AWD Showroom Opening Event — Creators, Sim Rigs & Gaming Tech
Lennon Byatt
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is in full swing, and between screaming at the TV, arguing with mates about formations, and watching Germany dismantle Curacao 7-1, we reckon there's another lineup worth building. Your dream gaming PC.
Every great football team needs the right player in the right position. And every great gaming PC needs the right component doing the right job. So we've matched the two up, here's your Dream XI, AWD-IT style.
The Lineup
Goalkeeper — The Power Supply Unit (PSU)
The goalkeeper is your last line of defence. You barely notice them when things are going well, but when they have a bad day, the whole team collapses. Your PSU is exactly the same. A quality 80+ Gold or Platinum rated PSU quietly delivers stable, clean power to every component. Cheap out here, and you risk taking down your whole build. Don't be that manager.
AWD-IT pick: 750W–850W 80+ Gold PSU, reliable, quiet, and built to last.
Creators in attendance
Stacked lineup
Experience zones
Arcades · Sim rigs · PCs
Tech on display
Latest gen builds
Verdict
Showroom certified
Pick Your Tier
We've named each tier after a tournament stage, because let's be honest, that's exactly the kind of thing we'd do. Find your budget and dive in.
Group Stage
Round of 32
Quarter Final
World Cup Final
The showroom floor
Walking into the AWD showroom on Friday felt less like a product demo and more like stepping into a gaming venue built for people who actually care about the craft. Every corner of the space was kitted out with something worth stopping at, from full arcade cabinets lined up against the walls to professional-grade sim rigs that had creators queuing up to take a lap.
The gaming setup displays gave everyone a close-up look at how AWD machines perform in real, out-of-the-box environments, no staged benchmarks, just the hardware doing its thing with real people behind the keyboard and wheel.
Don't Skimp on the Monitor
Here's the one thing people always get wrong: they'll spend £1,200 on a cracking PC and then plonk a £120 monitor in front of it. For watching football, your display might actually be the most important piece of the puzzle. A high frame rate match feed on a 60Hz screen looks noticeably worse than the same feed on a 144Hz panel — even when you're not gaming.
Motion clarity for live sport is all about refresh rate and response time working together. Here's where to put your money at each tier:
| Minimum (30 FPS) |
Recommended
|
|
|
CPU
|
Intel Core i3-6300 / AMD FX-4350
|
Intel Core i5-3570K / AMD Ryzen 5
|
|
GPU
|
NVIDIA GTX 950 / AMD Radeon HD 7790
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NVIDIA GTX 970 / AMD R9 290
|
|
RAM
|
6GB
|
8GB
|
|
Storage
|
75GB HDD
|
SSD recommended
|
What the creators got hands-on with
Sim rigs. A row of fully specced simulation setups turned the showroom floor into a circuit. Whether creators were chasing lap times or just experiencing what a proper rig feels like, the sim zone was one of the most talked-about spots all day.
Arcades. We brought the classic energy back. Arcade cabinets gave the day a different dimension, a reminder that gaming has always been about that shared, in-person buzz that screens at home can't fully replicate.
Gaming setups & latest PC tech. This is what AWD does, and the showroom let us show it properly. Creators could explore complete build configurations, see the latest components in action, and understand firsthand what goes into an AWD machine, the hardware, the tuning, the detail.
This is what AWD does, and the showroom let us show it properly
Best Sim Racing Setup for Beginners: Start With the Essentials
You don’t need a full cockpit immediately. A well‑chosen beginner setup helps you develop skills faster and keeps costs under control.
1. Steering Wheel and Pedals (Top Priority)
Your wheel and pedals are the most important part of any sim racing rig. Force feedback allows you to feel grip changes, kerbs, and steering resistance—crucial for learning car control.
Beginner tip: Focus on force feedback quality rather than raw power.
