Is Windows 10 a Good Choice for Gaming. Which windows 10 is best for gaming

Windows tends to slow down with every program installed. One way to speed up your Windows 10 PC and reduce latency is to uninstall programs that you don’t use anymore. It improves computer speed as well as energy efficiency.

25 Ways to Optimize Your Windows 10 PC for Gaming

Windows 10 is the platform of choice for PC gamers for a reason. Not only is Windows 10 compatible with almost all the major PC games of the last few decades, you can also adjust a lot of built-in settings and third-party software to get the best possible performance while playing your favorite MMORPG or Battle Royale Games. So, today we’re going to discuss the best ways to optimize your Windows 10 PC’s performance for gaming.

In this article, we will discuss various software solutions to optimize gaming performance on your Windows 10 PC, as well as some hardware upgrades to ensure the best results. Read on to learn more about how to get the best out of your PC by playing games like Fortnite, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, GTA V (mods), Ark: Survival Evolved, Red Dead Redemption 2, Call of Duty , Destiny 2, Apex Legends, Rainbow Six Quarantine, and more.

Software Solutions to Improve Gaming Performance in Windows 10

There are a few tweaks and changes you can make to improve your gaming performance on your Windows 10 PC. Most of them are software based, which means you don’t even have to spend extra money to get them done. Here are our recommendations:

1. Enable Game Mode in Windows 10

Perhaps the easiest and most obvious way to improve your computer’s performance is to turn on “Game Mode” in Windows 10. This feature stops background activities such as Windows updates and application notifications to increase the frame rate of your games.

Game Mode is on by default, but a quick check won’t hurt. To do this, go to Settings (Windows key + I)> Games> Game Mode (left sidebar). You will now see a “Game Mode” switch in the right pane. Turn it on if it isn’t already.

2. Lower Your Game’s Resolution and Graphics Settings

If your PC is a super high-end beast, you probably don’t need too many tweaks anyway. But if you’re like the rest of us and need to settle for something less than top of the line, you may have to make some sacrifices in the graphics department for a smoother gameplay experience. Lowering the graphics settings in the game can improve FPS by reducing the load on the GPU. It won’t have to handle that many pixels in each frame.

Most dedicated gaming PCs from a relatively recent vintage can handle 1080p @ 60FPS in most games. However, some may struggle to support 4K or even 2K resolutions, while a typical office laptop may even struggle to play at 1080p. Therefore, try out a few options to find the optimal balance between graphics quality and higher frames per second.

Some games will have simple settings like ultra, high, medium and low while others have sliders, number settings etc. Here’s a quick look at some of the options in PUBG.

3. Update Graphics Drivers to Optimize Windows 10 PC for Gaming

Windows 10 has improved almost every aspect of Windows operating systems and is certainly one of the best iterations of Microsoft software since the heyday of Windows XP. As things are going, we can easily see that Windows 10 has been Microsoft’s default operating system for over a decade.

DirectX 12

The importance of this particular add-on that Windows 10 offers gamers cannot be emphasized enough. DirectX is an application programming interface that games use to communicate with the computer – it is the platform through which the game allows the computer to do what the game wants. Until Windows 10, DirectX 11 was the newest and best in this rather long line of toolkits. For Windows 10, Microsoft introduced DirectX 12, offering gamers a ton of amazing new features and benefits. DirectX 12 allows graphics cards to use more than one computer’s CPU core at the same time (games developed using DirectX 11 or earlier can only communicate with one of the computer’s CPU cores at any given time), which is completely unprecedented, to be honest.

Testing between DirectX 11 optimized games and DirectX 12 optimized games showed a performance difference between the two of 85-300%, which is at least exponential. The transition from Direct X 11 to DirectX 12 is also not difficult for developers. DirectX 12 uses significantly less power than previous DirectX iterations, and can even use the integrated graphics card as a coprocessor with a dedicated graphics card in computers with dual graphics cards.

However, for a game to take full advantage of DirectX 12, it must be developed using DirectX 12. Games developed using DirectX 12 were a rare sight after Windows 10 launched, but a list of DirectX 12 games that have been developed and are currently in development , are getting longer and longer. All things considered, DirectX 12 is absolutely the biggest reason Windows 10 is good for gaming.

Windows 10 is Now the Standard For Graphics Driver Development

It’s been a long time since Windows 10 was first launched, and it was during this time that Microsoft not only turned Windows 10 into the best possible version of itself, but Windows 10 also became the standard Windows operating system for basically everything. This includes the development of graphics drivers. All major graphics card manufacturers are now developing their graphics drivers for and for the Windows 10 operating system, which means that graphics drivers are not adapted to the body dimensions of Windows 10 and newer, optimized and adapted to older versions of Windows.

Having the best graphics drivers is extremely important to any gamer worth attention, so Windows 10 is now the standard in graphics driver development and is the version of Windows that allows you to get the latest and greatest graphics drivers as quickly as possible, is another important reason why Windows 10 is good for playing.

There are some unique and standard display features in Ubuntu. You can change the screen “temperature”, lock screen background, screen brightness, and dual monitor support.

