If you’re a gamer, chances are high that you’ve thought about playing games on your computer. But what if you’re using a Mac? Will it work? What sort of games will be supported? Don’t worry! We’ve got all the answers for you!
All of the following apps have been carefully reviewed by our team and found to be compatible with both Windows and Mac PCs. You can find more information about each one in the reviews below.
Not sure if you want to buy an app for your PC gaming needs? Check out our free trial offer. If we don’t think it’s worth it, we’ll refund 100% of your purchase within 30 days – no questions asked!
Best Apps For Pc Gaming
Nowadays, one doesn’t need to be a Twitch streamer to rock a killer PC build. So then there’s no sense in stopping at the hardware level. In fact, there are a plethora of third-party apps out there to make navigation and maintenance a darn sight better than what vanilla Windows 10 offers out of the box.
Today, let’s take a look at some of the best apps to install for any gaming PC. These apps tackle a number of different things, but when installed in conjunction, they can transform a regular rig into a full-fledged entertainment tour de force.
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Updated on October 2, 2021, by Jessica Filby: If you’re a PC gamer then it’s no secret that you spend most of your time relaxing in front of the computer screen. This is a wonderful way to spend downtime, but there are always ways to make this time easier and a little more optimized. After all, the best apps for your PC aren’t always the games you install or the virus protection you swear by. Sometimes it’s monitoring your performance, cleaning up that desktop filled with games from several different sites, or even just protecting your eyes from that harsh blue light at 4am. Nevertheless, look no further for some of the best gaming apps for your PC and the best app for gamers as a whole.
12
Steam
Gaming PC Apps Steam
It may be a little obvious that you should have Steam on your PC but for some, it just flies under the radar so it’s still incredibly important to mention. Steam is a staple for any PC gamer and will end up being one of the best and most useful free apps you have.
For those who are unaware, Steam is essentially software that acts as a store for all the games you choose to purchase on there. It’s pretty much the go-to place for developers when looking to publish their games since Steam sells every game available unless another company buys the rights to it. Nevertheless, you can buy anything from free-to-play games to brand new titles. Steam is a must-have, and it’s free to install. You still need to buy the games though.
11
Razer Cortex: Game Booster
Gaming PC Apps Razer Cortex Game Booster
Don’t be fooled by the name. The Razer Cortex Game Booster isn’t just for those who have kitted their setup with all things Razer. It’s designed to optimize your PC’s settings no matter the gaming platform you choose to use.
This free app is perfect for setups of any price, power, or performance and doesn’t need any PC wizardry to run it either. It will begin enhancing your settings instantly which makes it a wonderful app for your gaming PC, especially if it’s your first.
10
Discord
image of the purple Discord logo on a black background
The days of Ventrilo and TeamSpeak are essentially long over. Even Skype is not nearly used as much for gaming as it once was. This might be due to many games developing their own chat systems, but the smart money bets on Discord. This likely includes anyone who has ever played Among Us.
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Its diversity of features, ubiquity and freemium model make it an obvious choice for many. Like Slack, it also allows for more organization within a single Discord. You can also navigate from one Discord to another seamlessly using the sidebar on mobile and desktop apps.
9
KeyTweak
image of the KeyTweak interface
Investing in a super high-end keyboard isn’t really necessary these days. You can get an RGB keyboard with cherry keys in a variety of designs for less than $30 in some cases. However, many players are also switching to non-traditional keyboards out of necessity or desire.
This requires a program like KeyTweak that allows people to remap their keyboard layouts. The less than 500kb program doesn’t currently have dev support, but it is compatible with Windows 10 PCs. Some alternatives include programs like Autohotkey or Sharpkeys for people who want a supported program.
8
SSD Fresh
image of SSD Fresh interface
While advanced Windows users can manually configure many of the options found in SSD Fresh, there’s no denying how easy the program makes the entire process. SSD Fresh will detect and scan your SSD drives to determine whether they’re running at peak efficiency. Chances are, they’ll be in the red-line when you first start the program up.
