Computer

How to use Microsoft Teams v1

By admin August 27, 2024

How to use Microsoft Teams v1, Learning how to use Microsoft Teams properly can save you heaps of time. It has a built-in whiteboard, video chat functionality, team organization tools, and integrates well with the Microsoft 365 productivity cloud and its suite of useful applications.

With both educational and business interactions increasingly moving online, it is more crucial than ever to effectively communicate and organize with large groups to achieve common goals, impart knowledge, and create a productive environment for work and learning. Read on to find out more about how to use Microsoft Teams.

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What is Microsoft Teams?

Created by Microsoft as a collaboration app, Teams combines the best features from Microsoft Classroom and Skype for Business to create a program capable of file storage, app integration, videoconferencing, instant messaging, VoIP calling, and granular organization of team and collaborators.

Teams has more than 270 million users around the world and is the most popular collaboration app with businesses. However, it is not only a business app. More than 1 million people use Teams as their primary messaging app as well.

The app itself is packed with functionality. For starters, people can silo different parts of their lives into independent Teams. For example, a person could have personal chats and work chats independent of each other. These are the nuts and bolts of what Microsoft Teams is.

Each Team has one-on-one chats (called Chats), group chats (called Teams Channels), file sharing, group whiteboards, and video calling with up to 100 people. There’s also the ability to schedule events directly in the app so everybody involved receives it in their calendars, and users can set reminders in the app.

Finally, there’s the ability to customize profile pictures for both individuals and entire groups, and users can set their availability status directly in the app so others know if they’re around or not.

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How to use Microsoft Teams v1

How to install Microsoft Teams on PC

Microsoft Teams is free to use. However, if you want to unlock full functionality with seamless syncing between OneDrive, Calendar, To Do, and other Microsoft apps, you’ll want a Microsoft 365 account. For mobile devices, simply head to the App Store, search for “Microsoft Teams,” and install the app.

Most modern Windows PCs come with Teams pre-installed. However, if your computer doesn’t have it, the process is straightforward.

Step 1: Download Teams from Microsoft.

Step 2: Run the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to install Microsoft Teams.

Step 3: Sign in with your Microsoft account when Teams opens.

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How to set up Teams for individuals

Teams is a fantastic communication tool for everyday use. Not only can you make video calls with your loved ones, but you can also text them via SMS directly from Teams!

Setting it up is straightforward and should only take a minute or two.

Step 1: In Windows, open the Start menu and select Teams. On Mac, open the Launchpad and click on Teams.

Step 2: Sign in with your Microsoft account.

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How to set up Teams for organizations

Businesses and organizations can set up Teams just as easily as individuals. The difference is that the organization will need to invite members to join its Team. This process is simple enough, but each person on the team will need to install and set up Teams on their end.

Organizations will also need an active Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise subscription to work, and they’ll need a valid domain name. Another thing to note is the full Business or Enterprise versions of Teams are not available for academic institutions.

Once all team members have Teams installed, setting up Teams for everybody to use is simple. Here’s how:

Step 1: Open Teams from the Start menu or Launchpad (on Mac).

Step 2: Select Sign up for Teams.

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Step 3: Enter your organization’s identity and press Next.

Step 4: Enter your details, then select Set up Teams.

Step 5: Invite your team to join your organization.

Microsoft will email you a link you can use to invite your team members, or you can click on the Teams icon on the left-side menu and select Invite people at the bottom.

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How to chat in Teams

Chatting is arguably Teams’ strongest suit. Whether as an individual user or as part of an organization, chats keep you connected.

Microsoft Teams has the same chatting capabilities you would expect to find in other chat apps such as WhatsApp and iMessage. It is also a strong competitor to Slack when it comes to team-based chats. You’ll find the app fairly straightforward to use.

Step 1: Select Chat from the left-side menu bar.

Step 2: Select New Chat from the little box with a pen above it. You’ll find this in the Chat window to the right of the menu bar.

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Step 3: Type the name of the person or people with whom you wish to chat in the “to” field.

Teams will automatically suggest people in your organization or your contact list.

Step 4: Write your message in the Type new message field.

You can easily find all your chats in the Chat menu. Teams will keep them the moment you begin a new chat.

