What to do before you start gaming

Before you launch a game, your computer needs three things working together: enough processing power to run the game, a graphics card that can display it smoothly, and storage space that isn't full. Most gaming slowdowns happen because one of these three is bottlenecked—meaning it's holding back the others. You can improve performance without buying new hardware by closing background programs, updating drivers, and adjusting in-game settings to match what your machine can actually handle.

Start by checking what you're working with. On Windows, right-click "This PC" or "My Computer," select "Properties," and note your processor (CPU) and RAM amount. Then open Device Manager (search for it in the Start menu), expand "Display adapters," and note your graphics card name. On Mac, click the Apple menu, select "About This Mac," and check the processor and graphics information there. Write these down—you'll use them to compare against a game's system requirements.

Key Takeaways

  • Close background programs like Chrome, Discord, and Spotify before gaming, because they consume RAM and CPU power that your game needs.
  • Update your graphics driver every month or two by visiting the manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel) rather than relying on Windows Update.
  • Lower in-game settings like resolution, shadow quality, and draw distance before buying new hardware—these changes often double your frame rate.
  • Keep at least 20 percent of your drive free and move large games to a solid-state drive (SSD) if your computer has one, because full drives and slow storage cause stuttering.
  • Monitor your CPU and GPU temperature during gameplay using free tools like HWiNFO or GPU-Z; temperatures above 85°C mean your cooling needs attention.

Close programs running in the background

Every program you have open—even minimized—uses RAM and CPU cycles. When you launch a game, it competes for those resources. Chrome with ten tabs open can use 2 to 4 gigabytes of RAM by itself. Discord, Spotify, OneDrive, antivirus software, and Windows updates all run in the background and steal performance your game could use.

Before you start gaming, close everything except what you absolutely need. On Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, click the "Processes" tab, and look at the "Memory" column. Click the column header to sort by memory use, then right-click any program you don't need and select "End Task." Common culprits are web browsers, streaming apps, and cloud storage services. Leave Windows Explorer, your graphics driver, and audio services alone—those are essential.

On Mac, press Command+Space, type "Activity Monitor," and open it. Click the "Memory" tab and sort by "Memory" to see what's using the most. Select programs you don't need and click the X button at the top left. Be careful not to close anything with "kernel" or "system" in the name.

Update your graphics driver regularly

Your graphics driver is the software that tells your graphics card how to display games. Manufacturers release new driver versions every few weeks, and these updates often include performance improvements and fixes for specific games. A driver that's six months old can cost you 10 to 20 percent of your frame rate compared to the latest version.

For NVIDIA cards, visit nvidia.com/read/driverDetails.aspx, enter your graphics card model and operating system, and read the latest driver. For AMD cards, go to amd.com/en/support and follow the same process. For Intel integrated graphics, visit intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/detect.html and run their detection tool. Install the driver, restart your computer, and you're done. Do this once a month or whenever you notice a new game running poorly.

Do not rely on Windows Update to keep your driver current—it usually lags behind the manufacturer's latest release by weeks or months. Check manually instead.

Adjust in-game graphics settings to match your hardware

Every game has a settings menu where you can trade visual quality for frame rate. Frame rate—measured in frames per second (FPS)—is how many images your monitor displays each second. Most people find 60 FPS smooth and playable; 30 FPS feels choppy. If your game is running at 30 FPS or lower, you need to lower settings.

Start by lowering resolution. If your monitor is 1920×1080 (called 1080p), try 1600×900 or 1280×720 first. This single change often gains you 20 to 30 FPS. If that's not enough, lower shadow quality to "Low" or "Off"—shadows are expensive to render and barely affect gameplay. Then reduce draw distance (how far you can see), turn off motion blur and depth of field, and disable ray tracing if it's available. Ray tracing looks beautiful but cuts frame rate in half on most hardware.

Make one change at a time, launch the game, and play for two minutes to see the effect. This way you'll find the exact balance where your game looks good and runs smoothly on your machine. Every computer is different, so there's no universal "best" setting.

Free up storage space and move games to an SSD

A full hard drive causes stuttering and slow load times. Windows needs about 20 percent of your drive free to run smoothly. If you have a 500 GB drive, keep at least 100 GB empty. Check how much space you have by opening File Explorer on Windows, right-clicking "This PC," and selecting "Properties." On Mac, click the Apple menu, select "About This Mac," and click "Storage."

