them.

Apex Legends can safely be called one of the best Battle royale Games available today. The game has introduced a new non-verbal communicate system with which players can actually co-operate with strangers who aren't using mic. If you are already playing PUBG or Fortnite and want a much needed change then you should definitely give Apex Legnds a try. Moreover, the game is fully free-to-play and you can download it from the Origin store.

Specifications

This is the game that actually started all the hustle and bustle of Battle Royale games and it is the reason this genre has reached a phenomenon that it is today. The entire concept of 100 players land on an island and grab whatever weapons and ammo they can find, and aim to survive and fight to death, sounded pretty similar to a Battlegrounds/hunger games style. PUBG is a more realistic FPS game as opposed to the more cartoony and arcadey Fortnite by Epic Games. If you are one of those who like to get their survival instincts triggered with some thrilling and realistic action then PUBG is the way to go.

Specifications

While the formula is the same, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the best PC game to play right now, thanks to excellent graphics, engaging (though linear) game play and a gripping story line. Kevin Spacey does add to the drama!

Specifications

Available At

amazon |flipkart

The game that started off as a straight up imitation of PUBG has now evolved into a Minecraft generation arena shooter. Since Epic Games launched Fortnite back in July 2017, the developer has changed the overall concept of the game that gives it a steep learning curve. There's more to Fortinite than just blatant survival based battle royale game like PUBG. Unlike PUBG, Fortnite players can also instantaneously build their own buildings for their defence. Fortnite offers you everything that PUBG has plus the building system with the exception being a realistic game play that Fortnite fails to offer.

Specifications

Available At

amazon |flipkart

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is actually a really good Action RPG game. Like Black Flag, it no longer feels like an Assassin's Creed game (You're literally a misthios, or mercenary in the game), but it does retain certain elements. So if you were hoping for an Assassin's Creed game that is true to the older formula, you might end up disappointed, but if you enjoy ARPGs, such as the Witcher, you will enjoy Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

Specifications

Available At

amazon |flipkart

Frostpunk brings in several interesting gameplay mechanics ensuring that you keep going back to it. If you're a city simulator fan, you should definitely get this one. A post-apocalyptic frozen world where your hope begins with a barely functioning generator in the middle of nowhere, clinging to the mercy of scarce resources and survivors taking refuge in your city, is certainly an enticing portrayal of a dystopia.

Specifications

Available At

amazon |flipkart

This action RPG is good enough to make it to some "greatest of all time" lists. Yoko Taro and Platinum Games have outdone themselves with this one. It's got fluid gameplay, an amazing and emotional story, interesting characters, different types of gameplay, great combat, a vast open world to explore and a beautiful soundtrack. The game only loses some points for the horrible PC port which however can be taken care of with a fan mod that smooths out a few performance issues

Specifications

Available At

amazon |flipkart

Divinity: Original Sin II is one of the most fascinating role-playing games ever made in both its original and Definitive incarnations.The entire game is voice acted. There's apparently over 80,000 lines of dialogue in the game! This makes the experience all the more enjoyable, especially for those experiencing the genre for the first time.The game features fantasy world driven by emotions topped with brilliant tactical combats making it one of the finest RPGs ever.

Specifications

Available At

amazon |flipkart

Dirt Ralley 2.0 is a confident rally racer for serious revheads. Owing to better graphics than its predecessor the rally simulation game now looks more real, feels great and sounds fabulous at the same time. However, it retains the tricky car handling and requires some practice to master. Not for those who expect smooth and steady rides.

Specifications

Available At

amazon |flipkart

Metro Exodus is the third game in post apocalyptic FPS series based on the novels of Dmitry Glukhovsky. The Survival horror game provides you with an exhilerating experience. The game provides you the opportunity to delve deep into the shattered ruins of dead Moscow and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia.

Specifications

Available At

amazon |flipkart

Product Seller Price

Apex Legends

Not Avaliable Not Avaliable

PUBG

Not Avaliable Not Avaliable

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

amazon ₹ 840

ASSASSIN'S CREED ODYSSEY

amazon ₹ 840

NIER AUTOMATA

amazon ₹ 840

Divinity: Original Sin II

amazon ₹ 840

Dirt Rally 2.0

amazon ₹ 840

Metro Exodus

amazon ₹ 840

44 best Skyrim mods you should download on Xbox One, PS4 and PC

maio 20, 2019 No comments

It's been around for the best part of a decade, so to inject some life into Bethesda's fantasy epic, you need to download some of the best Skyrim mods. The Elder Scrolls Skyrim hasn't aged particularly well, but you can transform it into a stellar RPG with these best Skyrim mods, from graphic enhancements and quality of life improvements to huge new quest lines and even brand new companions. In our list of the best Skyrim mods below, we've listed what platform each mod is available on, along with a respective link to either the NexusMods page for PC or the Bethesda mod site for console.

Quests

Elder Scrolls 6: release date, trailer, news, and everything else we know

FalskaarAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Those of you who have finished Skyrim should head immediately to Falskaar. Considering it's the size of a DLC and that it landed its creator a job at Bungie, the fact that it's on this list shouldn't be that surprising. As the harbinger of an ancient prophecy (minus any special powers), you have to bring peace back to Falskaar - but nothing is ever as simple as it seems...

Forgotten CityAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

This is the best story mod out there, in my honest opinion. Stuck in an underground town overseen by old automated Dwemer moral police system, you just have to find a way out. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Oh, just you wait...

ClockworkAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

The Dwemer don't really get enough time dedicated to them in Skyrim, despite being the most enigmatic race to ever grace Nirn. Yet this strange mansion you stumble upon is run by two of their contraptions...and their master is missing. Guess you'd better find out what's gone on!

Moonpath to Elsweyr

Available on: Xbox One, PC

Moonpath to Elsweyr connects Skyrim to the vast deserts of the feline Khajiit. Here, you can bask under azure skies and hunt ferocious raptors in wild tangles of bush and jungle. This was actually one of the first quest mods ever made for Skyrim, but has recently started receiving regular updates again, making it one of the best mods around at the moment.

Beyond Bruma Available on: Xbox One, PC

Do you remember the days you spent wandering around Bruma back when Mehrunes Dagon threatened to destroy Tamriel in Oblivion? Well, now you can go back to Bruma from Skyrim. With over 70 residents, Bruma looks better and feels more alive than ever before.

Markers: No more wandering aimlessly

Stones of Barenziah markersAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

The bloody Stones of Barenziah. This quest sat in my tray for the time it took me to complete all the major quests and a chunk of the sidequests, and I had only found about six. This mod is essential if you want to get all of the stones and find out what mysterious item they make in the end.

