When it comes to PC gaming, we all want to have the latest and the best, and of course the most powerful. Why wouldn’t you? More firepower means improved gameplay and just a far more enjoyable experience! Having your PC hang in the middle of a battlefield, while you’re really up against it, is far from ideal.
We have a trick to share with you when it comes to getting the most out of your PC gaming experience, without breaking the bank.
Before we get into that though, let’s look at what really makes for a powerful PC.
What makes for a powerful PC Gaming experience?
First up, let’s look at why FPS (frames per second) is so important when it comes to gaming and that powerful experience that we are all after.
The importance of FPS
Frames per second, abbreviated to FPS, is the number of images a video card can produce in a second. Higher frame rates mean that your screen will be updated more frequently, which results in smoother animation and gaming experience, and eliminates or reduces stuttering and tearing. In short, the higher your frame rate, the better your gaming experience will be.
When it comes to what can negatively impact FPS, most people believe that the biggest culprit is usually the CPU.
Not necessarily so. Most people think that when it comes to gaming, the more powerful the CPU, the better. And while that is certainly true up to a point, recent advancements in graphics technology have made graphics cards the real limiting factor in gaming performance. This means that for many people, upgrading their CPU may not actually result in a significant increase in FPS.
Before we get into that though, let’s look at some easy techniques to boost your FPS.
Lower your graphics settings
This is the most obvious solution, and in many cases can be all that’s needed to boost your FPS. You may have to lower the resolution of your game, disable certain graphical features, or reduce the quality of textures and lighting. This is not the preferred option for many though, as it ultimately impacts the overall gaming experience. You certainly won’t be playing your best game in a pixelated environment.
Enable Game Mode in Windows 10
This is a new feature that was introduced in Windows 10, and it can be found in the Gaming section of the Settings app. When enabled, Game Mode suppresses system background tasks and services, and allocates more resources to your game. This can result in a small FPS increase for certain games.
Change the game’s video settings
This is another option that can be used to improve FPS. Each game has its own set of video settings, which you can access by opening the game’s Properties window. Within the Properties window, you’ll find a number of graphical options that you can tweak to improve your FPS. Experiment with these settings and see which ones work best for you.
Update your graphics drivers
Outdated graphics drivers are often a leading cause of reduced FPS. Make sure that you always have the latest graphics drivers installed, as they often include performance enhancements specifically for the games that you play. You can check for updates manually, or use a tool like GeForce Experience to automatically update your drivers.
Remove unused programs and bloatware
Removing unused programs and bloatware from your PC can free up some resources that can be allocated to your games. These programs often run in the background and consume valuable system resources, which can impact your FPS. Be sure to uninstall any programs that you don’t need or use.
Boost your Wi-Fi signal
If you’re playing your games on a laptop, try to position yourself in such a way that you have a strong Wi-Fi signal. If the signal is weak, your gaming performance will suffer. You can use an app like Wi-Fi Analyzer to find the best spot for your laptop to get the strongest signal.
Overclock your graphics card
This is an advanced technique that should only be attempted by experienced users. Overclocking your graphics card can increase your FPS, but it also increases the risk of instability and damage to your hardware. Proceed with caution if you decide to overclock your graphics card.
Upgrade your graphics card
Upgrading your graphics card can give you a significant FPS increase in many games. Make sure to research which graphics cards are best suited for your system, and don’t forget to factor in the cost of the upgrade.
Upgrade to an SSD
If your PC is still using a traditional hard drive, upgrading to an SSD can give you a significant FPS increase in many games. An SSD provides faster read and write speeds, which can result in a smoother gaming experience.
Upgrade your computer’s RAM
Upgrading your computer’s RAM can also give you a FPS increase in many games. More RAM allows your PC to store more data, which can result in a performance boost for certain games.
