You just got the machine. Box is open, everything's plugged in. Before you load anything up, there's a short list of things worth doing in the first few days that will save you headaches later.
Step 1: Get Your Drivers and Software Current
First thing. Go to NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel's website directly and pull the latest GPU driver. Don't rely on whatever shipped on the system or what Windows Update found. Outdated GPU drivers are one of the most common reasons a brand-new build underperforms out of the box.
While you're at it:
- Install antivirus software. Windows Defender is fine as a baseline.
- Download your game launchers (Steam, Epic, Battle.net, wherever your library lives).
- Check for a chipset driver update from AMD or Intel's site for your CPU.
That's it for now. Don't go overboard installing utilities. Keep the software stack clean while you're still learning what the system does.
Step 2: Set Up Your Display Correctly
Open your GPU's control panel and confirm your monitor is running at its native resolution and full refresh rate. Windows has a habit of defaulting to 60Hz even when your monitor supports 144Hz or higher.
Set your power plan to High Performance or Balanced. Don't leave it on Power Saver. On AMD systems, check that AMD Ryzen Balanced is selected if it's available.
Step 3: Load a Game You Already Know
Pick something you've played before. Run it at your target settings and get a feel for how the system behaves. If you've got a frame counter (MSI Afterburner with RivaTuner works), turn it on. Watch your GPU and CPU utilization while you play.
Remove any frame cap before reading utilization numbers. A capped framerate makes utilization data meaningless.
Step 4: Set Up Your Physical Space
Adjust your monitor so the top of the screen is roughly at eye level. Get your keyboard and mouse where your arms sit comfortably without your shoulders creeping up. If you're planning long sessions, this matters more than any in-game setting.
Test your audio. Whether you're on headset or speakers, set levels now before you're in a match and everything is too loud or too quiet.
Run a cable if you can, a wired connection beats Wi-Fi for online games.
Step 5: You're Ready to Actually Play
The setup work is done. From here it's about learning what your specific machine likes, finding the graphics settings that hit your target framerate, and getting comfortable with how the system performs across different titles.
If you're still picking out a build or want to configure something that will allow you to avoid worrying about updates, installations, and alike check out the CLX desktops!