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A series of personal optimization choices will cause the needle to inch closer to the green, which indicates that your SSD is running at peak efficiency. It allows you to turn off Windows features such as Hibernate, Indexing and kernel swapping in order to free up resources and keep your drive running like a Ferrari.
7
Equalizer APO
image of Equalizer APO interface
At first glance, this little program doesn’t look like much, but it’s actually one of the most robust audio equalizers available. It can act as a full-on replacement for a sound card’s undoubtedly limited audio options.
Equalizer APO features a list of items that can be stacked vertically to customize the perfect sound environment. In addition to a 15-band, 31-band, and variable EQ, users can also stack a preamp, low and high pass filters, loudness correction, and VST plugins. Once configured, it will run silently in the background, eliminating the need to fuss with secondary audio apps.
6
CleanMyPc
image of CleanmyPC interface
Keeping any computer clean regarding files is almost as challenging as keeping Henry Cavill clean during The Witcher. And though there are many competitors, MacPaw’s interface for CleanMyPC is one of the best. It’s intuitive, user-friendly, and easy to understand.
With a few clicks, you can clean out the build-up of garbage files that accumulate in a system, set Autorun programs, and shred files, and Recycle bin items so they can’t be recovered. The only tricky thing is the Registry cleaner as this feature carries many inherent risks in today’s technological ecosystem.
5
Bluestacks
image of Bluestacks interface
Itching to play Android-based games and apps on a PC? Then an emulator is the way to go and Bluestacks seems to be the platinum standard. This handy little program creates an Android environment within Windows as a self-contained bubble to play games in/on.
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You’ll need to enable virtualization on their motherboard in order to fully take advantage of virtual machines like Bluestacks. This can vary depending on specific hardware in any given PC. Luckily, a quick Google search or thumbing through the MoBo manual can show people how to enter their BIOS and turn this feature on. Most will have it disabled by default.
4
QuickLook
image of Quicklook interface
This free app from Paddy Xu can be found in the Microsoft Store. It’s one of those “never knew I needed it” kinds of programs that can make Windows navigation so much better. Essentially, Quick Look emulates the Mac OS-inspired Preview function triggered when someone highlights a folder or file and taps the space bar.
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This particular version of Quick Look is far more powerful than the Mac equivalent. Features such as mouse wheel volume control and zoom functionality take it to the next level. It’s a great way to quickly view photos, document content, movies, or folder data with a simple button press.
3
Winlaunch
image of Winlaunch interface
Mac users are already familiar with the kind of interface Winlaunch offers. But this particular app is leaps and bounds beyond the Apple rival. This extremely useful launcher eliminates the need to clutter a desktop with unsightly icons or navigate the Start menu.
gaming tools for pc download
Looking for essential free apps for your new gaming PC? You’ve come to the right place. Whether you’ve just bought yourself a gaming PC or built one from scratch, that humming mass of silicon and plastic is in need of superior software to take it to said limits. Lucky for you, even if you’ve just blown all your cash on your rig, there are a few such apps out there that won’t cost you a dime.
Don’t let your shiny new PC sitting in pride of place in your office wait to be pushed to its limits until you refill your bank balance. There are quite a few essential free apps for your new gaming PC that you can download now, at no cost to you, as long as you know where to look.
Our carefully collated collection of complimentary curatives should start you off on the right foot, just in time for PC Gaming Week 2020. These 10 essential free apps for your new gaming PC will help turn your burgeoning beast into a towering powerhouse, enabling you to track frame rates, voice chat with ease, and stream like a seasoned pro.
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Steam
- Steam
Valve’s essential PC gaming platform and marketplace
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Okay, this one’s an easy sell. If you’ve built or bought a shiny new PC for the express purpose of gaming, there’s one piece of software you simply won’t be able to live without: good ol’ Steam. We love it here at TechRadar, and we’re pretty sure you’ll have a lot of affection for it too.
