As we head into the holiday season, there is much to consider when purchasing something extravagant for a family member or a close friend. That’s why we’re here with a handy holiday guide to the best gifts for techies and gamers. Just some ideas to keep in mind with Black Friday and Cyber Monday quickly approaching! Maybe they are hinting at a new GPU, one of the hot video games coming out, or just a brand-new custom PC in general. Well, I am here to help you get a slight jump start on the holiday season! I will take you through, what I as a gamer and avid PC user, would consider a “winner” when opening that suspicious looking box under the tree!
Graphics Cards for Custom PCs
One thing you can never go wrong with and will make any computer user shed a tear or two of happiness is a new GPU. One of the most critical components when trying to run newer games at high graphic settings. There are so many options when it comes to purchasing a new GPU and it doesn’t help if you really don’t know what you are looking for. Well, I am here to provide our opinion on what would be perfect for that family member or loved one!
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super
A brand new “refresh” of the popular budget card, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super is a very viable and affordable option! It’s the perfect upgrade for an older computer. While you are taking a slight hit to the CUDA cores in this unit, compared to the GTX 1660 Ti, you are gaining a good boost in core clock, boost clock, and memory clock.
| GTX 1660 Ti | GTX 1660 Super | GTX 1660 | GTX 1060 6GB |
CUDA Cores | 1536 | 1408 | 1408 | 1280 |
ROPs | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 |
Core Clock | 1500MHz | 1530MHz | 1530MHz | 1506MHz |
Boost Clock | 1770MHz | 1785MHz | 1785MHz | 1708MHz |
Memory Clock | 12Gbps GDDR6 | 14Gbps GDDR6 | 8Gbps GDDR5 | 8Gbps GDDR5(X) |
With 6GB of VRAM (Video Memory), this card will provide a smooth, yet stunning, gaming experience on most titles, at 1080p. This makes this card a perfect, and affordable, option for any family member who is a gamer! And to make matters even better, we offer a wide range of options from different manufacturers! Click here to check out our GeForce GTX 16 Super Series offerings!
Nvidia Geforce RTX 2080TI
Now, if you want to go above and beyond for someone, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080ti is the way to go! The RTX series of cards needs no introduction, especially the 2080Ti as it’s the most powerful gaming graphics card currently on the market. With a 2080ti in your system, you are set to run almost every videogame at high resolutions and smooth frame rates. However, there are so many brands featuring this card series, what one do you choose? Personally, EVGA is the way to go. With as many variants of this card that they offer you are bound to find the perfect one from you. From a simple “Black Edition” to the “Kingpin”, a card featuring an integrated AIO cooler to help ensure your GPU stays cool during the most intensive applications. Not to mention that EVGA support is top notch. However, again, this is personal preference. If you are looking for a more flashy and eye catching card, ASUS’s ROG series 2080ti’s have you covered in that department, check one out here. MSI also features a gorgeous looking card, with their GeForce RTX 2080ti Gaming Trio. Click here to learn more about that specific card.
If none of the cards above interested you, or you are simply looking for a different series, check out our selection of top tier GPU’s on the market! I am certain you will find something that interests you there. If you still have questions on what graphics card might be right for your custom pc, contact our sales team here!
Mechanical Keyboards
One peripheral I will always splurge on is a mechanical keyboard. For me, this is bread and butter for a great gaming experience, especially if you are into FPS games on the computer. You may ask yourself though, why should I get a mechanical keyboard? Well, there are many advantages to having a mechanical keyboard. Here are just a few:
- Mechanical keyboards have a longer lifespan versus a common membrane keyboard with a mechanical keyboard switch lasting 30-70 million presses, while the common membrane keyboard lasting an average of 5 million presses.
- Mechanical keyboards are more precise than a membrane keyboard. Precision is key in any multiplayer game.
- Mechanical keyboards have noise to them. Admittedly, this is one of the reasons I enjoy mechanical keyboards. There’s just something so satisfying about hearing the clicky clack while typing. However, those built with more quiet switches are available.
- Key caps are interchangeable on mechanical keyboards. This opens the option for an end-user to swap out the keycaps for their choice of customizability and personalization. Get a custom keyboard to match your new custom PC!