Before We Start: Some Windows 11 Gaming Variables

Before we delve into the subject, it’s worth mentioning some of the built-in gaming features in Windows 11 as they can impact our results.

For starters, by default, in the main Windows 11 settings under the Games tab, a new feature called Game Mode is active. The operating system says that “this will optimize your computer for the game by turning off background stuff.” This Microsoft support site mentions that Game Mode does not allow drivers to be installed in the background and that it “helps to achieve a more stable FPS depending on the specific game and system.” These are big claims, so we’ll see if there’s a noticeable difference in the results.

Additionally, in the display settings (in Settings, select Display> Graphics, then click the text “change default graphics settings”) there are options for hardware acceleration of the GPU schedule and variable refresh rate. The former says it reduces latency and improves performance, while the latter is essentially forced by Universal V-Sync. These two options and a game mode have been enabled for the upcoming results.

Testing Results: Synthetic Benchmarks and Real-World Games

Getting rid of all this pesky context, let’s move on to these results. The first table shows the results of the two 3DMark tests.

The two synthetic results were close together but not identical. Windows 11 had a 74 point lead on Time Spy and 239 points on Night Raid. This is nothing, because sometimes we see a smaller gap than between two completely different laptops. This is also beyond the variance we typically see from boot to run on the same laptop.

In the end, it’s not a big practical difference to raw power at the end of the day, and it won’t be much of a casual game, but no one will throw away the extra juice. We also managed to recreate this slight advantage by repeating runs. So between that and the gap in general, the result is worth noting. This won’t move the needle too much, but it’s a good sign if you’re concerned that Windows 11 will reduce this type of performance.

Gaming Tests

Contrary to the conclusions we drew in our Windows 11 benchmarks versus Windows 10, and to some extent in synthetic testing, we’ve noticed some distinct leaps between operating systems here. Some games are also identical between the two, and we should mitigate any specific conclusions with this observation: we saw large spikes in frame rates between benchmarks by simply restarting the computer or game beforehand.

We ran these tests more than once to recreate any notable vulnerabilities and try to mitigate them. However, frame rate results, even in standard benchmarks like these, can be difficult at times given a wide range of factors. (Additionally, some of these factors could be attributed to Windows 11 in a way that we and others have yet to discover.)

The game tests are where it gets interesting and where there are a lot of nuances. F1 2021 and Rainbow Six: Siege got at least a few frames of improvement on Windows 11. For the former, it was only 3fps on both settings, so there’s not much of a difference. However, it was repetitive, and since it is the same laptop and only with a change of the operating system and the supporting system software, it was possible to take advantage of the “free” boost each day.

Having the best graphics drivers is extremely important to any gamer worth attention, so Windows 10 is now the standard in graphics driver development and is the version of Windows that allows you to get the latest and greatest graphics drivers as quickly as possible, is another important reason why Windows 10 is good for playing.

Windows 10 Home vs Pro Gaming: Review

Which Windows is Best for Gaming?

Windows 10 provides users with 12 different editions to meet different needs. Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro are the basic versions. In this post, I will compare Windows 10 Home and Pro specifically for gamers: Windows 10 Home vs Pro for gaming. After reading, you will know the best version of Windows 10 for gaming.

I will compare Windows 10 Home and Pro in the following 7 aspects; help you easily choose Windows 10 Home or Pro for gaming.

Windows 10 Home vs Pro for Gaming: Price

Windows 10 Pro costs more.

Price always comes first when people make their choice. If you go for Windows 10 Pro, it’ll cost you tens of dollars more than the Home version. But that doesn’t stop users from getting Pro. Why? The main reason is that the Pro version provides some advanced features that are not included in Home; some people need them, especially businesses.

However, Windows 10 Home is the better choice for most gamers. They can save some money by choosing Home and then spend that money on games, game add-ons, and gaming hardware. From the gamers’ point of view, a lot of gaming hardware expenses are necessary.

Windows 10 Home vs Pro for Gaming: Business Connectivity

The advanced features included only in Windows 10 Pro (BitLocker, Windows Defender, Remote Desktop, etc.) fascinate gamers in the business world. For them, the best version of Windows 10 for gaming is Windows 10 Pro.

• The Pro version can help players minimize the stress of their lives, especially when playing frequently.
• The Pro version ensures more efficient use of players’ devices, even when they are on the go.

This post will focus on Windows 10 Pro vs Pro N as many people want to know the difference between the two editions.

Windows 10 Home vs Pro for Gaming: Game Bar, Game Mode & Graphics

The Game Bar is a feature that is available in both Windows 10 Home and Pro; it can be called directly by pressing Windows + G keys. This way gamers can easily access many functions: taking screenshots, streaming and recording gameplay etc. Moreover, both Windows 10 Home and Pro allow gamers to customize the game bar.

The game mode plays an important role in maximizing the processes of players’ systems while gaming. Computational processes that will interfere with the application while playing will be minimized. This will extend battery life and play time.

Graphics is also a very important factor for gaming devices. However, gamers can enjoy the best resolution (4K resolution for larger monitors) on both Windows 10 Pro and Home when it comes to screens.

