8 Reasons Why You Should Use Windows 10 for Gaming
When Microsoft launched Windows 10, it was, as with most new windows releases, not without its issues. By this time gaming had become mainstream and the question on every gamers mind was “will I be able to run my games properly this time around?”
Even though there was the best of intentions, gamers were confronted with compatibility issues, optimization problems and a whole lot of issues with graphics cards, graphics card drivers and a substantial decrease in-game performance and framerates. Since the initial launch of Windows 10, Microsoft has put a lot of effort towards turning Windows 10 into the go-to operating system for gamers.
So the question gamers are now asking after many years of Windows 10 development, Is Windows 10 any good for gaming in its current state? The answer is “YES”, Windows 10 has come in leaps and bounds for gamers since launch.
Let's look at 8 reasons why Windows 10 is the best choice for gamers in 2018.
Windows 10 is the standard for Graphics Driver Development
Since it launched, Microsoft has been striving to make Windows 10 into the best version of Windows possible. Besides making Windows 10 the standard for just about all applications, Microsoft has ensured that graphics driver development receives the attention it deserves for gamers.
The major graphics card manufacturers are developing their graphics card drivers for windows 10. Having the latest and best graphics card drivers is important for gamers and as Windows 10 is now the focus for graphics card driver development, Windows 10 is great for gaming.
For information on hardware and other gaming related information, sites such as GamingScan provide a wealth of information.
Windows 10 delivers better performance
Compared to previous versions of Windows, Windows 10 provides better game performance and increased framerates. Gaming performance between Windows 7 and 8 to Windows 10 has seen some significant increases and will be immediately noticeable by gamers. Another reason why Windows 10 is good for gaming.
Windows 10 boots faster
Gamers want to boot into their computers and get gaming as fast as possible. Windows 10 was not without its boot issues at launch and because of this many a gamer stuck with Windows 7 as Windows 8 did nothing to ease their minds. With Windows 10, gamers should now consider upgrading their operating system as windows 10 boots way faster than Windows 7 and Windows 8. Getting into the game hasn’t been faster than this.
Windows 10 handles gaming windows better
Previous versions of windows did not handle gaming windows very well, there were many reports of crashes to desktop or the dreaded blue screen issues for gamers. Windows 10 now handles windowed gaming better than the previous operating systems. What this means for the gamer is that because Windows 10 handles windowed gaming more efficiently, the gamer can alt + tab to the desktop to check emails or launch other programs seamlessly without the constant fear of the operating system crashing.
Windows 10 makes it easier to record gameplay
Gamers love to play games and gamers love to watch other people play games. Recording and sharing gameplay videos on console is very easy to accomplish, but, on computers running window 8.1 or earlier versions, recording gameplay was nothing less than a chore. Gamers had to jump through hoops in order to successfully record gameplay. This included downloading and installing third-party apps like FRAPS.
With Windows 10 however, Microsoft has built a game recorder right into the operating system. Gamers can press the windows logo key + G to bring up the new game bar. The Game bar is a nifty recording tool that will record your in-game clips and save them to your computer’s hard drive.
Windows 10 supports Directx 12
Directx is the API (application programming interface) that games use to communicate with your computer. At its core, it’s the platform which the game uses to get the computer to do what the game needs to run successfully. Up until the launch of Windows 10, Directx 11 was the latest version of this API toolset.
Windows 10 launched with Directx 12 bringing with it new features and advantages over previous versions. Directx 12 brought the ability for graphics cards to use more than one core of the computers CPU (central processing unit) at the same time. The performance between Directx 11 and Directx 12 optimized games has seen an increase of up to 300% between the two API’s. That’s quite a hefty increase by any standards.
However, for a game to be able to take advantage of these performance increases, the game does need to be developed using the Directx 12 API. Gamers can rest assured though that more and more game developers are using the Directx 12 API for their games. Reason enough for gamers to use Windows 10 as their go-to gaming platform.
Windows 10 lets you stream Xbox One games to your computer
Many gamers own both a personal computer and an Xbox One. With Windows 10 you will be able to game on your Xbox whilst using another device such as a laptop or tablet. As long as all devices are running windows 10 on the same network, you will be able to play your Xbox games away from the television.
Windows 10 has an integrated Xbox app
Launching the Windows 10 integrated Xbox app is like booting up your Xbox. Access to your friend's list, saved game videos, activity feeds and achievements is at your fingertips. Gamers can send messages to other gamers, watch video clips and even launch games right from the Windows 10 Xbox app.
Conclusion
Windows 10 has come a long way in the last few years. Microsoft has listened and acted on the gamers needs to provide the very best platform for gaming they can offer. Any gamer still hesitant to upgrade need not worry. Windows 10 is becoming the operating system of choice for hard-core gamers in 2018. Go ahead and upgrade with confidence.