Your wheel and pedals are the most important part of any sim racing rig. Force feedback allows you to feel grip changes, kerbs, and steering resistance—crucial for learning car control.
Exclusive creator content
Every creator at the event had exclusive access to film and shoot their own content on the day, free rein across the showroom floor, the sim rigs, the arcades, all of it. No restrictions, just creators doing what they do best in an environment built for it.
That content is already dropping across their channels, and we've been reposting the best of it over on ours. Head to our Instagram and TikTok to see the showroom through their eyes, the reactions, the highlights, and a few moments we didn't plan but couldn't have scripted better.
Just creators doing what they do best
Creator content from the day is live. See the sim battles, the arcade throw downs, and the full showroom experience straight from the people who were there.
We brought together a line up of creators who genuinely love gaming
Who was there
We brought together a lineup of creators who genuinely love gaming, not just for the content, but for the culture. From long-form YouTube veterans to short-form specialists, the room was full of people who know their hardware and aren't afraid to put it through its paces.
The brands on display
The showroom wasn't just AWD hardware in isolation, we brought in some of the biggest names in PC gaming to show what a fully loaded build really looks like when everything works together.
ASUS
Corsair
And more
From high-refresh monitors and premium peripherals to cooling solutions and power supplies, every component on display was chosen to represent the best of what's available right now, the same parts that go into AWD builds every day.
We brought in some of the biggest names in PC gaming
What Monitor Should You Pair With Your Apex PC?
Apex rewards high frame rates more than most shooters — so your monitor choice matters just as much as your PC.
- 144Hz at 1080p — The competitive baseline. A massive step up from 60Hz, and well matched with a budget AWD-IT build. Great for most players.
- 240Hz at 1080p — The standard for serious Apex players. Tracking fast legends and landing shots on the move feels noticeably cleaner at 240Hz.
- 1440p at 144Hz — A good middle ground if you play other visually rich games alongside Apex and want a sharper image without needing 240+ FPS.
- 360Hz at 1080p — For the most competitive players chasing every millisecond of responsiveness. Requires a high-end PC to feed it consistently.
Most competitive Apex players prioritise refresh rate over resolution — the extra frames make movement tracking and gunfights noticeably more responsive.
Browse AWD-IT gaming monitors
How to Unlock FPS Above 144 in Apex Legends
By default, Apex caps at 144 FPS. To remove this cap:
- Open the EA App or Steam
- Right-click Apex Legends and go to Game Properties (EA App) or Properties (Steam)
- In the Advanced Launch Options or Launch Options field, type: +FPS_max unlimted
- Save and launch the game
You can also set a specific cap – for example – to match your monitor's refresh rate without going fully uncapped.
Our Pick at AWD-IT
AWD-IT stocks a range of gaming chairs from trusted brands including Corsair. Whether you're looking for an entry-level seat or a premium setup, you can browse our full gaming chair range here.
• Shape: This is personal. Some players prefer ambidextrous shapes; others, ergonomic right-handed designs. Your grip style (palm, claw, fingertip) should influence which shape you choose.
• Click latency: How fast the mouse registers a click input. High-end optical switches (like those in Razer mice) have virtually zero debounce delay, which matters in fast-paced competitive play.
• Wireless vs. wired: Modern wireless gaming mice (Razer HyperSpeed, Corsair Slipstream) have zero meaningful latency disadvantage over wired mice. Wireless is now a perfectly legitimate competitive choice.
