What Actually Happens When You Press Play on a Gaming PC?
Lennon Byatt
If you’re completely new to gaming PCs, terms like CPU, GPU, RAM and SSD can make buying one feel more complicated than it needs to be.
So forget the specification sheet for a minute.
Instead, let’s look at what your gaming PC is actually doing when you open a game.
Because once you understand that, the different components start making a lot more sense.
Recommended 1440p Gaming PC Specifications
For the best balance of performance and value, we recommend:
| Component | Recommendation |
|
CPU
|
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
|
|
GPU
|
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
|
|
RAM
|
32GB DDR5 6000MHz
|
|
Storage
|
2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD
|
|
Motherboard
|
B650
|
|
PSU
|
750W 80 PLUS Gold
|
This specification is capable of running modern AAA games at high frame rates while providing plenty of headroom for future releases.
Browse AWD-IT's latest AMD Ryzen Processors:
https://www.awd-it.co.uk/components/cpu-processors/amd-cpu.html
You Press Play
You open Steam, Xbox, Epic Games or another launcher and click Play.
Your PC now needs to find everything that makes up that game: maps, textures, sounds, characters and thousands of other files.
That’s where your SSD comes in.
The SSD: Where Your Games Live
Think of your SSD as your PC’s storage cupboard.
It holds Windows, your games, applications and files.
When you launch a game, the PC starts pulling the information it needs from the SSD.
A fast SSD helps with things like:
- Starting Windows
- Opening games
- Loading into maps
- Fast travel
- Loading saved games
It doesn’t simply give you more FPS, but it makes the whole PC feel much quicker.
You can browse AWD-IT’s range of SSD storage if you want to see the different options available.
It doesn’t simply give you more FPS, but it makes the whole PC feel much quicker
Next, Your RAM Gets Involved
Your PC doesn’t want to constantly go back to the SSD for every piece of information.
So data the game needs right now is placed into RAM.
RAM is essentially your PC’s short-term workspace.
Imagine cooking dinner.
Your SSD is the cupboard where everything is stored.
Your RAM is the kitchen counter where you put the ingredients you’re currently using.
More working space means your PC can comfortably handle games alongside things like Discord, browsers and other applications.
For someone completely new to PC gaming, you don’t need to obsess over every RAM specification immediately.
The important thing to understand is:
RAM helps your PC keep the things it currently needs close at hand.
Browse PC memory and RAM at AWD-IT.
Then the CPU Starts Running the Game
Now we get to the CPU, or processor.
You can think of this as one of the main decision-makers inside your PC.
While gaming, the CPU handles huge amounts of information behind the scenes.
That can include:
- What enemies are doing
- Physics
- Player movement
- Game logic
- Background tasks
- Information being prepared for the graphics card
Take a racing game as an example.
The CPU can be calculating the cars around you, their positions, physics and what is happening in the game world.
It then works alongside the graphics card to turn all of that into the experience you see on screen.
You can explore AWD-IT’s range of processors if you want to compare different CPUs.
This is the component most gamers talk about
Now the GPU Creates What You See
This is the component most gamers talk about.
The GPU, or graphics card, does much of the heavy lifting when it comes to creating the visuals on your screen.
It helps render things such as:
- Characters
- Environments
- Lighting
- Shadows
- Reflections
- Textures
- Visual effects
It also plays a major role in determining the resolution, graphical settings and frame rates your gaming PC can handle.
This is why you'll regularly see names such as GeForce RTX and Radeon RX when shopping for a gaming PC.
You don’t need to understand every graphics card model from day one.
For now, remember:
The GPU is the part doing most of the work to create the game you actually see.
You can compare the latest graphics cards at AWD-IT.
Average FPS vs 1% Low
Here’s a simple example:
| Gaming PC | Average FPS | 1% Low |
|
PC A
|
160 FPS
|
65 fps
|
|
PC B
|
145 FPS
|
110 FPS
|
At first glance, PC A looks faster because it has the higher average FPS.
But PC B maintains much stronger performance during demanding moments.
For someone actually playing the game, PC B may therefore provide the smoother and more consistent experience.
This is one reason AWD-IT's existing performance guides sometimes refer to maintaining strong 1% lows alongside average FPS.
The Frames Are Sent to Your Monitor
Your PC has now done all that work.
But you still need somewhere to see it.
That’s your monitor.
Your GPU continually produces images called frames and sends them to the display.
You might hear someone say their game runs at:
60 FPS
That simply means the PC is producing around 60 frames every second.
Generally, more frames can make movement look and feel smoother.
Your monitor also has something called a refresh rate, measured in Hz.
For example:
60Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz or 240Hz.
A higher-refresh-rate monitor can display updates more frequently, which is particularly useful for fast-paced games.
You don’t need the highest number available. Your monitor should simply make sense for the performance your gaming PC can produce.
Browse AWD-IT’s gaming monitors to see the different resolutions and refresh rates available.
And the Cooling?
While all of this is happening, your components are using electricity and producing heat.
Your cooling system keeps that heat under control.
Case fans move air through the PC, while your CPU and graphics card have their own cooling solutions.