Impatience of a Saint markersAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC(Not on Nexus, so it's on Bethesda's mod website)

I was running around the hellish Soul Cairn in circles for a good hour trying to find all of the pages to Jiub's opus, and this mod cut that time down to about ten minutes. Completely worth it.

Travelling around Skyrim

A Quality world map and Solstheim mapAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

My god, I cannot emphasise enough how much better this mod made Skyrim. If you're like me and you don't like to fast-travel the vanilla map, whilst pretty, is almost useless when you're trying to find a road which will take you from Riften to Solitude. This mod overhauls the map so it's easy to find routes between cities and picks out most of the paths you could easily miss otherwise.

Diverse dragons collectionAvailable on: Xbox One, PC, and try Splendor: Dragon Variants on PS4

As soon as you unlock your dragonborn blood, appearances of these winged reptiles will start becoming as regular as rain. So why not spice up the sight of them appearing on the horizon with this mod, which introduces 28 news dragons, each with a different model and texture. As well as the typical frost and fire breath, some even have a drain vitality attack, and thanks to their unmistakable appearances you'll be able to tell which one is swooping towards you on the horizon. Gnarly.

Rain and Snow FXAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

A small addition but one that makes a bucketload of difference: makes you look wet in rain, and frost tints you body when you're walking through a blizzard.Note: The PC link leads to the 'Wet and Cold' mod, which has a very similar effect.

Better horsesAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Among other things, this equine mod has a new horse AI so your mount will flee combat, more stamina (so more galloping), invulnerability (especially useful for me as I tend to Leeroy Jenkins in every fight), plus they're faster.Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website, as the NexusMods file is no longer supported.

Open Cities SkyrimAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

This means that you don't have to endure loading screens when you enter cities, which makes for a beautifully seamless transition between shooting deer in the wilds and selling your haul from raiding dungeons to merchants.

Castle Volkihar reduxAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

For those bloodsuckers amongst you this mod is sure to be a favourite, as it turns Castle Volkihar into a small town, finally making it feel like you're really part of the night-walking, bat-loving elite.Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website.

Really useful dragons Available on: PC

Have you ever gotten bored of dragons? Although the diverse dragons mod makes the colossal beasts far more interesting, they're still the same serpentine monsters you've been slaying since 2011. Cue really useful dragons, which changes all the dragons in Skyrim into Thomas the Tank Engine trains. You're welcome.

Improving gameplay

Skyrim Special Edition Unofficial PatchAvailable on: Xbox One, PS4, PC

I'll keep this brief: download it. It fixes a ton of bugs and is compatible with the vast majority of mods. Win-win.

The Choice is YoursAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Have you ever been seriously annoyed about the fact that unfinished quests just sit in your journal forever? Well, thanks to The Choice is Yours, you can just straight up reject quests. Sorry, I'm the Dragonborn. I haven't got time to fetch you a mammoth's tusk.

Static Mesh ImprovementAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

This mod adds vast, very visible improvements to the 3D models for most objects in Skyrim. It replaces the low-polygon meshes for most banal objects in the game, and trust me - you'll notice the difference. If you're still unconvinced, head over to their page on Bethesda or Nexus and see the screenshots for yourself.

Skyrim graphic overhaulAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

It's simple: this mod makes Skyrim look a ton better. It adds textures to objects in-game such as more plants and grasses, fur looks like fur and not sheets of grey, as well as smoke. Expect in-game immersion to shoot up after installing this mod.Note: The PC link leads to Osmodius' SSE Texture pack, which livens up the textures to the same degree as the mod on Bethesda's site.

Alternate start - live another lifeAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Fed up with being the Dragonborn? I don't blame you, and this mod lets you start as almost anything from a necromancer's assistant to a shipwrecked sailor. For those of you who love to replay Skyrim, it lets you roleplay to your heart's content.

Become a BardAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

As if the title wasn't self-explanatory enough, I'll spell it out for you: this mod lets you become a proper bard, not just a travelling Dragonborn who occasionally helps out the Bard College in Solitude. You can pick your preferred instrument, decide which songbooks you want to specialise in, choose bard followers, and play songs anywhere including in taverns where you'll earn tips for your musical endeavours. Become a Bard gives the Bard's College a purpose, letting it stand tall alongside the Thieves' Guild, the Companions and the College of Winterhold.

Dragon souls to perksAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

By the time you've sunken about 50 hours into Skyrim, you've probably got a heap of dragon souls sitting beside your Thu'ums, useless. If you don't use shouts particularly often, this mod makes sure the souls don't go to waste. They let you 'buy' perks, with the ones higher up the skill trees costing more souls to purchase. Get out there and slay some dragons!

Ordinator - Perks Of SkyrimAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

An almighty overhaul of Skyrim's perk tree, this adds 400 new perks, bulking out each basic skill to give a ton more options to spend your precious perk points on. From 'Fog of War' in the stealth tree to 'Flee Fool' in the two-handed tree, there's plenty of new abilities to master!

Left hand ringsAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Pretty simple, but somehow overlooked by Bethesda - after all, rings aren't restricted to your right hand in real life, so why should they be in Skyrim?

Sounds of Skyrim: Civilisation; Dungeons; The WildsAvailable on: PC

The immersion will jump once you install this mod, as it means that dungeons, towns, and the countryside will sound different each time you venture out. That means no more hearing the same birdsong no matter where you are, no more repetitive dripping from Ancient Norse obelisks, or certainly a rediction in that dratted clanging sound of the blacksmith's hammer in every city you go to.

Unread books glowAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

The completionist in me loves this mod. Make sure to make this one of the first mods you download though, as if you download it mid-game all the books you've read to that point will be marked as unread. The feeling of reading the last glowing book before you add it to your collection is so satisfying.

Newmiller's spell books retextures 2 Available on: PC

To build on that last mod, you can actually download a texture pack that turns Skyrim's ordinary spell books into leather-bound tomes that look as if they'd smell musty. These are arcane texts, after all — they've probably been around for hundreds of years!

Useful Alteration Available on: Xbox One, PC

This mod will change your life. Although Alteration is often seen as the ugly duckling of the arcane arts, installing Useful Alteration will provide the College of Winterhold's Tolfdir with a whole new range of Alteration tomes. Described by the modder as "annoyance removal" spells, these are generally used to make playing Skyrim less mundane. "Solve" solves a nearby pillar puzzle immediately, while "Unlock" automatically unlocks a locked chest or door. Who knew that Alteration was the best magic school?

