5 Effective Ways to Improve Your PC's Gaming Performance (Topic)

In the age-old debate over what is the best way to play video games, there are no obvious outsiders and leaders. Supporters of console gaming, having bought a game console once, can forget about the "joys" of an upgrade and enjoy stable FPS in all new games for several years. PC gamers also have arguments for their favorite gaming platform. For example, improved graphics in games compared to the console versions and the absence of a specified FPS limit. And in this article, we'll detail how to effectively improve your PC's gaming performance.

1. Download the latest drivers for your video card

Many computer owners prefer to turn a blind eye to this point. Could a software update give an impressive performance boost? We answer: yes, maybe, and how. Just a few minutes spent updating the drivers can give a 30% performance boost in modern games and save you the extra money you need to upgrade your PC.

To download the latest drivers for your video card, you first need to find out the version of your video adapter. This is done very simply: go to the device manager, click on the "video adapters" item and remember the device model, not forgetting to pay attention to the video card manufacturer.

Also, it will not be superfluous to find out the bitness of the operating system, since the drivers for the video card are usually offered to download in two versions: for 64-bit and 84-bit OS. You can find out the type of system in the already open task manager: find the "computer" item, click on it and remember the displayed numerical value.

Armed with the received data, we go to download the drivers for the video card on the website of Nvidia, Intel or AMD. The next step is to install the driver, restart your computer and enjoy the real increase in FPS. By the way, don't forget to check for new drivers immediately after the release of major game hits.

2. Optimizing graphics settings

Of course, it's always nice to turn on a new game, go to the graphics settings and turn all the sliders to the maximum. But the harsh truth is, if you're not a happy owner of a few thousand evergreen US dollars, you'll enjoy that slideshow on your screen.

Optimization of settings should always be approached wisely, because many modern technologies practically do not affect the quality of the picture, and they eat up FPS pretty much. In most cases, the difference between average and maximum graphics settings, even with a magnifying glass, is unlikely to be seen, so you should take this business without fanaticism and adjust the graphics sliders until you find the optimal ratio of graphics quality / performance.

In turn-based, strategy or RPG games, there is no need to chase FPS, while in multiplayer shooters like Battlefield 1, a few extra frames are never redundant. After all, there is nothing more offensive than getting a headshot due to a slowdown PC.

We advise you to pay special attention to the following settings: screen resolution, volumetric lighting and anti-aliasing .

Screen resolution can be viewed by right-clicking on a free area in the PC start screen. A panel with a "talking" icon "screen resolution" will be displayed, where we pay attention to the upper numerical value with the postscript "recommended". It is this that we expose in games for the best picture. Please note right away that if the display supports 4K resolution, then we do not recommend setting it, if you are not afraid of a 2-fold drop in the frame rate.

The wording "volumetric lighting" does not fully convey the essence of the setting, here the definition of "shading" will be more appropriate. Realistic shadows in and around objects, natural diffusion of sunlight on surfaces and believable shades of dark colors - that's what volumetric lighting gives. The optimal choice would be the HBAO parameter, since the VXAO technology, which appeared with the release of DX12, gives a minimum of visible changes, and in return requires a worse computer than in the NASA launch terminals.

Anti-aliasing allows you to make the picture much sharper and reduces the number of visible pixels at the edges of objects. It depends only on your personal aesthetic preferences, but note that 4K resolution by itself provides a satisfactory level of anti-aliasing.

3. Check FPS and download graphical benchmarks

You can always determine the number of frames per second per eye and set the graphics settings from this data. But there is a better option, for example, enable a visible FPS indicator in the game settings. If such an option cannot be found in the settings, then third-party programs such as Fraps will help. We recommend that you "dance" with the settings until the game is constantly producing at least 25 frames per second.

Also note that many games on the Steam page have benchmarks that can be downloaded for free. They come in handy in order to determine if the configuration of the computer is suitable for a given game. Their advantage is that they test the power of the PC both in calm and busy moments with an abundance of special effects, explosions and scattering physical objects, and then display the average FPS level.

4. Install utilities to optimize computer performance

To improve the performance of your PC in games, you should always close third-party applications that are not currently in use. Torrent, browser, even open "My Computer" consume such valuable RAM, more than loading the processor. But there are some programs that run in the background and cannot be closed manually. You can turn them off using third-party software such as Razor Cortex.

Also, it will not be superfluous to clean your computer, defragment the hard drive and, in the worst case, reinstall the operating system. Windows 10 owners have one small bonus to help them win multiple FPS in games - Game Mode. However, it is only available to users who have downloaded the Creators Apdate update, but don't worry, it is completely free for all owners of licensed Windows 10.

5. Overclocking your computer

If none of the above methods helped and you begin to notice that sand is already pouring out of your PC from old age, then there are two solutions. The first is more classic: upgrade your PC or completely replace your gaming device. And for all the enthusiasts, we offer one more solution: overclocking your computer. It is recommended to do it only at your own peril and risk, since there is a real opportunity to ditch the PC without the possibility of recovering components.

Overclocking the video card will give the greatest performance gain in games. The procedure can be performed without installing additional software. Most often, all the necessary settings can be found in the installed video card driver.

Now you can start overclocking the processor and RAM. Here, too, everything is quite simple, but you need to enter the BIOS of the operating system. To do this, restart your PC, press the "del" button and find the appropriate options. If you plan to overclock your PC on an ongoing basis, we recommend that you take care of upgrading your cooling system in advance.

In our separate article, you can read more about how to overclock your computer.

The Topic of Article: 5 Effective Ways to Improve Your PC's Gaming Performance.
Author: Jake Pinkman