If you're running low, uninstall games you're not playing. Right-click the game folder and delete it, or use the game launcher (Steam, Epic Games, etc.) to uninstall. Delete old video files, screenshots, and downloads you don't need. Use a tool like WinDirStat (Windows) or Disk Diag (Mac) to see which folders are taking up the most space.

If your computer has both a fast SSD and a slower hard drive, move your active games to the SSD. Games on an SSD load in seconds; on a hard drive they can take a minute or more. Most game launchers let you choose the installation folder—pick your SSD. If you only have one drive and it's an SSD, you're already set. If you only have a hard drive, consider adding an SSD later, but it's not urgent if you've already lowered your graphics settings.

Monitor temperature and cooling

When your CPU or graphics card gets too hot, it throttles—meaning it slows itself down to cool off. This cuts your frame rate in half or more. You can see your temperature in real time using free monitoring tools.

read HWiNFO (Windows) or Macs Fan Control (Mac). Launch the tool, start your game, and look at the CPU and GPU temperature readings. Temperatures below 75°C are ideal. Between 75°C and 85°C is acceptable but warm. Above 85°C means your cooling system is struggling and you're losing performance.

If temperatures are high, make sure your computer's vents aren't blocked by dust or objects. Use a can of compressed air to blow dust out of the vents and fans. Make sure your computer is on a hard, flat surface—not on a bed or carpet, which blocks airflow. If you're using a laptop, consider a laptop cooling pad (a flat stand with fans underneath) for about $20 to $40. If temperatures are still high after cleaning, your thermal paste (the compound between the CPU and its cooler) may be dried out, but that's a more advanced fix.

Disable unnecessary Windows features

Windows runs several background features that consume CPU and GPU power. Disabling the ones you don't need gives your game more resources.

Open Settings (Windows key + I), go to "System," then "Display," and turn off "Variable refresh rate" if you don't have a compatible monitor—most people don't need this. Go to "Gaming" in Settings and turn off "Game Bar" and "Game DVR" unless you stream or record gameplay. These features capture video in the background and slow down your frame rate.

Open Settings, go to "Privacy & Security," then "General," and turn off "Tailored experiences" and "Suggested content." These don't directly affect gaming but they reduce background network activity. If you're on an older computer, also go to "System," "About," and click "Advanced system settings." Under the "Performance" section, click "Settings," select "Adjust for best performance," and click OK. This disables visual effects like transparency and animations, which frees up GPU power.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my computer can run a specific game?

Find the game's system requirements on its store page (Steam, Epic Games, etc.). Compare your CPU, GPU, and RAM to the "Recommended" specs, not the minimum ones—minimum specs produce choppy gameplay. If your hardware is close but not quite there, lower the in-game graphics settings instead of assuming you can't play it.

Should I upgrade my RAM or graphics card?

Try the free optimizations in this guide first—they often work as well as a hardware upgrade. If you're still getting low frame rates after closing background programs, updating drivers, and lowering settings, then consider an upgrade. Most gaming needs 16 GB of RAM and a mid-range graphics card from the last two years.

What's the difference between FPS and refresh rate?

FPS is how many frames your game produces each second. Refresh rate is how many times per second your monitor displays an image. If your game runs at 100 FPS but your monitor only refreshes 60 times per second, you'll see 60 FPS on screen. For smooth gaming, aim for your game's FPS to match or exceed your monitor's refresh rate.

Why does my game stutter even though my frame rate looks high?

Stuttering usually means your frame rate is inconsistent—jumping between 60 and 30 FPS, for example. This happens when your CPU or GPU is occasionally overloaded. Lower your graphics settings further, close more background programs, or check your temperature to see if thermal throttling is the cause.

Can I improve gaming performance on a laptop?

Yes, but less than on a desktop. Close background programs, update drivers, lower graphics settings, and use a cooling pad. Laptops have limited cooling, so temperature management is especially important. If you game frequently on a laptop, consider connecting an external monitor and keyboard to reduce heat buildup from the built-in screen and keyboard.