If you’re in my demographic (Male 20 to 45), chances are you grew up with and still play video games. There is a good chance that you own a Playstion3, Wii, or Xbox. In some cases, you might own two or more of these systems. Naturally, you will need to build a setup to support your media essentials. That’s assuming that you have the space and the funds to support your project. Next gen systems now a day are more than just game systems. They serve as media centers, blue ray/dvd players, and hubs for social networking. That’s our source; let’s talk about picture and sound.
You need to decide on a few things before you run out and start buying a bunch of speakers and TVs. It’s just my opinion, but if you want it and you have the cash, get it. If you want it and don’t have the cash, put some coins aside until you can get it. Trust me; if you settle on a component, you will regret it much sooner than later. Consider the games you play. For example, if you play shooting games like Call of duty or Halo, you’re going to rely on quality surround sound and a responsive screen movement (something with a high refresh rate). There is nothing worse than getting dropped from behind just because you could hear someone sneaking up on you. Simulators and sports games such as Grand Turismo 5, Madden 11, or Tiger Woods 11 rely on the feeling of being immersed in the game. The best ways to get that is to setup with a 46inch or pulse size screen and surround sound. Fighting games require split second timing. High resolutions and high refresh rate monitors offer the best solution for competitive gaming. Also take into account your spacing. If you get a 58inch screen and surround sound but live in a single room apartment, you gaming experience won’t be fun for long. Setting 3 feet from a TV that large and playing halo is the quickest way to get motion sickness.
The sound system setup is a topic fare deeper that the video aspect, and is a topic for another time. There are a few quick and easy options. Look into options for 5.1 headsets. I’m not a big fan of sound bars, but for small spaces, it’s an option if you chose the right brand. Stay away from home theater in a box products and wireless speakers. They aren’t worth the setup time or the money and the sound quality is for the most part poor. The BOSE system is the only home theater in a box setup I would recommend in the right situation.
Again, this is all in my opinion, and there are far more options available to you if you do the research. Although hopefully, these few point will get you started on your for the best gaming setup to fit your needs.
Here are just a few of my pick with reviews from cnet.com.
Top picks for gaming TV’s (In my opinion of course)
1. Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT25 (50’ 3D Plasma)
2. Samsung PN50C590 (Good 50’1080p TV for under a grand)
3. ASUS VE278Q – LCD display – TFT – 27″ (Great gaming monitor. Good for small rooms, PC gaming. Excellent resolution and response time.)
Top picks for sound setup.
1. Tritton AX Pro 5.1 Gaming Headset (Great sound quality, works on Xbox 360, pc, PlayStation 3. Beware of the massive cable setup process though.)
2. Bose 3-2-1 GS Series II (graphite) (Ok setup if your low on space and willing to spend the cash)
3. Polk Audio SurroundBar SDA IHT (A good sound solution for not a lot of dollar and small spaces)
Reggi Jeffrey
Technology Editor
Tekmax Technologies Inc.