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How to use Channels in Teams

Channels are sections of your Team where you can keep everything organized by subject, projects, etc. However, they are called Teams, not Channels. Yet when it comes to usage, Microsoft calls them Channels, and the overall organization is the “Team.” It’s confusing, we know.

Channels (or Teams) are big group chats where entire teams of people (there it is again) can message each other, share files, join video conferences, and more. Admins can set roles within the team, such as Team Owner and Team Member. They can also designate moderators to manage content on the channel … err, team.

Each team automatically comes with a “general” channel, but if you’re running a business, you’ll probably want to break that down into more focused silos. Here’s how.

Step 1: Click on the Teams icon in the left-side menu bar.

Step 2: Click Join or create a Team at the bottom of the screen.

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Step 3: Choose whether to create a team From scratch or From a Group or Team to add any existing group or team contacts.

Step 4: Select Private, Public, or Org-wide for your Team’s privacy level, then enter a name and description.

Step 5: Select Create Team to finish the process. We have a more in-depth look at how to create a team in Microsoft Teams if you wish to explore the options further.

How to share files in Teams

One of Microsoft Teams standout features is the ability to share files large and small with your entire organization. OneDrive and Sharepoint can be embedded right into the application, giving you quick access to your cloud files on every device.

Step 1: From a chat window, select the Attach icon resembling a paperclip and click either OneDrive or Upload from my computer. You can also copy and paste the sharing URL into the compose-message box.

Step 2: Sharing files is exactly the same for channels, but the Attach options also include Recent and Browse Teams and Channels.

Step 3: After the file finishes attaching, select Send to share your file.

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How to use a whiteboard in Teams

Whiteboard access is one of the newest additions to Microsoft Teams, and it turns the platform into a productivity powerhouse for businesses and organizations. You can brainstorm, make diagrams, and doodle mindlessly while everyone watches.

The Whiteboard function is only available during a team meeting. However, admins will first need to enable the ability.

Step 1: (Admins only) Visit the Microsoft Teams Admin Center – opens in a web page.

Step 2: Click Settings.

Step 3: Select Services and add-ins.

Step 4: Scroll down to Whiteboard.

Step 5: Toggle Turn Whiteboard on or off for entire organization to “on.”

Step 6: Head to the Teams icon in the left-side menu bar of the Teams app.

Step 7: Find the Team (aka Channel) with whom you want to share a whiteboard.

Step 8: Click on the *Meet now * icon on the top-right corner of the Team chat (it looks like a film camera).

Step 9: Name your meeting and press Join now.

Step 10: Once in the meeting, select Share.

Step 11: In the Whiteboard section, select Microsoft Whiteboard.

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How to schedule events in Teams

You can easily schedule meetings and live events in Teams. and every member will be notified. Once they accept, the meeting or event will appear in their Microsoft 365 calendar. You can do this with recurring events as well.

Step 1: Go to the Teams tab in the left-side menu bar.

Step 2: Choose the team with whom you want to have a meeting.

Step 3: Click on Schedule a meeting under the chat box.

Step 4: Select Calendar on the left side of the meeting pop-up.

Step 5: Click on New meeting.

Step 6: Select the date and time for the meeting from the pop-up.

Step 7: Select Save.

Step 8: Alternatively, you can use the Scheduling Assistant to help you find the best time for a meeting with all the team members.

Scheduling Assistant is what Microsoft has down with Cortana, their now-defunct virtual assistant. Select this option, and the assistant will show you the free and busy times of your team members.

How to make video calls in Teams

Teams allows you to make one-on-one video calls or conduct group video calls with up to 100 participants. Everyone can chat, share files, and work on a whiteboard during these calls.

Step 1: From your chat list, select the New chat button.

Step 2: Enter the name or names of your contacts into the To field at the top of the chat.

Step 3: Select the Video call button resembling a camera to start a call. Note that you can record a Microsoft Teams meeting if this is required for review later.

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How to share your screen in Teams

You can share your screen with team members during a Teams video call. The process is easy. Here’s how.

Step 1: While in a Teams meeting, click Share in the center of the screen, then select the window, document, or screen to share.

Step 2: When finished, click Stop sharing in the bottom right.

Note that a red border appears around any content that you are actively sharing.

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How to check your messages and notifications on Teams

The Activity feed serves as a one-stop shop for viewing all messages, whether you joined or were given control of a team, replies to your posts as well as posts you’ve liked, suggested posts, and trending posts. You will receive a notification in both the Chat menu and Activity feed when you receive a message, but other notifications can be found only under Activities.