Fixing NPCs

Realistic conversation overhaulAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Ever been walking through one of Skyrim's cities when five citizens are suddenly simultaneously clamouring for your attention? Of course you have. The people roaming through Windhelm, Riften, and Falkreath just love to chat and this mod lets them do it to their heart's content. Just, to other NPCs - not you. This means strolling through a village is suddenly much more immersive with its inhabitants having a chat outside the Inn or as a break from harvesting wheat. Small change, but a big difference.

Immersive citizens AI overhaulAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

NPCs in Skyrim are interesting beings to say the least, as they'll try to pick a fight with any dragons swooping around their village. This mod means that they won't try to fight you (or any other overpowered creature) if you're a higher level than them; instead they'll run and hide in a hideout, which will be assigned randomly and could be a home, temple, Jarl's stronghold, or anything similar.

Immersive PatrolsAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

If the sight of golden skin of the Thalmor looming over the horizon, or the sound of the self-righteous Stormcloaks as they tramp by deafens you, this mod is what you're looking for. No longer do just the two civil war factions patrol round Skyrim: Immersive Patrols adds scheduled Dawnguard, caravan, and guard patrols to Skyrim and Reaver, Skaal, Redoran, and Riekling patrols to Solstheim, as well as making existing patrols regular. It also adds moderately-sized civil war fort battles so you can sink your axe, arrow, or destruction magic of choice into even more heads.

Run for your livesAvailable on: PC

NPCs in Skyrim are surprisingly ballsy. They'll take on bandits and even dragons. That's fun to watch, but it will sometimes result in quest-givers getting roasted a bit too badly, and expiring before your very eyes. This mod changes that, and makes NPCs run for cover when enemies approach, which saves you the trouble of running around trying to save the brave, valiant idiots.

Relationship dialogue overhaulAvailable on: PC

No more hearing about arrows in knees. NPCs get more dialogue options with this mod, and they even address you with over 50 different voice times. There's nothing like the thousandth hearing of not-Schwarzenegger's 'Let me guess. Somebody stole your sweetroll?' for breaking immersion.

The Paarthurnax dilemmaAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

I got quite irritated at the quest Delphine gives you to kill Paarthurnax, as there's no option to quite simply say no. If you decline, the quest has to litter your journal for eternity. That's all changed in this mod, so you can spare your scaly friend and let him fly free.

Combat: make things more deader

Phenderix: magic evolvedAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

For those who love the sight of lightning crackling from their fingertips, you're spoilt for choice with this mod as it adds over 370 new spells. There are new spell archetypes, including bombs, growth, and plus you can summon any creature in Skyrim!

Better combat AIAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

With this mod NPCs fighting styles drastically change. Now they'll try to block, bash, and stagger, as well as disengage from melee combat when they get too far away from ranged characters. Genius!Note: the PC link leads to 'Combat Evolved' mod, which does a very similar thing.

Enhanced blood texturesAvailable on: Xbox One, PC, and try Increase Blood Amount on PS4It's simple and the title says it all. Gore never looked better.

VioLens: A Killmove modAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

I love seeing my character execute a badass kill-move to take down enemies, and this mod makes fighting a joy. Flourishes when you're about to kill somewhen while dual-wielding, brutal finishers, executions for dragons - it really has it all.

Wounds Available on: PC

So you've been absolutely wrecked by a Draugr Deathlord, barely escaping with your life. However, all you have to do is down a health potion or two before you're back to normal. With Wounds, you can actually pick up debilitating injuries that take days, weeks, or even months to heal properly. Smashed femur? That's going to be an issue for two whole months.

Voice of Madness: A Wabbajack ShoutAvailable on: PS4

Unfortunately, this mod is only on PS4 at the moment. However, if you're lucky enough to own a copy of Skyrim on PS4, and unlucky enough to have yet to experience the wonder of this mod, you should download it immediately. Everybody knows Sheogorath is the Daedric Prince of Madness, but what happens when you harness his chaotic energy and channel it into your Thu'um? Prepare to Wabbajack enemies into Oblivion and rain explosive cheese from darkened skies!

Cross and JabAvailable on: PC

In some games, hand-to-hand combat is a joy. Just think of all the Fists of Fury quests in The Witcher 3! However, it's pretty mundane in Skyrim. Cross and Jab changes that by adding in faster, more diverse punching animations, to the extent that you'll likely start taking on dungeons as a bare-knuckle boxer just because of how satisfying it feels. It's time to become Skyrim's world heavyweight champion.

Bonus companion

Dovahbit of CaerbannogAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Dovahbit is a rabbit who carries your stuff, comes with its own little saddlebags, and can wear helmets. You haven't enjoyed Skyrim at its fullest until you've looked behind you and seen a small brown bunny wearing a horned helmet hopping after you.Note: The PC link takes you to Bethesda's mod page where you can find the fluffy, loyal companion. Aww.

Dwemer dogs companionsAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Although the Dwemer ruins of Skyrim are mostly abandoned, this mod adds three Dwemer doggos to Salvius Farm. They won't actually fight for you, but they'll follow you around and bark, which is incredibly wholesome and makes Skyrim about fifty times more enjoyable. You can also conjure these dwarven doggos if you buy the spell tome from Farengar in Whiterun. It's amazing.

Vilja Available on: PC

Vilja is a Nord alchemist that's been helping players fulfil their destinies since way back in the days of Oblivion. Now she's made her way to Skyrim to help the Dragonborn on their quest to prevent the apocalypse at the hands of Alduin, the World-Eater. However, perhaps the most interesting thing about Vilja is that Sir Terry Pratchett himself helped to develop her character. Now all we need is a full-blown Discworld mod!

Bear MusicianAvailable on: PC

This mod can only be downloaded directly from Steam. It's pretty self-explanatory — it allows you to travel with a lute-bearing bear minstrel. Bring it to the Bard's College so that it can fulfil its wildest dreams.

The best upgrades for your PC to make it run faster

maio 20, 2019 No comments

1302130 autosave v1 3 pc buildout 2016 guide

Greg Mombert/Digital Trends

If your PC is feeling sluggish you may be concerned that the time will soon come when you'll need to buy a whole new system and that can be expensive. But you don't have to take such a drastic route if you don't want to. Many PCs from recent years can gain a new lease on life if you upgrade some specific components, and some of them are easy to install at home too.

To help get your system feeling fresh and fast again, here are the best upgrades you can make to your PC.

The best upgrades for your desktop

Desktop PCs may not be as portable as their laptop cousins, but they are far easier to upgrade with plenty to choose from and larger cases to make the process of swapping in or adding hardware much easier. If you know what you're doing (or want to learn how) you can technically upgrade everything in your PC, from the motherboard, to the processor, and beyond. But in this guide we're going to focus on the upgrades that offer quick, simple performance enhancements.

