In this article we discuss How to Speed Up Windows 10 for Gaming. So, There’s a good reason why PC gamers choose Windows 10. You may adjust various built-in settings and third-party applications to achieve the greatest potential performance for playing your preferred MMORPG or battle royale games on Windows 10. This operating system is also compatible with nearly all major PC games from the past couple of decades. We will thus talk about the greatest strategies for enhancing your Windows 10 computer’s gaming performance now.
To run various games with high graphics and requirements, a gaming PC needs more speed and performance. The improvement of PC speed is significantly influenced by operating systems. The most recent operating system is Windows 10, and it’s been more than four years since it first debuted. All of you should have upgraded your PC’s operating systems from Windows 7 or Windows 8 to the most recent Windows 10. The gaming experience on a PC and operating system optimized is unmatched, as every ardent gamer would agree. The most current version of Windows 10 enables intensive gaming for die-hard gamers.
🌟 In a hurry? Check out my new post on Best AM4 CPU
Software errors and bugs have a history in operating systems. Windows 10 has flaws, regrettably, much as earlier operating systems. Although it doesn’t frequently crash or require upgrades, it will eventually slow down the performance. Users become frustrated by this slowdown, especially gamers who have to contend with poor performance, sluggish speed, and several other issues. Today, we’ll provide gamers with some tips for enhancing the performance of a Windows 10 computer. Some great features will be lost as a consequence, but we’ll work to limit such losses to a minimum.
Without a question, Windows 10 is an improvement over the earlier operating system platforms. However, with the aid of these suggestions, gamers may get the most out of their PC’s speed and performance. We will also inform you about several upgrades that go beyond Windows 10 and improve the gaming experience’s speed and fluidity. Even if all of these upgrades come with a price tag, it is beneficial to maintain them, especially if you want to enjoy better gaming on a dated PC.
You may make a number of adjustments and modifications to your Windows 10 computer to enhance gaming performance. The majority of them are software-based, thus completing them doesn’t even need spending more funds. These are our 25 suggestions using which you can know how to speed up windows 10 for gaming and have the best game-performing interface.
1. Make Windows 10’s Game Mode Enabled
Possibly the simplest and most obvious approach to improve PC speed is to switch on Windows 10’s “Game Mode.” To increase FPS in your games, the function disables background processes like Windows updates and app alerts.
Although the game mode is automatically set to “On,” it doesn’t hurt to check. To do so, use the Windows key + I and select Settings > Gaming > Game Mode (left sidebar). A “Game Mode” toggle will now appear in the right pane. If it’s not on already, turn it on.
2. Reduce the Resolution & Graphics Settings of Your Game
In any case, you probably don’t need much tinkering if your PC is a super-powerful beast. However, if you are like the majority of us and must settle with anything that isn’t top-tier, you might need to make some visual compromises for a more streamlined gameplay experience. By lessening the strain on the GPU, lowering the visual settings in your game might increase FPS. With each frame, it won’t need to support as many pixels.
Most dedicated gaming PCs that are relatively newer can run most games at 1080p@60FPS. Some, on the other hand, could find it difficult to handle 4K or even 2K resolutions, and your standard business laptop might even have trouble supporting 1080p gaming. Therefore, be sure to experiment with a few choices to find the ideal compromise between better visual quality and greater FPS.
While some games include sliders, number settings, etc., other games offer straightforward settings like extreme, high, medium, and low. Here is a brief overview of some of PUBG’s possibilities.
3. Update Graphics Drivers to Prepare Your Windows 10 Gaming Computer
Updating the GPU’s drivers to the most recent versions can significantly improve gaming performance, which is another timeless piece of troubleshooting advice. The Nvidia graphic below demonstrates how drivers can sometimes increase gaming FPS by up to 23%. The same is true with AMD Radeon drivers. Follow our thorough instructions on how to update drivers on your Windows 10 computer if you’re new to PC gaming.
4. Turn Off SuperFetch (Sysmain)
A Windows feature called SysMain (formerly known as SuperFetch) speeds up the starting of both programs and Windows itself. However, it often has no positive effects on games. Indeed, when it is activated, background activity frequently increases, but disabling it might enhance your Windows 10 PC’s gaming performance. Learn how to disable SysMain (SuperFetch) on your PC by reading our comprehensive guide on lowering CPU and memory use.
5. Turn off Prefetch
You must tinker with the Windows registry in order to disable Prefetch. Therefore, use the Windows search bar to look up “Regedit” and launch the registry editor. Go to the key HKEY LOCAL MACHINE SYSTEM CurrentControlSet Control Session Manager Memory Management PrefetchParameters by utilizing the left pane. In the right pane, double-click EnablePrefetcher, and set the DWORD (32-bit) Value to “0.” (Without quotes).
