Whether you are new to playing online poker or a seasoned professional, choosing the right equipment could well have a bigger effect on your ability to win consistently than you may have considered!
Modern computers have reached a level of technical sophistication now whereby any set of core components such as the Motherboard and CPU will most likely be good enough for the vast majority of players. Those who want to build a monster setup for playing two dozen cash games at once certainly will need a high-end CPU, however, to ensure the machine stays snappy with so much action going on.
Computer memory is so cheap these days that everybody should be purchasing a minimum of 16GB, even if they aren’t really sure they need it – it’s always wise to future-proof your new machine! You’ll also want to be sure to get yourself the fastest SSD you can afford, too. This will make sure your new computer boots up in just a couple of seconds, as well as causing your poker tables to open in a flash.
Whilst integrated CPU-graphics are more than enough for simply playing poker, those who wish to play a few videogames on their system too will surely want to invest in a dedicated graphics card as well. The nice folks over at Fortnite Tracker recommended us the nVidia RTX2060 and the Radeon RX590 as suitable mid-range cards that are widely available and will enable you to play 95% of top-tier games at playable frame rates. Let’s not even talk about Cyberpunk….
So, you’ve got your new box all built and screwed together, hooked up a dazzling array of RGB fans to make sure you get maximum FPS*, but you’re still missing the vital peripherals required to turn this PC into the kind of machine that’s going to see you start pwning the guys over at Beatsofpoker.com.
First up, choosing the perfect monitor or monitor(s) is absolutely key. A single 1080p display might cut it for browsing the web and the odd movie, but it’s going to dramatically limit your options once you are comfortable playing several tables at once. Go for a 1440p model at the very least, or stretch to 4K if you can afford it, but it’s pointless paying the premium for true “gaming” monitors with their ultra-low refresh rates and sub<1ms response times unless you are going to be playing a LOT of Fortnite on the same machine! Check out Dell for some fantastic reasonably priced options.
And finally, no battle station could be complete without your input devices – buy the best keyboard, mouse, and desk pad that you can afford. Not only will they ensure a smooth experience navigating around your desktop, switching tables, and preventing misclicks, these are the devices through which you’ll be interacting with your shiny new poker workstation for years to come.
