Gaming has become more demanding than ever, requiring powerful hardware and a well-optimised system to ensure smooth gameplay. If your computer is struggling to keep up with modern games, there are several steps you can take to improve its performance. Whether you are playing competitive online games or immersive single-player experiences, optimising your PC can help reduce lag, boost frame rates, and improve overall gameplay.
In this blog, we will explore the best ways to optimise your computer for gaming.
1. Upgrade to an SSD
One of the simplest ways to improve gaming performance is by upgrading your storage from an HDD to an SSD. As mentioned earlier, SSDs significantly reduce loading times, allowing games to start faster and run more smoothly. Open-world games, which require frequent data access, benefit the most from this upgrade, as textures and environments load much quicker.
2. Update Graphics Drivers
Your graphics card plays a crucial role in gaming performance, and keeping its drivers up to date ensures optimal performance. Manufacturers like NVIDIA and AMD frequently release driver updates that include performance improvements, bug fixes, and compatibility enhancements for the latest games. Regularly checking for and installing updates can prevent graphical glitches and improve frame rates.
3. Adjust In-Game Graphics Settings
Not all games will run smoothly at maximum settings, especially on older or mid-range hardware. Adjusting settings like texture quality, shadows, and anti-aliasing can help balance visual fidelity and performance. Reducing unnecessary graphical effects can free up system resources, leading to a smoother gaming experience without sacrificing too much in terms of visuals.
4. Increase Virtual Memory
If your computer has limited RAM, increasing the virtual memory (page file size) can help improve performance. Virtual memory acts as an extension of physical RAM, allowing your computer to handle larger workloads. This can be particularly useful for games that require more memory than your system has available.
5. Close Background Applications
Running multiple applications in the background can consume valuable system resources, leading to reduced gaming performance. Before launching a game, it’s a good idea to close unnecessary programs, such as web browsers, media players, and background services. Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) can be used to identify and close resource-intensive applications.
It might seem like a small difference, but you’d be surprised at how much performance modern browsers like Google Chrome can take from your machine, especially if you’re running several Chrome extensions.
6. Enable Game Mode in Windows
Windows has a built-in Game Mode that optimises your computer for gaming by prioritising game performance and minimising background activity. Enabling Game Mode can help improve frame rates and reduce input lag, making your gaming experience smoother. This is a very small improvement, but it all adds up and lets you run games faster, especially if your machine is already struggling.
7. Optimise Power Settings
By default, Windows may use a balanced power plan that limits performance to conserve energy. Switching to a high-performance power plan can allow your CPU and GPU to run at their full potential. This setting can be found in the Control Panel under Power Options. Make sure your PC has sufficient cooling to handle this full power mode – or speak to your local PC experts so they can install more fans to a liquid cooling system.
8. Keep Your System Cool
Overheating can lead to thermal throttling, causing your CPU and GPU to reduce performance to prevent damage. Ensuring proper airflow, cleaning dust from fans, and using cooling pads or additional fans can help maintain optimal temperatures and keep your system running smoothly.
9. Upgrade Your RAM and GPU
If your computer still struggles with modern games, upgrading hardware components like RAM and the graphics card can make a significant difference. More RAM allows for better multitasking, while a powerful GPU enables higher resolutions and smoother gameplay.
You don’t need to do this alone. Speak with a pc upgrade specialist and make sure your new components are fitted and configured properly.
10. Monitor and Optimise Network Connection
For online gaming, a stable and fast internet connection is essential. Using a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi, reducing network congestion, and selecting servers with low latency can help prevent lag and ensure a seamless gaming experience.
Optimise Your System Properly With PC-Dial-A-Fix
Optimising your computer for gaming involves a mix of hardware upgrades and system tweaks. By upgrading to an SSD, keeping drivers updated, adjusting settings, and maintaining a cool and efficient system, you can significantly improve your gaming experience. Whether you’re looking for higher frame rates or reduced input lag, these optimisation steps will help you get the most out of your PC for gaming.