6. Switch on Focus Assist
Games can be interrupted by notification pop-ups and their associated chimes; thus, the Focus Assist function is helpful in this situation. You can choose how and when you get alerts with Focus Assist in Windows 10. So, enter Settings (or use the shortcut Windows key + I) -> System -> Focus Assist to stop obtrusive alerts and pop-ups while you’re gaming. To conceal all unneeded pop-ups, choose “Alarms Only” or “Priority Only” at this time.
7. Turn Background Services Off
To optimize your PC for gaming, you may also stop programs from operating in the background, including some Windows 10 services. Background services frequently consume extra system resources, which interferes with foreground activities like gaming.
Go to Settings -> Privacy -> Background Apps to turn off background services. To stop apps from utilizing resources in the background, turn off the “Let apps run in the background” toggle in the right pane. If you want some programs to run in the background, you may keep the main toggle on and turn off specific apps.
8. Remove Bloatware and Redundant Software
With each software that is added, Windows tends to get slower. Uninstalling apps, you no longer use is one approach to make your Windows 10 computer faster and minimize latency. It increases the performance and power efficiency of your PC.
Go to Control Panel -> Applications and Features to remove programs. Now choose the application or software you wish to remove, then click the top-right “Uninstall” button. Verify that you want to uninstall the software from your computer.
9. Enhance Power Configurations
Whether you’re using a laptop or a desktop, some power settings can limit the CPU. So choosing a performance-focused power plan can help your Windows 10 PC run games better.
Right-click the battery icon in the notification tray and choose Power Options to accomplish that. On desktop computers, go to Control Panel -> Power Options to access the power settings panel. Now activate a high-performance plan by clicking “Show more plans.”
10. Turn Off the Mouse Acceleration
You may utilize mouse acceleration (Microsoft refers to it as Pointer Precision) to move between GUI components in Windows and other apps and text editors. However, it can have a negative effect on how well your mouse works in games. This may be disabled to enhance gameplay on Windows 10. Go to Control Panel -> Mouse -> Pointer Options to accomplish that. De-check the box next to “Enhance Pointer Precision.” You may now finish by clicking OK or Apply.
11. Adjust Your Radeon Control Centre or Nvidia Control Panel
The control panels that come with Nvidia and AMD graphics drivers allow you to customize the graphical settings. For demonstration reasons, we’re using the Nvidia Control Panel, but you may get a similar effect by adjusting the relevant settings in the AMD program.
Right-click on an empty area of your desktop and choose Nvidia Control Panel to get to the Nvidia control panel. Then, under the left sidebar, choose “Manage 3D Settings” to modify the following settings on your Windows 10 gaming PC:
- Maximum Pre-Rendered Frames: This option regulates how many frames the processor prepares before sending them to the graphics card. Increasing this number often makes the game run more smoothly. However, if you use your mouse and keyboard for gaming, you can experience some latency. Set this to “1” to get rid of latency.
- Threaded Optimization: This option makes it possible to multi-thread optimize for contemporary multi-core CPUs, hence it should always be set to “On”.
- Vertical Sync: If you want to learn more, you can read our in-depth discussion on VSync and its significance in gaming. For the time being, suffice it to mention that keeping it turned on will help you avoid aggravating graphical issues like screen tearing. Disabling it, however, sometimes makes games run more smoothly. Only disable VSync if your monitor refreshes at a faster pace than your game.
12. Turn Off Steam Automatic Updates
Steam updates all of your games automatically, using up resources like processor speed, memory, and internet traffic. Go to Steam -> Settings -> Downloads to stop Steam from updating games in the background while you are playing. Make sure the box next to “Allow downloads while playing” is unchecked. Make sure that this setting stays at “Off” as that is how it is configured by default.
13. Modify Windows 10’s Visual Effects Settings
Windows 10 GUI animations might hinder the performance of your PC and prevent you from reaching the highest FPS in demanding games. Adjust Visual Effects Settings. Turning off Windows 10’s appearance options, which are by default geared toward aesthetics, will enhance efficiency.
To improve Windows 10 for gaming speed, you may turn off all of these UI animations and shadows. Go to System Properties, Advanced, Performance Settings, and Visual Effects to complete the task. Click Apply or OK after choosing the “Adjust for optimal performance” option.
14. Turn off the Nagle algorithm
By lowering the number of packets that must be transmitted across the network, Nagle’s method enhances internet connectivity. When playing online games, it might cause latency problems but is useful for slower connections.
It’s better if you turn it off to avoid latency because current internet connections frequently reach hundreds of Megabits per second. Your Windows 10 machine should now be better prepared for gaming. Go to Windows PowerShell, type “ipconfig” (without quotes), and then note your IPv4 address to complete the process.