Those are just some of the benefits for using a mechanical keyboard. Now, with that out of the way, what one do you choose? Well, this is where personal preference comes into play. I do have some recommendations; however personal choice is a big factor in this matter. Here are several keyboards that you can’t go wrong with:
- K70 RGB MK.2 SE, RGB LED, Cherry MX Speed, Wired USB, White, Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
- BlackWidow Elite, RGB LED, Green Switches, Wired USB, Black, Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
- G513, RGB LED, Romer-G Linear Switches, Wired USB, Carbon, Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Those are just a few, that I have personally used, and thoroughly enjoyed not only for gaming use, but office use as well! If you wish to look through AVADirect’s full offerings on mechanical keyboards, please click here!
Games
With the holiday season rapidly approaching, you can expect new videogame titles to slowly start filling up the shelfs and digital libraries. The biggest thing that I hear from people is what one/ones do I chose? Well, fret not, because I am here to point you in the right direction.
The Outer Worlds
One of the most anticipated games on 2019, The Outer Worlds hit store shelves and digital market places on October 25th, 2019. What made this game so anticipated? The simple fact that it was developed by Obsidian Entertainments, the master minds behind titles such as Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, and South Park: The Stick of Truth (one of my personal favorites). I have had some time with this title and all I can say is…..Wow! I was hooked the moment I started. Here is the plot of this title:
” Lost in transit while on a colonist ship bound for the furthest edge of the galaxy, you awake decades later only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy the Halcyon colony. As you explore the furthest reaches of space and encounter various factions, all vying for power, the character you decide to become will determine how this player-driven story unfolds. In the corporate equation for the colony, you are the unplanned variable.”
This game borrows from a lot of games, gameplay an UI wise. With gameplay and story telling comparable to Fallout: New Vegas and a UI that looks strikingly like BioShock. None the less, you can not go wrong with this title, and I would venture to say, it is a must!
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Tried and true, this franchise is always one of the hottest selling during the holiday season. With a new title from the franchise coming out every year, I will admit, there isn’t much to look forward to. However, Call of Duty is back in a setting that many of us have missed: Modern Warfare. When this was title was announced, and a very familiar face was shown on the reveal, people were hungry for more. I haven’t played the title since release, but I did play all alphas and betas for the title, and I must admit, I was impressed. The gun mechanics feel new and refreshing. They have added more of a realism aspect to it, which I appreciate, being an avid Battlefield player. The new engine is stunning, with visuals look top tier compared to past titles. The title also features ray-tracing which adds immersion in the most intense moments of the single player or multiplayer. None the less, this title/franchise sells itself and you can’t go wrong with picking this up for someone, or even yourself!
Red Dead Redemption 2 – PC Release
Ladies and gentlemen, if you are looking for the PERFECT game to get someone on PC this holiday, look no further. Red Dead Redemption 2 is making its way to PC on November 5th, 2019. I have played this title on Xbox One, and there is a reason that this title is now my all-time favorite game. From the story to the attention to detail that Rockstar has put into this game, it is an experience unlike any other I have had before. This is truly a masterpiece and one that can’t be missed. The game is set in the 1899, the end of the cowboy and outlaw era, following one of America’s notorious gangs, the Dutch Van Der Linde Gang. This is a prequel to Red Dead Redemption and it honestly pieces everything together to create such a beautiful and compelling story. Honestly, if you like the Grand Theft Auto series, this game will be right up your ally! The title also features an online element, Red Dead Online. Essentially the same as Grand Theft Auto Online, just set in 1899. I personally haven’t played the online for this title as I was waiting for the PC release, so I can speak for how that is. Overall, this is a title that will please anyone this holiday season, as this game in 4k will knock your socks off!
A New AVADirect Custom PC
So, we have been over just a couple things in this blog and will have another one in the following weeks with much more, but the one thing that is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face, a brand-new gaming PC assembled and tested by AVADirect Custom Computer.
Why is AVADirect right for you? Well, we take pride on providing a service to you to help create a computer that will suite your exact needs! From our professionally trained assembly team to our dedicated sales team, we will be there with you every step of the way to ensure that you get the gaming pc that YOU want. If you aren’t sure the direction you want to go, or you are unsure of what to get for the person you are buying for this holiday season, our sales team will recommend top quality products from one of our many partners that will ensure a great gaming experience, or allow you to do the heavy demanding tasks on an everyday basis with ease. If you really want to surprise someone, be sure to check out our Signature Series models, that we have designed to ensure that you have a beautiful, yet powerful, system.
Holiday’s can be stressful, we all know that, however AVA Direct is committed to ensuring that this holiday season is special and meaningful for that someone you are purchasing for. From components to high-end liquid cooled pcs, we have you covered. With the holiday’s a couple weeks out from being in full swing, why wait? Head on over to our configuration page or contact our sales team to start designing the perfect gift!