Gear
Finding a gaming mouse that fits your hand
Shape and button reach deserve attention before the largest number on the specification sheet.
Photo: CAPTAIN MEDUSA · CC BY-SA 4.099 GUIDES
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Gear
DPI and in-game sensitivity are different settings
Separate the mouse setting from the game multiplier before copying somebody else’s sensitivity.
Gear
When mouse polling rate makes a difference
A higher report rate shortens one interval, but the whole game still has to process and display the input.
Gear
What matters in a gaming mouse sensor
Tracking consistency, surface behaviour and lift-off matter more than the largest DPI figure on the box.
Photo: Anil Öztas · CC BY 4.0
Gear
Mouse feet and mousepad surfaces
The glide comes from the feet and the surface together, so changing either can alter the feel.
Gear
Choosing between wired and wireless mice
Compare connection modes, charging and cable behaviour instead of treating wired or wireless as a quality label.
Photo: Jacek Halicki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Full-size, TKL or compact gaming keyboard?
Choose the keys you need first, then use the remaining desk space to judge the size.
Gear
Choosing keyboard switches by feel and sound
Switch feel and keyboard sound are related, but they are not the same thing.
Gear
Checking keycap compatibility before buying
Check the whole layout, including the awkward keys, before buying a replacement keycap set.
Gear
Why the spacebar sounds different
A long key has extra moving parts, so a noisy spacebar does not necessarily mean its switch is faulty.
Gear
Reducing keyboard noise at a shared desk
Identify whether the noise comes from the switch, the key impact or the desk before changing parts.
Gear
Connections and battery life on wireless keyboards
A wireless keyboard may offer several modes, each with different pairing, charging and wake behaviour.
Gear
Checking gaming-headset comfort
Ear cushions, headband pressure and the shape of your ears all affect how a headset feels.
Photo: Hama GmbH & Co KG · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Open-back or closed-back headphones for gaming?
The room and the people in it often decide this choice before any discussion of soundstage.
Gear
Getting clearer speech from a headset microphone
Fix placement and input selection before adding layers of voice processing.
Gear
USB and 3.5 mm headset connections
The connector determines where conversion happens and which compatibility questions to ask.
Gear
Balancing game sound and voice chat
Make speech intelligible by reducing competing sound, rather than continually increasing the master volume.
Gear
Choosing a controller you can hold comfortably
A comfortable controller lets you reach its controls without repeatedly changing your grip.
Photo: Mylesclark96 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Understanding controller dead zones
An inner dead zone filters small stick movement near centre; it does not change every part of aiming.
Gear
What to check when a controller drifts
First establish whether unwanted movement follows the controller, the game or an input profile.
Gear
Remapping buttons without losing track of controls
Remap a difficult action deliberately, and keep a way back to the default layout.
Gear
Connecting a controller to a gaming PC
Separate connection, game recognition and advanced feature support when setting up a controller on PC.
Gear
Arcade stick, leverless controller or gamepad?
The best control style is the one whose movement and button arrangement you can learn comfortably.
Photo: Carioca · CC BY-SA 3.0
Gear
Planning a first racing-wheel setup
Check mounting, pedals and platform support before deciding how much force feedback you want.
Photo: Antoineets · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Planning controls around different access needs
Build the control arrangement around the player’s available movements and chosen games.
Photo: InclusiveGameLab · CC BY-SA 4.0
Gear
Cleaning gaming peripherals without soaking them
Disconnect the device, identify the surface and keep liquid out of openings.
Gear
Checking second-hand gaming gear
Ask for a demonstration of the exact item, including the small accessories that make it work.
PC Gaming
Why frame times matter alongside frame rate
An average FPS figure can hide an uneven sequence. A frame-time graph shows where the pauses occur.
PC Gaming
Changing graphics settings one at a time
Use a repeatable scene and a saved baseline so you can tell which change helped.
PC Gaming
Resolution and render scale explained
Display resolution and internal render scale describe different stages of the image.
PC Gaming
What to look for when trying game upscaling
Judge an upscaler in motion, and keep frame generation separate while you compare.
PC Gaming
Understanding graphics-memory limits
Memory capacity, allocation and actual pressure are related, but they are not interchangeable readings.
PC Gaming
Finding out what is limiting PC performance
Use changes in workload to test a hypothesis, rather than relying on one utilisation percentage.
