Will my computer run games: What Can I Run · System Requirements Test

10 сентября, 2023

How to optimise your PC for gaming

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  • Turn on gaming mode
  • Disable Windows notifications
  • Turn on Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling
  • Adjust settings for best performance
  • Turn off enhanced pointer precision
  • Update your drivers
  • Turn on Nvidia G-Sync
  • Set your monitor refresh rate
  • Adjust Windows Start-up settings
  • Use ethernet rather than Wi-Fi
  • How to make your computer faster
  • Can my computer run it?

So you’ve purchased yourself a shiny new gaming PC or built yourself one from scratch and you’re ready to start gaming. But just because you’ve got a fresh copy of Windows installed and your games downloaded doesn’t mean your PC is necessarily running at its best.

There are still a few things that you can do to optimise your PC for an even better gaming experience. Just a few tweaks to Windows settings can make all the difference.

We’ve written before about how to get more FPS out of your graphics card and gaming machine, but here we’re talking about further optimising your gaming PC for even more performance.

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1. Turn on gaming mode

Windows is already conveniently built for gaming. Microsoft knows PC users love playing games. This is why Game Pass is so popular. As standard though Windows still needs some tweaks to optimise performance, one of these includes game mode. This is a setting which manages system resources for better performance when playing.

To turn on Game Mode follow these steps:

  • Press the Start button on your keyboard and type Game
  • Click Game Mode Settings when it appears at the top of the Start menu
  • Click the button to turn on Game mode

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2. Disable Windows notifications

Optimising your PC for gaming is great, but you know what else is great? Not being interrupted while you play your favourite games.

Well, Windows has a setting to disable notifications at specific times or when certain things are happening. So this is a great way to ensure no more pesky pop-ups to ruin your fun.

To access the settings follow these steps:

  • Press the Windows start button on your PC or keyboard and type Focus Assist
  • In the focus settings click on notifications — «alerts from apps and system, do not disturb»
  • Find the setting «turn on do not disturb automatically»
  • Tick «when playing a game»

Alternatively, you can select specific times of day for the do not disturb mode to turn on. This works if you know you’re always gaming in the evening for example. Just set the time and enjoy blissful notification-free gaming.

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3. Turn on Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling

Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling allows your machine to optimise performance and reduce latency. If you have the right hardware (a recent graphics card) and are running Windows 10 or 11 then you can easily turn this setting on, much like Game Mode:

  • Press the Start button and search for Graphics Settings
  • Then click to turn on Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduling
  • Scroll down and view the settings for «graphics performance preference» from there you can choose the app to set your preference. For Nvidia, this is the Nvidia Control panel. You can select this as a desktop app or Microsoft store app via the dropdown
  • Click on the app, click options and select high performance
  • Repeat for any game where you want maximum performance

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4. Adjust settings for best performance

As standard Windows is set to focus on the best possible appearance. So it looks swanky with all the different animations and shiny edges. These quality settings can have a negative impact on gaming performance though. So it may pay to turn them off or at least to adjust for performance instead of appearance.

To do this:

  • Press the Windows start button on your PC or keyboard and type appearance and performance
  • Click on «Adjust the performance and appearance of Windows» when it appears
  • Look for the setting that says «adjust for the best performance»
  • Select that and click apply
  • On the advanced tab click to check that best performance is set for programs and not background tasks

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5.

Turn off enhanced pointer precision

You may well have purchased a high-end gaming mouse to give yourself the edge against the competition, but that mouse might have its performance hindered by Windows settings.

Windows has various settings related to mouse pointer speed and one, in particular, can be a problem, so we need to turn it off:

  • Press the Windows start button on your PC or keyboard and type mouse pointer
  • Click on «change the mouse pointer display or speed»
  • Under the setting marked «motion» untick the option to «enhance pointer precision»
  • Click apply

While we’re at it, we’d also recommend checking your mouse software. A lot of modern gaming mice have high polling rate options. Click to select whatever is the highest — 1,000Hz, 4,000Hz or 8,000Hz — in your software so your signals get to your PC faster and there’s less latency.

