![\"TRS](\"http:\/\/mygaming.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Old-PC-TRS_80Model1.jpg\" "\\"Old")
<\/a>Not even an AMD HD7970 can get this old TRS 80 up to par<\/p><\/div>\n
Balance doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t plan ahead<\/h3>\n
With all the above said, there will be times when your new system will have a component that is vastly more powerful than the rest, typically when you\u2019re upgrading on a budget.<\/p>\n
Say your budget covers everything you want. A high-end CPU, graphics card and RAM set are all in your PC, but that\u2019s where the fun stops. You need a motherboard but only have enough to buy a pie and coke. You\u2019ll typically go out and buy the cheapest motherboard from a low-tier manufacturer that\u2019s compatible with all your hardware and wait till payday to upgrade.<\/p>\n
The other common solution is upgrading to a whole new system but still using an old graphics card until funds become available for a new one.<\/p>\n
These are actually smart ways of upgrading and will net you greater performance and device lifespan if you plan accordingly and stick to the plan (within reason, specials do come up at inappropriate times).<\/p>\n
<\/a>Your AMD HD 6xxx series or Nvidia Geforce 500 series GPU still has legs (Pictured: HD6970 PCB courtesy of ixbt.com)<\/p><\/div>\n
Balanced audio<\/h3>\n
Power isn\u2019t the only thing you need to worry about in your system. Audio is notorious for catching gamers out, particularly when buying higher-end components. Buying a high-end Asus Xonar sound card is fine and well when you have a pair of SteelSeries Siberia V2 headphones that connect to a PC via 3.5mm jacks.<\/p>\n
But what about when you want to upgrade to a Razer Megalodon or a Logitech G35? These headphones will make use of their own audio processing capabilities and since they connect via USB, the sound card is wasted. The same thing goes for the cards with 6.3mm jacks (like the Asus Xonar Xense) that require a good 3.5mm to 6.3mm jack converter to use with regular gaming headphones.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The Asus Xonar D2 PM is a worthy piece of hardware, but can your headphones and speakers handle it?<\/p><\/div>\n
Balanced peripherals versus system power<\/h3>\n
No amount of money spent on gaming peripherals is going to reduce your in-game lag. I feel like tattooing this on foreheads nearly every time I go to a large LAN. There are invariably gamers who have shelled out thousands for a Razer Mamba and Logitech G19, and are dealing with a system that has 4GBs of RAM and an AMD 4670 graphics card.<\/p>\n
Paying a small fortune for the peripherals you want is a good idea; they\u2019ll typically outlast the rest of your PC components (unless gamer rage grips you after a particularly bad kill confirmed match in Modern Warfare 3). However, no peripheral will reduce lag, and lag will ruin your gaming far more than the high-end peripherals will make it better.<\/p>\n
Related Articles<\/h3>\n
Christmas hardware wishlist \u2013 Cases<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Christmas hardware wishlist \u2013 motherboards<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Top hardware tips<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n