Hobbies And Interests
Close All Other Programs
Leaving any other programs open while you are playing a game means that your system is devoting some of its resources to maintaining these other programs -- using memory that it could be using you run your game faster. Close all unneeded programs, even Internet browsers and windows, while you are running the game. If your game doesn't require an Internet connection, you could even disconnect your Internet service to save some memory.
Clean Up Hard Drive
Free up some hard drive space. As with defragmenting (see below), the less cluttered your hard drive is, the faster games can run. Regularly run a "Disk Cleanup" utility to get rid of temporary files, and go through your files and delete ones you no longer need. Delete old games that you've completed and don't play, and wipe your browser's cache of stored web pages.
Defragment Hard Drive
Defragmenting your hard drive clears out the free space on your hard drive and orders your files so that they are easier to access. Deleting files leaves gaps on your hard drive between data, meaning your computer has to search more of the hard drive to find the files it needs. Defragmenting makes it easier for your computer to find and load the data it needs to run games faster.
Basic Mode
Set your computer to run in its most basic mode while you are gaming, to ensure it is not wasting memory on background tasks. Set your desktop theme to Windows Basic before running a game -- if you are using Windows 7 on the default Aero theme, then your computer is dedicating some of its memory to transparent window borders and changing your desktop background. Setting to Windows Basic before starting a game frees up memory that can run the game faster.
Upgrade your RAM
Every game asks different things of your computer, so check that you have enough RAM to run the game at optimum performance. RAM directly affects how fast your computer can process data and run games. Slowdown or lag in a game is often caused by the simple fact that your system does not have the resources to process the data quickly enough. Upgrade your RAM to a level that can comfortably run your games.
Upgrade your Graphics Card
Similar to RAM, every game puts certain strains on your computer's graphics card. An out-of-date graphics card won't be able to run new games to their top level of performance, which can cause lag and crashes. When you are buying a new game, always check the minimum specifications on the box against those of your system. You will need to upgrade your graphics card from time to time as new games become more demanding on your system.