So you’ve bought yourself a shiny new PC or you made it yourself from the beginning and you are ready to start the game. But because you have a new book Windows put with yours game download it doesn’t mean your PC is running at its best.
There are several things you can do to optimize your PC for better gaming performance. Just a small change in Windows settings can make all the difference.
We have already written about how to get more FPS in you graphics card and gaming machines, but here we’re talking about optimizing your gaming PC for optimal performance.
1. Turn on the game mode
Windows was originally designed to be easy to play. Microsoft knows that PC users love to play games. That is why Game Pass they are very popular. As Windows still needs tweaks to improve performance, one of these includes gaming. These are the settings that control the system’s hardware to perform optimally during gaming.
To enable Game Mode follow these steps:
- Press the start button on your keyboard and type Game
- Click Game Mode Settings when it appears at the top of the Start menu
- Press the button to turn on Game mode
2. Disable Windows notifications
Fixing your PC for gaming is great, but you know what else is better? Don’t get distracted while playing your favorite sport.
Well, Windows has settings to block notifications at certain times or when certain things happen. So this is a great way to make sure that no more pop-ups can ruin your enjoyment.
To access the settings follow these steps:
- Press the Windows start button on the PC or keyboard and type Focus Assist
- In the monitor settings click on notifications – “notifications from apps and system, do not disturb”
- Find the “turn on do not disturb automatically” setting
- Check “while playing games”
Alternatively, you can choose specific times of the day to not interrupt the mode to turn it on. This works if you know you like to play in the evening for example. Just set the time and enjoy the fun games without notifications.
3. Turn on the GPU hardware-acceleration system
GPU hardware optimization allows your system to optimize performance and reduce latency. If you have the right hardware (up-to-date graphics card) and are running Windows 10 or 11 then you can easily turn this on, like Game Mode:
- Click the start button and search for Photo Editor
- Then click to enable Hardware-accelerated GPU Processing
- Scroll down and see the “graphics performance preference” from there you can select the software to install the settings you want. For Nvidia, this is the Nvidia Control panel. You can choose this as a desktop app or Microsoft store app via download
- Click on the app, click on options and select advanced functionality
- Repeat about every game where you want to do your best
4. Adjust settings for best performance
As standard Windows is set to display the best view. So it looks beautiful with different animations and shiny edges. These preferences can have an impact on gameplay. So it would be better to turn off or change functionality instead of features.
To do this:
- Press the Windows start button on the PC or keyboard and type features and functions
- Click on “Change Windows performance and features” when it appears
- Look for changes that say “change for better performance”
- Select it and click Apply
- On the top tab click to see if the best service is set to programs and not previous jobs
5. Turn off pointer accuracy
You can buy a a classic gaming mouse to give yourself an advantage against the competition, but the mouse may be disabled by Windows settings.
Windows has various settings related to the speed of the mouse pointer and one, in particular, can be a problem, so we have to disable it:
- Press the Windows start button on your PC or keyboard and type the mouse pointer
- Click on “Change mouse display or speed”
- Under the settings labeled “movement” select the option “increase pointer precision”
- Click Apply
While we’re at it, we also recommend checking your mouse software. Most modern mice have advanced rating options. Click to select the highest frequency – 1,000Hz, 4,000Hz or 8,000Hz – in your program so that your signals reach your PC faster and with less delay.
6. Update your drivers
If you want the best performance, we think it’s important to not only make sure that Windows is updated regularly (especially outside of your gaming time) but also that your graphics card drivers are updated as well.
We have already written about how to update Nvidia drivers and install them properly for best results but it also pays to stay on top of updates to have the latest drivers.
The easiest way to do this with Nvidia graphics cards is to use it GeForce Experience. When it is downloaded and installed there is a way in there to download and install the drivers. Click to activate and install new content whenever they are released.
7. Turn on Nvidia G-Sync
If you have it collaborative project and a new graphics cardthen you can and you should turn on G-Sync. We’ve written about how to do this before but G-Sync ensures that the monitor’s refresh rate matches the frames every second your graphics card is outputting from the game you’re playing.
Turn on G-Sync on your monitor and within the Windows settings and this will prevent tearing and ensure smooth gameplay. We recommend that you adjust your game settings to match the refresh rate your monitor is displaying and reduce the FPS rate to the lower end of the refresh rate.
8. Set your project refresh rate
Windows is not always optimized to use the highest refresh rate for your connected displays. If you have a gaming monitor with a high refresh rate, then you should turn on all settings for the monitor and Windows.
Otherwise, the monitor will be limited to 60Hz. So follow these steps to choose your refresh rate:
- Right click on your desktop and click display settings
- Scroll down until you see “display preferences”
- Then scroll down to refresh and click download. From there select the refresh rate for your project.
If you don’t see the settings you expect then chances are you’re using the wrong string. Some displays can only output high refresh rates with a DisplayPort cable, otherwise, HDMI 2.1 may be worth a look.
9. Change the Windows Start-up settings
Most programs you install force themselves to start. So when you turn on your PC and log into Windows these programs are waiting for you. Sometimes this is not useful because these programs are background processes that are wasting energy and resources.
Fortunately, it’s easy to disable these programs not only to make your PC boot faster but also to maximize your gaming experience. Follow these steps:
- Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Task Manager
- Look for the Startup tab and click on it
- Search through the list of apps and look for anything you don’t use regularly
- Right click on the offending apps and click disable
Alternatively, in Windows 11 you can find these updates by clicking the start button and searching for start programs. Click system settings and you can go through and turn on apps.
10. Use ethernet not Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi speeds will start faster and faster and connections are also very reliable with Wi-Fi 6E and beyond. But there’s something to be said for using a high-quality ethernet cable from your router to your gaming PC.
If you have ultra-fast home broadband then you can pay for cable too. CAT-8 ethernet cablesfor example, it can transfer data faster and get the most out of your speed while providing a strong connection that never drops.
How to make your computer faster
Some of the features on this list will help improve the performance of your gaming PC. But there are other things you can do
If you’ve tried all of these things and want to do more then you might want to consider it upgrading other parts of your gaming PC or doing something as simple as refreshing your hot pasta to cool it properly.
If you are having other problems with your PC then it is probably a problem weakness due to difficulties or fever. There are ways to monitor this and increase performance.
Can my computer run it?
If you’re having problems with your gaming PC and wondering if you can fix it, you might be wondering if you can play certain games. Modern PC games can have very taxing PC requirements so it pays to check if your PC can handle it before you buy. Even if you buy it on Steam you can use refund policies if things don’t go well.
Before withdrawing your money you can always check to see if the game is over. There are different ways to do this. You can usually find limited and official games on their store page (mostly on Steam). If you know your script then you can happily compare the lists to what you need to be sure will work.
If you don’t know the specifications of your PC, don’t worry as it is ways to view and download all of your posts without much fuss.
Another way to do this manually is to use System Requirement Lab Tool. This tool will scan your machine and compare it to what you want to play and give you advice before you buy. Useful stuff!