Steam gives PC owners the kind of secure, professional ecosystem normally associated with closed–box consoles. You can search for free–to–play games, inexpensive indies or full blown triple–A titles, and launch them directly from the software. There’s even support for achievements, plus Big Picture mode for gaming from your sofa.
Download Steam
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LogMeIn Hamachi
- LogMeIn Hamachi
Enjoy multiplayer games over a secure virtual network, completely free
If you want to organize secure meetings or record multiple contributors to a podcast or game session, you need to be able to rely on a strong and robust VPN (virtual private network).
As you might have guessed since it’s included in this list LogMeIn Hamachi is totally free to use, but don’t let the absence of a price tag scare you off – free most definitely does not equal ‘cheap’.
Hamachi enables you to establish an airtight network between multiple computers and do everything from sharing files to playing private games, using a super–secure P2P protocol to ensure it can smoothly access servers, firewalls and routers. It boasts one of the simplest interfaces we’ve ever used in the world of VPNs, so if you’re relatively new to the concept, Hamachi won’t make you feel a total noob.
Download LogMeIn Hamachi
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Razer Cortex Game Booster
- Razer Cortex: Game Booster
Optimize your PC’s settings, no matter what gaming platform you’re using
Razer, as a long established maker of PC gaming peripherals, also makes some very powerful free software to optimize your machine. Of course, there are areas of the suite that will lead you to some of Razer’s premium apps, but there’s still a lot of gratis gold to be mined from Razer Cortex: Game Booster.
It’s been designed to work with every kind of PC, so whether you’re rocking a basic build or a souped–up monster of a rig, Game Booster has something to offer your machine. Whether you’re using Steam, Origin or any other platform to launch your games, Game Booster will start trying to enhance your settings to improve your experience automatically.
It’s a really clever bit of free software for your gaming PC, and it’s ideal if you’re looking for a little extra improvement without much effort. It’s also great if you want to make an older PC work a little harder.
Download Razer Cortex: Game Booster
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TeamSpeak
- TeamSpeak
The perfect voice chat application for gamers, with optional encryption
Gaming can be a great source of escapism, but few things compare to joining up with your friends online for a good chat over your headset. Whether you want to link up on World of Warcraft or simply chew the fat while everyone is playing their own thing, a great a VoIP (voice over internet protocol) app is essential.
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to voice chat, but our favorite VoIP app is TeamSpeak. You can connect to your friends with ease, and its suite of options is seriously impressive, enabling you to tune sound levels, employ echo reduction and even use encryption.
TeamSpeak is free for everyday non-commercial PC use, though you’ll have to open your wallet to rent a server or use the mobile app.
Download TeamSpeak
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MSI Afterburner
- MSI Afterburner
The best free overclocking tool to wring extra performance from your GPU
MSI originally wrote Afterburner to overclock its own range of graphics cards, but the software has since been opened up to enable Nvidia and AMD card owners to push their hardware to the limit. If you have even a passing interest in making your new gaming PC’s graphics card earn its price tag, free optimization software MSI Afterburner is essential.
Think of MSI Afterburner as the way to unlock the inner potential of your GPU – the software opens up the voltage settings of your chosen bit of hardware and enables you to improve its overall performance.
Video memory and clock speed are the two areas MSI Afterburner shines the most when it comes to overclocking your machine. Be warned, though – mucking about with this settings can seriously overheat your rig, so make sure your cooling unit is set to full blast before you start cooking your GPU.
Download MSI Afterburner
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OBS Studio
- OBS Studio
High-end recording and streaming software for YouTube, Twitch and more
You’ve got your new PC, a stable internet connection and an unhealthy obsession with gaming. There’s only one way this is going to go: streaming.