Any DMs sent between individuals or groups will remain private, whereas sending a message in a channel will cause a notification to appear in your Activity feed. Channel messages can also help you send preview cards that detail activities on the Teams app.

Note that if you are unavailable, you can set an out of office message in Microsoft Teams.

How to change your settings on Teams

While Teams offers a plethora of options including language, keyboard shortcuts, and app settings, here’s how to set up the three most important settings. Namely, how to change your profile picture, configure your privacy settings, and choose a theme.

Step 1: Select your Account icon in the top-right corner.

Step 2: Click Settings.

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How to change your profile picture on Teams

Step 1: From the Settings menu, select Edit profile.

Step 2: Select the Upload picture button to open a File Upload window.

Step 3: Select your new image, and click the Open button to upload your photo.

Step 4: Select Save.

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How to change your privacy settings on Teams

Select the Security tab to adjust your security settings, including Do Not Disturb, priority access, call-blocking, read receipts and survey participation.

Note that if you change the read receipt settings, you will have to close all chats for the settings to take hold.

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How to choose a theme on Teams

Step 1: From the Teams app, select your Account icon in the upper-right corner to open the main menu and click Settings.

Step 2: Select the General tab and decide between Default, Dark, and High Contrast.

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How to send an SMS with Teams

The great thing about Microsoft Teams is its ability to send SMS messages to non-Teams users. This function is a perk to using a personal Teams account that businesses don’t have.

Step 1: Click on the Chat tab in left-side menu.

Step 2: Select New Chat.

Step 3: Enter your recipient’s phone number in the To: field.

Step 4: Enter a name for your contact. They won’t see the name you assign — this is solely for your use.

Step 5: Type a message and send it.

Teams is jam-packed with functionality for organizations and individuals. Microsoft has clearly separated it from competitors like Slack by adding a host of features, from Whiteboard to SMS messaging. It’s no wonder Teams is one of the most used business applications in the world today.

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Games

Best Free City Building Games in 2024

By admin May 20, 2024

Best Free City Building Games in 2024, Do you want to play the best city building games for Windows PC? In this comprehensive article, you will learn 8 most popular city building games to play in 2024. Read on to the entire article for complete information.

In the course of playing one of the top city-building games, you will find yourself wasting many hours growing your city, perfecting your infrastructure, and concentrating on your trade. You may construct magnificent cities and give them your own personal touch. Whether you want to construct a modest mountain village, a future tech center, or an ancient empire, you will find what you are searching for in the list that is provided here. Although city-building games often have a high learning curve and a large amount of material, novice players may enjoy themselves by playing any of the games on our list from the beginning.

Top 8 Best Free City Building Games For PC in 2024

Currently, the following are the best city building games that are available for play on computers:

1. Cities: Skylines

For the complete and utter delight of any person’s inner-city planner, this immediate classic captured the essence of SimCity series and boosted it up to a higher level. Create the most popular seaside clubbing zone in the area by devoting a significant amount of time to refining your highway swaps or by using specialized zoning rules.

Players have godlike influence over every area of life, from budgets to bus timetables, so it is easy to spend hours geeking out in the weeds as your city expands. Players have the ability to regulate every aspect of existence. Cities: Skylines – An absolute need for everyone who is passionate about the genre. There are over ten expansion packs available for Skylines, ranging from Parklife to Mass Transit, allowing players to keep things exciting. Overall, it is one of the best city building games that you can play on your PC.

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2. Frostpunk

There is a possibility that this city building game is the ideal choice for you if you are someone who enjoys dark role-playing narratives. Frostpunk is a work of historical fiction that takes place in the late 1800s, after the cataclysmic explosions carried out by two stratovolcanoes, Mount Tambora and Krakatoa, had induced a global volcanic winter.

Constructing a camp for refugees and maintaining civilization is your task as the commander of an institution located in the coal-rich northern region of the country. The repercussions of imposing child labor and 24-hour work shifts while also keeping a restless populace at bay are something that you will have to think about in Frostpunk, in contrast to other top-rated city-building games that may have you focusing on things like commercial and residential taxation.

