All You Need to Know to Start Your Gaming Journey

With dramatic adventures and fantastical universes abound, entering the world of gaming is like traveling to a parallel dimension where anything is possible. There are more people than ever playing games, willing to spend valuable time and money on gaming to fulfill their need for virtual adventures.

But for the uninitiated, getting the right gaming setup can be daunting, especially when there are countless hardware combinations available. Fear not, help is on the way. Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide on all you need to know about gaming hardware.

From first-person shooters (FPSs), which place players squarely in the heart of battle, to massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), which immerse you in sprawling settings with millions of other gamers, there’s truly something for everyone in the gaming world.

Perhaps you’re interested in embarking on an epic quest in a role-playing game (RPG), or utilizing your analytical prowess to outsmart your opponents in a real-time strategy game. Or maybe you’d prefer to chase championship glory in a sports title, risk it all to be the last person standing in a battle royale, or invite your friends to play the virtual version of a classic board game.

All you need to do to get started is pick a title that interests you, install it on your computer, and you’re ready to begin your gaming adventure.

Here’s an all-too-common scenario: You’re eager to start your first mission, having familiarized yourself with the controls, but the game is taking too long to load.

If you’re playing on a desktop, an easy way to shorten load times is to upgrade to a solid-state drive (SSD). You may be able to do the same for your laptop, depending on its design.

‘Load fast, Play fast’, Samsung 860 PRO | EVO SSDs

Unlike hard disk drives (HDDs), SSDs do not feature moving mechanical parts, which means that they can load, store and read data three to four times faster. Samsung’s SSDs, the 860 EVO and 860 PRO, offer up to 530 MB/s and 560 MB/s read and write speeds, respectively. Featuring a five-year warranty, they’re reliable partners for all your gaming needs.

Installation is easy thanks to Samsung’s Data Migration program, which allows you to seamlessly transfer important data to your new computer drive. Simply connect the SSD to your computer via SATA USB cable, run the migration program, and your data will be automatically transferred to your new SSD.

Your upgraded SSD will allow you to enjoy an in-game edge. You’ll be able to load your game faster than other players, which will make it easier to, for instance, ready your forces for battle in an MMORPG.

Samsung’s 860 PRO | EVO SSDs, personified by the Victo robots pictured above, are ready to supercharge your gaming experience.

If you’d like to enjoy your games anytime and anywhere, a gaming notebook (or laptop) could be just what you need. Gaming notebooks are high-performance PCs that support brilliant graphics and fast response speeds.

Samsung designed the Notebook Odyssey Z to take the gaming experience to new levels. The company’s latest gaming notebook comes equipped with an 8th generation Intel Core i7 hexacore processor, as well as the NVIDIA Pascal™ architecture-based GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card. The device also supports the latest DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 2,400 MHz, which allows games to operate at lightning quick speeds.

These components allow the Notebook Odyssey Z to foster an ideal gaming experience. And if that’s not enough, the notebook also features convenient shortcut keys – to initiate screen captures, activate silent mode, and more – along with a Beast Mode function, which instantly boosts performance by 17 percent.

To help ensure that games run as smoothly as possible, the notebook features Samsung’s innovative Z AeroFlow Cooling System, which consists of three lightweight components: the Dynamic Spread Vapor Chamber, the Z AeroFlow Cooling Design, and dual Z Blade Blowers. Together, this powerful trio of technologies ensures that the notebook remains cool and powerful even when handling the most demanding of games. By directing cold air to the warmest parts of the device and expelling warm air through the vents, the system creates a pleasant, heat-free environment that’s perfect for extended gaming sessions.

Practice makes perfect. But at a certain point, you’ll find that your gaming skills are improving at a slower pace. That’s when having gaming-specific accessories can help take your experience to the next level.

By simply adding a gaming mouse and keyboard to your setup, you’ll notice an immediate difference in your reaction speed and accuracy.

When shopping for a gaming mouse, pay attention to the dots-per-inch (DPI) number. The higher the figure, the more sensitive the mouse is. Trying different mouse and keyboard combinations is also essential to finding a pair that clicks with you.

With sound design becoming increasingly sophisticated, it’s important for players to hear even minor audio details during gameplay. Extra layers of sound from additional speakers will improve your sense of anticipation and allow you to prepare for attacks from all directions.

Being able to quickly spot hidden items and accurately distinguish different characters are crucial skills in the gaming world. However, details needed for identification may not show up clearly on a laptop with a small screen.

Samsung’s latest high-resolution gaming monitor, the super ultra-wide (32:9) CHG90, can alleviate this frustration. The 49-inch monitor’s 144Hz refresh rate allows it to deliver smooth and captivating visuals, even for games with high-spec graphics. The device also boasts a 1800R curvature, and features Quantum dot and HDR technology to foster lifelike, vibrant images that make gamers feel like they’re in the heart of the action.

The CHG90’s Black Equalizer function enhances visibility in dark areas of the screen, making it easier to spot your enemies wherever they hide.

To further amplify gamers’ immersion, the CHG90 offers an 1ms (MPRT) response time, which minimizes the effects of motion blur, as well as an innovative Black Equalizer feature, which enhances visibility in dark areas of the screen to make it easier for gamers to spot items and lurking enemies.

Not so long ago, accessing the world of virtual reality required traveling to one of the few locations that possessed the requisite technology. Today, however, the excitement of mixed reality (MR) can be enjoyed from the comfort of your home.

Designed in partnership with Microsoft, Samsung’s HMD Odyssey headset allows gamers to experience new levels of immersion through mixed reality.

Equipped with dual 3.5-inch AMOLED displays, the HMD Odyssey utilizes mixed reality to bring an unparalleled level of immersion to video games. The headset’s 1,600 x 1,440 resolution and 130-nit brightness ensure that even a game’s finest details are crystal clear. Its built-in AKG headphones, meanwhile, support 360° spatial sound, transforming games into multi-sensory experiences.

By replacing the keyboard and mouse with ergonomic motion controllers, the headset offers gamers limitless freedom to traverse virtual terrains. The motion sensors are built into the headset, which makes installing the HMD Odyssey as easy as plugging a memory stick into your computer.

Support for the wide range of VR-enabled apps and games available in the Microsoft Store, as well as the over 4,000* titles in the Steam VR catalog, makes the HMD Odyssey the ultimate platform for modern-day gaming.

Congratulations, you have successfully completed all the levels in this guide! It’s time to start your first virtual adventure, where things will get a little trickier.

*Title availability is subject to change.