15 Must Have Gaming Tools For PC

I can only imagine how much increase in players the gaming community has seen this year especially since our article on the 30+ Awesome Linux Games to Look Forward to in 2019.

Today, we bring you a list of applications that, combined, work to provide the smoothest gaming experience.

1. Discord

Discord is a modern free, proprietary, multi-platform VoIP application aimed at gamers. Its features include a beautiful UI with support for using multiple servers and multiple channels, to mention a few.

Discord - Free Voice and Text Chat for Gamers
Discord – Free Voice and Text Chat for Gamers

2. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a free, cross-platform, and open-source HD streaming and recording application for capturing footage. You can use it to stream games online, record video and audio directly from your webcam, integrate with YouTube for speedy streaming.

It has a clean UI which at first may seem complex but once you get the hang of it it will be a smooth sail onwards. Its features also include an unlimited number of scenes, an inbuilt audio mixer with per-source filters, hotkeys, a customizable layout, plugin support, etc.

OBS Studio - video recording and live streaming
OBS Studio – video recording and live streaming

3. CPU-Z

CPU-Z is a free software that gives you information on your computer. This information includes your processor name, number, codename, process, package, and cache levels.

It also gives details on your Mainboard and chipset, memory type, size, timings, module specifications, as well as a real-time measurement of each core’s internal frequency, and memory frequency.

CPU-Z- Gives Information About PC
CPU-Z- Gives Information About PC

4. GPU-Z

GPU-Z is a utility designed for giving users information on their video cards and GPU. As a gamer, it is important that you monitor your PC details e.g. memory frequency, core frequency, memory, temperature, fan speeds, etc. and GPU-Z gives you access to all these details free of charge.

GPU-Z - Shows Info on video card and graphics processor
GPU-Z – Shows Info on video card and graphics processor

5. KeyTweak

KeyTweak is an application with which you can modify the inputs of your keyboard. Its remapping system enables you to switch the values of keyboard buttons and create shortcut combinations which can boost the productivity of any creative gamer.

KeyTweak - Remap keys on your keyboard quickly
KeyTweak – Remap keys on your keyboard quickly

6. FreeSync

FreeSync is free software created for AMD PCs or Graphic Card users. It synchronizes a Refresh Rate that Supports the Graphics Card in order for the frame to run smoothly. FreeSync is a must-have if you use an AMD machine.

FreeSync - Shows dynamic refresh rate
FreeSync – Shows dynamic refresh rate

7. Razor Cortex: Game Booster

Razor Cortex: Game Booster is a free application built to boost the gaming performance of any PC. Its features include RAM optimization, FPS statistics, and automatic performance boost the moment you launch a game, to mention a few.

Razer Game Booster
Razer Game Booster

8. f.lux

f.lux is a multi-platform app that automatically adjusts your screen light and brightness to match the colour of the room you’re in. It has also been suggested by doctors because it promotes healthy eyesight. It is completely free to use with a clean and intuitive UI with and its settings are straightforward to configure.

flux - adjusts a display's color temperature
flux – adjusts a display’s color temperature

9. LogMeIn Hamachi

LogMeIn is a robust Virtual Private Network that enables you to establish secure connections between multiple computers after which you can share files, play private games, access servers, routers, and firewalls via an air-tight P2P protocol.

It is free to use but it offers advanced features to users willing to shell out a couple of box per year.

Logmein Himachi - Create VPN on Demand
Logmein Himachi – Create VPN on Demand

10. Steam

Steam needs no introduction. It is arguably the most turned-to platform for gaming – whether it is playing games or creating them. It provides an easily accessible platform for downloading and playing both free and paid games.

See our list of the 25 Best Games for Linux and Steam Machines.

Steam for Linux
Steam for Linux

11. TeamSpeak

TeamSpeak is a multi-platform VoIP software where you can connect with friends as you play games. It offers more features than Discord with inclusions like military-grade encryption, offline/LAN functionality, private hosting, etc.

TeamSpeak - voice-over-Internet Protocol application
TeamSpeak – voice-over-Internet Protocol application

12. MSI Afterburner

MSI Afterburner is one of the most popular utilities for overclocking graphics cards. It gives its users a detailed overview of their hardware together with features like benchmarking, video recording, and fan profile customization completely free of charge!

MSI Afterburner - overclocking utility for MSI graphics cards
MSI Afterburner – overclocking utility for MSI graphics cards

13. CCleaner

CCleaner is an advanced system cleaner and optimizer. With over 2.5 billion downloads, it is arguably the most popular system cleaner on the planet!

You can use it to manage your applications, fix registry issues, automate backups and other PC maintenance tasks. CCleaner also displays relevant PC information like memory details, OS activation status, etc.

CCleaner - Clean & speed up your PC
CCleaner – Clean & speed up your PC

A good alternative for Linux users is Stacer. Check it out here.

14. UltraMon

UltraMon is a free utility for Microsoft Windows designed to increase productivity and boost the performance of multi-monitor systems.

Its features include a smart taskbar for managing multiple apps, mirroring content across monitors, shortcuts, and multi-monitor support for wallpapers and screensavers.

UltraMon - Offers Multiple Displays
UltraMon – Offers Multiple Displays

15. System Mechanic

System Mechanic is a one-stop application that you can use to boost your PC’s speed, remove bloatware, remove cache clutter, improve internet speed, and scan for issues to fix. Summarily, it boosts your computer’s performance by getting rid of unnecessary files and processes.

System Mechanic
System Mechanic

All these apps contribute to making you enjoy the perfect gaming experience on your PC. Are there any mentions that I skipped? Drop your suggestions in the comments section below.

Divine Okoi is a cybersecurity postgrad with a passion for the open-source community. With 700+ articles covering different topics in IT, you can always trust him to inform you about the coolest tech.

Each tutorial at GeeksMint is created by a team of experienced writers so that it meets our high-quality writing standards.

6 thoughts on “15 Must Have Gaming Tools For PC”

      • You called it software. There is no software. It’s a feature of some monitors. Unfortunately, it’s now very obvious that you didn’t interact with anything in your list.

        Reply
  1. The new portable “Multi Task Tool” is a must for every gamer. For games such as “Devil May Cry 4” that don’t support mouse at all,
    this tool is for sure very useful! Mouse movements can be remapped to
    keyboard arrow keys (UpDownLeftRight) allowing the player to control
    the game’s camera with mouse! Mouse buttons can also be remapped to
    keyboard keys, allowing the player to use mouse buttons in the game!

    Reply

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