The Network Interface Card (or NIC) was once the exclusive domain of professional technology consultants, geeks, and hardcore gamers. Believe it or not, at one point in time home computers didn't come with an on-board Ethernet connector, since these computers didn't need to think about home networking; but, thanks to the advent of broadband, every home computer has at least one Ethernet port - and some of them are even capable of gigabit speeds!
All of the motherboards we recommend in our Build a Gaming Computer guide come with an on-board gigabit Ethernet port. With that in mind: do you need to buy an Ethernet card? Absolutely not!
You could purchase the Killer K1 or Killer M1 gamer networking card, but those really are overkill, and that money could be better spent on a faster processor or more memory (of course, if you want an on-board linux computer, the Killer M1 might be the card for you).
Don't worry about CPU overhead either: the amount of data being processed by the CPU for the network interface is so insignificantly small as to be hardly noticeable. Online games - from FPS's to MMORPG's - don't really send and receive a large amount of data; they just send small chunks of data really fast. It's a technical difference, but an important distinction to make. In other words, don't worry about the CPU overhead.
Now that buying a separate Ethernet card is basically out the window, there is something you should consider, and that's wireless networking. A, B, G, N, MIMO - there are so many acronyms out there that it can be downright confusing. Let's simplify things:
A, B, G, N - these letters refer to the variations of the 802.11 (wireless) networking standard. They all range in speed from 10Mb/s on up. While speed is important (and we recommend getting an 802.11 router and adapter), what you need to focus on is the compatibility: if your router and network card do not support the same standard, you may be throttled back to a slower speed (or not be able to connect at all).
MIMO - short for Multi-Input Multi-Output, any wireless device that supports a MIMO interface will have two or more antennas and generally support faster connection speeds. This comes at a significant cost, though: both your router and adapter must support MIMO, and you risk interfering with other wireless signals (such as your neighbor's wireless network).
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Recommended Wireless Equipment
Please note that if you're following our How to Build a Gaming Computer guide, this equipment is option, based on your networking preferences. Many gamers choose to use wired Ethernet because of its connection reliability versus wireless.
Router
Linksys 300Mb/s Wireless N Router - $99.99 - With 300Mb/s speeds thanks to supporting 802.11n, this router will not only provide your gaming computer with great wireless connectivity, but it will also provide your other machines with 802.11n speeds. On top of that, it has a 4-port wired switch built into it so you can game without a wireless connection.
Adapter
TRENDnet 802.11n PCI Wireless Adapter - $59.99 - Supporting up to 300Mb/s of speed, this wireless PCI adapter will fit just fine into your net gaming rig. The wireless connectivity is perfect if running Ethernet cable is too costly or not an option (this is especially true for gamers who cannot run cable into another private room).
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