Tips to boost your gaming computer's performance

A recent study by DFC Intelligence, dedicated to the gaming market, showed that by mid-2020, the number of people playing video games worldwide had increased to 3.1 billion. The total population of the Earth was just over 7.8 billion (as of July), meaning about 40% of the world's population loves games. In addition, 1.5 billion of them play on PC, which is about 48% of all gamers.

Today, games demand higher levels of hardware resources, with performance being the top priority for most gamers. Some choose to build their own PCs, strictly for their needs - ensuring that games run smoothly, even graphically demanding ones. However, not all gaming enthusiasts have such an opportunity – many people will already have a laptop or non-laptop, which generally meets their needs apart from playing games.

Considering that nearly half of gamers worldwide use PCs, adapting these devices to run games smoothly becomes especially important.

Kaspersky experts have prepared a list of tips and tricks that can help boost your computer's performance when playing your favorite games. Generally, these tips fall into two main categories – hardware related and software related. They cover all the major lifehacks, which gamers can use to boost their PC's performance. Of course, these tips cannot turn an old computer into a new and powerful device, but they can help improve the situation.

Hardware advice

There are many options for improving performance in the field of hardware. Some of the tips are about computer components (for example, video card, processor, etc.). The rest will help you understand some of the additional elements you need to pay attention to for better results.

Tips for computer components

When deciding to build a computer from scratch, a logical first step would be to calculate your available hardware budget. It would also make sense to read various tests and reviews of products that are in your desired price range. When assembling a computer, it is important to remember the rule - the harmony of all parts is the answer.

For example, if you bought a very powerful graphics card, but, at the same time, you have an old or mid-series processor, then high performance for your games will not be achieved. The problem is that the video card will not be able to bring out all its potential when combined with a weak and slow processor. So the money spent on the video card will be wasted.

The next area to take care of is cooling. Unfortunately, even the most powerful cooling system may not work if the room temperature is around +30°C, so try to make sure the computer is in a relatively cool room. It is also important to ensure air flow in the system unit. Placing the computer in a place without ventilation is not the best option - a computer, like a person, needs to breathe.

Additional help can be provided by influencers who test optimal game settings for various PC components. However, it's also important to remember that even if a blogger shows off an "amazing video card" with which all their games run perfectly at the highest settings, you shouldn't immediately run out and buy the same card, hoping that you'll have same result. You should carefully check the other components of the computer first.

Tips for additional accessories

One of the most important tips for getting the best performance from your computer is choosing the right power supply. There are many power ratio calculators that allow you to check which power supply is right for your build (you can find one here). Ideally, your profit margin should be around 25-30%.

Unfortunately, without a proper power supply, even the best hardware will not be able to go into "boost mode" at maximum power. This operation causes the video card, processor and other components to increase the level of power consumption, and a weak power supply will not be able to provide all components with a sufficient level of power. As a result, even the most powerful and expensive computer will only work at half its potential.

Another effective tool for players is  the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). It is a device that provides battery backup and protects gadgets from power failure or overvoltage. A small UPS can provide power for a few minutes, while large systems have enough power for several hours.

In addition to power loss, there is also a voltage problem that can affect your computer. The voltage in the sockets fluctuates constantly and some devices, including computers, can be sensitive to this. In particular, the online UPS can help with this issue and has tools that help to balance the voltage at constant 220 V and reduce the stress on the device.

If you decide to buy a UPS, the main thing to keep in mind is that its output power must match the output power of the power supply. For example, if your power supply supplies 900 V, the UPS must also guarantee at least 900 V. Moreover, it is better to look towards online UPS.

Advice on systems and software

System and software tips can also help improve the performance of computer components and provide them with additional capabilities. But players should be careful when using these tips to increase performance. Extremely heavy loads on the system can lead to a variety of adverse effects.

The driver's dilemma

Popular advice on the internet is to always install the latest version of drivers on your computer. However, sometimes it may be more efficient to turn off the automatic update feature and check them manually. Of course, if we are talking about important system or security updates, then you should always install them so that the system and device remain protected.

However, if it's minor updates to the graphics card or other components, it makes sense to read online reviews or forums from those who have already installed that update and find out what changes are made.

Programs to speed up a computer

If you want to speed up your computer using special programs, pay attention to which manufacturer your processor is from. It is more efficient and reliable to install programs from the same vendor.

Clean and optimized PC = happy gamer

After installing programs and drivers, don't forget to check how many applications start automatically when you turn on your computer. It can be browsers, messengers, torrents and other programs. By themselves, apps don't hurt performance, but if you have 5-6 "heavy" apps running at the same time, the effects can be noticeable - even on a powerful computer.

In addition to keeping the outside of your computer clean, you can take care of its internal cleanliness – that of the hard drive. If your disk is full to its limit, it can affect the performance of games. Ideally, you should regularly monitor the health of your computer and clean it of unnecessary or outdated files and programs. A good option would also be to defragment your hard drives.

It is also good practice to check the status of your security solutions. Update these programs to their latest versions and scan your computer for malicious objects. Sometimes, hidden malware can slow down a computer, despite other efforts that may be made. In addition, security solutions can also support special features for gamers, which do not distract you from extraneous notifications during games, except for the most necessary ones.

If you try to use at least a few tips from this list, there is a good chance that your computer will run faster and you will enjoy new games and victories.