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3. Anno 1800

Create a time machine since this cool city building game is perfect for those who are interested in history as well as those who create cities. This seventh entry in the Anno series, titled Anno 1800, takes place during the time period known as the Industrial Revolution, which, for those of you who skipped history class, corresponds to the 19th century.

While you are concentrating on the strategy of your craftsmen and inhabitants, who are obsessed with production and consumption, you will need to manage the delicate supply-demand balance that exists between your Old World city and a parallel New World metropolis and manage it. You will be able to minimize the spread of industrialized industries in your city while enjoying the whimsical architecture of the period. However, the drawback of this great city building game is that the PC users are the only ones who can access it.

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4. Tropico 6

You will have another opportunity to manage, influence, and construct your very own banana republic this time around since El Presidente has returned to Tropico 6. The Tropico games are city builders, and if you haven’t played one before, you should know that they let you engage in all of the devious and corrupt activities that you are not meant to do when you are constructing a city. As the undisputed monarch of your island, it is your responsibility to deliver brilliant speeches in order to maintain the happiness of your people while simultaneously maximizing the value of the land and the resources available to you.

Tropico 6 is a game that is a lot of fun to play, not only because it is so insane, but also because it is a city builder that is very enjoyable. DLC, on the other hand, makes it even more enjoyable.

Playing Tropico 6 is such a delightful experience that it is difficult to overstate how much fun it is. Give Tropico 6 a try if you find that the icy industry of Anno 1800 and the dismal survival of Frostpunk are simply too much for you to handle. In short, it is one of the best games for city building available on this list.

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5. SimCity 4

The SimCity series has indeed been around for over twenty years, but no list of good city building games would be complete without including it, even if it were just in an honorary capacity. Despite being the finest game in the series, SimCity 4 was the pinnacle of the genre at the time it was released. It also served as a model for all subsequent games in the series.

This realistic builder, much like its spiritual sequel Cities: Skylines, has a strong emphasis on city planning and challenges players to strike a balance between the many requirements of a developing city and the resources that are available. On the other hand, this best city making game was exceptional for two distinct reasons: Players were able to import their very own Sims into their city, and it was the first game in the genre to allow for 3D rendering.

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6. RimWorld

The next best free city building game that you can play is RimWorld. This is basically a colony simulator; a place where almost anything may take place. You take the helm of a new colony that is being established on a rim world, which is a planet that is situated on the periphery of known space.

RimWorld is one of the greatest simulation games now available on the market, and it is also a game that creates gaming experiences that are both distinctive and unforgettable.

Every single one of your colonists comes with a set of characteristics that are rolled at random and determine how they behave. You can have a genius who is fast to learn but is susceptible to having a mental breakdown, or you might have someone with bloodlust who gets a mood boost from murdering strangers and manufacturing garments out of their flesh. That’s right. All of the characteristics are tongue-in-cheek, regardless of how serious they may get (for instance, nudists receive a mood boost regardless of whether or not they are nude).

The mix of characteristics that are present throughout your colony provides you with an experience that is completely one of a kind each time you open up the game. The character attributes of your colonists will determine how they interact with one another, and this interaction will constitute a significant portion of the foundation for the gameplay. In addition to that, an artificial intelligence (AI) narrator will guide you through your adventure, supplying you with random occurrences depending on the level of difficulty you choose and the settings you choose for the game.

RimWorld is a story generator. It’s designed to co-author tragic, twisted, and triumphant stories about imprisoned pirates, desperate colonists, starvation and survival. It works by controlling the “random” events that the world throws at you. Every thunderstorm, pirate raid, and traveling salesman is a card dealt into your story by the AI Storyteller. There are several storytellers to choose from. Randy Random does crazy stuff, Cassandra Classic goes for rising tension, and Phoebe Chillax likes to relax.

Your colonists are not professional settlers – they’re crash-landed survivors from a passenger liner destroyed in orbit. You can end up with a nobleman, an accountant, and a housewife. You’ll acquire more colonists by capturing them in combat and turning them to your side, buying them from slave traders, or taking in refugees. So your colony will always be a motley crew.

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7. Banished

If you are searching for a straightforward city survival game, Banished is the game for you. It does not include a lot of the backstory, bells, or whistles that you will find in more elaborate games. This great city building game considers its residents less as denizens and more as a means to a goal despite the fact that it is an exercise in working (and presumably succeeding) inside the architecture of a planned economy.