The Home edition and the Pro edition are the same in terms of the game bar, game mode and graphics.

Windows 10 Home vs Pro for Gaming: Hyper-V

For gamers who need to program a lot by computer and experiment with technology in general, Windows 10 Pro is a better choice than Windows 10 Home. This is because the Hyper-V technology (used to run virtual operating systems) is included in the Pro version and not at home.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Position: Publicist

Sarah has been working as an editor at MiniTool since she graduated from university with extensive writing experience. I love helping other people with their computer, disk and data loss dilemma and specializing in these matters. That said, it’s wonderful to see people solve their problems on PC, mobile photos and other devices; it’s a sense of accomplishment. Sarah enjoys making friends in life and is a huge fan of music.

The game mode plays an important role in maximizing the processes of players’ systems while gaming. Computational processes that will interfere with the application while playing will be minimized. This will extend battery life and play time.

The Verdict

Overall, Windows 10 Pro offers many additional security, productivity, and business management features over standard Windows 10 Home OS. If you’re a business owner who needs these extra features to stay in control of their employees’ computers and protect their data, this is an excellent investment. But for everyone else, especially those who just need a gaming operating system, these are just a few unnecessary features included in the ability to support additional RAM that you’ll never use.

Unless you need extra wired security or the ability to create virtual PCs with an older operating system, you’d better save $ 80 and invest it in another component of your PC.

But in this day and age, with the cost of GPUs making buying one seem like a big lifetime choice, what about frame rates? What about clean, raw gaming performance? Does 11 really turn it up to 11?

Disable Notifications in Windows 10

The Focus Assist feature in Windows 10 allows you to determine how and when you receive notifications.

Pop-ups and ringtones usually accompany notifications, but they can interrupt your game. The solution is to minimize the impact of notifications using Focus Assist. It’s basically a feature that allows you to manage the level of focus you devote to your work.

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings
2. Click System> Focus Assist
3. Select Alarms Only to hide all other notifications
4. Close the settings screen

Prevent Steam Auto-Updating Games

If you use Windows to play games, you probably purchase and install games through Steam.

One of Steam’s biggest annoyances is the update feature. This blocks you from blocking automatic updates for all your games. This can consume memory by updating games you are not playing or limit your network connectivity due to background updates.

To prevent Steam from updating games in the background:

1. Launch the Steam client
2. Open Steam> Settings> Downloads
3. Uncheck Allow downloads while playing

You can also prevent Steam from downloading updates for mostly unused games:

1. Open Steam Library
2. Right-click an unused but installed game
3. Select Properties and find Automatic Updates
4. Change Always update this game to only update this game when I run it

After Steam has been properly optimized, Windows 10 will be ready for AAA games.

Windows 10 performance is fairly reliable, regardless of the graphics card or CPU. Again, it depends on the computer model you are using. You can have an impressive MSI gaming laptop, Intel Core i7 processor, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics. Or maybe you have a Dell computer with limited GPU, CPU and hard drive but excellent usability.

Ubuntu

One of the most famous operating systems for Linux, Ubuntu is slowly entering the gaming world. Of the three central operating systems, Windows, Mac, and Linux, Ubuntu is perhaps the weakest.

However, gaming support continues to grow, and it’s likely Linux and Ubuntu will provide a safe haven for hardcore gamers in the future. There are other aspects of Linux, such as Lakka, that can emulate console games directly.

Ubuntu, however, doesn’t have the same power.

Price

Following the example of Linux, Ubuntu has always been free to download and use. This is great for those who want something other than Windows. The open structure allows for unique and exciting new computing experiences.

Specs

• Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core Processor.
• Memory: 4 GiB RAM (system memory)
• Storage: 25 GB of hard disk space (or USB stick, memory stick, or external drive, but see LiveCD for an alternate approach)
• Graphics: VGA supporting 1024 × 768 screen resolution.
• Either a CD / DVD drive or a USB port for installation media.
• Internet access is helpful.

Display Features

There are some unique and standard display features in Ubuntu. You can change the screen “temperature”, lock screen background, screen brightness, and dual monitor support.

Performance

Once again, Ubuntu isn’t optimized for games. While you have access to individual titles, purchasing and downloading heavy titles such as the latest Assassin’s Creed or Watch Dogs: Legion is not recommended.

What he does, he does well. It just can’t keep a candle on Windows 10.

Conclusion

If you’re an avid gamer, you’ll want to lean into one of the Microsoft operating systems. While a few of the newer ones will limit this in terms of gaming, you really should consider Windows 10 as your target. This is the operating system you choose if you want to play graphically impressive games like Death Stranding, Red Dead Redemption 2, and more.

However, if you’re more into casual games with a great user interface, maybe something like macOS will check all your personal boxes.

With that in mind, Microsoft Windows has been a staple for both casual and professional gamers for decades.

Either way, you should research for yourself which gaming preferences appeal to you the most. Whichever you choose, you can always experiment with things like Ubuntu, Lakka, Fedora, and more. You are not stuck with the operating system you purchased.