Go to the following folder HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces in Windows Registry Editor (Regedit). Here, you’ll find a number of subfolders. To identify the ‘DhcpIPAddress’ value in the right pane that corresponds to your IP address, click through each one.
Right-click on the folder where your IP address is listed as the DhcpIPAddress value and create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value there. And give it the name “TcpAckFrequency” (without quotes). Give it the value “1.” For a second item with the name “TCPNoDelay” and a value of “1,” repeat the procedure. Nagle’s algorithm will be permanently deactivated if you restart your computer. You can change your mind at any time by erasing the two keys you just generated.
15. Perform a Hard Drive Defrag (HDD-only)
Defragmenting your hard disc is another simple approach to speed up access time for Windows applications. You can find the built-in defragmentation option in Windows 10 by typing “Defrag” into the Windows Search Box. For further power-user options, you may also download and install Piriform’s Defraggler (Free). Do not forget that mechanical HDDs are the only devices eligible for defragmentation. SSDs shouldn’t ever be defragmented because doing so shortens their lifespan.
16. Install/ Update DirectX 12
On Windows 10, DirectX is essential to the gaming experience. The most recent version of the API tool, DirectX 12, supports multiple GPU and CPU cores, improves frame rates, uses less power, and improves graphical effects.
The DirectX version is often updated via Windows updates, but make sure you verify it yourself by using the DirectX diagnostic tool. Open the Run dialogue box (Windows key + R) and enter “dxdiag” (without the quotes) to accomplish that. Now you may look up the DirectX version.
17. Deactivate the Accessibility Key Combinations
Accidentally activating warning windows while playing your favourite game is the worst. Although “sticky keys” might be a useful accessibility feature, they can be quite annoying when playing video games. We advise disabling accessibility key combinations when gaming because of this.
Go to Settings -> Ease of Access -> Keyboard to accomplish it (left sidebar). Make that the toggles for “Use Sticky Keys,” “Use Toggle Keys,” and “Use Filter Keys” are all set to “Off” by moving to the right pane. Last but not least, scroll to the bottom and uncheck the following two choices:
- When using the keyboard’s Sticky Keys, Toggle Keys, or Filter Keys, display a warning notice.
- When switching the keyboard’s Sticky Keys, Toggle Keys, or Filter Keys on or off, make a sound.
18. Choose the Appropriate GPU As Your Default Gaming GPU
You may manually choose which graphics card a Windows program or game should utilize by default on multi-GPU systems running Windows 10 in order to improve performance. Therefore, optimizing the default graphics card on your Windows 10 computer will maximize gaming performance. Check out our dedicated post on how to configure the default GPU for games and applications in Windows 10 for a detailed discussion of the topic.
19. Increase GPU Speed with MSI Afterburner use
One of the most well-liked pieces of free software for fine-tuning GPU settings is MSI Afterburner (Free). It is dependable, compatible with non-MSI graphics cards, and allows for real-time hardware monitoring.
It not only enables you to overclock your graphics card by raising its voltage and clock frequency, but it also provides a fan speed control for the ideal balance between performance and temperature. The OS Scanner function in MSI Afterburner assists in automatically determining the highest stable overclock settings for your card, providing you with a fluid experience and greater FPS in even the most demanding games.
20. Keep Your Computer Cool to Avoid Thermal Throttling
Overheating is one of the main causes of frame drops and latency in video games. And a build-up of dust and cobwebs on the fans and other components within your case is one of the primary reasons for excessive heating in PCs. It could stop the airflow that is necessary for effectively cooling any semiconductor device, such as the CPU, GPU, and RAM in your computer.
You must keep your PC inside its ideal thermal range to stop it from regularly hanging or slowing down. You need to take a number of actions for it, such as routinely cleaning your case (or cabinet) using canned air, a cloth, and ethyl alcohol. For additional information, see our special article on maintaining the ideal CPU temperature. This is the easiest way by using which you can know how to speed up windows 10 for gaming without doing much effort.
21. Ensure ideal broadband latency and speed
Lag and slower response times in games can be brought on by a sluggish internet connection with excessive latency. While a fast, low-latency internet connection won’t boost your frame rate, it will assist eliminate lag, which will enhance response times and boost gaming performance.
Therefore, assess the quality of your internet connection and switch to a better one if it isn’t fast enough or has a high ping to the server of your preferred game. On several additional websites and applications, like Ookla, Fast.com, and Google, you may test your internet speed. To guarantee the best speeds, you may also use a Wi-Fi mesh network or update to Wi-Fi 6/6E routers.
