thebiginterview


from the very first page on our site, and if something isn’t listed we encourage customers to call us to ask for whatever case, cooler, motherboard or processor they prefer and we help them make it work. We don’t upsell the most expensive components we offer but


suggest a configuration that meets the needs and budget of each customer’s gaming preferences. We like to talk to customers, offer advice and work out what they need before purchase. It means people are more likely to be satisfied as they get the exact PC they want. Tis personal service is especially important for people new to PC


gaming as they might not be aware of every component available and what it has to offer. Brand loyalty matters, and we oſten see satisfied customers


return to us when it’s time for a PC upgrade. It shows us we’re doing something right.


What have been the biggest challenges of the last 18 months? Lockdowns around the world led to more people staying at home, spending their time and money on gaming, which sounds great for a PC vendor, but it’s one factor behind the current component shortage that has made it frustrating for gamers who are unable to get the hardware they prefer. Te new consoles have also been in short supply for an entire year,


which has pushed some people towards gaming on PCs, only to find that the graphics card they want is impossible to purchase without paying exorbitant fees. Tat’s not just scalpers on eBay, some retailers have added huge markups to their graphics card prices too. We think that’s the wrong approach. It may sound old fashioned,


buy we value customers’ long-term trust in our brand over short- term gains, so we aren’t seeking to fleece people for a few extra quid over a GPU. Even though everyday life is slowly returning to normal here in


the UK, demand around the world is still high and the last year has seen other supply chain issues add to these woes. Any delay in shipping times from factories has had a compound effect when supplies are already limited. However, we are hopeful that this situation will ease up slightly


next year.


Where is PC gaming headed? Although the technology moves fast, and PC gaming is always changing, we think the benefits of the PC as a gaming platform will remain unchanged for the foreseeable future. Te PC will remain open and customisable with a great choice of games and for this reason people will continue to want gaming PCs. Since gaming is now such a huge worldwide phenomenon, and


still growing, there’s plenty of space for many different ways to play games. DIY PC builds, independent vendors like ourselves and big-name PC brands can coexist with consoles and mobile gaming. In many cases, the most enthusiastic gamers play on multiple platforms. It’s really common for a household to have both a gaming PC and consoles for example. New peripherals such as VR are still developing and that’s really


exciting. VR is already great fun and works best with a PC that has some real 3D oomph! behind it, but it’s clear that VR headsets as well as the games that run on them have some room to improve and evolve. It’s something we’re watching closely, especially for our flight simulator range. Similarly, display technology is coming on in leaps and bounds.


Gaming beyond 60Hz refresh rates with adaptive sync is becoming more affordable, not just a high-end feature found on the most expensive PC monitors. While displays that can do 120Hz at 4K resolution are still something of a luxury, and only high-end graphics hardware can maintain that level of performance in the most visually rich gaming titles, that too is something we can see changing in the next few years.


“Lockdowns around the world led to more people staying at home, spending their time and money on gaming, which sounds great for a PC vendor, but it’s one factor behind the current component shortage that has made it frustrating for gamers who are unable to get the hardware they prefer.”


24 | February 2022 www.pcr-online.biz


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