Upgrade your RAM

RAM, or memory as it's often called, is one of the easiest ways to speed up your system as the sticks of it can be popped in and out of the relevant sockets with little effort. Adding more RAM, or even replacing the DIMMs (the technical term for a stick of memory) takes seconds, and if your system doesn't have enough for what you're trying to do, or it's particularly slow and you upgrade to something faster, you'll notice a dramatic increase in system performance.

When buying RAM, be sure to match the standard (DDR3, DDR4), speed (usually expressed in megahertz), and number of DIMMs (anywhere between two and eight) to your PC or motherboard's requirements. If you're not sure, check your manual, or just have a look what's already in your computer. If you're not sure how much you should buy, check out our guide on how much RAM you really need. We also have a guide to the best RAM you can buy.

RAM prices have come down considerably in recent months too, so you needn't spend a lot to upgrade to 8GB or even 16GB of memory. If you're not sure how to install it, we have step by step instructions to help you along the way.

Add an SSD

Arguably the most noticeable upgrade anyone can make to any PC is to use a solid state drive (SSD) for the main drive. They are considerably faster than traditional hard drives and can make your system feel snappy and responsive, as well as booting up and loading games far faster.

Like memory, prices have come down considerably in recent years, so you can pick up a fast 500GB drive for not much more than $100. Installing them is as easy as plugging in the requisite power and data cables if it's a SATA drive, or connecting it to the relevant slot on your motherboard if it's an M.2 or NVMe drive.

If you're replacing your boot drive, you will need to transfer your operating system to the new drive, or install it from scratch. It's an excellent idea to back up your crucial files to an external drive, or a cloud storage service like Dropbox, before starting the installation process.

If you don't want to do that, you can still benefit from an SSD by adding it as a secondary drive and installing your games on there. That way they'll load much faster, but you won't see much benefit in overall system performance.

If you want some extra help getting set up, we have a guide on how to install a SATA drive, too.

Add or upgrade your video card

If you don't have a graphics card and like to play games, adding a dedicated GPU can make a world of difference to your frame rates and gaming visuals. Don't be intimidated by the price of the world's most powerful cards, though. You don't need to spend upwards of $1,000 to get great performance. In fact, most of the entry-level cards cost well under $200, like the AMD Radeon RX 580, and can deliver fantastic performance in any game at 1080p.

If your PC already has a graphics card but it's a few generations old or just doesn't quite manage the FPS that you want, there are some bigger and badder options to consider, but make sure to use a site like RealHardTechX to check that your power supply can handle it.

Installing a graphics card is a little more hands-on than some components, but it's still mostly a question of plugging it into the right socket and connecting the power cables. Here's a quick guide on how to do it.

The best upgrades for your laptop

Upgrading a laptop is both easier and more difficult than a desktop. Many modern laptops don't give you much of an option for upgrades or severely limit them — you won't be swapping in a new graphics chip. But the upgrades you can make to some notebooks tend to be rather quick and easy. All you need is a screwdriver and a steady pair of hands.

Note: If your laptop doesn't have a simple path to upgrade a component, such as a removable cover, we would caution against attempting to upgrade it. Chances are your warranty will be void if you try to take the laptop apart and they can be very fiddly once inside. The risk of damage is also much higher than on a desktop.

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Upgrade your RAM

Just like a desktop computer, adding additional or faster RAM can have a dramatic effect on a laptop that doesn't have enough. You'll need to make sure that your laptop can not only take the upgrade through an easy-access panel on its underside, but can support the higher capacity/speed modules you want to put in it. Make sure you do that before buying anything and double check that you're buying the right size sticks for your machine.

To install it, consult your laptop's manual for instructions on how to access the RAM slots (or check the manufacturer website), then either add in your new modules to the empty slots, or remove the original sticks first before doing so.

Add an SSD

Before getting started with any storage upgrade, we always recommend you back up your most important files and folders to a different platform. That can be an external drive or a great cloud backup service.

Adding in an SSD to a laptop is a little more fiddly than a desktop PC as there are usually no wires involved, so you'll need to line it up right before slotting it in. It still offers a huge performance increase over traditional hard drives though, so is well worth considering if you can do it.

As with memory upgrades, consult your laptop manual or the manufacturer website on how to access the storage compartment. If there's space for a second drive, add the SSD into that (or put the original drive in that slot so that the SSD can act as the main drive) and copy over or install your operating system to the new drive.

Best laptop games: 20 games for laptops that won't melt your machine

maio 16, 2019 No comments

These days, the best games aren't limited to expensive consoles with online memberships that cost hundreds per year. And, while the best laptops won't be able to play some of the best PC games, like Far Cry 5, the best laptop games and their convenience more than make up for the lack of visual splendor.

Some of the best indie games over the last few years, especially Cuphead, have been beautiful, without relying on complicated graphics. Plus, beloved classics like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic may look dated, but still make for some of the best laptop games thanks to stellar gameplay and stories (even if, regrettably, that particular game isn't considered canon anymore).

The best laptop games on the market today range from tiny indie games you maybe haven't heard of, like Thimbleweed Park, to wildly popular triple-A games along the lines of The Sims 4. Whatever your play style, schedule and hardware, we're willing to bet you'll find something on this list that you'll enjoy.

Once you're looking for something meatier, check out our best PC games

CPU: 2 GHz

RAM: 4 GB

GPU: Intel HD 3000 or better

Whether he's at LucasArts, Double-Fine or here and now in a new indie studio, veteran developer Ron Gilbert is also sure to serve up a slice of veritable gaming gold.

That tradition of impeccable output continues with Thimbleweed Park, a pixel art point 'n' click adventure that harks back to the glory days of Maniac Mansion while weaving it together with a very modern eye for creativity.

It's effectively a murder mystery graphic adventure, where FBI agents Reyes and Ray - who in now way resemble another famous pair of fictional, UFO-chasing member of the Bureau - arrive in a quiet town to investigate a murder most horrid.

The way it weaves together a genuinely clever story and a cast of peculiar yet instantly memorable characters is something most games with far larger budgets miss entirely.

CPU: Intel Core2 Duo E8400, 3.0GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+, 3.0GHz or higher

RAM: 2 GB

GPU: Geforce 9600 GT or AMD HD 3870 512MB

You might be turned off by the intimidating amount of challenge it poses, but we assure you, Cuphead is worth a shot. If you don't already find its colorful, whimsical art style endearing, then maybe you'll be convinced by some backstory of how it was made.