  • Why is my gaming PC lagging? Common causes and ways to fix lag

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6.

Update your drivers

If you want the best performance we find it’s important to not only ensure that Windows is updated regularly (preferably outside your gaming hours) but that your graphics card drivers are also updated.

We’ve written before about how to update Nvidia drivers and cleanly install them for the best results but it also pays to simply stay on top of updates so you have the latest drivers.

The easiest way to do this with Nvidia graphics cards is to use GeForce Experience. When that’s downloaded and installed there’s an option in there to automatically download and install drivers. Click to turn that on and install the latest ones whenever they’re released.

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7. Turn on Nvidia G-Sync

If you have a compatible monitor and a new graphics card, then you can and should turn on G-Sync. We’ve written before about how to do this but essentially G-Sync ensures that your monitor’s refresh rate matches the frames per second your graphics card is putting out for the game you’re playing.

Turn on G-Sync on your monitor and within Windows settings and this will prevent screen tearing and ensure a smooth gaming experience while you’re playing. We’d recommend also adjusting your game’s display settings to match your monitor’s refresh rate and limiting the maximum FPS to the high end of your refresh rate.

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8. Set your monitor refresh rate

Windows won’t always default to using the maximum refresh rate for your connected display. If you’ve got yourself a fancy gaming monitor with a high refresh rate, then you need to turn the setting on both on the monitor and in Windows.

Otherwise, the monitor will default to just 60Hz. So follow these steps to select your maximum refresh rate:

  • Right-click on your desktop and click display settings
  • Scroll down until you see «advanced display settings»
  • Then scroll down to refresh rate and click the dropdown. From there select your monitor’s maximum refresh rate.

If you don’t see the setting you’re expecting then the chances are you’re using the wrong cable. Some displays might only output the maximum refresh rate with a DisplayPort cable, otherwise, HDMI 2.1 might be worth looking at.

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9. Adjust Windows Start-up settings

Many of the apps you install will automatically force themselves into start-up processes. So when you turn on your PC and log in to Windows those apps will be waiting for you. Sometimes this isn’t helpful as the apps then become background processes that are wasting processing power and resources.

Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to disable these apps and not only make your PC turn on faster but also optimise it when you’re gaming. Follow these steps:

  • Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to launch Task Manager
  • Look for the Startup tab and click that
  • Search through the list of apps and look for anything that you don’t use regularly
  • Right-click on the offending apps and click disable

Alternatively, in Windows 11 you can access these settings by clicking the start button and searching for Startup apps. Click that system setting and you can then go through and turn apps on and off.

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10. Use ethernet rather than Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi speeds are getting faster and faster and the connections are also more reliable with Wi-Fi 6E and beyond as well. But there’s still something to be said for using a high-quality ethernet cable directly from your router to your gaming PC.

If you have ultra-fast home broadband then it can pay to invest in a capable cable too. CAT-8 ethernet cables, for example, can transfer data faster and make the most of your speeds while also offering a solid connection that won’t drop out.

How to make your computer faster

A few of the things on this list will obviously help improve the performance of your gaming PC. But there are other things you can do as well

If you’ve tried all these things and want even more performance then you might want to consider upgrading certain parts of your gaming PC or doing something simple like refreshing your thermal paste for better cooling.

If you’re having particular issues with your PC then it might be that maybe it’s lagging due to bottlenecks or thermal throttling. There are ways to check for these issues and further optimise performance.

Can my computer run it?

If you’re having problems with your gaming PC and wondering if you can optimise it you might have wondered whether you can play particular games. Modern PC games can have some seriously taxing PC spec requirements so it pays to check whether your PC can run it before you can buy. Even if you buy on Steam so you can take advantage of the refund policies if things go wrong.

Before you splash out your cash you can always check to see if a game will run. There are various ways to do this. You’ll often find the minimum and recommended specs requirements for games on their store page (especially on Steam). If you know your specs then you can happily compare the listings with what you have to be sure it’ll work.

