PCGamesWeb

Hardware Guides

Background Apps Are Eating Your FPS Alive — Here's Exactly Which Ones to Shut Down

Your game isn't the only thing running on your PC — and those invisible background processes are quietly siphoning off the performance you paid good money for. We benchmarked dozens of common Windows apps and services to find out which ones are actually hurting your frame rates, and which ones you can safely kill without nuking your system.

Sep 20, 2026

Hardware Guides

Does Your CPU Actually Matter for Gaming? We Ran 20 Processors Through the Wringer to Find Out

Everyone loves to blame the CPU when frame rates tank, but is that actually fair? We stress-tested 20 processors — from budget chips to flagship beasts — across multiple resolutions and game types to separate the real bottlenecks from the marketing hype. The results might surprise you, especially if you've been eyeing an expensive upgrade.

Sep 20, 2026

Buying Advice

Stop Maxing Everything Out: The Smarter Way to Configure Your Game's Graphics Settings

Cranking every slider to Ultra feels satisfying, but it's often the worst thing you can do for your gaming experience. We dug into how game developers actually build their graphics presets and found that some settings eat massive amounts of GPU power while changing almost nothing you'd notice on screen. Here's how to build a better preset that looks great and runs smoother than the defaults.

Sep 20, 2026

Buying Advice

Gaming Chair Showdown: 12 Seats Tested Across Every Price Point — Here's What Your Back Actually Needs

We spent weeks sitting in 12 different gaming chairs — from $80 budget picks to $600 premium thrones — logging real hours during actual gaming sessions to find out which ones are worth your money. Spoiler: the most expensive chair didn't win. Here's what we found so you can stop guessing and start sitting better.

Sep 20, 2026

Hardware Guides

Your PC Is Quietly Throttling Itself — And Your Cable Mess Might Be Why

Thermal throttling is one of the most common — and most invisible — performance killers in gaming PCs, and poor airflow from bad cable routing is a major culprit most builders never think to check. This guide breaks down exactly what's happening inside your case when temps spike, why it tanks your frame rates, and how some simple cable management fixes can genuinely recover lost performance.

Sep 20, 2026

Buying Advice

We Tested 15 Gaming SSDs So You Don't Have to Overpay: Here's the Honest Truth About Drive Speed

SSD manufacturers love throwing big read-speed numbers at you, but do those specs actually translate to faster gaming? We benchmarked 15 drives across Gen 4, Gen 5, and budget SATA options to find out what really matters when you're loading into a match. The results might save you a couple hundred bucks.

Sep 20, 2026

Hardware Guides

Free-to-Play Isn't Free for Your PC: The Performance Tax Nobody Talks About

Free-to-play games promise zero upfront cost, but your gaming rig might be quietly footing a much bigger bill. From bloated background processes to aggressive CPU usage, F2P titles are quietly draining your system in ways most players never notice. Here's what's actually happening under the hood — and how to stop it.

Sep 20, 2026

Hardware Guides

Why Your Monitor's Refresh Rate Is Lying to You: The Real Story of Input Lag

You upgraded to a 144Hz monitor and things feel snappier — but competitive players are still outgunning you, and something about the experience feels slightly off. The culprit might not be your frame rate at all. Input lag is the performance metric most PC gamers ignore, and understanding it could completely change how you evaluate your setup.

Sep 19, 2026

Buying Advice

Graphics Cards Are Still Overpriced in 2025 — Here's Why You're Paying More Than You Should

The GPU market was supposed to bounce back after the crypto crash and pandemic-era supply chain chaos — so why are you still paying a premium for a mid-range card? We dug into the current state of graphics card pricing, talked to analysts and everyday gamers, and came back with answers that are equal parts frustrating and illuminating.

Sep 19, 2026

Hardware Guides

Why Your Gaming Laptop Is Choking Under Pressure — And What You Can Actually Do About It

If your gaming laptop starts strong but loses steam after 20 minutes of play, thermal throttling is probably the culprit — and it's more common than manufacturers want to admit. This guide breaks down exactly why laptop cooling systems fail under load, how much performance you're actually leaving on the table, and the practical steps you can take right now to fix it. From free software tweaks to external cooling gear, we've got you covered.

Sep 19, 2026

Buying Advice

Resolution vs. Refresh Rate: We Put 1440p 144Hz and 4K 60Hz Monitors Head-to-Head

Choosing between a silky-smooth 1440p 144Hz monitor and a stunningly sharp 4K 60Hz panel is one of the toughest calls a PC gamer can make in 2025. We ran both setups through their paces across competitive shooters, open-world epics, and graphically brutal titles to find out which display philosophy actually wins. Spoiler: the answer depends a lot more on how you play than you might think.

Sep 19, 2026

Buying Advice

Gaming Laptop or Desktop: We Tested Both So You Can Stop Debating

The laptop vs. desktop debate isn't going away, and honestly, the right answer isn't the same for everyone. We ran real-world tests, crunched the numbers, and talked to actual gamers to figure out which platform deserves a spot in your life — and on your desk.

Sep 19, 2026

Hardware Guides

Stretch Every Dollar: How to Build a Killer Gaming PC for Under $800 in 2025

You don't need to drop two grand to play the latest games at solid frame rates. This step-by-step breakdown shows you exactly which components to grab, where to save, and where to spend a little more to get the most out of an $800 budget build in 2025.

Sep 19, 2026