PC Gaming
How to assess your gaming PC’s memory needs
Look at the games you play, the applications beside them and the memory your motherboard can actually accept.
Photo: Bretwa · CC BY-SA 4.0
PC Gaming
What an SSD changes in a gaming PC
An SSD can shorten waits and help asset delivery, but it does not replace the graphics hardware that draws each frame.
PC Gaming
Keeping space for game updates
A patch can need room to unpack and rebuild files, even when its download looks small.
PC Gaming
Planning a graphics-driver update
Record the working version, use the hardware maker’s download and leave enough time to test afterwards.
PC Gaming
Recognising shader-compilation stutter
A sudden pause on first encountering an effect can have a different cause from consistently low performance.
PC Gaming
Investigating a hot or noisy gaming PC
Compare temperatures, workload and the kind of noise before changing fan settings or buying a cooler.
Photo: Raimond Spekking · CC BY-SA 4.0
PC Gaming
Planning airflow in a PC case
Follow the route air can actually take through the case, including filters, radiators and the space outside it.
Photo: Jacek Halicki · CC BY-SA 4.0
PC Gaming
Questions to ask before buying a prebuilt gaming PC
Ask for the complete specification and support terms, not just the processor and graphics-card names.
Photo: Brian Wong · CC BY-SA 2.0
PC Gaming
Setting up a gaming laptop at a desk
Treat power, cooling and the display connection as parts of one setup before adding a dock or monitor.
PC Gaming
Backing up PC game saves
Keep a recoverable copy of progress before moving computers, reinstalling Windows or experimenting with mods.
PC Gaming
When verifying game files can help
Verification checks installed game data. It is useful for certain faults, but it does not diagnose the whole computer.
PC Gaming
Checking background apps during gaming
Look for a process competing for a resource at the moment the game slows down, rather than closing everything blindly.
PC Gaming
Managing game downloads on a shared connection
A download schedule or limit can protect a shared connection without requiring a different internet package.
PC Gaming
Ethernet or Wi-Fi for a gaming PC?
Compare consistency where you actually play, including the route between the router and the internet.
Photo: Khairil Yusof from Malaysia · CC BY 2.0
PC Gaming
Ping and jitter: reading connection problems
An average latency value can look acceptable while individual delays vary enough to disrupt play.
PC Gaming
Investigating packet loss in online games
Build evidence about where packets stop arriving before changing ports, buying hardware or blaming a server.
PC Gaming
Checking whether cloud gaming suits your connection
Test the service on your own connection and device before treating it as a replacement for local hardware.
PC Gaming
Keeping notes that make PC comparisons useful
Record enough context to repeat a comparison and keep the individual runs instead of only the best result.
Consoles
Finding the right TV mode for console gaming
Find the gaming preset on the input you use, then check how it behaves with HDR and automatic switching.
Consoles
Checking the whole chain for 120 Hz play
A game, console, HDMI path and display must all support the mode you are trying to use.
Consoles
Understanding variable refresh rate on consoles
VRR can make fluctuating frame delivery less distracting, but it operates within the limits of the console and display.
Consoles
Setting up HDR without crushing dark detail
Calibrate for your screen and room, and separate HDR controls from settings that change the overall picture style.
Consoles
Choosing an HDMI cable for a console setup
Match the cable’s certified capability to the signal you need, then keep the connection simple.
Photo: Pradeep717 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Consoles
Giving a console room to ventilate
Give the console’s intake and exhaust paths space, including the air outside the cabinet.
Photo: Osh33m · CC BY-SA 4.0
Consoles
Checking an internal SSD upgrade for compatibility
Identify the console’s supported expansion method before comparing drive capacity or advertised speed.
Consoles
What console external storage can and cannot do
Check whether a drive will launch your games or only store them between transfers.
Consoles
Checking console cloud-save behaviour
Confirm that the right account and the latest progress have synchronised before changing consoles or deleting local data.
Consoles
Protecting a gaming account and recovery options
Protect the sign-in route and the recovery route together, especially before replacing a phone or selling a console.
Consoles
Setting up gaming accounts for a shared family console
Separate player profiles, purchases and communication permissions before the console becomes part of the daily routine.
Consoles
Preparing a home network for remote play
Establish a working local session before troubleshooting play from another network.