22. Upgrade Your Graphics Card
Increasing the power of your graphics card is one of the finest methods to improve your gaming experience. Although they might be pricey, faster GPUs can greatly increase your FPS count, resulting in considerably smoother gaming. For improved gaming performance, you may also install a second unit of your current GPU (in SLI or Crossfire) if your power supply (PSU) allows it.
23. Install an SSD
There is no compelling reason not to permanently replace mechanical hard drives now that SSD costs have reached all-time lows. Given the enormous performance improvements afforded by solid-state drives in terms of read/write rates, this is particularly true if you are a gamer. They greatly enhance your overall gaming performance in addition to providing speedier Windows 10 boot times and blazing-fast access to apps. See the top cheap gaming SSDs available in 2022.
24. Increase Your RAM
RAM is one of the crucial parts that may make or break your setup, whether you are updating your current computer or creating a new one from the ground up. With contemporary games demanding more RAM than ever, upgrading your Windows 10 gaming machine with extra RAM may greatly improve performance.
As of March 2021, a 16GB 3200MHz DDR4 RAM kit without any fancy illumination is commonly available for about $100. However, more expensive modules with RGB and precise timings may be needed. View the top RAM for gaming across all price ranges.
25. Upgrade Your Computer or Reinstall Windows!
The last resort, the nuclear option, is this. If everything else fails, there’s a good probability that your computer is too old to play contemporary games with demanding technology. To get the finest gaming performance out of your Windows 10 machine, a total revamp may be necessary. Although it may be expensive, you will get the finest experience.
Reinstall Windows 10 to see if it helps your PC be more gaming-friendly if you’re not sure about spending a lot of money on sleek new hardware. A reinstallation may be necessary to remedy Windows installations that have been damaged beyond repair by years of abuse and neglect. You may improve performance in this method without investing any money.
Best Windows 10 Gaming Versions You Can Have on Your PC
It’s crucial to bear in mind that the operating system won’t help you if you’re not utilizing the right hardware before diving into it. Whatever applications you install won’t be much use if your gaming laptops or computers aren’t set up correctly. You should know the ways through which you can know how to speed up windows 10 for gaming.
Additionally, consumers have several customization choices with pre-built PCs. Your choice of a basic format, a mid-structure, or a full tower will directly affect the equipment you install.
The most crucial hardware requirements are as follows:
- GPU
- Processor
- Video card
- RAM
- Hard Drives
- Ethernet adapters
- Sound cards
- USB ports
These capabilities aren’t always essential on a Windows laptop. As a result of the numerous connections and built-in sound cards on modern boards, the CPU, GPU, and graphics card should take the lead.
It’s time to hunt for the finest Windows 10 gaming version now that you have a whole gaming setup.
Decide if Windows 10 in 32-bit or 64-bit mode is necessary first. Always choose the 64-bit version of a new PC for the best gaming performance. If your computer’s CPU is older, you must use the 32-bit version.
Go to your computer and select the start menu if you’re unsure which ones you’ll need. Search for and choose the system component to have a look at it. You need 32-bit Windows if your PC is powered by an x86 CPU. If your CPU is x64-based, you might potentially utilize Windows 10’s 64-bit edition.
What is Low FPS And how does It Affect Your Game Performance?
Low FPS, or frames per second, refers to when your game stutters because your machine is underpowered or out of RAM to adequately operate it. A poor graphics card, obsolete graphics drivers, a dated CPU, or inadequate RAM are common reasons for low FPS. SysMain
Games are shown on your monitor in a rapid-fire sequence of frames, just like movies. Your frame rate, which is expressed in FPS or frames per second, is the number of frames displayed on your monitor each second.
The majority of games have a frame rate between 30 and 60. Things will appear to be moving rather well at these rates (though many gamers will swear that nothing short of a steady 60 FPS is acceptable). Most gaming displays and contemporary gaming laptops operate at rates of 144 to 360 Hz, enabling incredibly fluid gameplay and minimal latency for competitive gaming and a super-smooth experience.
The frame rate will decrease if your machine is unable to continue producing all of these frames at full speed. As a result, the game appears to be moving slowly and has that sensation.
When comparing console vs. PC gaming, increasing FPS is a gain for PC gamers because you can’t change a console once it’s in your possession. This article’s FPS booster recommendations are all about demonstrating how to raise FPS and speed up your computer for gaming.
Conclusion:
The aforementioned article covers all the important factors that players should take into account to know how to speed up windows 10 for gaming and enhance performance so that games run more smoothly and yield better outcomes.
Without a question, Windows 10 is a powerful operating system, but when Microsoft attempts to incorporate some social and mobile capabilities, it encounters a number of problems. Although it is not flawless, using this operating system on a computer is a great alternative.
Due to the presence of DirectX 12 and several additional options for game optimization, this operating system has a lot to offer ardent gamers.
