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PC Gaming can sometimes be an expensive hobby to get into. Sure, you may have an experience that far surpasses what you can get on a console, but it comes with a pretty hefty pricetag at times. However, if you know what you're doing and aren't afraid to get your hands a little dirty, there are plenty of ways to optimize a new or exitsing PC for smoother game performance without dropping a ton of cash. These are 10 of the best cheap tricks for maximizing your PC's gaming potential.
10. Clean Up Your Storage
Clean Up Your Storage
Estimated Cost: $0
Even if you've got an old clunker of a hard drive, optimizing it's performance can help speed up load times in gaming. If you upgraded your operating system rather than performed a clean install, you likely have old files wasting valuable space on your drive.
While this might not seem like an issue if you're running a multi-terabyte drive, it can still affect performance by affecting indexing speeds. It's best to rummage through the remainder and then wipe it clean. Same goes for junk left in your recycling bin, and any temporary install files that may be laying around.
Feel free to also delete and uninstall any junk that's gone unused, cluttering up the drive. You'll have more room and a slight boost to speed if your games are running from the same drive.
9. Memory Wipe
Memory Wipe
Estimated Cost: $0
If you're running on a system with limited memory (under 4GB), and keep a lot of programs open when you play games, you're losing a lot of performance to idle tasks.
Though RAM is pretty cheap these days and upgrades are easier than ever to install, it's still important to shut down any unnecessary programs and applications before booting up your game.
Even without playing anything, iTunes can take up to 700MB of memory, and the average web browser can take up a few hundred MB more per tab open. If it's not necessary to enjoying your game, hit CTRL+ALT+DEL and shut it down; your system will enjoy the extra breathing room.
8. Bareback It
Bareback It
Estimated Cost: $0
Anti-virus and firewall programs are really important for when you're browsing the Internet for obscure pornography, but there really aren't too many opportunities for viruses to be transmitted over standard game infrastructures.
Unless you're downloading player made maps and mods, you're not likely to transmit any PC debilitating software, which means that the extra memory and bandwidth taken up by your anti-virus software can be made free and clear by deactivating it during gameplay.
It may seem like a crazy move if you're deathly afraid of spyware, but it's a risk worth taking if you care about performance.
7. Driving Lessons
Driving Lessons
Estimated Cost: $0
Forget the little DVD that came with your video card, installing the pre-packaged drivers for any piece of hardware is an almost surefire way to minimize what you can get out of it.
Heading to ATI or Nvidia's official websites to download the latest drivers and optimization tools after installing is the best way to geta safe and reliable performance that runs smoothly for your games.
If you're feeling little more creative though, you can find custom drivers for almost every GPU that can help offer a wider range of customizability if you want to get your hands dirty and fine tune the performance.
6. Know Your Limits
Know Your Limits
Estimated Cost: $0
As much as you may want to, it's probable that your computer just can't push it to the limit in terms of graphical fidelity. Setting up your graphics configuration outside of what your system is capable of is a surefire way to get choppy framerates that ruin the experience.
This doesn't just apply to low and mid-tier machines though. Knowing the limitations of your rig can help the performance of any system.
Knowing whether your GPU is compatible with certain pixel shaders or levels of anti-aliasing can reduce a lot of strain on the system. This is most prevelant when considering vsync settings, which can really slow down older cards.
5. HD Texture Packs
HD Texture Packs
Estimated Cost: $0
If you're running a crazy-fast computer with loads of RAM, your concern likely isn't optimizing frame rates. Modern developers do all they can to curb minimum PC specs, and part of this process is reducing the overall size of their textures.
Leave it to the enthusiast modding community to unlock maximum potential by creating new texture packs that replace the standard, truncated textures with shiny new high-resolution replacements. These packs will make your game look fantastic and much more details.
Do note though, that these are only for players with very high-end machines. Putting one of these in a low-spec machine is generally considered suicide.
4. RAM Upgrades
RAM Upgrades
Estimated Cost: $25
RAM is at the cheapest it's ever been, offering gamers the ability to load their system with obscene amounts of fast memory on the cheap. It's easy to install and can dramatically increase the load times and framerate of your games.
Take a look around your favourite electronics retailer for DDR3 kits. It's pretty common to find 8GB kits for the cost of a trip to the movies these days. All you've got to do after that is pop it in your motherboard and bam, instant improvement.
3. Stop All The Downloading
Stop All The Downloading
Estimated Cost: $0
It's pointless to spend all this time tweaking and improving your system, just to have your internet connection causing incredible lag when you're playing online.
This may be the simplest, and most obvious tip to follow, but you'd be amazed how many folks head into Team Fortress 2 with a few terabytes of pornography on the download.
Make sure you shut down any torrenting programs and pause any browser downloads before heading online. Your teammates will thank you when you're not darting around the map with wild abandon, and you'll feel better knowing you're the only thing to blame for your failures.
2. Solid State Drives
Solid State Drives
Estimated Cost: $50 - $100
If you're looking for upgrades to increase load speeds without investing hundreds of dollars in a new graphics card or processor, a solid state hard drive might be an appropriate solution. The speed and stability they provide offer a clear cut advantage over older and nosier disc-based hard drives.
Though prices are typically high for solid state drives, the smaller models have dropped in price quite a lot. By keeping the drive clear of junk files and using only as a place to store a few frequently used games or an operating system, it can be a cheap way to boost performance on the applications that matter.
1. Overclocking
Overclocking
Estimated Cost: $0
Despite what you may think, the process of overclocking your CPU is not as daunting as you may think. As long as you've got adequate cooling in your system it's a quick trip into the BIOS to adjust voltage and the front-side bus.
Certain processors are more stable when overclocking than others, but there are plenty of guides online with details on how to handle each chip. It's important to follow instructions very carefully as you can fry your chip.
However, for those willing to take the risk, this is the best way to increase the overall processing speed without buying any new hardware.
