Keeping your computer running at peak performance requires you to do a little work on it once in a while. Some of it is easy, some is a bit more involved. Covering the basics, this chapter discusses system requirements, graphics, and audio drivers, disk performance, and more.

Maximizing Your Performance
We all know PCs are getting more and more complex. Even so, if you're a casual computer user, you can get away with working on an outdated, less-than-optimal system. But if you are a gamer, you must update your system along with the complexity curve. Being on this curve might require a big hard drive, perhaps a Voodoo2 SLI 3D setup, a fast primary graphics card, a 3D positional audio accelerator, and a ripping-fast Internet connection. The trick, then, isn't to get the system components, but to keep it all humming sweetly - and doing so is enough to make even the most die-hard gamer want to exchange his rig for the wardrobe of a Trappist monk.

TIP
As a rule of thumb, start with the easiest solution first and progressively work your way toward the more difficult ones. You will save yourself a lot of frustration if you always keep this simple rule in mind.

So, let's take a look at performance tuning. Along the way, we will go down some side streets and examine some free - or nearly free - ways of maximizing your existing system's performance.

Next: A Look at Graphics