Disable SuperFetch (SysMain) and Prefetch
Prefetch and SuperFetch (called SysMain in Windows 10) are built-in Windows features intended to boost startup times for apps on your computer and for Windows itself. However, they can also impact your FPS in some games. You can disable these features by opening the Services window and disabling the SuperFetch and Prefetch services.
Disable Windows Defender
Windows Defender is a built-in antivirus program that helps protect your PC from malware and other threats. However, it can also impact your gaming performance. If you don’t need the protection that Windows Defender provides, you can disable it by opening the Settings app, clicking on Update & Security, and disabling the Windows Defender Antivirus feature. Understand the risks here though.
Defrag or optimize your disk
Defragmenting your hard drive can help improve your gaming performance by organizing the data on your disk more efficiently. You can defragment your disk by opening the Disk Defragmenter utility or using a third-party tool like Auslogics Disk Defrag.
Those are just some of the ways that you can increase your FPS and improve your overall gameplay.
Let’s shift our focus back to the topic of upgrading your CPU versus upgrading your graphic card.
CPU Versus Graphics Card Upgrade
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best upgrade for you will depend on your specific system and gaming needs. However, in general, upgrading your graphics card is often a more effective way to improve your gameplay than upgrading your CPU.
What many people don’t realize is that the biggest bottlenecks in playing the latest games aren’t necessarily in the CPU, but tend to be in the graphics cards. That’s because the GPU is responsible for rendering the 3D graphics that appear on your screen, and the more powerful your GPU is, the better your gaming experience will be.
That’s why it’s often a good idea to focus your upgrade money on your graphics card rather than your CPU. Of course, there are cases where upgrading your CPU can give you a significant performance boost as well, but in most cases, upgrading your graphics card will provide the best improvement to gameplay.
Have you considered buying a used certified CPU instead of a new one?
Did you know that you can buy used certified CPUs, getting all the power without having to break the bank? A used CPU may not be the newest out there, but you’ll still be able to improve the performance of your PC and improve your overall gaming experience.
By choosing a used certified CPU, you’ll be saving significant cash. You can then put that money towards upgrading your graphics card instead. With an improved CPU and graphics card, you’ll be dominating the online gaming world in no time.
You don’t have to go far to look for a used CPU either. With Tisk, you can browse our many CPUs on offer so that you can find one to suit your exact needs. All of our CPUs are tested and certified, so you can be sure that you’re getting the best possible performance.
We sell a wide variety of CPUs, with many AMD Ryzen or Intel Core products to choose from. Find the one that you need, and you’ll have a certified CPU sent to you in a flash.
You can also buy a used certified graphics card with Tisk
Most people will think you need an NVIDIA GeForce RTX or an AMD Radeon RX featuring raytracing to play the latest and most popular games. Earlier series like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX will be more than capable but lack raytracing. With Tisk you’ll be able to power up your PC on a budget however you choose. Take a look at the various graphics cards that we offer. You can get one that will make a serious impact on your PC, without breaking the bank!
It’s not only good for your wallet, but also for the environment
Did you know that less than 20% of all electronics discarded are recycled worldwide?
By purchasing pre-loved parts with Tisk, you’ll be helping keep PCs from filling up landfills. By parts remaining in circulation, we are limiting our carbon footprint and giving a much longer life to PC components. Sustainability is one of the most important elements of our mission.
You’ll not only improve your gaming experience by buying used parts, but you’ll also be doing your bit for the environment.
Peace of mind with Tisk
With Tisk, you’ll have peace of mind when buying used PC parts. We spend a great deal of time meticulously cleaning, inspecting, and testing each part before it is sold. We stand behind each and every single part that we sell on the Tisk platform, offering a 100-day money-back guarantee.
Our promise is that we will replace any part that may fail for any reason, or if it doesn’t perform to your expectations. Alternatively, we’ll offer you a complete refund. This includes any compatibility issue that may come up unexpectedly, or if you simply change your mind!
All you would have to do is get in touch with us and we’ll arrange to send you a prepaid return label.
So, what are you waiting for. Browse through our range of certified used CPU today!