Windows is an important platform in the gaming world and is famous for its increased performance compared to game consoles. With Windows 10 getting incremental updates every year, PC gaming is about to get a whole lot better thanks to specific software optimizations for games. However, those who have to make do with entry-level PCs due to budgetary constraints often have to compromise on the latest offerings from the gaming world. Those stuck with aging gaming gear also have to think of ways to get more performance out of them.
The upcoming Creators Update is believed to bring a Game Mode to improve gaming performance on all Windows 10 PCs. Until then, there are ways to run the games you love a little better on your current hardware. Well, Here are some easy ways to optimize game performance in Windows 10:
Natively Optimize Gaming Performance in Windows 10
1. Adjust Visual Effects for Best Performance
Windows 10 has a very good looking UI (this is purely subjective) and all that fancy stuff consumes a lot of resources just to look good. While gaming, the Windows GUI continues to run in the background, causing unnecessary consumption of valuable computing power. Fortunately, there is a way to adjust visual effects in Windows.
All you have to do is “yieldin the Cortana search bar and click “Adjust its look and performance Windows”.
“Performance options” window will open and you will need to select it. “Adjust for best performance” select and click “To apply”.
Moreover, “Developed” open the tab of the same window and “Set for best performance:” set”programs” additionally.
2. Choose a Better Power Plan
Windows computers always “Balanced” defaults to power plan settings and this slightly affects game performance. With a desktop computer, you don’t have to worry about power as the power comes directly from the power supply. “High performance” power plan makes your computer forget about power saving and draws as much power as possible to keep things running smoothly.
To enable this “Win Key + X” shortcut and “System and Security” in Control Panel. Click “Power options” and choose “High performance” choice.
3. Overclocking Your PC’s CPU and GPU
Before reading further, be aware that overclocking your CPU or GPU can cause performance issues. However, hardcore gamers all over the world overclock their CPUs and GPUs to get the best gaming performance. The benefits are great as the games evolve smoother and fasterIt increases the FPS numbers significantly.
If you’re familiar with coding, you can manually overclock a PC or use a overclocking software like Intel Extreme Tuning Utility For Intel-based motherboards or AMD OverDrive Technology For AMD-based systems. These software can help users overclock and monitor a system to its full potential.
But it is it is recommended not to overclock a gaming laptopbecause heat dissipation is not as good as a desktop computer and can cause your valuable components to overheat.
Optimize Windows 10 Gaming Performance with Third-Party Apps
1. Razer Cortex
Razer Cortex is the most popular system optimization application for PC gaming. The application scans all programs that qualify as games, and then allocates system resources to them accordingly, as required. It kills all unnecessary background processes and manages the amount of RAM or the number of cores for a given game. The result is smoother gameplay and less lag. It has a few fun features like: screenshot hotkey and one frame accelerator. It even lets you defragment the part of your hard drive that holds the game to improve performance.
The effect of this software might not be visible on high-end machines, but it could allow modern games to breathe a little better on mid- and low-end PCs. The user interface is great and all the tweaking options are presented in an organized way. This free download game must be installed on your PC to experience Razer’s expertise in pro-level games.
download (Free)
2. Wise Game Booster
If you want a simple and uncomplicated game optimization application, Wise Game Booster will be a good option for you. It’s almost a game oriented task manager app, with a user interface that reminds you of the Windows XP days. The best thing about Wise Game Booster is the simplicity of its functionality. Also, it is very light on system resources. Scanning happens fast and optimization solutions happen quickly. The app is free to use and is a simple solution to get the best gaming performance from your aging computer.
download (Free)
3. Vehicle Buzz Game Boost
Tool Whiz Game Boost is a very simple optimization application with many powerful features. This is the only app that lets you choose the way you want to “boost” your games. The “GameBoost” mode can consolidate the installation path of your games on the drive or close all unnecessary Windows processes that consume useful resources. The app supports Windows Updates, Windows Aero for Vista/7, keyboard hotkeys etc. It can even turn off. The app itself is lightweight and can give your thirsty PC a much-needed boost.
download (Free)
4. Game Fever 5
Game Fire 5 is another PC optimization application that can effectively boost your games on your PC. The software claims to be a “featured” one.Real-time optimization” feature actively monitoring as well as killing unnecessary processes in the background to optimize the gaming experience. It has many performance enhancement features in the form of disk defragmentation utility, settings tweaker, application optimizer, and more.
Game Fire 5 is suitable for both advanced and novice gamers. It has a paid version with many additional features such as advanced optimization tools and 24×7 Premium support.
download (Free) (Full version $19.95)
Optimizing Your PC’s Graphics Card
If you have a laptop or a high-end desktop, you will notice the presence of software like NVIDIA GeForce Experience or AMD Gaming Evolved on your desktop. This type of software connect with your graphics card driver and try to optimize the game in appropriate settings for lag-free gameplay.
On computers with NVIDIA cards, NVIDIA GeForce Experience and on AMD-equipped cards AMD Gaming Evolved software. Along with the latest DirectX 12 in Windows 10, they tend to improve performance based on your individual machine. You need to update drivers from time to time to get the most out of your games, and for that you can check out our list of the best driver software for Windows.
Other Tips for Optimizing Gaming Performance in Windows 10
If you don’t want to get these additional software on your PC, there are other ways to make your games run as smoothly as possible.
- Uninstall unwanted or unused software from your system. Doing so will free up valuable space and allow your processor to dedicate its power to rendering games at their best. Anti-virus and image editing software are also known to slow down the computer.
- Before downloading any software, check if the software contains bloatware, malware or resource exploitation features.
- Keep updating your driver software every now and then. this the latest updates are geared towards improving your computer’s performance and get the most out of your existing hardware.
SEE ALSO: 19 Getting Started Tips for Windows 10
Optimize Windows 10 for Gaming
These are some of the ways to optimize gaming performance on your Windows 10 PC. Note that with each new software update and newer games, the need for optimization decreases as developers focus on running their games on as many computers as possible. For example, the game Forza Motorsport 6 Apex fixed after graphics driver update on my laptop.
So, try the ways mentioned above and let us know how they worked out for you. If you know of other ways to optimize Windows 10 for gaming, let us know in the comments section below.