Cuphead hails from indie developer Studio MDHR (short for Studio Moldenhauer), named after the two brothers who started the project, Chad and Jared Moldenhauer. In fact, the entire company consists of family members and friends who sought out to complete their dream project.

Marija Moldenhauer, Chad's wife, did all of the inking and clean up in this hand-drawn ode to 2D platforming classics like Mega Man and 1930s Fleischer cartoons like Betty Boop. And, if the 19 bosses aren't enough for you, Cuphead is getting a major DLC next year with new bosses, areas and a new playable character.

CPU: 2 Ghz

RAM: 2 GB

GPU: 256 mb video memory, shader model 3.0+

If you love farming sims (and, judging by how well the likes of Farming Simulator and Harvest Moon sell, there's quite a few of you out there), then few games are going to get you jumping for agricultural joy more than the bewitching busywork of Stardew Valley.

Taking a cue from the Harvest Moon games, Stardew Valley's top-down point of view and cutesy characters feel meld together perfectly.

It doesn't sound very exciting, what, tending to fields, growing produce and raising livestock – but that's the beauty of it. There's a unique kind of peace to the mundanity of Stardew Valley's minutia as you expand your farm, fish down at the river and even head into the village to strike up friendships (and maybe something a little more) with a cast of NPCs. Farming has never been so much fun.

CPU: Intel i5 Quad-Core

RAM: 4 GB

GPU: Intel HD 4000

In many ways, we're inclined to describe Night in the Woods as Life is Strange meets Bojack Horseman. The interactive dialogue bits derive from the former while the overarching themes of coping with mental health issues rings true in the latter.

Night In The Woods itself was developed in Unity by Infinite Fall, the virtual studio where you'll find coder and composer Alec Holowka and Twitter jokester slash illustrator and animator Scott Benson. Together, these two have created not just a game, but a gorgeous world full of relatable characters that you will hopefully resonate with.

You take the role of Mae, a cat who dropped out of college and recently returned to her hometown of Possum Springs. It's an entirely narrative-driven game, as modern point-and-click adventure games are, with very few gameplay hooks that will keep your attention. So, if you're into Telltale Games or Life is Strange, Night in the Woods may be the best laptop game for you.

Best of all, it will run pretty easily on integrated graphics, given that it has an appealing, but not highly demanding, art style. Surely, this is a title we'll be talking about for years and years to come, even if it was snubbed at The Game Awards.

CPU: 1.2GHz

RAM: 512 MB

GPU: DirectX 8-compatible graphics card with at least 32MB of video memory

You'd wonder whether Hotline Miami's neon-drenched ultraviolence would exist if the film Drive had never been made, and while it's hard to miss just how vigorously it doffs its bloody mask at the Gosling classic, the end result is an utterly brilliant little indie title.

With a pixel art evoking a top-down look of Grand Theft Auto's retro years, Hotline Miami indulges in its almost psychedelic violence. The concept is simple: adorn a mask (each one is styled on an animal and adds is own buffs, debuffs and unique abilities), enter a stage and coat the walls with the blood of your enemies.

Add in buckets of neon, a synth soundtrack that'll have you sewing a scorpion onto the back of a white jacket in no time and one messed up storyline and you've got a classic in its own right.

CPU: Intel Core i3-2100T @ 2.50 GHz / AMD Phenom II X3 B73

RAM: 4 GB

GPU: ATI Radeon HD 4850 or NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT

Even though its a 2018 title, and has a pretty huge following, your laptop's integrated graphics can still handle Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire. It largely has the same forgiving system requirements that its predecessor does, so if you were a fan of that game, you should be able to enjoy this one as well.

Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire drops players in the Deadfire archipelago and tasks them with hunting down a rogue god. And, much like its predecessor, it features rich storytelling and deep RPG gameplay that harkens to the days of Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights.

Even though all the backgrounds are in 2D and viewed from a top-down perspective, they're still lovely to behold. Plus, the myriad spell effects will keep you enchanted as you work your way through the intense and tactical combat.

And, because it's coming from Obsidian, a studio known for making the best RPGs of all time, you can be confident that you're getting an adventure that's worth every penny.

CPU: 1.5 GHz Core2Duo

RAM: 2 GB

GPU: OpenGL 1.4 or better

If someone told you a game about working in a border control office would be one of the most addictive games ever, we'd imagine you'd scoff and walk off shaking your head.

That is unless you've played a little indie gem by the name of Papers, Please. Set in a fictional take on the Eastern Bloc, you're an immigration clerk tasked with processing refugees from an unfriendly neighbouring nation.

The core concept is simple: check each person's documents against a clear set of rules, process those who meet the requirements and detain those with false papers.

The game's designed to test your attention to detail, but also the strength of your moral compass. Sometimes you'll have to decide if certain sympathetic characters should be granted asylum, even if it goes against the rules.

The twist is good performance effectively feeds you family, while mistakes put their lives in danger. It's dark, but engrossingly so.

CPU: Intel Pentium 3 1Ghz or AMD Athlon 1GHz

RAM: 256

GPU: 32 MB with Hardware T&L

Come on, do we really need to convince you to go out and own a copy of Knights Of The Old Republic? Arguably the greatest Star Wars game ever made (yes, even better than Dark Forces II and Rogue Squadron), KOTOR proved that the most recognisable lore ever could feel fresh and exciting again outside of the silver screen.

Coming from Bioware, the Canadian studio that would go on to create the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series, KOTOR offers compelling characters, intense action that mixes real-time tactics with turn-based mechanics a galaxy of stories that felt tangible and real. Sure, it's technically not canon anymore, but it still remains one of the greatest games ever coded. Get this in your collection now.

CPU: 2GHz+

RAM: 3 GB

GPU: 512MB

Part role-playing game, part bullet hell shooter, Undertale is a game like no other. The fact that this amazing game is the work of one man is astounding, considering the depth of consequence developer Toby Fox has built into Undertale's world.

In the diminutive boots of a child who's fallen into a monster-filled world beneath the earth, you'll encounter vicious bosses where only the quick thinking survive.

The fact you can befriend bosses as well as fight them changes the fabric of the story, and proves it's not just NPCs that offer vital moments of dialogue. It's a game of empathetic reflection, where your actions dictate how a boss or monster reacts to you.

Aggression leads to more powerful attacks against you, while avoiding retaliation will soften the blows. Strange and seductive in its own special way, Undertale is a curio definitely worth chasing.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64X2

RAM: 2 GB

GPU: NVIDIA GeForce 100 series (512 Mb) or Radeon HD 3xxx or better

When it comes to CCGs (collectible card games), Hearthstone does a pretty great job of keeping you and your deck of animated cards entertained throughout - but what happens when you want something a little less innocuous? You give a CCG with a unique spin such as Chronicle: RuneScape Legends a gander.

