Educational institutions looking to set up or expand an existing esports program will need to invest in the appropriate equipment and gear. While you can make do with standard esports gear in the beginning, remember that much of it wasn’t designed to meet the demands of competitive play and/or with ergonomics in mind. Although by no means a guarantee towards success, every little advantage counts when playing esports at a competitive level.
From computers, monitors, input devices, and gaming accessories, the quality of the esports equipment that your program is using will have a measurable impact on your student players’ overall performance. All things aptitude-wise being equal, esports players utilizing superior equipment are more likely to be victorious. Below are some considerations to keep in mind when outfitting your esports program with equipment.
Essential Esports Gear Setup
Having to work with limited budgets is a common challenge shared by many educational institutions, particularly those in the process of getting their esports program off the ground. While you’re still securing funding, investing in the following essentials will help maximize your program’s budget:
Entry Level Gaming Computers:
This entry-level gaming desktop from Acer is an ideal computer for esports programs that are just starting out and working with a limited budget. It features an Intel Core i5-12400F processor (6-core) clocked at 2.5GHz, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, allowing your student gamers to play most of the mainstream esports titles currently on the market at modest settings. Each desktop also comes bundled with an entry-level gaming mouse and keyboard that should suffice until your program can afford more premium upgrades.
Monitors:
You’ll need to pair each of the gaming computers with a monitor. You can start by using the same entry-level monitors that your educational institution is already using with other computers throughout its campus.
Gaming Headsets:
Gaming headsets allow your student players to communicate with one another during practice sessions and competition without the need to shout over each other. They can also help players audibly pinpoint the location of their opponents in esports titles such as First-Person Shooters (FPS).
Remember that the students participating in your esports club or program will also need a practice facility outfitted with reliable high-speed internet access. Your program will also need to secure licenses for game titles that they intend to play competitively (although some Free-to-Play esports titles are available). Be sure to leave room in your budget for both.
Leveling Up Your Esports Gear
As your Esports program matures and your student players are becoming more successful in competition, more funding will hopefully become available. Invest it wisely in the following upgrades to help take your program to the new heights:
Mid-Range Gaming Computers
This Predator Orion desktop from Acer is a step up from the entry-level computer we’ve featured above. It comes equipped with an Intel Core i7-12700F (12-core) processor clocked at 1.6GHz (Max 4.9GHz), 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 8GB graphics card. The increase in processing power, memory, and graphics allows your student gamers to play more graphically intensive esports titles without sacrificing any performance.
High Refresh Rate Monitors
Not all monitors are created equally. Monitors with high refresh rates are purpose-built for high-speed, competitive esports gaming. Not only will the games look much smoother on-screen, but the reduction in latency is also proven to improve response times as well, giving your student players an edge over their competition.
Upgraded Mice and Keyboard
Although you can stick with the mice and keyboard that came bundled with your computers in the beginning, they may not meet the rigorous demands of competitive play. As you work to grow your esports program, you’ll want to outfit your student players with much more reliable mechanical gaming keyboards and ergonomic gaming mice. Not only do they improve performance, but they can help prevent repetitive stress injuries as well.
For mechanical keyboards, consider those with n-key rollover and mechanical key switches that suit your student players’ typing preferences. For gaming mice, consider those that are ergonomically designed and with sensor sensitivity and weight adjustments.
Going Pro with Pro-Level Esports Gear
As your student players begin winning competitions and become seasoned esports pros, be sure to level up their equipment as well. There is a lot of other essential equipment that your esports club will need beyond their computers. Consider investing in the following equipment as your esports program expands:
High-End Gaming Computers
This high-end Gamer Supreme desktop from CyberPowerPC is an ideal match for esports programs that are ready to go pro and take on all comers. It’s powered by an Intel Core i7-12700KF (12 Cores [8 Performance Cores + 4 Efficient Cores] / 20 Threads) processor clocked at 3.6GHz (Max 5.0GHz), 32GB of DDR4 RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 8GB graphics card. Your student gamers will be able to easily run all the latest esports titles at high graphics settings at high frame rates.
Top-Tier Gaming Computers
If only the very best will do, then look no further than this top-of-the-line Predator Orion 7000 desktop from Acer. It features an Intel Core i7-12700K(12-core) processor clocked at 2.7GHz (Max 5.0GHz), 32GB of DDR4 RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 10GB graphics card. Not only will this computer run all of the latest esports titles with the graphics cranked up to 11, but can easily handle other tasks like video editing and broadcast-quality livestreaming without breaking a sweat.
Gaming Desks
Although conventional computer desks will technically suffice, esports players require dedicated gaming desks that can do more than just being able to accommodate a computer, monitor, and the various gaming peripherals. An ideal gaming desk should feature ergonomic height adjustments as well as built-in cable management.
Gaming Chairs
The same principle holds true for chairs as well. While a standard chair will do, having an ergonomic gaming chair for extended gaming sessions make a world of difference for your student players. It’ll help them reduce muscle soreness, fatigue, and exhaustion.
Livestreaming Equipment
Livestreaming your esports programs’ practices and competitions are a great way to build a following. To ensure that your livestreams look as professional as possible, your program will want to invest in dedicated livestreaming equipment. This includes cameras, lighting, and other livestreaming accessories such as video and audio switching consoles.
Specialty Equipment
Certain esports genres like sim racing will also require additional specialty gaming equipment such as steering wheels, racing pedals, shifters, and even full-fledged racing simulator chassis. You’ll need to budget for them if your esports program intends to compete in sim racing esports leagues.
