It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, and Yb was excited to try out the new first-person shooter game he had just downloaded. He had heard great things about the game’s immersive graphics and intense multiplayer action. After installing the game, Yb eagerly launched it, ready for an afternoon of fun. However, as soon as he started playing, he noticed something was off. The graphics were choppy, and the gameplay was laggy. “How can I get this game to run smoothly?” Yb wondered. Little did he know that optimizing performance for PC games involved more than just having a powerful computer…
What is FPS and Why Does it Matter for Gaming?
FPS stands for frames per second and refers to the number of images your computer can process and display each second. The higher the FPS, the smoother and more responsive gameplay will be. Most experts recommend having at least 30 FPS for basic playability, with 60+ FPS being ideal for competitive gaming.
Higher FPS translates to a competitive edge in multiplayer games. You’ll be able to react faster and aim more precisely with reduced input lag. Higher FPS also makes for a more immersive experience in story-driven games, with smoother animations and camera movements. On the flip side, low FPS can negatively impact your performance and enjoyment of a game.
Common Causes of Low FPS
If you’re struggling to get smooth FPS in games, there are a few common culprits to consider:
Outdated graphics drivers – If your GPU drivers are outdated, your graphics card is not getting optimized performance. Keeping drivers updated ensures compatibility with new games and fixes FPS issues.
Unsuitable graphics settings – Games come with a wide array of graphics options. Setting them too high for your system can tank FPS.
Too many background processes – Excess programs and processes hog system resources needed for optimal gaming performance.
Heat throttling – When computer components get too hot, they throttle performance to cool down, hurting FPS.
Old hardware – your rig’s specs ultimately limit FPS. Upgrading to modern components removes technical bottlenecks.
Tips to Improve FPS
Now that you know what impacts FPS and why it matters, here are some tips to maximize FPS while gaming on a PC:
Update Graphics Drivers
Updating to the latest GPU drivers can work wonders for FPS. Nvidia and AMD regularly release game-ready drivers optimized for the latest titles. Go to the Nvidia or AMD website, download the latest drivers for your graphics card, and install them. This keeps your graphics card performing as expected.
Tweak Game Settings
Dialing down resource-intensive graphics options like shadows, anti-aliasing, view distance, and texture quality can improve FPS substantially with minimal impact on visuals. Start with the most demanding settings first. Lower each one progressively until you find the optimal balance between visual fidelity and FPS.
Close Background Apps
Close any programs you aren’t using while gaming, like web browsers, video playback software, image editors, etc. Terminate background processes that aren’t critical for your PC’s operation. This prevents them from stealing resources away from your game.
Check Temperatures
Use monitoring software like MSI Afterburner to check your CPU and GPU temperatures while gaming. If they are exceeding 80-85°C, thermal throttling may be limiting performance. Improve cooling to maintain higher sustained speeds.
Overclock Your GPU
Overclocking squeezes extra power out of your graphics card, raising FPS beyond stock speeds. Use reputable software like EVGA Precision X1 for easy GPU overclocking. Find a stable frequency offset for a useful FPS boost without system crashes.
Upgrade Hardware
If your hardware is outdated, upgrading components like your GPU, CPU, RAM, etc., is the only way to eliminate FPS bottlenecks permanently. Target components are holding back your current setup for the biggest improvements.
Lock Frame Rate
Enable FPS caps in-game or via utilities like RTSS to lock frame rates at your monitor’s refresh rate. This stabilizes output, reduces stuttering, and decreases GPU usage/heat production. Lower the cap if you still have FPS issues.
Getting the Most Out of Low-End Hardware
If buying new hardware isn’t an option, you can still maximize your FPS through the following tactics:
- Resolution – Lower your in-game resolution for substantial FPS gains. Run games at 720p or 900p instead of demanding higher resolutions.
- Game Settings – Minimize the settings mentioned earlier, like shadows, textures, etc., strategically to balance image quality with smoother FPS.
- Game Mods – Mods like Optifine for Minecraft can double FPS on low-end systems. Seek out mods that focus on optimization.
- Underclocking – Underclock your GPU to reduce temperatures and avoid thermal throttling. This prevents FPS drops related to overheating hardware.
- Game Versions – Play older versions of games that are less resource-intensive. For example, Minecraft Java 1.12 performs better than 1.18 on weak PCs.
When to Consider an Upgrade
As a general guideline, aim for a new GPU upgrade every 3-4 years to keep up with demanding new games. Signs that your graphics card is due for an upgrade include:
- Unable to maintain 30+ FPS on default settings in recently released games
- Frequent crashing freezes or visual artifacts while gaming.
- Poor performance despite lowering resolutions and game settings
For CPUs, upgrade if you notice FPS dips during CPU-intensive scenes. If your RAM usage is consistently exceeding 90% while gaming, a RAM upgrade could remove that performance bottleneck.
Closing Thoughts
Optimizing gaming performance on a PC involves everything from software tweaks to hardware upgrades. Start with easy fixes like updating drivers and cleaning up background processes. For older systems, reduce resolutions and graphical settings strategically. If necessary, overclock or upgrade components to eliminate FPS bottlenecks. With the right optimizations, you can enjoy buttery smooth gameplay even on a lower-end rig. Just be sure to monitor your temperatures! With these tips in mind, you’ll be fragging opponents and exploring game worlds lag-free in no time.