Black Friday 2020: then you have to be careful

Your gaming rig may use an update again, but you don’t know where to start? Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday offer some hardware deals. Our shopping tips.

Christmas is upon us and the most hectic shopping time of the year has arrived: Black Friday. Resellers lure you with attractive offers, and in the end you are left with products you don’t really need.

However, this weekend you can find some Black Friday deals that upgrade your PC and let you play worry-free again. You want to be prepared, especially with explosions of games like Cyberpunk 2077 at your fingertips. We’ve rounded up our hardware tips to keep an eye on this weekend.

Motherboard + processor

Let’s start with the motherboard at the heart of every gaming PC. This provides the basis for any further purchases. Because it is important to pay attention to the chipset that harmonizes with the corresponding processor. There are two main types of processors to choose from: Intel and AMD.

Both manufacturers have launched strong new hardware again this year. These could be on the offer list this Black Friday. Motherboard and processor go hand in hand, which is why we recommend them both together, not that you end up buying a motherboard that is not compatible with the processor.

Intel

The two fit perfectly together. The Intel Core i7 chip sits in the good middle class of Intel chips. You can leave it in the car for years without having to suffer major losses.
The Asus motherboard fits this with its chipset and enough slots so that you can plug in all your peripherals. A WLAN receiver is included even if you don’t have a wired network available. Motherboards can get very expensive, but at around 260 francs that’s a nice price range.

If you decide to use a different motherboard, you need to check if it is compatible with Intel 10th generation chips. This would be the “LGA1200” processor socket.

AMD

AMD is on the rise right now. The new 5000 series processors break records and as a result go beyond the counter like hot Weggli. And they are sold out everywhere. But the previous 3000 version is also very powerful and still works very well!

Therefore, we can also recommend the second most recent version of the processors here without any problems, should it appear in a good Black Friday offer. A suitable motherboard equipped with an AM4 socket. You can use this socket for any AMD Ryzen 3000 series chip. So if another chip called Ryzen X 3XXX is on offer, you can use it with no problem.

graphic card

Okay, let’s move on to the part gamers love to show off with, the graphics card. Here, too, there are big news on the horizon, but all already sold out or in any case quite expensive. If you see any of the following graphics cards for sale, you can easily hit.

RTX 2070 / Super

The middle class of the latest generation is still in step with current headlines. There are now models with the “Super” designation that tease a little more from the cards. Nvidia’s RTX series cards are also equipped with the new ray tracing technology used by more and more games. Before buying, take a quick look at the graphics card reviews, as there are always some differences between the various manufacturers.

RTX 2080 / Super

You should also find a 2080 model in the Black Friday deals, since you are even better positioned for the next few years. Meanwhile, the 3000 series is theoretically on the market, but it will still be a bit overkill for many games for a few years. With an RTX 2080 / Super you will be able to keep up for a long time. The graphically impressive Cyberpunk also lists the RTX 2080 Super in addition to the RTX 3060 in the Recommended Ultra Settings, which is a good benchmark for the next few months, if not years, of play.

RAM

The little power bars that propel your computer forward are often a bit forgotten. There is also a reason for this: Basically, you just need to make sure you put a decent amount of RAM in your machine, which was made by a well-known and trusted manufacturer.

Brands we can recommend:

Most modern games require at least 8GB of RAM, with a current motherboard you should be able to install 32GB without a problem, which also puts it in pole position in terms of RAM. These are always available in a pack of two. Important during installation: Both RAM sticks must have the same power to work! The easiest way is with two 16GB sticks or four 8GB sticks if there is space. And if that’s not enough, you can also download the RAM.

Monitor

What good is the best PC hardware if the game doesn’t display correctly at the end? Not much, exactly. That is why it is important that your monitor has a matching refresh rate in addition to the required response time. This means that as many images are displayed on the monitor as the graphics card can produce. Since 4k resolution is fine, there is a noticeable difference in terms of gameplay, but especially in the frame rate.

Response times are now very good for most gaming monitors, there are only minor differences. There is often nothing to notice when it is displayed either. As a rule, a quick glance at the reviews will enlighten you.

144Hz

Monitors with a 144 Hz refresh rate are now almost part of the eSports standard. Your gameplay displays smoothly, even if you tickle more than 60 frames per second from your graphics card.

Example monitor:

• AOC G2490VXA
• Dell S3220DGF
• ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q

166Hz +

There are now almost no upper limits. People also like to argue if it’s possible to see a difference after 144Hz. Professional gamers claim to hear a small but subtle difference, for the average gamer it will hardly be noticed. However: if something in this direction is in a good deal, you can hit.

Suburbs

When it comes to peripherals, there are as many different opinions as there are gamers. Everyone has their favorite brand that they like. Trying is the best way to find what is right for you. Should the mouse be pretty light? Wired or wireless? Are the headphones still a little “open” so that you can hear ambient noise or do they completely isolate them?

Based on their experience, editors can definitely recommend:

• Maus: Logitech G Pro wireless gaming mouse
  This small but refined mouse has almost everything you want from a mouse. It reacts quickly, fits comfortably in the hand and is wireless! The battery lasts incredibly long, so you only have to charge it sporadically. Warning: a new model of the popular mouse is expected to appear around the new year.
• Maus: Glorious PC Gaming Race Model O
  Also a very light mouse, this time wired. The holes in the frame take away extra weight and since it doesn’t have to hold a battery, it’s just as easy to drive. If you still want to play wired, you’re sure to be well advised.
• Tastatur: Ducky One 2 Mini
  The Ducky keyboards are particularly convincing thanks to their good mechanical workmanship without banging too hard. The Ducky One 2 Mini models throw unnecessary bells and whistles out of the window, so you have a decent and reliable keyboard that’s also quite space-saving.

We hope we’ve been able to help you a bit with this guide to find out what to look for on Black Friday if you want to properly update your PC. And don’t forget: whatever it is, always with RGB lighting if possible!

What are you looking for on Black Friday? Is there anything you absolutely need to get yourself? Tell us in the comments!