If you don’t know your PC specs, not to worry as there are ways to check and suss out your full specs without much fuss.

An alternative to doing this manually is to use the System Requirement’s Lab tool. This tool will scan your system and then compare it with the specs of the game you want to play and give you some advice before you purchase. Handy stuff!

GPU vs CPU: What Matters Most for PC Gaming

Some gaming PC decisions are easy. For instance, the answer to the question of whether you should upgrade the storage space on your hard disk drive or your solid state drive is most likely an enthusiastic “Yes!” to either.

Other decisions, however, are much more complicated. Knowing whether you should upgrade your CPU or GPU, for one, is much more complicated. We’re here to help with that decision.

CPU and GPU overview

What is the CPU?

The central processing unit (CPU), also referred to as the “processor,” carries out and controls the computer program’s instructions by performing input/output (I/O) operations, basic arithmetic, and logic. An essential part of any computer, the CPU receives, directs, and processes the computer’s data.

Since it’s usually the most critical component, it’s often characterized as the “brain” or “heart” of the desktop or laptop PC, depending on which body part you’d consider the most important. And when it comes to gaming, it’s a pretty important component of the gaming system.

A CPU “core” is also another word for the CPU’s processor — they’re all synonyms. Historically, processors had only one core that would focus on one single task. Today’s CPUs, however, have between 2 and 28 cores, each of which focuses on a unique task. So a multi-core processor is a single chip that contains two or more CPU cores.

And CPUs with more cores are more efficient than those with fewer. Dual-core (or 2-core) processors are common, but processors with 4 cores, also called quad-core processors (for instance, 8th Generation Intel® Core™ processors) are becoming more popular.

What is the GPU?

The graphics processing unit (GPU), also called graphics card or video card, is a specialized electronic circuit that accelerates the creation and rendering of images, video, and animations. It performs fast math calculations while freeing the CPU to perform other tasks.

There are two kinds of GPUs: One is an integrated (or embedded) GPU that lives directly on and shares memory with the CPU. And the other is a discrete GPU that has its own card and memory.

The GPU is an extremely important component of a gaming system, and in many cases, even more crucial than the CPU when it comes to playing certain types of games.

Simple description: A GPU is a single-chip processor that’s used chiefly to manage and enhance video and graphics performance.

What’s the “core” difference between CPU and GPU

While a CPU uses several cores that are focused on sequential processing, a GPU is created for multi-tasking; it has hundreds to thousands of smaller cores to handle thousands of threads (or instructions) simultaneously.

Some CPUs use Hyper-Threading technology which enables a single CPU core to act like two separate virtual (or “logical”) cores, or threads. The idea is they can share the workload between them and increase the number of instructions acting on separate data, while running concurrently — thus speeding performance.

What is more important for PC gaming: CPU or GPU?

For many, the GPU is universally lauded as the most important for PC gaming. That’s because the GPU is what actually renders the images, scenes, and animations that you see. Most of today’s fast-paced games are incredibly demanding for the type of rendering power that the GPU provides. At the same time, these games are designed to take advantage of the multiple cores and threads that newer CPUs offer.

Both the CPU and GPU are important in their own right. Demanding games require both a smart CPU and a powerful GPU. But the question of how significant they are for PC gaming depends on what they will be used for primarily, and for which games in particular.

CPUs are given certain tasks during a game that the GPU isn’t that great at performing — such as the artificial intelligence (AI) functionality of non-player characters (NPC). Many tasks, however, are better for the GPU to perform.

Some games run better with more cores because they actually use them. Others may not because they are programmed to only use one core and the game runs better with a faster CPU. Otherwise, it will not have enough power to run and will be laggy.

Minecraft, for instance, only runs with one core so it doesn’t need extra power. In this case, the CPU’s speed is the only thing that will influence frames per second (FPS) during the game.

Which game types require more labor from the CPU?

Today’s quick-moving games including first-person shooters (FPS), multiplayer games, open sandbox games, and more are built to reap advantages provided by the latest CPUs and their multi-cores and threads. In fact, they require them to play well.