Based on the classic lore of Runescape, Chronicle combines card-dealing with the 3D setup of a RPG. Cards represent real characters and enemies that appear across a 3D-rendered pop-up books.

Cards are played sequentially, with player characters facing each one (ranging from foes to curses to stat buffs), before facing off against one another at the end. It's bizarre, brilliant and absolutely worth your time.

Hey, it's even got new single-player content when you don't want to test your mettle against other users. Not bad for a low-spec CCG.

CPU: 2GHz

RAM: 1GB

GPU: Card with 128MB+ dedicated memory

FTL sounds like an ultra-hardcore game when you describe it: a real-time strategic space roguelike. A roguelike is a game that makes you start from scratch when you die. However, FTL is actually well-suited to pretty casual laptop gaming. You can even get it for iPad, after all.

You tool up your star ship, recruit your crew and do your best not to get destroyed as you take an important message from one end of the galaxy to the other. Screenshots don't really to FTL justice, as all you just see is a blocky graphic of your ship, not really its spacey surroundings.

However, it's the perfect game for public play: nothing on-screen to make you feel too embarrassed. Or keep fellow passengers glued to your screen if you play on train journeys.

CPU: dual-core 2GHz

RAM: 2GB

GPU: DirectX 9 compatible

Few games stay relevant as long as Skyrim. It should feel ancient, but a mod scene has kept it vital for the past half-decade. Being so old has also meant humble hardware has been able to catch up with its real-life spec requirements.

It'll run pretty well on Intel Core-series processors from the last 2-3 years, and even plays pretty well on some recent Atom/Pentium CPUs on its lowest settings. If you have a real dog of a laptop, there's also a mod that'll cut down the settings even further than the game itself allows, called Ultra Low Graphics Mod. Imaginative naming.

In case you've been locked in a cupboard for the past five years, Skyrim is a massive open-world RPG that won countless 'game of the year' awards when it was released back in 2011.

CPU: 1.7GHz dual-core

RAM: 2GB

GPU: Intel HD 3000 or newer

Remember the game that earned millions and millions of dollars of funding on Kickstarter back when such things were unheard-of? That's Broken Age, the point 'n' click platform made by one of the people who came up with Monkey Island back in the 90s.

While it didn't single-handedly revive the genre, it is a fun tale that is nowhere near as frustrating as most of the early 90s adventures, most of which are best viewed through a pair of rose-tinted nostalgia specs. From a distance.

You play as both male and female characters, skipping between chapters in their respective stories to make sure the narrative doesn't get stale. We're steering clear of spoilers, so we'll leave it at that.

CPU: 1.7GHz

RAM: 512MB

GPU: DX 8.1 compatible card

You might head straight for 2D games when you think of games that'll work with pretty modest hardware. However, some once-fancy 3D games work very well with non-gaming laptops. Valve's Source engine is particularly good at working with lesser GPUs, making classics like Half-life 2 play well on modern integrated graphics hardware.

If you're not up for a thinking person's FPS like Half-Life 2, you might want to check out fantastic first-person puzzler Portal 2 instead. It is also based on the Source engine. Portal 2 takes the portal gun from Half-Life 2, which makes teleporting holes in walls, and makes a whole game out of it. Possible one of the best games of all time, actually.

CPU: Intel Pentium D

RAM: 2GB

GPU: Intel HD

It's easy to think of Minecraft as retro in some way, but it's far more innovative than some of the nay-saying haters would have you believe. It is not just for kids. Try it, you might just like it.

This world-building classic was never out to wow audiences with its Crysis-style graphics, but its highly scalable visuals let you tweak Minecraft to suit any machine. As well being able to fiddle with the draw distance and the few visual effects the game uses, you can change the field of view too.

Minecraft is also well-suited to laptop gaming because you don't need to be super accurate with your cursor, which is handy if you're using a trackpad rather than a mouse.

CPU: 1.6GHz

RAM: 1GB

GPU: x1950 Pro, 7900 gt

Take 90s platform stylings, add a roguelike twist, a thoroughly modern random level generator and a few RPG sprinkles and you have Rogue Legacy. It's one of the most addictive indie games of the last decade.

You play as a knight type, leaping right into a castle full of nasties. When you die, and you will die, you return as one of that warrior's descendants. The castle will be different, as will the class of your character. While you have to start from scratch each time, you can unlock bonuses by collecting gold from chests in the castle.

This is the bit that makes it more accessible than a true roguelike game, where you really have to start from square one when you die.

CPU: 2GHz

RAM: 1GB

GPU: Nvidia HD 4450

Don't Starve is a cracking little game where you wander around in a slightly twisted nightmarish world, exploring and picking up supplies to try to survive, day by day. When the sun goes down, awful creatures start prowling around the shadows. If you don't build a fire, you're a goner.

You have to eat to keep yourself healthy, and even your mental health deteriorates if you don't find out ways to pep yourself up.

There are some nice visual effects in don't starve, but as a predominantly 2D near-top-down game, it's happy to work with all but the most basic laptops.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo

RAM: 2GB

GPU: Intel HD 1000

If you don't mind a real risk of addiction in your laptop gaming, Hearthstone is a title not to miss. It is a little like nerd classic card battler game (and also video game) Magic: The Gathering, but much better-suited to quick, casual play.

Like so many modern casual games, though, you'll probably end up playing it for a lot longer than five minutes. And it feels even more "right" on a laptop than a hulking desktop.

It's a Valve game and, like most Valve titles, fares incredibly well on lower-end hardware. It officially supports the Intel HD 1000 integrated GPU, from way back in the Sandy Bridge generation half a decade ago.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo

RAM: 2GB

GPU: Intel HD

Is Civilisation the ultimate "PC" game? Many of us have spent a fistful of full days working through Civilization's virtual recap of the ages of man, whether it was back in the 90s, or just last week. Civilization V has more of the casual vibe that previous Civ games, but that makes it more palatable if you're looking for something to kill 30 mins, rather than 3 hours.

It'll work on almost any Intel Core series laptop from the past five years, but if you find yours still isn't up to the task, don't forget Civilization IV. Despite being ancient, it still works fine on Windows 10 through Steam.

CPU: Core 2 Duo

RAM: 2GB

GPU: Intel HD 3000

EA gets a lot of flak. It was rated as the most hated company in America two years in a row, after all. However, it doesn't half know how to court a big audience. And that means making sure games like The Sims 4 work on just about everything.