In your role as the leader of a community of exiled people, it is your responsibility to delegate responsibilities to the inhabitants, such as fishing and construction, while maintaining a balance between the expansion of the town and the distribution of its resources. It is possible for populations to increase due to births and arrivals, but it is also possible for populations to decrease due to the aging of the population, which is a great variation of the standard paradigm. In sum, it is one of the best city building games in 2024 that you can consider.

In this city-building strategy game, you control a group of exiled travelers who decide to restart their lives in a new land. They have only the clothes on their backs and a cart filled with supplies from their homeland.

The townspeople of Banished are your primary resource. They are born, grow older, work, have children of their own, and eventually die. Keeping them healthy, happy, and well-fed are essential to making your town grow. Building new homes is not enough—there must be enough people to move in and have families of their own.

Banished has no skill trees. Any structure can be built at any time, provided that your people have collected the resources to do so. There is no money. Instead, your hard-earned resources can be bartered away with the arrival of trade vessels. These merchants are the key to adding livestock and annual crops to the townspeople’s diet; however, their lengthy trade route comes with the risk of bringing illnesses from abroad.

There are twenty different occupations that the people in the city can perform from farming, hunting, and blacksmithing, to mining, teaching, and healing. No single strategy will succeed for every town. Some resources may be more scarce from one map to the next. The player can choose to replant forests, mine for iron, and quarry for rock, but all these choices require setting aside space into which you cannot expand.

The success or failure of a town depends on the appropriate management of risks and resources.

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8. Aven Colony

The next name on this list of the best free city-building games in 2024 is Aven Colony. This is a game that allows you to set up your very own city right from scratch. The game offers a variety of gameplay options for your ease. From terrestrial to extraterrestrial objects, buildings, vehicles, and more, you will find that this game is quite different than the ones offered before.

Build a new home for humanity with Aven Colony.

Discover Aven Prime – an alien planet of deserts, tundras, and jungles light years from earth. Aven Colony puts you in charge of humanity’s first extrasolar settlement, where you build and expand your small colonies into massive, sprawling cities while dealing with the challenges faced when settling on a new world.

Build your colony’s infrastructure, look after the well-being of your citizens, manage your resources, and guide your colony to prosperity against the backdrop of the harsh and often dangerous realities of the exotic world of Aven Prime.

KEY FEATURES:

COLONIZE AN ALIEN WORLD: Build a new home for humanity on a world with a low-oxygen atmosphere, extreme electrical storms, shard storms, dust devils, deadly toxic gas eruptions from geothermal vents, and days so long they have their own seasons. Explore a variety of biomes, from the lush wetlands environment to the much less habitable desert and arctic.

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Top Rated City Building Games in 2024: Closing Words

So, these were the 7 best city building games in 2024 that you can play on your Windows PC. Hopefully, our detailed list helps you make a better choice. If you have any questions or better recommendations, please feel free to drop us a line in the comments section below.

Additionally, for more tech-related information, you can subscribe to our Newsletter and follow us on Social Media (Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, & Instagram) so you never miss out on any tech updates.

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Application

Best Audio Recording Software For Mac in 2024

By admin May 3, 2024

Best Audio Recording Software For Mac in 2024, If you are looking for good audio recording software, our blog here has listed some of the most popular and top recording software for macOS.

Known for its performance, ease of use and stability, Mac is the most preferred platform for audio and video professionals. Although a Mac comes with built-in audio recording software it cannot support high-end recordings like podcasts and music production.

The powerful macOS together with the best audio recording software will satisfy all your requirements smoothly. So without wasting any more time let’s have a look at some of our picks.

Best Audio Recording Software For macOS 2024

Here, we have listed the best bunch of sound recorder software that will work perfectly on your Mac device. You can refer to our list and choose one as per your desire.

1. Apowersoft

Suitable for both beginners and professionals Apowersoft is great audio recording software for various sorts of sounds. OCG, WAV, AAC are a few file formats supported by it.

It is an indisputable winner in creating and editing HD audio recordings and can also work seamlessly well as a CD ripper and audio converter tool. It is even capable of recording radio, VoIP calls, and streaming audio files.

It can support audio recording for up to 3 minutes in a go and allows you to download music from online music platforms. Apart from this, you can also use it to add music files to iTunes.

Features of Apowersoft:

• The app offers unlimited audio recording for free.

