Use a wired Ethernet connection
Enable Game Mode in Windows
Set the power plan to High Performance or Ultimate Performance
Update GPU, chipset, network, and audio drivers
Update BIOS/UEFI and motherboard firmware
Enable XMP/EXPO for RAM
Disable unnecessary startup apps
Close background apps and overlays
Disable Xbox Game Bar and background recording
Turn off notifications and focus assist
Set the monitor to its highest refresh rate
Use the lowest stable graphics settings for your target FPS
Cap FPS slightly below monitor refresh rate
Enable VRR if supported
Disable V-Sync if it increases input lag
Use exclusive fullscreen when available
Lower render scale and heavy post-processing effects
Enable NVIDIA Reflex or AMD Anti-Lag if supported
Disable mouse acceleration in Windows
Set mouse polling rate to the highest stable value
Use a high-quality gaming mouse and keyboard
Plug peripherals directly into motherboard USB ports
Disable USB selective suspend
Disable power saving on network adapter
Set network adapter to prefer performance over power saving
Use a DNS server with low response time
Reduce Wi-Fi use and interference if Ethernet is not possible
Keep storage with games on an SSD or NVMe drive
Free up disk space and keep drives healthy
Disable unnecessary Windows visual effects
Turn off transparency and animations
Set game process priority to High if needed
Disable fullscreen optimizations for problematic games
Keep temperatures low to prevent throttling
Clean dust from the PC regularly
Improve case airflow
Use a stable overclock only if thoroughly tested
Avoid unstable CPU, GPU, or RAM overclocks
Disable unused onboard devices in BIOS
Turn off unused Bluetooth and background sync services
Use the game’s nearest server region
Reduce ping by avoiding congested networks
Restart the router periodically
Use QoS on the router for gaming traffic
Avoid downloads, streaming, and cloud sync while gaming
Monitor latency with in-game tools and system overlays
Test changes one at a time
Revert settings that increase stutter or latency