5 Of The Best Apps Every PC Gamer Should Have Installed
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As a dedicated PC gamer, you understand that having the right tools can significantly enhance your gaming experience — having a customizable keyboard like the Roccat Vulcan 121 or a responsive mouse like the Logitech G305 can make all the difference when it comes to victory in games. While hardware seems to dominate conversations about PC gaming, software applications get drowned out. In reality, these apps not only streamline your gaming sessions but also open up exciting possibilities for content creation, customization, and optimization.
In this article, we'll explore five such apps — whether you're a competitive esports enthusiast, a casual gamer, or someone who loves to dive into rich, story-driven worlds, there's something here for you. From tools that enhance your gaming performance and capture your most epic moments to those that help you connect with your gaming community and personalize your setup, these apps can become the unsung heroes of your gaming rig.
Steam
Steam is hard to miss as a PC gamer. As an online platform for games, the app simplifies the process of discovering, purchasing, and installing games on your computer. By downloading the Steam client and creating a free account, you can access an extensive library of games, from indie gems to AAA titles. This eliminates the need to search for game files on various websites and worry about compatibility issues. Steam also ensures that your games are up to date with automatic updates, saving you time and effort.
But what makes Steam more than just a game distribution platform is its rich social integration. The app allows you to connect with friends and gaming communities quickly. You can chat with friends, create and join groups, and even share your gaming experiences with videos, tweets, GIFs, and more. This social element adds a layer of interactivity that goes beyond the game itself.
Steam also provides a solid platform for game developers to showcase their creations. The Steam Workshop allows for user-generated content and modifications, expanding the possibilities within your favorite games. This means you can enjoy custom-made content and enhancements created by the community, adding a whole new dimension to your gaming experiences.
Additionally, Steam offers features like cloud saves, which means you can easily switch between devices without losing your progress. It also supports multiplayer gaming, making it easy to connect and play with friends, even if you're miles apart.
Discord
Discord is, at its core, a communication app focused on gamers. It allows you to effortlessly communicate with your friends, fellow gamers, and even game developers through voice, video, and text chat. This level of communication is vital in team-based multiplayer games, where coordination can be the difference between victory and defeat. Discord ensures that your PC gaming team can communicate in real-time, strategize effectively, and build camaraderie, enhancing your gaming performance and enjoyment.
Its attention to reliability makes Discord a valuable communication app for PCs. Unlike some other communication tools, Discord is designed with gamers in mind. It prioritizes low-latency communication, ensuring your voice chats are clear, timely, and devoid of disruptions. This is especially useful for competitive gaming, where split-second decisions can determine the outcome.
Discord also offers a range of features tailored to gamers. You can create and customize your own servers, complete with channels for different topics or games. This allows you to create a gaming hub where you and your friends can hang out, discuss strategies, or share memes in a dedicated channel. Discord's flexibility means it's not just for gaming; you can use it for study groups, hobbyist communities, or work-related discussions. The app's interface is intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy for both tech-savvy gamers and those new to the platform. Best of all, it's free, ensuring accessibility for all gamers.
Razer Cortex: Game Booster
Razer Cortex: Game Booster is another must-have app for gamers, with a slew of features meant to boost your computer's speed and keep your games running smoothly. One of the key functions of Razer's game booster is its ability to manage and stop non-essential processes and applications running in the background while you're gaming.
These non-essential processes, such as business apps and background helpers, according to Razer, can consume valuable system resources and lead to performance issues during gameplay. Razer Cortex steps in to free up these resources, allowing your PC to allocate its full power to your game. This means fewer lags, stutters, and interruptions, ensuring that you have a smooth gaming experience.
Razer Cortex also acts as a game launcher as well. It provides a centralized platform where you can easily access your game library and launch your games with just a few clicks. The app also offers Booster Prime, a feature that automatically evaluates your PC's capabilities and adjusts your game settings accordingly. This optimization ensures that your games are running at their best possible performance levels, taking full advantage of your hardware.
Vortex by NexusMods
Mods are a big part of gaming in 2023, especially with recent releases like Starfield. If mods are what you're looking for, then NexusMods, a hub for uploading and downloading mods, will be one of your go-to choices. Vortex is the mod manager for NexusMods. One of the reasons you should have Vortex is because of its built-in auto-sorting system. This system effectively manages your mod load order, eliminating conflicts between mods and ensuring smooth gameplay.
You won't have to worry about the headache of manually organizing mods, allowing you to focus on playing the game. Vortex also boasts powerful plugin management features, making it easy to resolve mod conflicts. This ensures that mods work smoothly together, reducing crashes and glitches and ultimately creating a more enjoyable gaming experience.
Another useful feature is mod profiles. With Vortex, you can set up, switch between, and manage independent mod profiles effortlessly. This functionality enables you to use specific combinations of mods for different playthroughs. Whether you're exploring a new storyline or revisiting an old favorite, Vortex ensures you have the perfect set of mods for each gaming session.
OBS Studio
OBS Studio is an open-source software designed primarily as a software for screen recording and live streaming. It offers a powerful Game Capture feature that allows you to capture your gameplay with minimal performance impact. Unlike traditional screen recording, Game Capture directly hooks into your game, providing smooth and lag-free footage. This ensures your gaming experience remains immersive and uninterrupted.
It's a great choice for gamers who want to share their gameplay with the world. OBS Studio provides comprehensive customization options for streaming, enabling you to personalize your broadcast overlays, add alerts, and fine-tune audio and video settings. This not only elevates the quality of your streams but also engages your audience better. Whether you're on Windows, Mac, or Linux, OBS Studio has you covered. Its cross-platform compatibility ensures that you can use it on your preferred operating system without any issues.
OBS Studio boasts a plethora of plugins and third-party integrations available thanks to a large and active community, too, allowing you to extend its functionality according to your needs. Whether you need special audio effects, scene transitions, or integration with other streaming platforms, OBS Studio has you covered.