• Apowersoft does not charge any extra money for subscriptions or usage.

• Whether it is a meeting or a lecture, or any other event or audio, Apowersoft offers advanced recording outputs for all.

• With the help of the app, you can also play the recorded audio.

Pros

• Allows audio trimming

• Simplistic UI

• Zero cost

Cons

• Lacks some features that are available in paid alternatives.

• Low reliability.

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2. WavePad

Wavepad tops our list of best audio recording software for Mac for fairly good reasons and is loaded with an array of professional features. It is a great tool if you want to edit and update your audio in a hassle-free manner.

With its huge basket of editing tools, you can cut, copy, delete, paste compress tour recordings along with pitch shifting. Apart from this it also supports various other audio effects like amplify, reverb, equalizer, and many more.

This incredible recording software for Mac you can also princess batch files and enjoy noise removal techniques. WMA, VOX, AIF, MP3 are a few of the file formats supported by WavePad.

Features of WavePad

• The interface of the app is quite understandable.

• On the app, you will see the inputs in the form of waves for ease that are easy to manage and helps you create precise outputs.

• You can choose the output frequency from various values ranging from 6 to 192kHz.

• You can get precise inputs with the help of the app using various filters and effects.

Pros

• Beginner-friendly UI

• Smart and helpful features

• Supports various audio formats

• 8, 16, 24, and 32-bit audio

• Autortrim and audio merging features

Cons

• May contain ads

• Lacks some effects

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3. QuickTime

QuickTime is undoubtedly the best audio recording software for Mac. And, as you may know, it is an in-built utility in Mac that is commonly accessed for video or audio playback. With QuickTime, you can also record your own content as well. QuickTime also allows you to record a video using any connected device or a webcam. Everything is super easy to implement with QuickTime. With minimal customization options, QuickTime’s user interface is really very impressive, clean, and easy to use. Plus, whatever you record will be available in a sole file.

Features of QuickTime:

• This app is more than just a regular audio recording app but a full-fledged multimedia player.

• The cross-platform tool is available for Windows, Mac, and other operating systems.

• You can easily navigate to various features and use them.

• The QuickTime app allows you to use the keyboard for maximum ease.

Pros

• Multilingual UI

• Easy to access and use

• Smart options

• Various OS version compatibility.

Cons

• No advanced recording features

Best Audio Recording Software For Mac in 2024

4. Adobe Audition

If you are looking for multi-purpose audio recording software for your mac that can help you in recording, editing, and creating background score then there is no better option than Adobe Audition. Its high-end recording and editing capabilities make it a perfect pick for not only home users but also for digital audio stations.

Its restoration tools, audio clean-up feature, and a massive array of plug-ins make it a highly powerful tool. Use its various plug-ins to add audio effects, remove noise with precision, and much more.

A great waveform editing environment powered with audio ducking features and AI-enhanced tool is perfect for making your audio recording life easy. Its clean and convenient UI also deserves a mention.

Features of Adobe Audition:

• The app is solely developed for recording and managing audio files.

• The app is perfect for professional music artists, interviewers, and other such personnel.

• A couple of clicks on the app allow you to do so much more than any traditional recording app.

• You can use other audio files as well to remix.

• You can integrate the app and use it with other ones for better results.

Pros

• Smart interface perfect for professionals

• Free sound effects

• Audio mixing features

• Noise-reducing options

Cons

• Limitedness of the trial version

• Can be tough for beginners

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5. Audacity

Next on our list of best sound recorder software for Mac is Audacity. It is an open-source freeware tool. In addition to expert features, it is also loaded with live recording capabilities and multi-track editing. If you want to do the audio recording in CD’S, convert various types of audio files and enjoy a hassle-free digital recording experience, then there is no better tool than Audacity.

Use it to cut, copy, paste, and track various audio tracks within seconds. FLAC, MP2, MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC are few file formats supported by this stunning Mac audio recording software.

Features of Audacity:

• If you want an open-source tool, then Audacity is the best.

• This cross-platformed solution is perfect for Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux, and various other operating systems.

• The tool is completely free to use without any hidden or direct charges.

• You can import or export recordings or other audio files using this tool.

• The app shares a plethora of effects that you can use and apply.

• Smart editing options of Audacity are a must to try.

