Consider These 6 Features Before Choosing Your Next Gaming Computer

Selecting a computer platform to drive your gaming machine may seem simple enough, but overlooking certain factors could be problematic for deployment in a casino or arcade environment. When considering the computer platform that's going to drive your gaming machine, here are 5 important features to look for:

CFast drive - this flash card module uses Serial ATA (SATA) interface to provide faster data transfer speeds than CompactFlash cards. This allows for quicker transfer of large amounts of high-resolution images and 4k videos. In a gaming computer a CFast can allow for easier exchange of storage cards since they are not secured to the motherboard.

ccTalk - this serial protocol is used for communication with bill validators an coin acceptors. If accepting a wide range of payment methods is an important feature in your gaming machine, ccTalk is a feature you will need in your computer.

Power Consumption - Casino floors and arcades are filled with machines that require large amounts of power. Choosing a gaming computer with lower power consumption can reduce TCO for the end user, and allow for multiple-unit deployments.

TPM - Hardware integrity is of upmost importance in casino gaming. Choosing a computer with the latest Trusted Platform Module (TPM) integrated into it's motherboard will provide features such as encryption, anti-tamper, and credential protection.

Watchdog - A hardware watchdog circuit can monitor activity such as stalls and crashes on your gaming platform, and respond by resetting the system. In addition to preventing downtime of your machine, the watchdog can prevent from malicious software attacks.

Anti-intrusion Support - To protect sensitive player data and maintain game integrity you will want to have anti-intrusion support software on your gaming computer. Some components of anti-intrusion support are Intrusion Detection Systems that monitor network traffic for suspicious behavior, Firewalls that control incoming and outgoing traffic between your network and the internet, and behavior-based monitoring that analyzes your system's normal behavior and identifies deviations that could indicate intrusion.

Choosing the best computer to drive your gaming machine can be a complex decision. Working with a knowledgeable distributor can simplify the process. Impact Components has decades of experience customizing computers and displays for the gaming industry. Not sure what your gaming machine needs? Contact us to discuss your next project!