This infamous lifestyle sim even has a "laptop" mode designed for systems that can barely make it through the title screen of The Witcher 3. The game itself is very much business as usual: you slog through a virtual life, making bucks and designing living rooms. Or doing your best to torture some poor virtual peon by locking them in an inescapable toilet.

Other less casual EA games that work amazingly well on most laptops include Dead Space 1-3 and Dragon Age: Origins.

Best Prebuilt Gaming PC Under 500: Powerful Budget Desktops Tested

maio 14, 2019 No comments

Not everyone is skilled enough for building a gaming PC, and that's alright. We have worked on a detailed list of the best prebuilt gaming PCs for all of you. Not only that, we have included budget gaming desktops that cost under $500. So you'll be good to go for the entry-level PC gaming.

Gaming computers can cost to the tunes of thousands of dollars. And a large chunk out if it is justified thanks to their high-performance computer hardware components. Some of the good models of graphics cards like Radeon RX VEGA 56 and GeForce GTX 1070 can cost as much as your PC from our list would! So it is natural that a cheap gaming PC will have limitations to what it can and cannot do.

Choosing The Best Prebuilt Gaming PC Under 500

Whether you are going to build a gaming PC or buy prebuilt, the key buying considerations are mostly the same. For example, you will have to have component specifications that are at least worthy of the entry-level gaming, as this isn't going to be a casual use PC. Starting from the processor to GPU, RAM, storage, and limits on future flexibility, everything needs to match your requirement.

Best Prebuilt Gaming PC Under 500 – Buyer's Guide

Processor The processor or the CPU is the first and most basic element of the PC, therefore, you would be hard-pressed not to compromise on this. Since we have a cap on our spending, the most high-end processors will be out of range. Between AMD and Intel, we're more likely to find a greater number of AMD processors in prebuilt PCs of our range.

Whether they better in performance is subjective to each chipset. Looking at Intel you might be able to get a good deal with an i3-8100, i5-8400, Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5, Ryzen 3 2200G, or Ryzen 5 2600 mounted. However, do keep in mind that at the lower end of the performance, AMD is sometimes just a little better in value than Intel. This changes as we go up the ladder.

Graphics Card Some time ago one might have suggested going with the stock card you get if you were just going to use the PC casually. But not these days, and certainly not for gaming PCs. While some prebuilt PCs will come with the standard Intel UHD Graphics 630, it will be able to run almost all new games although at low settings only. You will have to look for a better graphics card, like the AMD Radeon RX Vega 8, NVidia GeForce GTX 1050 and AMD RX 550 (about 2GB)

RAM High-end desktop PC models can even house as high as 64GB of RAM these days. While the rule of thumb is the same i.e. greater RAM means more memory for the program to access outside the CPU. However, on a tight budget of $500, you will have to settle for a PC with anything close to 8GB RAM. This isn't the best but it is certainly not bad. In fact, 8GB will be sufficient to match performance with the rest of the components to let you play games at medium.

Storage Among the two types of storage options, a budget PC like this one will stick with the older and cheaper but slower technology of HDDs. While SSD storage is incomparably faster, in such a short budget you will not be able to get larger than 256GB SSD. On the other hand, nonetheless, a similarly priced gaming PC could pack as much as 1TB HDD. The choice is between speed and spending.

Ports With the ever-increasing number of platforms and peripherals that we use, integrated experiences are all the more relevant. Connectivity also has its needs. And you will be using a number of peripherals as well as displays, and maybe even a VR HMD. These will need at least half a dozen USB 3.0 ports and a couple of DisplayPort and HDMI. You could also opt for a USB Type C Thunderbolt, but you might need to sacrifice super-fast transfer speeds for a price tag within your range.

Best High End Gaming PC

SkyTech Shadow FX-4300 GTX 1050 Goodness

It is always a catch if you manage to get your hands on a budget gaming PC with a dedicated graphics card. Instead of the expected stock cards, the SkyTech Shadow packs an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 coupled with an AMD FX-4300 3.80GHz. That is if you are lucky to get it on the lows.

Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Newegg While technically some of the time this PC goes beyond the $500 mark, its price fluctuates back to our budget more often than not. Given that, or the additional hundred bucks, you are all set for inexpensive but considerable quality gaming.

Thanks to the better Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 2 GB GDDR5 Graphics Card and the accompanying extra HDD storage, you won't have to make a choice between two games. The prebuilt gaming PC is equipped with 1TB 7200RPM HDD. While that is nothing like the super fast SDDs of today, the 7200RPM hard disk is on the high end of what you can get close to the $500 mark.

There is one area where the company has tried to cut down their expenses: the processor. Despite being an older model, it didn't get any upgrades on the processor which is still an AMD FX-4300 3.80GHz. However, this is part of the reason why the company is able to give you an 8GB RAM, a Windows 10 64-bit installed, and the GTX 1050.

Moreover, the processor turbos to 4.0 GHz, and at the entry level of gaming, its 3.8 GHz quad-core won't be limiting. Moreover, the combination of its GPU and CPU form a good performing mix for most of the new games at medium to high settings. Generally, it has been received as a reliable cheap gaming PC.

Moving on to other aspects. They have done well in the aesthetics department as the lighting and metallic feel make it look perfect for a gaming station. It isn't too heavy or bulky, so LAN parties are still a go. Moreover, the noise production levels aren't too notorious as well. There are seven USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI 2.0b, and a DisplayPort. But there is no USB 3.1 Type C Gen 2 port.

If there was a problem it would be with multitasking over multiple programs. The computer has a lower single thread rating and also uses a DDR3 RAM. However, that's nothing a minor addition won't fix, and that's not something which can't wait until you have a little more to spend.

Best Overall Prebuilt PC

HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop - Ryzen 3 2200G All the games that you want!

HP prebuilt PC models have been around for a long while now. And it will probably be one of the few big names that have made the cut in our list. The PC packs a much solid AMD Ryzen(TM) 3 2200G Processor as compared to the SkyTech model. It also has a DDR4 RAM.

Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Best Buy Equipped with mostly what your games' system requirements are, the HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop Computer can play Fortnite at over 120 fps with custom settings and also games like Far Cry 5 (limited FPS) with ease.

Although there also are gaming laptops under 500, this is the benefit of choosing a prebuilt gaming PC over them. You can get specific components that are better, and then there is the chance of greater upgrades. In case of the HP gaming computer, you can up the 8GB DDR4 RAM to as high as 32GB.

At about 550 dollars, this is as good as a budget gaming PC can get. The processor is a well rated AMD Ryzen 3 2200G. Which is rated better for the CPU performance than SkyTech's AMD FX-4300 Quad Core, also at single thread performance. While the PC has a slower GPU, it doesn't stop you from sticking to medium to high graphics settings.