Pros

• Option to select various audio outputs

• Keyboard and shortcut compatibility

• Supports plugins and more

• Easy to use

• Multiple themes of the UI

Cons

• Lack of features than some paid tools

• Complex at times

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6. GarageBand

Powered with a professional and convenient user interface, Apple GarageBand surely deserves a spot on our list of best audio recording software for mac in 2024.

It is a great tool for music enthusiasts if you want to learn online piano and guitar. Enjoy class-apart free artist lessons and instrument classes with this incredible tool. It comes as an in-built feature with every mac device and can be used by both beginners and professionals.

Use it to record and mix audio music with ease. Apart from all the features mentioned above it also supports third-party plug-in along with a 24-bit recording.

Features of GarageBand:

• GarageBand is a well-designed app with tons of different features and accessibility options.

• The app allows you to select the sound of your favorite instruments and play their notes for enhanced audio creativity.

• You can select from a variety of modes for the perfect audio outputs.

• The app is the perfect choice if you want to use metal audio for outputs.

Pros

• All-inclusive interface

• Well-put features and filters

• A multilingual base for your ease

• Select multiple audio files

Cons

• Not for Android

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7. Record Pad

Developed by NCH Software, RecordPad is an ideal choice for all your audio recording needs. It works seamlessly with Mac devices and is fully compatible with Android, Windows, and Linux.

It is a great tool for recording music and audio files which can be saved in your hard drive as mp3 and AIFF files. You can also share your recordings with others via email. Burn your recording on CD with its built-in express burn feature and use its massive basket of editing features for noise reduction, editing silence, and equalizing your audio clip.

Its clean and convenient UI along with an easy-to-navigate design also deserves a fair mention. It is compatible with multiple music formats including FLAC, MP3, AAC, and WAV.

Features of Record Pad:

• Both free and paid versions of Record Pad are available to you.

• You can download and use the tool on Windows, macOS, iPhone, and other operating systems.

• The app allows you to record fresh audio or edit, merge, trim, or modify existing files in other ways.

• You can even burn the audio to a CD using the ExpressBurn feature.

• You get a variety of output options.

Pros

• Smart encoding with MPEG Layer-3

• Automated system

• Supports FTP server

Cons

• Complicated for beginners

• Outdated UI

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8. Ardour

If you are a musician, track editor, or composer, then look no further, Ardour is the ultimate tool for all your audio recording and editing needs. It is highly suitable for MIDI projects and multi-track recording.

The tool is compatible with a wide range of formats and systems and adds the utmost ease to the tour audio recording experience.

Features of Ardour:

• Using Ardour, you can easily record, edit, or modify audio files.

• The crossfading options of the tool are some of the smartest and strongest you will ever find.

• The easy undo and redo features are a lifesaver that allows you to try anything and everything.

• Ardour’s automotive features are top-notch.

• The interface of the software has numerous external control options.

Pros

• Supports drag and drop.

• Flexible mixer settings

• Supports plugins

• Open-source

Cons

• Limited output formats

• No paid version

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9. Macsome Audio Recorder

Macsome Audio Recorder is one of the best audio recording software for Mac in 2024. It is an ideal option for recording audio from multiple sources. Macsome Audio Recorder is good enough for organizing all your recording files as well. Plus, you can also use the ID tags to organize your recording files. Apart from this, you can also add distinct recording profiles for applications and hardware. And, within a single click, you can start the recording procedure. Isn’t it something very nice? Without a single doubt, YES! However, the UI of Macsome Audio Recorder is very simple and not so impressive, but it offers productive yet effective features. It is all-in-one audio recorder software for Mac users.

Features of Macsome Audio Recorder

• Apart from the Mac, you can also install the tool in the form of a browser extension and plugin.

• The tool allows you to record the audio of your choice in MP3 and/or AAC formats.

• The software allows you to filter audio files into formats and other settings.

Pros

• Easy to use

• Fast interface

• Quite useful for beginners

• Advanced options

Cons

• Offers trial with limited features

• Not the best tool on the list

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10. Logic Pro

Logic Pro is the next name on this list of the best audio recording software for Mac in 2024. The tool is quite amazing and boasts an easy-to-use interface for all Mac users. Hence, even if you are a beginner to the tool, you can easily understand its performance patterns. Additionally, the learning curve of the software is also quite steep. You can use this all-in-one audio recorder software for Mac to show off your creativity on all kinds of projects.