Consoles
Pairing a controller with the intended device
Check the controller model, connection method and previously paired device before resetting anything.
Photo: Alex Cochrane · CC BY-SA 4.0
Consoles
Checking a headset against your console
Check how game sound and microphone audio travel, not just whether the headset plug fits.
Photo: Dinopkk · CC BY-SA 3.0
Consoles
Planning storage and settings for game clips
Choose clip length and format around what you want to keep, then verify exported copies before clearing space.
Consoles
Preparing to move to another console
Separate installed games, account access and saved progress before retiring the old machine.
Consoles
Comparing disc and digital game purchases
Compare the licence, storage needs and future access as well as the price on the box.
Consoles
Checking what a local co-op session needs
Check the player count, input devices and joining process before everyone arrives.
Consoles
Packing a console for a trip
Protect the machine, separate loose accessories and confirm the destination connections.
The Setup
Choosing a monitor around the games you play
Build a shortlist from your games, graphics hardware and viewing conditions.
The Setup
Choosing between 24-inch and 27-inch displays
Compare pixel density and desk space, not just the extra three inches.
The Setup
What to check before choosing an ultrawide monitor
Check game support, pixel workload and the usable width of your desk.
Photo: Lipsbaterando · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Setup
Arranging a second screen for gaming and chat
Keep the main game centred and make the second display easy to reach with your eyes.
Photo: Shixart1985 · CC BY 2.0
The Setup
Checking a monitor arm and desk together
Check weight, mounting pattern, desk construction and movement before choosing an arm.
Photo: Ben Scholzen · CC BY 2.0.jpg){kind=link}
The Setup
Working out how much desk depth you need
Measure the space taken by the screen stand, controls and your normal sitting position.
The Setup
Adjusting a chair and desk for gaming
Adjust the chair, controls and screen as one arrangement, then allow room to change position.
The Setup
Reducing glare around a gaming display
Find the light source that creates the reflection before changing display settings.
The Setup
Routing cables without making maintenance harder
Keep connectors accessible and leave slack for screens, chairs and adjustable desks.
The Setup
Choosing a USB hub for gaming peripherals
Separate port count, data bandwidth and power before adding more connections.
Photo: Pascal Giessler · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Setup
Organising charging for controllers and headsets
Give each device a compatible charging connection and a place to return after play.
The Setup
Desktop speakers in a shared gaming space
Arrange clear near-field sound without filling the whole room with game audio.
The Setup
Positioning a microphone for voice chat
A consistent position makes voice chat easier to balance than repeated gain changes.
The Setup
Improving a webcam picture with room lighting
Move and soften the light before replacing a webcam that struggles in a dark room.
The Setup
Separating microphone, game and chat audio
Trace each sound from its source to the stream and to your own headphones.
The Setup
Checking a capture-card signal path
Check source, passthrough display and recording computer as separate links.
The Setup
Fitting a gaming setup into a small room
Plan the walking route and chair movement before adding storage or a second screen.
Playing
Getting started with an unfamiliar game
Learn the basic loop and the save behaviour before trying to understand every system.
Playing
Building a short aiming-practice routine
Use a brief, repeatable drill to identify the movement you want to improve.
Playing
Keeping keybindings consistent across games
Preserve familiar actions while leaving room for each game’s different mechanics.
Playing
Exploring accessibility settings before starting
Look for the settings that remove a specific obstacle, then test them during play.
Playing
Agreeing how to communicate in co-op games
Agree the kind of session you want, then keep important calls short and specific.
Playing
Using save slots without losing your place
Understand autosaves and cloud sync before treating a save slot as a backup.
Playing
Checking a mod before installing it
Confirm the source, game version, dependencies and recovery route before changing files.
Playing
Reading an early-access game listing
Judge the game that can be played now, then treat the roadmap as uncertain future work.
Playing
Comparing game editions without buying twice
Make a small contents comparison before paying for a larger edition or an upgrade.
Playing
Organising a game library you can actually browse
Use a few collections that help you choose a game, rather than cataloguing every detail.
Playing
Planning a gaming session around the time available
Choose an activity with a stopping point that fits the time you really have.
Playing
Preparing a first game stream
Build a small scene, record a rehearsal and check what the audience can see and hear.