How to check on your PC's performance outside of the hardware

 One of the biggest factors of what makes a PC good is its relative performance. Performance is often correlated with being able to play the latest games at the best settings, how many programs it can run at once, and how fast it's able to respond to inputs. One common conception of performance is the hardware as we always assume that hardware is key when it comes to performance. This does hold some truth as if you have the latest technology, your programs will perform a lot better. However, there are tons of external factors that go unnoticed in regard to performance and I will be talking about them today as well as ways to improve those areas.

1. Checking your internet speed using programs to test its performance.

When it comes to playing the most popular multiplayer games, you really don't need to worry about your hardware as most games that are popular are able to run on almost any computer that came out ten to twenty years ago. What is an important factor is how well your internet is a key part of how well your computer performs. This is because if your internet is not the best, chances are it will struggle in forming a consistent connection to the game server, which often results in lag which is a delay you experience while in your game, or even worse the server kicking you out the match due to your faulty internet. One way to check this is to use internet speed tests. These will test your internet on how well it can receive information as well as output information online. There are plenty to choose from and even google is a built-in one when you search it up. Usually, if your internet speed is above 20mbs, you are good to the game but if it falls behind that threshold then you will experience lag. If this occurs check to see if your router is working fine or talk to your internet company regarding its performance since you might need an upgraded plan or a different provider. Another good way to get really consistent speed is to use an ether cable which is a wired connection to the internet from your house. Often than not these are recommended for PC gaming as they provide an extremely consistent connection while performing leagues above wireless connections. Another thing for this is when you are playing a game or downloading something through a gaming outlet such as Steam, check to see where your connection is headed. Most games divide their servers up by region in the world. In the US it's expected to have a US WEST and US EAST connection as these cover two parts of the country. Make sure your account is connected to those the servers that fit with your region (Ex: Californians connect to US WEST, Newyorkers connect to US EAST, people from Illinois connect to US East).

2. Checking your computer for viruses

Checking your computer for viruses is often a good way to evaluate your PC's performance. Often than not viruses will wreak havoc if they go unchecked. This is due to the code of the viruses designed to either harvest data for another user to see or to disrupt the code inside your operating system, forcing your computer to malfunction from the inside. There are plenty of ways to avoid and treat viruses. Often than not the best way to avoid viruses is to not click on anything that seems very suspicious. Often online you might see some links that offer something that is free which can oftentimes seem outrageous if it's something that's just been released today. A good rule of thumb is that if it's too good to be true, then really bad to interact with. This will most likely prevent a majority of viruses since a majority of viruses rely on the users to be gullible to interact with them. Another good way is to download an Anti-virus software. This software is designed to prevent viruses from getting to your computer by often warning the user to get out on that site since it's known for viruses to lurk or offer programs that detect viruses and allow for you to delete them. Some programs I recommend are Ublock Origin, Avast, and Malware Bytes. Ublock Origin is a browser extension that originally was designed to prevent ads from appearing on various websites on the web. It also offers the warning that a site may be very suspicious and instead of transporting you to that site, a new site will appear warning you about the potential threat. This is a free download so feel free to check it out on the Chrome Store or any online store that works with your browser. Avast is an Anti-virus software that offers a secure firewall to prevent viruses from appearing on your computer. It has the same effect as Ublock but also offers a program that cleans your computer from viruses as well. There is a free version on their official website and also a monthly paid version that offers bonus security. Malware Bytes is an anti-virus software designed to combat Malware which is any form of software designed to disrupt your computer. It also works to combat other viruses as well and provides a reliable cleaning program that contains the viruses and malware in a quarantined area so you could dispose of them.

3. Checking on programs that may cause performance to hinder

Often or not a common way that performance might hinder isn't due to internet speed or any deadly viruses, rather it's just that you are running a lot of programs in the background. This might come as a surprise as most of the time the program you're focusing on is the one you launched be it a video game or a web browser but chances are it is something more or less in the background. Steam might update a game without you noticing which may decrease your internet speed, and you have various streaming apps which may delay performance. A simple solution to this is to simply turn off the programs if they truly interfere with your performance. If a download is running in the background then you can also just pause it so you can use the internet for whatever you like. Also uninstalling various other programs that you don't have any use for is recommended as this will free up a lot of space and usage for your computer to use on any program you currently interact with.

When it comes to performance outside of the specs of your computer these are some of the best ways I would recommend using as they are pretty simple for the most part and are free of use. Obviously, hardware is a big factor when it comes to performance and I wrote a guide dealing with thermal throttling which affects your performance if you constantly overheat your components. I would give it a read if you believe you might have experienced that. Otherwise a majority of performance issues can be traced to these three topics. If you feel as though there are more ways to check on your performance by all means use the Contact Us page to send us a message. Otherwise, be sure to Game on with Great Gear!

PC Pete