Agreed, the drop from GeForce GTX 1050 to a Radeon RX 550 GPU is a fall. But the overall product makes up for it by using complementing or better PC hardware components. The case more than well equipped in the ports section. You get 2x USB 3.1 Gen 2 as well as 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type C and 4x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (rear panel). There also are the standard USB 2.0 ports for basic peripheral connectivity alongside HDMI and DVI-D, DisplayPorts instead of VGA.

The best part is how greatly you can improve the performance on this one with slight tweaks to the PC like the fan curve positioning for better heat management, optimum power points, and even core clock tweak with some external help.

As it is the case with even the splurge choice in our list, the RAM is mostly going to be the limiting factor. However, almost all the products we have chosen for you, allow you to expand the memory. So even that shouldn't really be a problem given the slight addition it will make to the overall cost – you won't even need to ditch its stock 8GB RAM.

Best Budget Gaming PC

iBuyPower Enthusiast Gaming PC Desktop AMD FX-6300 Superbooting with limited SSD

It is not easy to get your hands on a high-end processor when your entire budget is limited. Especially for gaming rigs, a worthy budget gaming computer is mostly a myth. However, we have done okay with the iBuyPower Enthusiast Gaming PC, given what the small price tag let them add to it.

Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Best Buy So if you want a PC but with some gaming potential, or gift one to someone who'll start playing now, maybe the AMD FX-6300 CPU coupled with 8GB RAM and its NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 1GB card will suffice.

If you don't get too greedy and settle for medium settings, this guy can do well. Although the GT 710 1GB is old and superseded by many, you will be getting out of it just a little over the stock. Its processor, the AMD FX-6300 is also not a major force to reckon with although the 6-Core 3.5 GHz can turbo to 4.1 GHz.

One area that the iBuyPower PC takes the lead in, is storage type. Even after the price cuts, SSD is still an expensive storage solution. Which is why most of the budget gaming PC models we tested only carried HDD storage. Not this one though!

The gaming PC at hand has a 120GB SSD. Although that is nothing in comparison to today's needs, it does mean you can expand with an old HDD. Now you'll have a super fast booting device thanks to the SSD and also, enough storage for those AAA video games.

Needless to say, you cannot compare the build quality of this one with that of the HP gaming computer above. The build material isn't as high end. And it comes with a free Keyboard and Mouse, both of which are not recommended for regular gaming. However, it does come with 2x USB 3.0 ports although most of the low end PCs are older and so they don't carry the newer USB technology.

Needless to say, you will have to upgrade from the Nvidia GeForce GT 710 card, get at least a GTX 90 or something. It does have some design elements like the tempered glass and a lit fan on the inside. But there no RGB, just slots for light on the front.

Maximum Storage

CyberPowerPC Gamer Master GMA7400CPG 2TB storage meets all demands

One thing that we can't thank PCs enough for is the abundance of storage capacity. However, cheap gaming PC models have this as a limiting factor. Which is why including this 2TB monster in the list was essential.

Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Best Buy CyberPowerPC makes a variety of gaming computers, some reputed others untested. Specifications wise, the Gamer Master GMA7400CPG powerful with 8GB DDR4 and a Ryzen 3 too! But it is the massive storage capacity that takes the cake.

Most of the times, when you buy a shady product you end up at the receiving end of the bad news more often than not. Either the components are slacking, missing, or simply not good enough, or the build quality has issues. CyberPowerPC has had multiple runs with substandard as well as quality products in the past so we expect them to churn out reliability now.

The gaming PC at hand has the same processor chip as the HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop above. So the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G does have a processing power limit to it but coupled with its 8GB DDR4 RAM, it is a step ahead of many since it meets our overall best pick in these two regards. Additionally, the AMD A320 chipset, despite not being too boisterous will make gaming at medium-high graphical settings easy.

There is a problem for some in the form of its Vega based Radeon graphics card. The prebuilt PC doesn't come with a dedicated graphics card. Instead, it packs the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Integrated Processor Graphics with DVI. We know the Vega technology to also use some of the PC's RAM as VRAM. Which isn't always ideal for demanding tasks.

However, this isn't a deal-breaker since you can always upgrade the RAM to 16GB down the line. And when you are getting twice as much storage as any of the other models listed here, why not! It is for the additional one terabyte that you will have to spend a little over the $500 budget, nonetheless.

We didn't find anything of concern in terms of connectivity, setup, and use. The PC comes with Windows 10 Home installed, has as many as six USB 3.1 ports and 2x USB 2.0 ones. There is a dual tempered glass to show off the lights on the motherboard, on both sides of the PC case.

The Bottomline

It isn't ideal to want a true gaming PC, with considerable firepower in it, and that too at a very small price tag. Prebuilt gaming PC models tend to be more expensive than casual or work use desktops. Therefore, it is harder to get one on a small budget, to begin with. This means there will be some areas where you compromise when sticking to the spending plan. You are directly challenged by reduced storage (also type of storage: HDD instead of SDD) and RAM, as well as problems caused by integrated graphics.

Many of the choices in your price range won't have a dedicated graphics card, thus, integrated ones will utilize the system memory. As a result, you get less than advertised RAM at your disposal. Moreover, even if you do get your hands on a model with a considerable AMD or Nvidia graphics card, don't expect it to be the high end: the best graphics card we could find close to our budget was Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050, in the SkyTech Shadow FX-4300 model. Make sure you know what you can compromise, you will definitely find something worth your while here.

Pc games best graphics

sexta-feira, 31 de maio de 2019

Best Gaming Desktop PC of 2019

quarta-feira, 29 de maio de 2019

Best PC cases in 2019

terça-feira, 28 de maio de 2019

Top 10 Best PC Games in India

segunda-feira, 20 de maio de 2019

44 best Skyrim mods you should download on Xbox One, PS4 and PC

The best upgrades for your PC to make it run faster

quinta-feira, 16 de maio de 2019

Best laptop games: 20 games for laptops that won't melt your machine

terça-feira, 14 de maio de 2019

Best Prebuilt Gaming PC Under 500: Powerful Budget Desktops Tested

Pesquisar este blog

Arquivo do blog

news

Privacy policy

About

sexta-feira, 31 de maio de 2019

quarta-feira, 29 de maio de 2019

terça-feira, 28 de maio de 2019

segunda-feira, 20 de maio de 2019

quinta-feira, 16 de maio de 2019

terça-feira, 14 de maio de 2019

Social Profiles

Pesquisar este blog

Arquivo do blog

news

Privacy policy

About