There are plenty of options out there when it comes to broadcasting your games, but far too many constrict you with unnecessary limitations. That’s where OBS Studio comes in – a brilliantly customizable piece of freeware that enables you to stream to your own server or a variety of popular portals (including Twitch, DailyMotion and more).
Setting up OBS Studio is really easy too, so if you’re relatively new to the streaming scene you won’t get lost amid all those options. Should you want to get a little more advanced, there’s the option to adjust your webcam footage and add images/graphics to add that extra level of professionalism.
OBS Studio also supports HD streaming, so if you’re into broadcasting with a higher level of quality you can maintain your pristine image online.
OBS Studio review
Download OBS Studio
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f.lux
- f.lux
A free app that adjusts your display automatically to protect your eyes
Away from your smartphone, gaming sessions usually mean long stretches in front of your display, straining those peepers of yours in the quest for trophies and achievements. It’s a fine old life, but it’s not going to do your eyes any good in the long run. One potential solution is a piece of software specifically designed to make your monitor that bit less damaging over long periods.
One such option is f.lux, and it’s especially useful if you like getting in your gaming hours later at night with the lights down low. This free Windows app works by dynamically adjusting the colour temperature of your display depending on the time of day and the light sources in the place you have your new gaming PC PC set up. It will help reduce eye strain and potentially improve sleep patterns when gaming later in the evening. It’s also pretty tiny, and won’t gobble up system resources better used by your favorite games.
Download f.lux
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CPU-Z
- CPU-Z
Get detailed info about your PC’s performance and identify ways to boost it
Much like MSI Afterburner and f.lux, CPU–Z is all about fine–tuning your beloved PC gaming machine into a well–oiled, well, machine.
It’s certainly not an attractive program, but it’s the kind of back end kit you should really try if you want to get your PC in the best possible condition (especially if you’re trying to break into the eSports scene or you’re building a career in streaming).
CPU–Z enables you to review all kinds of detailed information about various areas of your PC in a fairly straightforward format. It’s certainly not for the faint hearted, but it’s definitely worth spending some time with if maximizing PC performance is your bag. You can see what’s going on in real time, and save reports at any time in TXT or HTML format.
Download CPU-Z
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Piriform CCleaner screen grab
- Piriform CCleaner
Clean out junk files to free up space, and suspend resource-hungry programs
Whether you realize it or not, your gaming PC or laptop is full of files and various bits of digital detritus you simply don’t need. All those extra bits and bobs take up valuable space, and that means said PC is going to run slower and slower as time goes by. Not the kind of situation you want with a gaming–dedicated rig. The solution: a proper cleaning utility like Piriform CCleaner.
It can delete temporary files and broken Windows registry entries automatically, and identify software your system doesn’t need. There is a caveat, though: CCleaner is very powerful, so make sure you check its settings before turning it loose on your machine to avoid accidentally deleting anything you’d rather hang onto (saved passwords in your web browser, for example). Still, CCleaner is an excellent free app for your new gaming PC.
Piriform CCleaner review
Download Piriform CCleaner
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Iolo System Mechanic
- Iolo System Mechanic
Analyze and optimize your PC for a noticeable performance boost
Another great option for cleaning up and optimizing your Windows PC is Iolo System Mechanic. There isn’t much benefit in running both, but this would be our preference if you’re not too confident tinkering with software settings yourself and would prefer a wizard-based program to make the decisions for you.
You’ll need to invest in the premium version of System Mechanic if you want extra tools like real-time optimization, but for clearing out the cruft from your system without the worry that you might accidentally delete something important, the free edition is hard to beat.
Iolo System Mechanic review
Download Iolo System Mechanic
TechRadar’s PC Gaming Week 2020 is celebrating the most powerful gaming platform on Earth with articles, interviews and essential buying guides that showcase how diverse, imaginative, and remarkable PC games – and gamers – can be. Visit our PC Gaming Week 2020 page to see all our coverage in one place.
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