Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Whether you have thebest gambling desktopmoney can grease one’s palms or a budget - oriented personal computer , the whole point of it all is to be able to play your favorite games and make them look nice and run large . Not every gamer like about visuals , but performance matters , and getting your money ’s worth out of your PC is important , too .
If a microcomputer performs poorly in game , many of us immediately assume that the ironware is to charge . Sure , that can often be the case , but before you go expect into elbow room toupgrade your computing machine , try out these solutions that might solve your problem and let you get back to high - lineament gaming .
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
PC settings
Whether you ’re dealing with poor functioning , such as stuttering and low frames per second ( fps ) , or you ’re simply infelicitous with how your games take care , the root of the problem might lie in the preferences of your PC — and as such , it could be an easy location .
Let ’s go over some of the matter you should look into to make your gaming experience that much better .
Windows settings
Windows 10 and Windows 11 have a couple of configurations that are worth enabling if you ’re after optimal gaming performance : Game Mode and High Performance mode .
Game Mode let Windows live that it should prioritize all of your microcomputer resources toward improving gaming . When you boot up a plot , the personal computer will take off prioritizing that over other task , direct CPU and GPU power to verify the secret plan runs as well as potential .
To enable Game Mode , simply typecast “ Game Mode ” into theWindows Search bar , or go toSettings > gambling > Game Mode .
Next , High Performance mode . Unlike Game Mode , it does n’t specifically target gambling ; instead , it boosts the overall performance of your microcomputer , and that translate to amplification in games . It lets your processor and artwork card access code as much power as they postulate whenever it could facilitate . Be aware , though , that using this on a laptop is restrict to touch on your bombardment liveliness , but it also has much more obtrusive benefits than enabling it on desktop .
To change your superpower setting to High Performance , head on over to theControl Panel , thenHardware and Sound , and thenPower Options . Be mindful that this scope may sometimes revert back to Balanced mode if you download all Windows Updates without supervising , so it ’s a full idea to check back now and then .
There are a few more interesting options tucked underSystem > Display > artwork > Default artwork settingsin Windows 11 . Once you ’re there , enablehardware - speed GPU scheduling , varying refresh rate ( VRR ) , andoptimizations for windowed games . Lastly , if you own an Nvidia GPU , check that to tune up it for gambling purposes using theNvidia Control Panel .
Background processes
Running too many background processes can have a big shock on your gambling experience , so your best bet is to close as many as you could . Some of the worst offenders are internet browser , so if you ’ve get Chrome receptive with many tabs , there ’s your first potential culprit .
To get an overview of all the background signal processes that are presently running on your microcomputer , pressCtrl + Alt + Delto reach the Task Manager ( or just typecast “ Task Manager ” into the search legal profession ) .
While you ’re there , check out the “ Startup Apps ” tablet on the left ( in Windows 11 ) or at the top ( in Windows 10 ) . If you see a mental process that has a high impingement on startup meter and you do n’t need it to plunge after booting , disable it . This wo n’t straight affect your gaming , but it ’s a good way to unfreeze up some system resources . Before you incapacitate something , check that that your system does n’t need it .
BIOS settings
Venturing into the BIOS is most potential going to be worth your while , both for the overall performance of your microcomputer and for the sake of play . Before you start , though , update it to the latest reading .
First , come in theBIOS / UEFI . The agency to do this differs based on your microcomputer , but you ’ll always need to restart it and then press the recommended key repeatedly . This is oftenDelete or F12 , but you might encounterF2 , F10 , or Esc .
Once in the BIOS , set out by overclocking your RAM to run at the maximal speed it can achieve . This is easily done by enabling the correctIntel XMPor AMD DOCP / EXPO profile in the BIOS scene . We have a separate guide onhow to overclock your tup , too .
Enabling Resizable Bar ( ReBar ) or AMD Smart Access Memory ( SAM ) is another thing that can give you a encouragement .
ReBar is a PCIe feature film that gives your C.P.U. access to the full extent of your graphics notice ’s VRAM , which can increase carrying into action — although , as we ’ve chance , it ’s not always a big difference of opinion . On the other hand , Intel Arc GPUs gain from it massively . SAM is AMD ’s edition of ReBar , made to work on with the Team Red ecosystem .
To enable either , see through your BIOS / UEFI to locate something like PCI preferences or PCI Advanced preferences .
Lastly , you may check whether your Intel or AMD CPU is already running in Turbo mode . This is fundamentally a manufacturing plant overclock that does n’t involve any tweaks and should be safe for your processor . It can net some gaming execution games , peculiarly in CPU - bound titles . We have a separate template for this , socheck it out .
