Have you noticed your gaming PC hasn’t been working as well as it used to? Maybe the frame rate skips during games, or the fans sound like they’re about to take off. Like any piece of machinery, a PC requires care and attention to keep it running like new. This handy guide shows you the importance of gaming PC maintenance and how to ensure your system runs smoothly at all times, from keeping the hardware free of dust to taking care of data and software.

What are the Risks of Not Maintaining Your PC?

Neglecting to care for your system can not only reduce its capabilities in the short term, but can also do permanent damage to its hardware. To give an example, failing to clean the fans and filters regularly could result in the system overheating, which can in turn lead to further problems, including:

• Reduced performance and responsiveness

• Higher power usage

• Increased noise from fans spinning at higher speeds

• Physical damage and reduced lifespan of components

• System crashes, which could result in corrupting or losing data

However, it’s not just the hardware that needs to be maintained, but the software, too. For instance, outdated drivers can slow down your PC’s performance or even lead to security vulnerabilities, leaving your data exposed to malicious third parties. If you want to learn more about gaming PC maintenance, read on.

How to Protect Your System From Dust

An accumulation of dust on your PC’s internal components could disrupt airflow, leading to thermal throttling, i.e. reduced performance due to overheating. If left for too long, this could lead to lasting damage to your system’s hardware, permanently affecting its ability to run more advanced programmes and games. A common sign that your PC is starting to gather dust is if the fan is louder than usual, which could be due to thermal throttling.

Before tackling the dust problem, it’s crucial to make sure your PC is powered down before opening the case and inspecting its components, as interfering with working parts could cause long-term harm. Once your PC is turned off, simply open the case and use a can of compressed air and/or a microfiber cloth to carefully remove the dust from the fans and heatsinks. Additionally, placing your system on a stand rather than on a carpet offers better airflow and reduces the buildup of dust, making it easier to clean.

Replacing Thermal Paste

If your CPU is running hotter than usual but there are no signs of dust, it may be a wise idea to check the thermal paste.

Thermal paste helps fill in air gaps between the CPU and cooler, helping with heat dissipation and helping it to run without problems. The paste is liable to degrade over time, with a life expectancy of around 2-3 years before it begins to crack and dry out, necessitating a fresh application. Using too much paste could result in spilling onto your PC’s other parts or insulating the heat, while using too little will not conduct heat efficiently. Both of these can ultimately cause your system to overheat, so try to apply a pea-sized blob of paste each time for optimal heat flow. After purchasing a PC from us at Alex Davis PCs, we offer a thermal paste replacement service to customers if needed.

Liquid-Cooled Gaming PC Maintenance

Higher spec systems occasionally use a series of internal pumps or tubes containing water or another coolant that absorbs heat from other components, allowing for more efficient heat flow than regular air cooling.

All-in-one, or AiO, cooling systems require minimal maintenance, simply needing the radiator and fans to be kept free from dust as the liquid loop is a sealed unit and is not intended to be opened. On the other hand, custom loop cooling systems should ideally be flushed every year or so, and the tubing cleaned out using compressed air before being refilled with fresh coolant to regulate your system’s temperature.

Updating Hardware Drivers

Drivers are what allow the computer’s operating system to interact with hardware. This doesn’t just include peripherals like mice, keyboards, and controllers, but also essential components like graphics cards and audio outputs. Driver updates not only improve device compatibility but can also include security patches, meaning not updating can slow down your system’s performance as well as leave it vulnerable to bugs or malware.

It’s vital to regularly check for and install driver updates to optimise your PC’s performance. This can be done from the hardware manufacturer’s website or by using specific software to search for and install driver updates as they’re released. If your PC uses Windows, you can easily check for driver updates through the Device Manager program.

Cable Management

Over time, your system’s power cable, peripheral USB leads, and audio/video cables can get tangled. Messy cables aren’t just a trip hazard; they could also lead to overheating or even a fire if you’re not careful. Using cable clips or ties can help keep them from tangling and getting damaged, in addition to making your PC easier to clean.

Data Backups

In the unfortunate event of a hardware failure, your PC’s storage can become lost or corrupted, potentially resulting in a loss of saved files or even corruption of downloaded games and software. To prevent losing your data, it’s important to get into the habit of regular backups.

There are many cloud service providers, such as Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, that allow you to upload your files so they can be accessed again in case they’re lost. An external HDD offers a more private solution for securing your data. Backups are also vital for migrating data from one PC to another if you happen to upgrade your system, and it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to data protection.

Hopefully, the above tips can help you with gaming PC maintenance for optimum performance over time. At Alex Davis PCs, we want to make sure you’re nothing short of satisfied with your purchase, and that’s why we offer lifetime technical support for our customers. If you require any additional help for maintaining your gaming PC, don’t hesitate to get in touch.