For instance, the first-person shooter multiplayer game Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 recommends at least a quad-core processor: either the Intel i5-2500K, which has 4 cores and 4 threads, or AMD Ryzen R5 1600X, which has 6 cores and 12 threads.

But for competitive players using high refresh-rate monitors (1080p), the game actually recommends an AMD Ryzen 1800X (an 8-core processor with 16 threads) or an Intel i7-8700K (which has 6 cores and 12 threads). The 8th Generation Intel i7-8700K happens to be one of fastest processors with some of the highest clock speeds (boost speed at 4.7 GHz) that Intel offers for gaming and streaming.

Similarly, the acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft recommends quad-core processors as well: Intel i7-4770 (4 cores, 8 threads) or AMD FX-8310 (8 cores, 8 threads) or better.

The hugely popular online open-world game of Grand Theft Auto V recommends an Intel i5 3470 (4 cores, 4 threads) or AMD FX-8350 (8 cores, 8 threads). And the epic battle royale game of Fortnite Battle Royale recommends at least an Intel i5 2.8 GHz processor with 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which game types require more labor from the GPU?

Most of today’s games ask a lot from the GPU, maybe even more than the CPU. Processing 2D and 3D graphics, rendering polygons, mapping textures, and more require powerful, fast GPUs. The faster your graphics/video card (GPU) can process information, the more frames you will get every second.

The recommended graphics for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, for example, is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB, GTX 1060 6GB, or Radeon R9 390/AMD RX 580. These are all considered mid-range cards that are good for 1080p gaming, and running games at medium or even high settings at higher resolutions. The designation of 1080p refers to the resolution (Full HD) of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

For more competitive players, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 recommends GeForce GTX 1080 or Radeon RX Vega 64 graphics cards. These are considered high-end cards that are good for gaming at resolutions of 1440p Quad HD (QHD) or higher-refresh rate monitors as well as VR headsets.

But you’ll need to make sure that you have a monitor that meets these specs (say, one with 144 Hz refresh rates), otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense to get the higher-end, and more expensive, graphics card. And the inverse is also true: if you have a monitor that only goes up to 60 Hz refresh rates, then it won’t be able to keep pace with a more powerful, pixel-pushing card.

For World of Warcraft, the recommended GPU is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB or an AMD Radeon R9 280 or better. The GTX 960 offers solid 1080p performance with power-efficient consumption, and runs cooler and more quietly than previous models. Although the R9 280 features more video memory than the GTX 960, both GPUs can run demanding games at high settings.

Both the giant sandbox action-adventure game Grand Theft Auto V as well as battle royale wunderkind Fortnite Battle Royale recommend an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 2GB, or an AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB. Both GPUs are decently priced and built for fast 1080p gaming.

Should I upgrade my GPU or CPU?

In a perfect world, you would simply buy the best of both. Unfortunately, budget constraints may make it necessary to pick one or the other, at least for now.

Many games now use more cores as a matter of course (the quad-core CPU seems to be the most prevalent), and thus experience faster and better FPS rates. So you’ll probably want to go with the slightly higher-priced quad-core processors if they’re not too prohibitively expensive.

Current dual-core processors can bottleneck your graphics card and cause your gaming performance to suffer unless your GPU is also an older and less powerful version.

Quad-core CPUs are also more affordable, better performing, and less laggy than earlier versions. With more and more newer games relying on multiple cores rather than just CPU speed, having more cores in your system makes sense.

In fact, if you’re a hard-core gamer looking to the future and want to ensure that you’re able to run the most power-hungry triple-A (AAA) games to come — and probably more importantly you can afford the extremely high prices — it may make even more sense to go with the premium options in either CPU or GPU.

On the CPU side, one of the most powerful Intel processors on the market today is the Intel Core i9 series. Two models, the i9-8950HK and the i9-9900K, both offer insanely fast gameplay processing power and speed with 8 cores and 16 threads.

