Of course, game consoles have many advantages. However, one of the main advantages of being a PC gamer is that you can do a lot with your system. This includes modding games, tweaking settings and more to get a better gaming experience. Of course, let's not forget about the free Windows apps and software that you can download.
But yes, although there are tons of free gaming software for Windows, not all of them will improve your gaming experience. Some of them will simply take up extra space and waste resources. Others are designed to make your PC gaming experience a little more refined. Want to learn about some of these hidden possibilities? Then you should read on as this guide contains descriptions of many of these programs.
Playnite is a free program for Windows that runs all your games from one place
Juggling multiple launchers can be frustrating. Steam, Epic, GOG, the list goes on. Playnite appears as your knight in shining armor. It's a free solution for consolidating all your games into one unified hub.
Just connect your accounts (or scan your installed games) and voila! Run any game with Playnite effortlessly, without having to remember which platform this or that game is on. Plus, its open source code provides peace of mind about security.
From where to download:
Official site Playnite
Moonlight is a free Windows application for streaming games
Want to experience yourself on the big screen, but stuck at your desk? Unlike consoles, PC gaming has traditionally lacked a convenient streaming solution. Moonlight comes to the rescue! This free program for Windows uses the power of your Nvidia GPU to stream PC games to different devices.
This includes phones, tablets, smart TVs, etc. Yes, you can forget about bulky HDMI cables! Moonlight uses Nvidia GameStream technology for smooth gameplay on the go, turning any space into yours special game harbor
Where to download: Official Moonlight website
CurseForge is a free program for Windows to track your mods
PC gaming thrives on customization, and mods are a powerful tool for personalizing your experience. Mods open up endless possibilities - from adding complex details to optimizing the gameplay. However, managing a growing collection of mods can become an overwhelming task.
Discover CurseForge. This free program for Windows is essentially your one-stop shop for all things modding. This free app acts as a central hub for popular games like Minecraft, World of Warcraft, and The Sims 4. You can view, download, and update mods all in one place. With it, you will be able to carefully organize your gameplay.
Of course, the free version shows ads. But part of this income goes directly to support the creators of the modifications. If you want to play ad-free, you can always purchase a paid upgrade.
From where to download: CurseForge Official Site
Nvidia FrameView is a free game benchmarking program for Windows
Have you ever come across games that lack built-in benchmarks? But first, why are they needed? Benchmarking allows you to measure game performance. This is very important for understanding its capabilities and optimizing settings. This is where Nvidia FrameView comes to the rescue. This is a free program for Windows, specially developed for benchmarking without frustration.
FrameView allows you to measure and record key metrics. This includes frame rate, time between frames, and even GPU power consumption. Simple use hotkeys to collect data for a specific period. This makes it easy to compare different settings. Imagine changing your graphics settings and instantly seeing how it affects performance. FrameView makes this very simple.
From where to download: Official Nvidia website
HWiNFO is a free program for Windows for temperature monitoring
It's happened to all of us PC gamers - a terrible drop in performance caused by overheating. HWiNFO (or HWiNFO64) helps same here. It is a free real-time system monitoring solution. This handy tool for Windows keeps you informed of the most important metrics. These include GPU temperature and CPU voltage. This allows you to spot potential thermal throttling issues before they affect your gameplay.
HWiNFO goes beyond simple readings. You can visualize temperature fluctuations over time with detailed graphs. You can even pin important sensor data (such as CPU temperature) to the taskbar for constant monitoring. With the help of HWiNFO, you can monitor the health of your system and ensure its smooth operation. It easily making it a must-have free Windows app for gaming.
Where download : Official website of HWiNFO
WinDirStat is a free Windows program for your drives
Even the most capacious SSD drives can bend under the weight of modern games. Let's also not forget about downloading videos and other applications. In general, you can find yourself desperate for a free seat at any time. Unlike the limited Windows storage management tools, WinDirStat comes to the rescue.
This free program for Windows works as a disk detector. It detects "pigs" hiding on your drives. This handy app provides a visual representation of your storage usage. It allows exactly to determine which files and folders take up the most space. You can find a giant installation of a game or an archive of forgotten videos. WinDirStat makes it easy to manage your storage.
From where to download: WinDirStat official website
