I have achieved it. The key to improving in competitive games lies within.
I have achieved it. The key to improving in competitive games lies within.
I undserstand this is a heavily disputed topic (I think), so people are going to disagree with me on this. For credibility, I'm a sweaty Valorant no-lifer (Radiant #4 peak). To start, I want to outline an important thing to bear in mind. I would say 50% of games is mentality, and the other 50% skill. Obviously raw aim is important, but what drives that is your mentality. Test it yourself. After getting mad, try playing a game. You'll notice your performance has dropped significantly. This is what separates pros from average joes. Something that got me out of hardstuck gold and into plat was literally me telling myself I deserved a higher rank, and that effort is what will take me there. This applies for any competitive games. Don't trust my advice on any of this, I'm 13 and don't know what I'm talking about, I just thought I could share my experience.
True talent alone isn't enough to reach the top each day. Consistent practice, sound game awareness, and a humble attitude matter. Staying physically fit is essential. Modern athletes incorporate exercise into their routines. A strong mind pushes limits, while motivation sharpens focus. Continuous improvement is always preferable to short-term rewards, especially in traditional team settings.
By looking at the title, I could tell this would be an enjoyable experience. There are no hidden secrets—just solid hardware and hands-on practice. The more you combine both, the stronger you become. If you keep up with the latest tech trends and dedicate 8-10 hours daily, you'll stay ahead. Just remember to avoid any areas where your performance starts to decline. That's the essence of it.
If you believe this to be true, you have fallen victim to marketing of gaming gear. You should have good enough hardware to not let it be hindering your development as gamer. But you rarely need latest of anything, or best of anything to reach the point where your hardware limits your skill. Of the popular eSports titles, which requires more than GPU and monitor being able to run game at 300fps?
E-sports has grown into a massive world now, far beyond the old favorites like WoW, StarCraft and CS. There are titles that are unknown to me yet. From my own view, racing sims really highlight how important the right gear is. Anyone can begin with a basic 1080p screen and a Logitech G29 or Thrustmaster T300 wheel, and reach speeds close to the top players in just 3 to 4 seconds after lots of practice. But eventually you hit a limit and wonder why those elite competitors move so swiftly. The final stretch—just 1 to 1.5 seconds—often comes with a triple monitor setup, DirectDrive configuration, and all the premium features that cost more than many affordable cars today. The first change you see when moving from one monitor to three is a noticeable improvement in depth of field and clearer feedback from the machine. As your refresh rate climbs, the responsiveness and sensation improve dramatically. When my third screen failed, I had to return to a single display and my performance dropped by roughly 2 to 3 seconds until I got back to three screens. You also start to appreciate how larger screens and higher resolutions sharpen your view of the track, helping you detect braking zones, puddles, spacing, and car placement more easily. This is especially crucial in long races like the Lemans Virtual where consistent lap times matter. These displays demand powerful CPUs and GPUs to maintain smooth performance. Then it comes to the wheels. The sensation from a dedicated disc wheel and custom pedals is far more precise than what you get from a cheap set. The control feels unique—hard to describe, but undeniable. One thing I’ll always miss is the sim-seat. The added realism it provides is unmatched by any budget option. Regarding other e-sports titles, the common thread among top players is that they never depend on outdated hardware. While much of this is for marketing, it still works. Linus even demonstrated this with his CS game video, showing how high FPS and quick response make all the difference between winning and losing. In a top StarCraft 2 match, a split-millisecond decision cost Maru to Serral, a point often blamed on server lag. At the professional level, every tiny detail matters.
I can provide the sim-racing details, but that's about it. Most games don't demand such high CPU/GPU power to run smoothly on a Threadripper, i9 or 3090. Online play adds another layer since servers influence performance. That's why professional matches use controlled settings. For instance, Overwatch uses VPNs to match players by ping during online sessions. In LAN events, everyone shares the same hardware except for personal peripherals. Overall, having better equipment helps, but being at the cutting edge isn't always necessary.
In short, when you're upset you tend to use harsh tactics and face consequences.
I think I went a bit overboard with the "cutting-edge" talk, but solid hardware really helps. You don’t actually need a Threadripper 3990x or several Quadros just to play CS:GO, but an RTX 3080 paired with a Ryzen 5900X will give you a much better experience than a GTX 1060 with an i5-9600k. Regarding the "gaming" ads – I really dislike them. Some gadgets like mice, keyboards, headphones, and matpads can carry the "gaming" label and odd design, but it bothers me when a good display is labeled as a "gaming monitor" and looks like a half-morphed transformer. I know it’s the marketing word that sells, but it’s really annoying.