Best Monitors For Online Poker
I believe most basic PC video cards these days support at least 2 monitors. But you don't have to stop there, you could get a premium video card and set up something like this: For online poker, I am still in the stone ages and use just one monitor. Most online rooms offer the option of playing in a line format, but I just overlap tables myself. I believe most basic PC video cards these days support at least 2 monitors. But you don't have to stop there, you could get a premium video card and set up something like this: For online poker, I am still in the stone ages and use just one monitor. Most online rooms offer the option of playing in a line format, but I just overlap tables myself. This is a discussion on Best monitor for grinding?Resolution, size, curved or flat etc. Within the online poker forums, in the Poker Software & Tools section; I am simply wondering what kind of.
Almost 12 years ago, my house was robbed while I was at work. One of the items the burglar decided to relieve me of was my desktop PC. Thankfully, I was fully insured and received a payout, which I then used to buy what was my first laptop.
Since the day I bought the aforementioned laptop, the only time I have used a desktop machine was at one of my office-based jobs that I held until delving into the poker world. However, last month, I returned to the world of PCs.
Although I didn’t purchase the PC purely for playing poker, it struck me that there will be potentially many PokerNews readers out there who are in the market for a new machine that they intend to use for grinding online poker. It also dawned on me that buying a new rig can often be a daunting process if you’re not sure what you should be looking for or know what specifications you require. While this article isn’t going to go into great detail about exact specifications of computer components, by the time you finish reading it you should be armed with enough knowledge to go out there and purchase a new setup.
The first thing I’d suggest is to avoid computer superstores that sell off-the-shelf machines. Here in the UK, the biggest computer retailer is PC World. It may seem ridiculous telling you to look elsewhere, but trust me on this.
When I was pricing up my new machine I ran the specifications of various machines that were within my budget to a friend who is a huge computer nerd. At least 90% of these machines had great processors but poor graphics cards and/or poor hard disks and other components. To make a long story short, the machine that I eventually purchased cost me £843 (approx. $1,310) and the only PC World machines that can get anywhere near it carry at least a 50% premium.
Anyway, if you’re setting up an online poker grind station you’re going to want to consider the following.
Windows PC or Mac
Having been a Windows-based PC user my entire life I can only comment on these. While I love Macs and everyone I know who owns or uses a Mac sings its praises, I am a PC user.
Best Screen For Online Poker
The good news about online poker sites is they generally don’t need a powerful PC on which to run. That said, once you start playing multiple tables, have third-party software running at the same time, and maybe stream some music as you play, you’re going to start needing a little more oomph. And let’s face it, you’re not only going to play poker on it, you’ll have to try out some games, too!
I’d go with a later generation Intel i5 processor. Moving into i7 territory can start to get expensive and some of the i5 versions are more than capable of handling what you’ll throw at them, including most of the latest games.
Make sure you have plenty of RAM. At least 8GB should suffice, but it is pretty cheap these days so beef it up to 16GB.
As for graphics cards, make sure it’s a decent version (model 960 upwards) of a NVIDIA GeForce GTX and you’ll be fine.
Lastly, it’s worth shelling out the extra money for a Solid State Hard Drive or SSHD. These are so much faster than a standard hard drive and I believe more reliable too as they have no moving parts. While unnecessary for online poker, the 5-6 second boot time is cool enough to warrant the extra outlay.
Monitor — It’s not only size that matters
Many people fall into the trap of thinking that bigger is better when it comes to a PC monitor, and while they do have a point, it’s all about screen resolution.
Make sure the screen you’re buying is true HD and has a display of at least 1920 x 1080p so that you can play multiple tables without a ton of overlap. Once you’ve found one with a good resolution, choose your monitor size bearing in mind that a high resolution on a small screen can make everything seem tiny. I went for a 27” screen and would have opted for a 4K monitor had my budget allowed — make sure your graphics card supports 4K if you go down this route.
A wired gaming mouse
It seems that the current trend is for your mouse to be wireless, but you can’t beat the reliability of a wired mouse. For one thing, they don’t run out of batteries when you’re sitting there with aces!
When choosing a mouse, make sure that it is comfortable for how you hold it — some people like to have their hand flat, other grip it like a claw — and that it has an adjustable DPI which allows you to tailor how sensitive it is. That’s particularly useful if you have a large screen.
Most gaming mice have a number of buttons on them that allow you to assign actions to them, meaning you can click one button and you’ll fold or another and you’ll move all in. This is awesome for high volume grinders.
Above all, make sure it is comfortable to use because this is what you’ll have hold of for several hours at a time.
A gaming keyboard
While a good keyboard isn’t necessarily essential, you don’t want to scrimp and save here, either. Again, like with mice, gaming keyboards have programmable keys that can be a godsend if you play a lot of tables and/or video games. Comfort is key here if you’re going to use your machine for word processing a lot. Take it from someone who writes a lot that a bad keyboard is bad news.
Miscellaneous considerations
It’s a given that you require a comfortable, supportive chair and a roomy desk, but what about access to a wired internet connection, a backup connection, and a charged laptop?
Wireless internet is much more stable than in the past, yet plugging into the router itself means the only time you’re going to be cutoff is if the router fails or your internet goes down. Having a backup connection may seem like overkill if you only play low stakes, yet the cost of a mobile broadband dongle or being able to tether to your cell phone gives you the peace of mind that should you lose your internet connection you can be back online in no time.
But what if there’s a power cut? That’s where the fully charged laptop comes in handy. If the power goes off, fire up the laptop and either pray to the poker gods that your electricity supply returns before your laptop’s battery drains fully, or head to your nearest fast food restaurant or coffee shop and leech their power.
