A great number of factors can influence your gaming experience, and many of
these have little to do with the software you purchased.
In past columns, I have reviewed products like high-performance sound and
video cards, steering wheels, joysticks, and game pads, all of which can be
crucial to gamers.
Accelerated video cards can render graphics faster than their unaccelerated
counterparts, making the game play faster. Quality sound cards can render more
advanced, ear-pleasing sounds during game play. And controllers like steering
wheels make gaming more realistic--an attribute revered by serious and casual
gamers alike.
Of course, all of these things would be worthless without the CPU horsepower
to power these games. Your PC's speed is probably the most influential aspect of
a good gaming experience.
Bad sound quality can ruin even the best of games, while explosive sound can
push the envelope of gaming to new heights. Your computer's speakers play an
equally substantial role with your sound card in creating good sound.
In fact, if I had choice between beefed-up speakers or a fancy sound card, I
would take the speakers, because they are the final medium for broadcasting
sound, and at some point, there is a point of diminishing returns on sound cards.
Most modern computer bundles, like Aptivas or other popular systems, come
with some sort of speaker system. My Aptiva came with a pair of Infinity
speakers. The speakers are good quality but lack the punch of a great set of
speakers. This is true of most speakers that are shipped with systems.
Computer speakers are the kind of things that really range all over the place
when it comes to price. You have your basic $19 set, or you can also drop in
excess of $250 on a system (although at that point, you might as well investigate
better sound solutions). But, regardless of price, you will want to look for a
few features when making your purchase.
Be certain that your speakers are shielded. Since speakers have magnetic
properties, they can alter video signals from your PC to its monitor, not to
mention data-storage devices like hard disks and floppy drives. Despite how many
speakers your new system will have, you need to make sure it will fit your
computer's environment. Speakers come in all sizes, including sets that are
barely noticeable. Finally, I like speaker systems that have their own power
source, because you can usually adjust their volumes and power them on and off
without using your PC's sound control panel.
A good startup speaker for less than $100 is Altec Lansing's three-piece
set--the ACS45.2. It comes with two low-profile satellite speakers and a
subwoofer. The satellite speakers provide ample sound depth, while the subwoofer
offers the right bass punch necessary in today's games. This system is not only
great for gaming, but it handles music and DVDs with ease.
For the higher-buck speaker systems, I recommend looking at the Sony PC
speakers. They carry the distinguished Sony quality, and at a premium price. One
last piece of advice: Do not be afraid to spend some money on a quality speaker
system, because their technology lasts--you can continue to use the same set of
speakers long after you upgrade to the latest PC.