Game settings
Game options are often the unspoilt and leisurely style to improve public presentation or visuals , although the two do n’t always go hand in hand . Better visuals virtually always intend worse functioning , as in , lower fps .
Anything to do with darkness andray tracingshould be the first to go if you ’re look for higher frame rate , regardless of your hardware . In certain secret plan , such asCyberpunk 2077 , these work load are really heavy on the GPU , and only thebest computer graphic cardscan treat them without much of an issue .
View length is another big one . The more landscape painting and detail your GPU needs to load at a time , the down your flesh charge per unit . The same applies to options like soil clutter and projected textures .
If you want higher Federal Protective Service , consider turn down the trace configurations and see how you wish it :
Be deliberate withV - Sync , though , as disabling it might stimulate screenland lacrimation . Note that turn down some of these options , such as textures , will often make the plot look significantly unfit . On the other hand , if you ’re after better visuals and do n’t mind losing some frames , become the above preferences up and check out out the plot .
Another respectable way to get more fps in plot is to try outNvidia ’s DLSS , AMD ’s FSR , or Intel ’s XeSS . These are upscaling technologies that enhance game performance , and in some cases — such asNvidia ’s DLSS 3.5 — can improve your Federal Protective Service by a detectable amount without hurting visuals ( or even make them better at time ) .
Drivers
If anything is untimely with a PC , one of the first culprit to view are the driver . We commend staying on top of number one wood updates , and while GPU driver are the most impactful for gamers , do n’t omit the rest of your organisation . No matter the gadget driver , it ’s good to head clear of beta translation and wait until all the wrick have been press out .
If you have an Nvidia GPU , we have a separate guide on getting anew Game Ready number one wood . AMD GPU owners can download drivers from the official websitehere , while Intel Arc gamers should head overhere . In the case of Intel specially , staying on top of drivers can be really beneficial , as some driver updates have deliver as much asa 268 % functioning improvementin some games .
out of doors of GPU driver , ensure to download the latest chipset drivers , as those often contain optimizations for the CPU . These number one wood can be found through your motherboard manufacturer , which may have provide your PC with proprietary software ; otherwise , research through its website — they ’re always there somewhere .
typecast “ equipment Manager ” into the Windows Search bar is another simple means to download new drivers , although it wo n’t always produce results . Simply right - press the component that you ’d wish to find new driver for and allow Windows strain to find them for you . Speaking of which : rest regular with your Windows Updates , too , but just like with any other mend , getting them fresh might usher in new issues at times .
One thing to maneuver clearly of is various types of gadget driver management software . It sound great on report — updating all driver with one click — but it can also mess up up your microcomputer in a vainglorious direction , either by make a wad of the drivers or by introducing malware .
Monitor
pick off your monitor means tweaking your gaming experience . If your presentation has a mellow refresh charge per unit than the received 60Hz , Windows may not automatically adjust the setting , and your 144Hz ( or more ) will be choke back to 60Hz when it does n’t have to be . Enabling higher refresh rate is going to make a earth of dispute if you ’ve played at 60 fps so far , especially if your hardware can provide the full 144Hz ( again , or more ) .
To optimise your refresh charge per unit , head toSystem > Display > forward-looking display options . verify that your monitor is set to the refresh pace that it can render . you could also do this through the Nvidia Control Panel if you have an Nvidia GPU , as well as overclock your admonisher to hit an even higher refresh rate if the hardware supports that . Enter the Nvidia Control Panel byright - clicking on your desktop , then selectingNvidia Control Panel(you may have to first clickShow more optionsif you ’re on Windows 11 ) . On the left - bridge player side , sail toDisplay > Change resolutionto adjust the refresh rate , andCustomize .
UnderCustomize , you could selectEnable solvent not exposed by the display , and then clickCreate Custom Resolution . This will lease you try out a impost refresh rate — we do n’t urge playing with the result . grow up the refresh rate slowly , step by footfall , to ensure stability . If your monitor change by reversal itself off and continue black until the end of the psychometric test , that means you ’ve gone too far and involve to return to a previous refresh rate .
If you ’re on an AMD GPU , you will need to downloadAMD Adrenalin computer software . Next , right - select your desktopand launchRadeon options . UnderDisplay setting , sink in onCreate Custom Resolutionand go into a refresh rate patronize by your monitor lizard , then increase it in midget increments . Apply and prove each setting by clickingSave . If the cover appears fluid , change state the refresh rate down .
