One of the most influential elements that affects your decision making when building a gaming computer is the monitor.  This is due to the resolution and the choices you make with a graphics card.  If you have a monitor in the range of 1620x1080 to 1920x1080 range, then you can spend around $200 on a graphics card when you build a gaming PC.

This element has been prevalent but constant for a long time.  Now in comes the new iPad, with a strikingly high resolution of around 2500x1600 - it's 264 pixels per inch.  This is more than double (almost triple) the average gaming monitor.

What happens when this tech reaches gaming monitors?  For one, we will see absolutely gorgeous screens - but for another we will see a huge push into heAvier graphics applications.   Dual video cards and more video memory.

Just thing about it - a 27 inch monitor at 264 pixels per inch could be in the neighborhood of 5000x3000 resolution (basically two Apple displays crammed into one).

The new iPad: Retina Display Analysis
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5689/the-new-ipad-retina-display-analysis

Although the iPad 2 has a fairly high pixel density compared to most of Apple’s Mac/display lineup, you’re more likely to hold a tablet closer to your eyes which made the low resolution/pixel density problematic. The new iPad addresses this issue as you can see from the chart above. I can’t focus closely enough to the panel to actually make out pixels on the new iPad, much less at a normal viewing distance. With the aid of a macro lens we can definitely identify individual pixels. The improvement over the iPad 2 display is striking:

On the blog I talk a lot about the best decisions to make when it comes to choosing parts for your gaming pc.  But while the site is about how to build a gaming PC, I actually haven't touched too much on the processes necessary to do the actual building.

The reason for this is that it is difficult to describe in text, and I haven't had the occasion to build recently.  While I will be making an Ivy Bridge system (and you can expect some quality content from that process) I would like to provide some useful how-to tips on building.

With that being said, on thing people often overlook are the tools you may want when building.  Light is a critical element, as you are working in a tight space with small components.  The below article shows a pretty nice light for this process.  I personally use a book light.

Have a look...

The Best 5-Dollar PC Work Light You May Ever Own
http://www.pcmech.com/article/the-best-5-dollar-pc-work-light-you-may-ever-own/

Getting a great work lamp for working inside a PC isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world to find because there aren’t that many choices available. In addition, there aren’t too many lamps that are specifically made for PC use (there is decorative, but I’m talking about work lamps here).

Over the past couple of months, I have seen an increasing number of articles and blog posts by people who are turning towards PC gaming as an option for their gaming entertainment.  I find this sort of thing tends to be cyclical - as we are coming towards the end of the current generation of console hardware - but also over the past decade, pc gaming has gone somewhat stagnant in terms of advancement.   The advantage to building your own computer over a console, for example, is that you can have the absolute best hardware in order to play games.  The problem is that you haven't needed the best hardware in order to play the best games.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing - it just means that pc game publishers aren't pushing the limits.

Recently however there has been a push of games providing amazing graphical experiences at the top end - such as Skyrim - which require top of the line hardware to run.  In addition, the relative affordability of building a gaming pc has made people turn towards this market (which is good to see).  I will be interested to see what happens when the XBox 720 comes out at the end of the year - will people shift to the new gaming platform?

In any case, check out this article on some good reasons to consider pc gaming (and building your own gaming pc).

2012 Is A Great Time To Start PC Gaming And This Is Why
http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/2012-is-a-great-time-to-start-pc-gaming-and-this-is-why

You’ve probably been hearing for a few years now that PC gaming is floating dead in the water, but I’ll be the first to tell you that it isn’t. As a matter of fact, it’s on the rise, and if trends continue, we’ll be seeing it as a dominant platform like it was earlier in the century. That’s a pretty strong statement, but there are several reasons that gamers are looking to the personal computer for their entertainment solution, and we’ve decided to compile a concise list of reasons that you should seriously consider getting into PC gaming.

The flooding catastrophe in Thailand last year was one of the biggest events in the world of pc hardware.  In fact it's probably had the greatest effect on pc hardware as any singular event ever has.  Consider the following.  Prior to the floods, HDDs could be acquired for as low as $60 for a 1 TB drive - this was fantastic.  SSDs - the new model of hard drive - were starting to come into the consumer vision, with somewhat accessible prices of $250 for a 120 GB SSD drive.  This was reasonable, but still somewhat out of reach for most people.

Now you can find a 120 GB ssd drive for $130 after rebate.  That is nearly half the price, and this is only after 6 months.  The flooding in Thailand jammed HDD prices through the roof, which caused not just a drop in SSD prices, but a push in SSD development and innovation - more consumer models of SSD have come out in the past 6 months than existed prior to 2011.  If HDD prices continue this way, we will certainly see the transformation of the information storage industry - I would predict that HDDs will move more towards specialized archiving uses (as high quality archiving HDDs can last a heck of a lot longer than an SDD).  But for the average consumer looking to build a pc, it will be SSD all the way.