And if you’ve got or are planning to buy a 4K/Ultra High Definition (UHD) monitor, which offers more than 8 million pixels, you may want to consider upgrading your GPU to a card like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. This runs at over $1,000, though.

Things to consider when upgrading your GPU

If you are thinking of upgrading your GPU, here are a few things to consider:

1. Monitor resolution: Most graphics cards today meet the minimum gaming requirements for 1080p resolution. However, you will need a high-end card to match any monitor with resolutions at 1440 pixels and above including QHD, WQHD, and UHD or 4K.

2. Refresh rate: If your monitor has 144 Hz or higher refresh rates, then you’ll also need a card that’s just as powerful to work its potential. At the same time, a monitor with a 60 Hz refresh rate doesn’t need a powerful, and higher-priced graphics card.

3. Memory: Memory doesn’t just matter in the CPU. Your GPU should offer at least 4GB for intense gaming at 1080p, and at least 8GB if you’re cranking it up to 4K mega-gaming.

4. Form factor: Check the specs on the graphics card since the height, length, and girth are all important measurements to consider for your GPU. You need it to fit in your gaming system or case.

Graphics cards are available in configurations such as half-height, full-height, single slot, dual-slot, and more. Do your homework to avoid unnecessary cost and disappointment when you go to install it.

5. AMD FreeSync or NVIDIA G-Sync: These two technologies synchronize refresh rates between the GPU and your monitor to reduce or eliminate tearing. Be sure to check which technology your monitor supports before buying a new video card.

6. VR support: If you’re going to be using one of the two main PC gaming VR platforms — either the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift — you will need at least mid-range cards such as the NVIDIA GTX 1060/1070/1080 or AMD Radeon RX 570/580.

Know your gaming requirements

Upgrading your gaming system and, in particular, your CPU or GPU is very much a subjective situation. You may want to do so to play a particular game or a particular type of game. You may be a casual gamer who just wants to play different types of games every so often.

Or you might be a hardcore gamer who is gaming enough to need the kind of processing and performance that will keep pace with your busy gaming schedule.

There is also your budget to consider. If you have a limited amount to work with but have the ability to add to your gaming rig periodically, then making incremental, more cost-effective updates might make sense.

But if you know that you will be playing the latest and greatest AAA titles as soon as they’re released, and you have the available budget, then going with the highest-end CPU and GPU that you can afford may be worth it.

Bottom line

GPUs can be the most expensive part of your gaming build, so if you’re on a more stringent budget, then it might be a good idea to save some of it for your CPU. If you spend too much on the GPU without paying attention to the CPU, then your gameplay might suffer with lower frame rates per second.

Upgrade your CPU first

If you like fast-paced games such as first-person shooters such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, or real-time strategy games such as The Age of Empires, or MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, then it probably makes sense to upgrade your CPU first.

Upgrade your GPU first

On the other hand, if you mostly play online open-world games with well-defined, immersive environments and stunning visuals such as Grand Theft Auto V or RPGs like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, then first upgrade the GPU and start saving for a new CPU.

About the Author

Jolene Dobbin is a contributing writer for HP® Tech Takes. Jolene is an East Coast-based writer with experience creating strategic messaging, marketing, and sales content for companies in the high-tech industry.

Why the game does not start on the computer (Solution)

Hello everyone! Why the game does not start on the computer — this question was asked by almost every person in this world. In fact, there can be quite a few reasons. From problems with the operating system and drivers to broken files of the game itself. In the article below, I have given all the possible reasons, as well as instructions on what to do if the game does not start or crashes at startup. All described methods are suitable for all Windows operating systems (10, 11, 7, 8, XP). In any case, you can always contact me in the comments.

Content

  1. Cause 1: Additional libraries not installed
  2. Cause 2: Compatibility mode and old games
  3. Cause 3: Running ancient DOS games
  4. Cause 4: Drivers
  5. Cause 5: Game system requirements
  6. Reason 6 : Missing file
  7. Cause 7: Windows Antivirus and Defender
  8. Cause 8: System problem
  9. Ask the author of this article