STACK #256 February 2026

GAMING FEATURE

visit jbhifi.com.au/stack

PLAY TODAY! A PC GAMING GUIDE

Are you keen to get into PC gaming, but aren’t entirely sure where to start? Let us help! We discuss the three main options to consider, as well as outlining some of the need to-know things, and offering some suggestions for great rigs to get you up and playing. Words Bec Summer

G ames consoles are easy – you just plug them in and away you play. PC gaming, however, introduces several variables. Which processor? What graphics card? How much memory? What sort of storage, and how much of it will I need? Then there are questions like, “Do I go for the expandability of a desktop system, the flexibility of a laptop, or the full-on portability of a handheld?”

speedier option than old school mechanical hard drives – is common, 1TB is the sweet spot, more if you can swing it. Or, check whether you have the option to add larger storage down the track. CONNECTIVITY No matter what type of PC you go for, ensure that it has all the ports that you’ll need. You’ll want as many USB as possible – a mixture of USB-A and USB-C is highly desirable - and HDMI to send video to an external screen. Also, a LAN port for wired internet will deliver more reliable connection for online play than Wi-Fi.

the latest games will play nicely with your rig.

performance of your setup. There are two main competitors in this space, Intel, and AMD. As with many things, usually the higher the number, the better the performance – an Intel i9 is beefier than an i5, for example. If you’re looking at running all the latest AAA games, you’ll really want to aim as high as you can afford here. GRAPHICS This isn’t usually a consideration when buying a productivity PC, but a graphics card is pretty much a must for those who aim to play the latest and greatest games. NVIDIA lead the way here, with dedicated graphics chips, and providing regular updates to ensure that all

MEMORY In order for them to run at their best, most games – especially the latest and greatest - tend to be quite memory hungry. So, we suggest looking at a minimum of 16GB here, and if 32GB is an option – or you have the potential to expand there later – then it’s definitely worth considering. STORAGE This comes down to how many games you want to have installed at the same time. While a 512GB SSD – that’s short for ‘Solid State Drive’, a moving parts-free,

Here are five key PC features to consider…

PROCESSOR This is the heart of your gaming PC, determining the ultimate

MSI MEG Vision X AI No matter which MEG Vision X you go for, this MSI desktop packs power to spare – and then some! Each features a zippy 5.7GHz Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics, 128GB of DDR5 RAM, and a crazy 6TB of SSD storage. But the showstopper of this extreme machine is its front panel touchscreen, useable for system

Asus ROG G700 Gaming Desktop Two power-packed options offer a choice

DESKTOP

They may be the least portable and most space hungry option, but a desktop gaming rig also allows the most flexibility for future upgrades. Plus, some of them look super snazzy with RGB lighting and space age designs. Here are two great options:

of Intel Core Ulta 7 processor with 32GB of RAM, coupled with either a 1TB or 2TB SSD, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or RTX 5080 graphics. Either way, you’re on a readily

monitoring or even as a second screen.

expandable winner. It even has glass front and side panels so that you can see all the cool componentry – and RGB lights - packed inside!

12 FEBRUARY 2026

jbhifi.com.au