The life of a gamer isn't all that difficult. At its core, gaming is just an endless cycle of buying games and playing them. With that being said, there are a few frustrations that can crop up every once in a while, and nothing spoils a gaming session faster than a broken controller or faulty keyboard, am I right?
With these simple tips and tricks, you can stave off some of the more aggravating aspects of gaming and restore your sessions to what they ought to have been in the first place: fun and engaging.
Wireless mice and keyboards are convenient, there's no doubt about that. They're portable and they don't weigh you down with cable weight. However, the convenience of being cable-free can prove inconvenient in other ways, especially for gamers.
Wireless speeds. It's true that wireless speeds are good enough for day-to-day computer use, but depending on the games you play, you may need the fastest speeds you can get. The difference of a few milliseconds can be felt when playing a highly-responsive FPS or RTS, and it can be enough to interfere with your play, even with a premium gaming mouse Do You Really Need A Premium Mouse To Be A Competitive PC Gamer? Do You Really Need A Premium Mouse To Be A Competitive PC Gamer? Whether you're trapped in the addiction vortex of Dota 2 or simply nailing headshots in a first-person shooter, you may often wonder: "Do I need a special mouse to compete with everyone else?" Read More .
Wireless interference. More devices utilize wireless technology now than ever before. With all of that data traveling through the air on limited channels, you may run into some wireless interference Wireless Feng Shui: How to Optimize Your House For Best Wi-Fi Reception Wireless Feng Shui: How to Optimize Your House For Best Wi-Fi Reception Setting up a Wi-Fi network should be an easy prospect, shouldn't it? I mean, a house is a closed-in box, and you'd think when you place a device that transmits wireless signals in all directions... Read More . None of that happens with wired mice, keyboards, and Ethernet. The closest issue would be running out of available USB ports, but that isn't much of an issue these days.
Battery life. Batteries are a fact of life for wireless devices and every wireless gamer has at least one story of when their batteries died in the middle of an intense game. Sure, battery life has improved over the years and rechargeable batteries Use the Right Battery Type for the Job Use the Right Battery Type for the Job Batteries are batteries right? Sure, and computers are computers, and tires are tires. Oh, what's that? You say there's a big difference between a Mac and PC, and tractor tires and car tires? Well, so... Read More do exist, but that will just be one less thing on your mind if you use wired devices instead.
Cable storage within toilet paper rolls is not a new idea. In fact, it was first mentioned in Stephanie Winston's Best Organizing Tips book which was published way back in 1996. Despite that, not everyone knows about the trick and, for those of us who knew but forgot, it's always nice to be reminded.
Practically speaking, toilet paper rolls aren't much different from using plastic twist ties to hold your cables together, but they're definitely more tidy. Combine them with an old shoe box or empty package box and you've got yourself a fully-equipped organizer for all cables, whether they're for your consoles or your computers.
The best part is that the reuse of materials helps to cut down on environmental waste 5 Eco Labels For Electronics You Should Know 5 Eco Labels For Electronics You Should Know Eco labels can help you identify greener and more energy efficient devices. They enable you -- the consumer -- to take sustainability concerns into account when buying new electronics. But what do the various labels... Read More . If you need some more ideas for keeping your cables tidy, check out these clutter-free cable storage tips Drowning In Cable Clutter? Cable Storage Tips To Tidy Your Home Drowning In Cable Clutter? Cable Storage Tips To Tidy Your Home Read More .
Speaking of cable management, are you storing them properly? One of the biggest cable gripes for consoles and computers alike is that cables grow faulty over time, which can be just as annoying as wireless interference and dead batteries. However, the issue may be due to an improper coiling technique. Practice the technique in the video above and extend the life of your cables.
So you're playing a game on your computer – or even just browsing the web – and your mouse cable keeps getting caught on the edge of the desk. Or maybe your high-quality woven cable is heavy enough that you constantly feel the pull of it. When concerning mice, all it takes is a tiny pebble in your boot to make you go mad.
That's why you need a mouse bungee. It's a simple apparatus that holds your mouse cable from above, relieving you of its tug even as you push and pull the mouse all across your mouse pad. It's one of those things that you first brush off as a gimmick, then later wonder how you ever lived without it.
Depending on your habits, gaming can rack up some serious costs. Consoles are prohibitively expensive, and games themselves can burn enormous holes in your wallet. Abide by a few simple guidelines, however, and you could end up saving hundreds of dollars.
Don't pre-order. There are many reasons why pre-ordering games can lead to disappointment A Little Restraint Can Save You From Disappointing Games A Little Restraint Can Save You From Disappointing Games Preordering a game can be exciting, but it comes with some drawbacks. Holding off for a little can save you a great deal of money, time, and frustration. Read More . The main reason? You're buying the hype, not the game itself. Whatever bonuses you'd get from a pre-order are rarely worth the price tag, and it seems that gamers are catching on. Recently, Activision noticed an industry-wide decline in pre-orders, and you'd do well to join the trend.
Don't buy on day one. It's tempting to buy games as they launch, but the risks of being an early adopter 5 Reasons Why Being An Early Adopter Is A Bad Idea 5 Reasons Why Being An Early Adopter Is A Bad Idea Are you the type of person who pre-orders the newest tech gadgets as soon as they're available? Then you're an early adopter. Is there a downside? Let's find out. Read More apply here as well. Retail prices are high, you're likely to run into bugs that weren't caught in the Q&A phase, and it's hard to know if the content will match the hype. Wait a bit, see what others think, and only buy when you know it'll be worth it.
Don't impulse buy. Steam summer sales 5 Ways To Make Sure You Get The Best Deals On Steam Games 5 Ways To Make Sure You Get The Best Deals On Steam Games Steam is known for being super convenient for managing one's video game library, and it's also useful in a few other ways, but did you know that with a bit of effort you can obtain... Read More are some of the best value in gaming, but it's prudent to remember that buying something on sale is only saved money if you were going to buy it anyway when it wasn't on sale.
Don't forget about your posture while gaming. Something as simple as a comfortable gaming chair Gamer Specific Chairs: Are They Worth Buying? Gamer Specific Chairs: Are They Worth Buying? Even the most exciting virtual experience ultimately takes place in a chair or on a couch. This presents problems of its own because humans aren't built to sit for hours at a time. One possible... Read More can be the difference between relaxation and chronic aches. For computer gamers, there's a real affliction called "computer fatigue" and you ought to heed these tips for fighting it Log Into Life: Top 9 Tips To Fight Computer Fatigue & Protect Your Health Log Into Life: Top 9 Tips To Fight Computer Fatigue & Protect Your Health Did you know that your sedentary lifestyle could be killing you from the inside out? Ryan has already presented a case on potential health risks from sitting too long, and for those of us who... Read More .
Five years down the road, do you want to be kicking yourself for developing a gaming-related injury 5 Dangerous Gaming Injuries And How To Avoid Them 5 Dangerous Gaming Injuries And How To Avoid Them Imagine that you can no longer grasp a can of soda without your wrist feeling like it wants to explode. That, my friend, is what that innocent-looking game console can do to you. I'm not... Read More ? No, I don't think so.
What other gaming lifehacks do you know? Do you have any little secrets that you use to make your sessions more enjoyable? Share them with us in the comments below!