Apps to avoid or adjust for gaming

The utility handles Windows and your drivers, but a few everyday apps add overhead of their own. None of these need uninstalling (except one); a single setting in each is usually enough.

Adjust these

1. Discord: disable Hardware Acceleration and In-Game Overlay.
2. Spotify: disable Hardware Acceleration.
3. Steam: disable Steam Overlay; remove from startup via Task Manager or Autoruns.
4. Logitech G HUB: uninstall it and use Logitech Onboard Memory Manager instead.
5. Browsers: disable Hardware Acceleration (will make browser slower in certain scenarios, you can keep it ON but be sure not to have your browser open while gaming or when needing maximum GPU performance) and disable “Continue running background apps when closed.”

Avoid entirely

• Periodic Memory Cleaners: avoid them entirely, as they cause stutters.
• Other tweaking tools and custom Windows images: the utility is built to be all you need, and stacking tools on top of each other makes it impossible to tell which one changed what (see before you start).