GTA 6 GPU Comparison Table (RTX 50 Series)
|
GPU Model
|
Performance Tier
|
Best Resolution
|
VRAM (Expected)
|
GTA 6 Settings
|
Ideal User Type
|
|
RTX 5060
|
Entry-Level
|
1080p
|
8–12GB
|
Medium–High
|
Budget gamers looking for smooth GTA 6 gameplay
|
|
RTX 5070
|
Mid-Range
|
1440p
|
12–16GB
|
High–Ultra
|
Best value for most UK gamers
|
|
RTX 5070 Ti
|
Upper Mid-Range
|
1440p / 4K
|
16GB
|
Ultra
|
High FPS + future-proofing
|
|
RTX 5080
|
High-End
|
4K
|
16–20GB
|
Ultra + Ray Tracing
|
Enthusiasts & high-performance gaming builds
|
|
RTX 5090
|
Ultra Enthusiast
|
4K+ / 8K
|
24GB+
|
Max Settings + Full Ray Tracing
|
No-compromise, ultimate GTA 6 experience
|
Does a More Expensive Mouse Make You Better?
Honestly? At a basic level, no. A well-made £40 mouse with a decent sensor will not put you at a measurable disadvantage against someone with a £150 flagship. The fundamentals of aim, consistency, muscle memory, and practice, dwarf any hardware differences at the consumer level.
That said, there are genuine benefits to higher-end mice: better sensor accuracy, lighter weight, improved wireless performance, more comfortable shapes, and longer build quality. If you game seriously and spend hours at your desk, the ergonomics and build quality alone can justify the price.
The point is don't buy a £150 mouse expecting it to fix your aim. Buy it because the weight, shape, and quality will make long gaming sessions more comfortable.
AWD-IT stocks gaming mice from Razer, Corsair, and ASUS at a range of price points. If you're unsure where to start, a mid-range wireless mouse from any of these brands will give you everything you need for competitive gaming.
Getting the most out of your hardware in Apex comes down to a few key settings
Tips to Maximise FPS in Apex Legends
Getting the most out of your hardware in Apex comes down to a few key settings:
- Drop Shadows to Low or Off — The single biggest GPU saving in Apex with minimal visual impact
- Set Texture Streaming Budget to match your VRAM — Mismatched settings can cause stuttering
- Disable V-Sync — Adds input lag and caps your frame rate unnecessarily
- Use Adaptive Resolution wisely — Setting this to 0 (off) gives you a consistent image; setting it higher lets the game dynamically reduce resolution to maintain FPS
- Keep GPU drivers updated — Particularly important for NVIDIA users via GeForce Experience
- Install on an NVMe SSD — Faster loading into matches, especially during the frantic drop phase
- Close background apps — Discord video, browser tabs, and streaming software all compete with Apex for CPU resources
High-End 4K Powerhouse
- RTX 5080 / 5090
- Intel i7-14700K
- 32GB DDR5 RAM
Built for 4K ultra gaming with zero compromises
Who Should Buy in the UK (Clear Advice)
✅ Buy an RTX 5060 if you:
- Game at 1080p
- Want a quiet, efficient PC
- Have a £800–£1,000 budget
- Prefer a brand‑new UK‑built PC
✅ Buy an RTX 5060 Ti if you:
- Use or plan to move to 1440p
- Want longer lifespan
- Play larger AAA titles
❌ Skip both if you:
- Only care about 4K gaming
- Already own a strong RTX 4070‑class GPU
Full Team Sheet
• GK: Power Supply Unit (750W–850W 80+ Gold)
• RB: Mid-Tower ATX Case with mesh front
• CB: AMD B650 / X670 Motherboard
• CB: 240mm–360mm AIO CPU Cooler
• LB: 32GB DDR5-6000 RAM
• CM: 2TB Gen4 NVMe SSD
• CM: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU
• AM: NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti (supporting GPU / budget build option)
• RW: 3–4x Quality Case Fans
• LW: Wired Ethernet / Wi-Fi 6E
• ST: NVIDIA RTX 5080 (main GPU)
What comes next
Friday was the first chapter. The AWD showroom is open, the space is live, and this is just the start of what we've got planned. More events, more creators, more opportunities to get hands-on with the best gaming hardware in the UK, watch this space.
If you missed out this time, follow us on Instagram and TikTok so you're first to know about what's coming. And if you were there on Friday, thanks for being part of it. You made it what it was.