HDD Pricewatch: Prices won’t return to pre-flood levels anytime soon
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/115033-hdd-pricewatch-prices-wont-return-to-pre-flood-levels-anytime-soon

With HDD factories ramping production back up after the floods this fall drive shortages should ease off this quarter. Prices will also be coming down — but the long-term impact of the event could reverberate through the market for the rest of the year.

If you have ever taken it upon yourself to build a computer, then you will be familiar with the BIOS.  The thing is, the BIOS is already dead.  If you look to build a PC today, you will find that every motherboard no longer has a BIOS, it has a UEFI.

R.I.P. BIOS: A UEFI Primer
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/248426/rip_bios_a_uefi_primer.html

If you have used a PC during the last three decades or so, you should be familiar with the PC’s Basic Input / Outpit System, or BIOS. The fact that it has been around for so long should also be all the indication you need that it has outlived its usefulness. UEFI is poised to replace it, and take our PC experience to the next level.

When building a computer, one of the things that often gets brushed to the side is security.  This article points out recent studies showing that you may not actually need virus software - but that isn't to say that you shouldn't think about having a secure system.  The studies say that all you need to do is keep your software up to date and employ a standard firewall.  In addition to these, I would run a good web browser (firefox or chrome), and you can actually pick up free virus protection that is quite excellent in AVG.

Personally I've been running free virus protection for over 10 years without ever having an issue.  This article just proves the point that spending $60/year on virus software is silly.

Do You Really Need Anti-Virus Software?
http://blog.laptopmag.com/do-you-really-need-anti-virus-software

Two recent studies of Windows PCs claim that up to 99 percent of malware infections could be prevented if users consistently updated their software. More surprisingly, the reports imply we could save the $40 to $80 cost of a yearly anti-virus subscription by instead keeping just five commonly used programs current and employing a standard firewall.

This past year brought us Intel's Sandy Bridge processor architecture with the P67 and Z68 enthusiast motherboard chipests. These technologies have change the game for building computers, with Sandy Bridge completely dominating the competition. AMD even has been forced to refocus away from trying to compete for the top dog spot. Ivy Bridge is looking to top Sandy Bridge as the new king of the hill.

Now we can start taking a look at Z77, the chipset which will be supporting Ivy Bridge. Just as P67 was critical for the big performance of Sandy Bridge, so too will be Z77 for the next series.

CES 2012: Gigabyte Unveils Z77 Motherboards
http://www.overclockers.com/ces-2012-gigabyte-unveils-z77-motherboards/

For a very great many years, monitor resolution has been around the 72 PPI range. This was a web standard adopted to make things easier.

Recently products like the iPad have produced resolutions higher than 72 PPI and now we are starting to see this spill over into Computer Monitors.

For gaming monitors this means video game graphics will get a massive boost in capable crispness - much like the 1080 hd upgrade to monitors in recent years. Perhaps this step forward will pair with the new PCIe 3.0 change and signify a new advancement in pc gaming.

CES 2012: Panasonic's 20-Inch Display at 216 PPI Arrives Amid Rumors of 'Retina' MacBook

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/10/ces-2012-panasonics-20-inch-display-at-216-ppi-arrives-amid-rumors-of-retina-macbook-pro/

One of my favorite gaming pc cases of all time was the Cooler Masters Cosmos.  The case was very solid – yes it was heavier than usual – but it was well built.  It had good space and was easy to work in with the components.  Additionally it used negative air pressure for cooling, which is different than your typical system which uses positive air pressure (more air blowing in than blowing out).  The benefit to negative air pressure is if you have good filter installed, you can catch most of the dust – but if you don’t have a solidly sealed case, it can get quite dirty.

The main drawback of the Cosmos was the price.  Now we see that Cooler Master is releasing the Cosmos 2, which is bringing some very fantastic qualities in a case to the market.  We don’t have a solid price yet, but we can see that it could be a major contender for serious pc builders.

Cooler Master Cosmos II Review
http://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/zardon/cooler-master-cosmos-ii-review/

Four years ago, Antec released their Antec 900 Gaming case.  At the time, this case proved to be a remarkable construction - most especially in the gaming pc and overclocking fields.  Antec was one of the first manufacturers to regularly place 200 mm fans in their cases - this allowed for much greater airflow while retaining a much lower noise level (the fan spins slower but moves more air due to its size).

Since then, many manufacturers have adopted the larger fan, Antec's modular drive bays, and the general spaciousness of working within the case.  The one thing this case didn't have that has become a standard is good wire management.

If you look at gaming cases today, you will notice along the back plate that there are several routing holes designed to push the wiring out of the airflow space of the case.  This is actually relatively new.  If you look at the Antec 900 case, it doesn't contain these.  At the time, even with wires in the way, air cooling was still fantastic.  Today, with hardware becoming more powerful and outputting more heat, routing wires becomes necessary.

In comes Antec's 1100 - this is designed to sit between Antecs 900 v2 and the 1200, but to me it's really an upgraded version of the 900.  It has all the great airflow features, ease of installation, and comes with fantastic wire management.  The only thing i'ts missing (which no one seems to do anymore) is a removable motherboard tray....alas.

http://www.overclockers.com/antec-eleven-hundred-1100