That's why you might hear your PC fans become louder when you launch a demanding game.
Your computer has gone from doing very little to processing millions of calculations and creating dozens - or hundreds - of frames every second.
A bit more fan noise while gaming is completely normal.
So Do You Need to Know Every PC Specification?
No.
This is where first-time buyers often get overwhelmed.
You might see:
DDR5-6000. PCIe 5.0. 12GB GDDR7. Boost clocks. CAS latency. Core counts.
Those specifications can matter.
But you don't need to understand all of them before buying your first gaming PC.
Start with something much simpler:
What games do I want to play?
What resolution do I want to play at?
What is my budget?
Once you know those three things, choosing suitable hardware becomes much easier.
Once you know those three things, choosing suitable hardware becomes much easier
Background Downloads Are Easy to Miss
Modern games receive large updates, and your launcher may continue downloading additional content while you’re playing.
Windows, Steam, Discord, cloud storage and other applications can also be active in the background.
If your performance suddenly feels worse after installing an update, open Task Manager and check whether anything else is heavily using your:
CPU, RAM, storage or network connection.
Sometimes the simplest explanation is the right one.
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.
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
Don't Forget Your Monitor
Your PC can produce hundreds of frames every second, but your monitor also needs to be capable of displaying high refresh rates for you to fully benefit from them.
A smoother combination of strong FPS, consistent frame delivery and an appropriate refresh rate can make games feel significantly better.
If you're unsure what Hz means, read AWD-IT's guide to why monitor refresh rate matters, or browse the latest gaming monitors.
A smoother combination of strong FPS, consistent frame delivery and an appropriate refresh rate can make games feel significantly better.
Expected Gaming Performance
|
Game
|
1440p High
|
1440p Ultra
|
|
GTA 6 (Predicted)
|
120 FPS
|
90 FPS
|
|
Cyberpunk 2077
|
120 FPS
|
95 FPS
|
|
Black Ops 7
|
180+ FPS
|
150+ FPS
|
|
Fortnite
|
240+ FPS
|
200+ FPS
|
Performance will vary depending on drivers, game updates and graphics settings.
1440p Gaming
1440p provides a sharper image than 1080p but requires additional graphics power.
The AWD-IT Ares Ryzen 5 RX 9060 XT Gaming PC is a suitable option for players who want higher graphical settings, stronger frame rates and the ability to move into 1440p gaming.
Players targeting high-refresh-rate 1440p or 4K should look towards graphics cards such as the Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT
High-End Gaming
Players targeting high-refresh-rate 1440p or 4K should look towards graphics cards such as the Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT.
These cards provide the additional performance needed for demanding modern games, detailed graphical settings and higher-resolution monitors.
Browse AWD-IT’s range of RX 9070 XT gaming PCs.
Should You Pair Radeon with Ryzen?
A Radeon graphics card does not need an AMD Ryzen processor, but pairing the two can create a well-balanced all-AMD gaming system.
The most important consideration is balance. Your processor should be powerful enough to support the graphics card, while sufficient RAM, SSD storage and cooling will help the entire system perform reliably.
You can explore AWD-IT’s AMD Ryzen and Radeon gaming PCs for complete systems using both technologies.
Prebuilt or Build Your Own?
Building a PC gives you control over every individual component, but it also requires additional research, assembly and troubleshooting.
A prebuilt gaming PC arrives assembled and tested, making it a more convenient option for many first-time buyers.
It also gives you one main point of contact if you require technical support or warranty assistance.
What Should a Beginner Focus On?
If you're comparing your first gaming PCs, focus on the overall system rather than trying to find the biggest number in every specification.
A balanced PC is what matters.
The GPU needs to suit the games and resolution you want.
The CPU needs to comfortably support it.
You need enough RAM for your games and applications.
You need enough SSD storage for your game library.
And the cooling and power supply need to support everything properly.
You don't need the most expensive version of every component.
You need the right combination of components for what you actually want to do.
Prebuilt or Build It Yourself?
You can build your own gaming PC by choosing every component individually.
For some people, that’s part of the fun.
But you don't have to build one yourself to get into PC gaming.
A prebuilt gaming PC arrives assembled, configured and ready for you to get started without having to work out which motherboard fits which processor or whether your power supply is powerful enough.
For someone completely new to PCs, that can make the first step considerably simpler.
You can always learn more about the hardware - and upgrade parts - as you become more comfortable with PC gaming.
The Simple Version
If all those component names still seem confusing, remember this:
SSD — stores your games.
RAM — holds the information your PC is currently working with.
CPU — handles instructions and what's happening within the game.
GPU — creates the graphics you see.
Monitor — displays those frames.
Cooling — keeps everything operating at sensible temperatures.
They all work together.
And that is really what a gaming PC is: a collection of specialised components working together to run your games.
You don't need to become a PC expert before buying one.
Understanding the basics is enough to start asking the right questions - and the rest becomes much easier from there.
Explore AWD-IT’s range of gaming PCs when you're ready to see what those different combinations of hardware look like in a complete system.
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- GTA 6 PC System Requirements (Predicted)