While you don’t have to spend several thousand building a state-of-the-art machine for playing poker, it is worth investing in something that is at least a little future-proof. Feel free to post your machine specs in the comments box and we can all nerd out together!
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Freerolls, poker sites and your bankroll: there are few sweeter equations in the poker world than this. While it’s true that in life you don’t ever get something for nothing, you’ll find when you play poker online, freerolls are there to ensure that this isn’t necessarily the case.
Of course, there are certain restrictions when it comes to online poker freerolls, but these are, at best, minimal. In fact, in order to take part in any of the free poker tournaments at our top US sites, you basically need to create an account and play at least one real money hand.
Great! All this sounds fantastic, but what exactly are free poker tourneys? In a nutshell, a poker freeroll is a tournament that doesn’t cost anything to enter. Unlike MTTs that charge an entry fee plus rake, these no-cost poker events allow you to test your skills and compete for cash prizes for free. In general, at the best US poker sites, freerolls will run throughout the day and offer prizepools worth anywhere from $100 to $10,000.
How Poker Sites, Freerolls and You All Fit Together
If no-cost tourneys basically give you a chance to win money for nothing, then why do US poker sites host them? Although it may seem counterintuitive, poker site freerolls actually make good business sense for all parties. For poker rooms, free tournaments are a way of rewarding players, stimulating action and nurturing loyalty. By giving novice players a chance to build a bankroll from nothing, the best US operators are more able to retain valuable customers.
Regardless of whether you’re a newbie without a bankroll, or a seasoned grinder looking for a cash boost, these free poker tournaments are a great way to enhance your fortunes.
In fact, free tournaments come in all shapes and sizes. Although many are aimed solely at new customers with small bankrolls, many of the best poker sites offer freerolls to VIP players. Usually taking place at the end of the month, the size of the prizepool is often dependent on a player’s ranking. For example, a low level VIP may be rewarded with a monthly freeroll worth $1,000, while a top-ranking player will be given a ticket to play in a $10,000 tournament, all for free.
- U. S. Poker Site
- Compatibillity
- Editor Rating
- Deposit Bonus
Free Online Poker
- Very player friendly
- Generous cashback
- Great mobile play
The Advantages of Freerolls, Poker Sites and Your Bankroll
When it comes to freerolls, poker sites want you to take advantage of them. As we’ve mentioned, these tournaments actually make sense for all parties concerned, but what positives can you learn from US poker site freerolls other than making money?
Patience: It’s often the case in online poker freerolls that players are crazy. Because entry is free and, in general, the fields are large, players are willing to take risks. This usually takes the form of a constant barrage of all-ins during the early rounds. Because of this, the key to free tournament success is to be patient. Moreover, the key to poker success is to be patient. Thus, when you play online poker free tourneys, you should build up a healthy amount of patience that will improve your overall game.
Better MTT Skills: When it comes to the best US poker sites, freerolls provide a great way to hone your tournament strategy. Because they don’t cost anything to enter, you can practice the skills necessary in order to thrive in each stage of an MTT (early, middle and late). Moreover, because free tournaments often contain a plethora of American grinders, you’ll gain valuable experience when it comes to tackling both live and online tournaments.
Tricky Plays: Free poker games are a great way to practice new plays. After reading a piece of poker strategy you’ll often want to test it out on your opponents. Of course, in a real money game this can be costly. However, when you play online poker freerolls, this fear of losing money isn’t there. Therefore, if you want to advance your skills and become a trickier player, free tournaments provide the perfect testing ground.
Bankroll Management: In terms of poker sites, freerolls offer a great way for you to manage your bankroll. Across America, players are losing their bankrolls on a daily basis because they take too many risks. Fortunately, when it comes to freerolls, poker sites offer an in-built safeguard against financial ruin. By giving you the ability to play poker and win money for free, you can avoid spending more than you can afford, thus, going broke.
Don’t Lose Your Values When Playing Free Online Poker Tournaments
One of the biggest traps novice players fall into when it comes to US poker sites, freerolls and overall strategy is fancy play syndrome (FPS). The key to success in all American free poker tournaments is to play solid poker. Often described as A, B, C, this strategy basically asserts that you raise with your strong hands, fold your weak ones and, generally, don’t do anything too tricky because the players around you aren’t skilled enough to read your moves.
When it comes to playing poker online, a free tournament is a great training ground so you should always see them as a way to practice sound poker strategy. Although it may be tempting to join the all-in merchants, we suggest you avoid this and follow our simple tips to free tournament success:
- Only raise with the top 10% of hands (increase this to 15% when you’re on the button).
- Don’t bluff.
10 Best Free Poker Sites
- If a player makes a re-raise and you don’t hold AA, KK, QQ, JJ, A-K or A-Qs, you should fold.
- Only limp into the pot of you have a small or medium pair and there have been two limpers before you.
- In the early stages, make sure you play extremely tight. Conversely, in the latter stages, you can be a lot looser.
- Be patient. US freerolls contain a lot of player so don’t despair if you don’t win one. There are multiple MTTs each day so play as many as possible.
- Don’t bluff!
The Best US Poker Sites: Freerolls and More
So now we’ve given you an overview of the business of poker sites, freerolls and everything in-between, it’s time to point you in the direction of our best recommended poker rooms. When it comes to our top US poker sites, freerolls form a major part of our review criteria. We only choose the operators with a large number of daily free tourneys for both new and established players. In fact, when you ante-up at any of our recommended platforms, you’ll find a slew of online poker freerolls offering five-figure prizes on a weekly basis. So, if you want to build a bankroll from nothing, make sure you take advantage of our latest freeroll offers.
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