It goes without saying that hardcore gamers want to get the most out of their PC when playing modern games. At the same time, most users constantly turn to utilities called game boosters (Game Booster - game accelerator). Apparently, the developers of the tenth version of Windows decided to please game lovers with their new development, including their own tool for optimizing games in the system. How to enable game mode in Windows 10 and what it is in general, we will discuss further. There will also be feedback from some users who have tried it in practice.
What is Game Mode in Windows 10?
Game mode, or Game Mode, appeared in the system relatively recently (when updating the system to the Creators Update assembly). As stated in the official release, this tool allows you to fully optimize your computerspecifically for the use of modern resource-intensive games.
Game Mode in Windows 10 focuses on reducing the load on the central processing unit (CPU) and graphics accelerator (GPU) resources just at the start of the game. However, if you look at the new tool a little wider, you can note several main features.
What does Game Mode do in Windows 10?
Reducing the load on the processor and video card is achieved by setting the highest priority for the game application for the period of its activity by disabling heavy background services and programs. For example, if a hard disk defragmenter runs in the background, it will be disabled. Same with other services.
But that's not the point. The most basic, which is the ultimate goal of this mode, is to increase the frame rate or FPS. Many users know that it is this parameter that largely determines the comfortable passage of the game without any freezes, slowdowns or image jumping from one frame to another, which is precisely due to the operation of the graphics accelerator. How justified the use of such a tool in the operating system, we will consider separately, but for now let's dwell on some of the nuances, without which the use of the game mode is not possible at all.
Required condition for using the mode
And first, let's see how to set the game mode in Windows 10. To do this is quite simple. At least three options can be suggested. However, at the same timeone main condition must be met - the above update must be installed on the computer.
You can make sure that it is really installed by viewing the information that is called by the winver command in the Run console. If it is installed (version 1703 and above), you can skip the next step, if not, you will have to install the update yourself.
To do this, go to the "Update Center" through the options menu and click the button to check available updates. At the end of the search, install all the components found, and assembly 1703 must be installed without fail. If the rest of the service packs are not needed, they can simply be excluded from the list. In addition, please note that another update has recently been released called the Fall Creators Update, which is installed on top of the main one (Creators Update).
Turning on the mode: method one
So, we have de alt with the game mode itself and the conditions for its use. Now let's proceed directly to its activation.
The first method is to go to the appropriate section of games through the options menu and simply move the slider to the on position. Also, as an accompanying setting, you can check the box next to the line for receiving notifications, although this is optional.
Second method
The second solution to the problem of how to enable game mode in Windows 10 comes down to calling thegame console. You can do this in the fastest way through the keyboard shortcut Win + G. In the console that appears, click on the button with the gear icon, and then select the use of the mode for this game in the menu.
Along the way, you can also resolve the issue of how to set up the game mode in Windows 10. The menu itself has several basic options, such as turning on the timer when recording, showing prompts before starting the game, remembering the running application as a game (for this you need to close all other active programs), the quick opening panel on the gamepad, sound options, etc. In principle, nothing complicated.
Third method
Finally, Game Mode in Windows 10 can be activated by editing system registry entries. The editor is called by the regedit command, which is entered in the Run menu bar.
In the editor, you need to use the HKCU branch and go down the directory tree through the SOFTWARE and Microsoft sections to the GameBar directory. In the right part of the editor via RMB, you need to create a 32-bit DWORD parameter, give it the name AllowAutoGameMode, enter editing via RMB or double-click and set the current value to one.
Support questions and user feedback
Based on Microsoft official statements, Game Mode in Windows 10 supports both classic Win32 games and UWP (applications downloaded from"Shop"). However, as testimonies of users and specialists testify, preference is given to programs based on the Universal Windows Platform, since all the latest arrivals are already optimized for use in the game mode. But among other games, support is mainly focused only on the most important hits of recent times, and even then not all.
As far as the performance boost that's been talked about a lot, the reviews for Game Mode in Windows 10 haven't been very positive so far. So, for example, many gamers talk about an increase in FPS of only 2-5%, although Microsoft promised figures of about 50%. In addition, many complain that sometimes there are problems with the DVR crashing when recording or broadcasting a game. Finally, quite often (again, according to user reviews), you can find the so-called sticky keyboard, when the control buttons work spontaneously, and the mouse does not respond to the player’s actions at all. Separately, it is worth mentioning that it was in the Creators Update assembly that one could get rid of such troubles by disabling the launch of the game on the gamepad, but in the latest version of the Fall Creators Update, which was released just the other day, such actions lead to nothing.
Should I enable this feature?
In general, according to all those who have tried the game mode in Windows 10 in action, at the moment it is a completely useless feature. And the expected performance was not, and is not. Game Boosterscope with a similar task of optimizing the use of system resources much better. In general, it turned out as always. The product was clearly flawed. Turn it on or not, it's up to you, but you still won't feel much effect. And do not look at all sorts of comparative performance tests. Still, in most cases, this is nothing more than a simple publicity stunt.
