How to Effectively Make Your Gaming Experience Better
People who identify as gamers play for an average of 7 hours and 7 minutes each week. That figure seems embarrassingly low to many of us and must only apply to dirty casuals. But there is always something you can do to enhance your gaming experience, no matter if you are a Candy Crush junkie, a true LOL legend, a Fortnite fan, or any other game enthusiast.
We've compiled five simple and efficient strategies for you to game like a pro while saving your money for in-game purchases or anything else you'd like to spend your hard-earned money on in this guide.
Ready for it, you? Let's begin immediately!
1. Get a VPN Already
Serious gamers have been touting the benefits of VPNs for years now. Those of you not in the know what a VPN is—it is a virtual private network. With it, you can both mask your IP address and encrypt your network connection.
From those of us (a.k.a. all of us) who've had to deal with whiny losers, hackers, and other creeps, VPNs are a godsend. With them, you can actually get privacy and better distance yourself from the cadres of online weirdos out there.
In addition, VPNs are also effective ways to block the effects of DDoS attacks, can be used to unlock different games and content around the world, and can increase game performance in certain circumstances.
Best of all, you can check out VPN free trials and find some serious deals on annual plans that cost not much more than just one title on Steam.
2. Upgrade Your Internet Speed
Seriously, we shouldn't have to tell you this. Internet speed is the key to Twitch’s simultaneous 4K UHD streams while you're playing any of your favorite titles.
Internet speed is an investment in yourself. Since it's still so hard to go out and socialize, travel, and all that stuff, use that money instead to unlock some higher bandwidth for yourself.
Of course, this will not only benefit your gaming, but all that other stuff you do online like Stream Netflix, share a few files, and everything else.
While you're at it, you may be tempted to upgrade to WiFi 6. WiFi 6 is incredible, and definitely what gamers are looking for. But before you spend several hundred dollars on a new router, make sure your devices are WiFi 6 compatible. The same also goes for having an internet plan fast enough to justify the router.
Remember it's not just speed, but also security and latency benefits you'll also get with new and improved WiFi. Check out your options and see if it's worth it for you or not.
3. SSD is the Way to Go
New consoles from Sony and Microsoft are almost here. Do you think they use traditional hard drives? Even if you're a proud PC gamer, you should use this lesson to heart—SSD is the key to effective gaming.
That's because an SSD is way faster and reliable than traditional hard drives. They've also gotten way cheaper. You can find 1 TB SSD drives for under $100 now.
And there are plenty of ways to spend effectively. For example, you can keep a traditional hard drive for your other files like movies and music, and then put the games on the SSD to unlock the performance benefits necessary to take you to the next level.
4. Unleash the Power of Sound
Gamers can be funny. They'll go all out on a crazy multi-display setup with absolutely ridiculous specs. But then they'll just play sound out the single speakers out the back or use an old headset they've kept around since the days of the original Xbox.
Sound is integral for the gaming experience. It gives you the immersion you crave, especially in MMORPG worlds.
This is another area where you don't have to spend much to improve your experience radically. You can find gaming speakers with built-in subwoofers for extra rich sounds for $50 or less. And you can use them not only for games but for streaming movies and everything else you do online.
Better yet—go old school and check out Craigslist or your local second-hand shops. Often people get rid of some excellent old school sound systems you can easily hook up to your rig for ultra-rich sound. Also, don't forget to upgrade your headset while you're at it!
5. Remember Your Comfort
How well is that old plastic chair you found outside holding up after 8-9 years of nonstop gaming? How's your back for that matter?
Comfort isn't just important for your enjoyment but also for your health. Remember, this keyword, "ergonomic." While you don't need to spend thousands on specialty office chairs, keyboards, and mice, ergonomically designed products will improve your comfort and your health.
Take advantage of the remote work revolution to find deals of items like standing desks, mats, rugs, chairs, and more to create the perfect comfortable environment for you to enjoy your gaming experience.
Game Like a Pro With These Great Tips
In these crazy times that we live in, there is no better escape than into the world of one of our favorite games. So, create the perfect experience and start investing a little time and effort into integrating these tested strategies into your gaming setup.
Now you have everything you need to have a remarkable gaming experience. The only thing remaining now is to figure out what game you'll play first!