Features of Logic Pro:

• Logic Pro is more than just a basic recording tool but an advanced solution for audio creation.

• The outputs of the software are Dolby Atmos compatible for better quality.

• The software contains a 3D Object Panner that makes editing feasible.

• This is an advanced solution with multiple helpful solutions for you.

Pros

• Support Plug-ins

• Contains multiple samples

• Easy to use

Cons

• The trial version has limited features

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11. Audio Hijack

Audio Hijack is the last name on this list of the best audio recording software for Mac in 2024. The tool is suitable for both beginners and professionals for recording and editing audio. You can easily use the tool to create podcasts as well as record your artistic talents with ease. The app also allows you to stream the audio using various spectrums and sources.

Features of Audio Hijack:

• If you want to extract the audio from some app, then Audio Hijack is the perfect choice for you.

• You can even record audio from third-party websites for the best results.

• If there is too much noise in the audio, the tool allows you to remove it.

• The tool is even more helpful for gamers who want to record live streaming of games and their audio.

Pros

• Both free and paid versions are available

• Allows audio recording scheduling

• Internet broadcasting compatible

• Smart Scriptwriting features

Cons

• Only for macOS

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12. Movavi Screen Recorder

Movavi Screen Recorder is the next best audio recording software for Mac in 2024. The software is an advanced alternative to the tools provided above. Although the tool is a screen recorder, it can also be used to record audio on your Mac without video or screen.

Features of Movavi Screen Recorder:

• Allows you to apter the screen and audio in multiple ways

• Supports screenshots.

• Helps in enhancing videos

Pros

• Both free and paid versions are available

• Offers scheduling options

• Works on Windows and Mac

Cons

• Limited options in the free version

• Limited trial period

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13. Ocenaudio

Ocenaudio is another of the best audio recording software for Mac in 2024. The tool is quite efficient and allows you to record real-time audio on your Mac device. The tool offers a plethora of options for recording and more.

Features of Ocenaudio:

• Free to download and use

• Offers audio editing

• Feasible control

• Play and pause functionality

Pros

• Entirely free to download

• Works on Windows and Mac

Cons

• Lacks some features as available in paid tools

Download

Time to Make a Good Choice For Yourself

The audio recording software mentioned above are some of the best available options for both beginners and professionals.

We hope that our list of best audio recorder tools for mac has been of great help to you and has been able to answer your questions around “What is the best software that you can use to record audio on your Mac device ”.

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Games

Best Open-World Games in 2024

By admin April 20, 2024

Best Open-World Games in 2024, Here’s a list of some of the best Open-World games in 2024 that you can try and explore the entire gaming world.

Our selection of the top rated Open-World games for personal computers is for those individuals who, when they gaze at a forest, ponder about what is in the midst of the forest. In the interest of those gamers who are really interested in climbing that peak.

It is true that the scale of games in this day and age means that they all have an open world in some way, but with this article, we are going to focus on games that encourage you to go on adventures and where the focus is on discovering new things and discovering what you find.

It is clear that the developers of these games intended you to take a break and glance around every once in a while in order to discover new things. These are the games in which the trip itself is an integral component of the goal.

These cool Open-World games may not be suitable for everyone, but if you are the kind of person who enjoys getting lost in a game for an extended period of time, then you will find that these games will help you achieve that goal.

Top 7 Best Open-World Games

It is true that open-world games continue to be quite popular. If you do them properly, they have the potential to be really remarkable excursions into the most unforgettable places. On this list, you will discover links to all of the top open worlds, which will make it easier for you to follow the entries that are down below.

1. Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar’s game will have you searching for dinosaur bones, attempting to solve a murder mystery, or even summoning the famed Red Dead Redemption 2 vampire. Each of the many regions is so breathtaking that it really causes your eyes to suffer a little bit as you try to take in every detail. What are you waiting for, partner?

Red Dead Redemption 2 is certainly one of the good Open-World games to play right now because of the sheer diversity of options available to you as well as the activities that you can easily participate in.

It makes no difference whether you want to go hunting. Red Dead Redemption 2 is simply crammed full of things to keep you occupied as soon as you set foot in its universe. It doesn’t matter whether you want to try to assist Dutch reach his elusive aims, and it surely doesn’t matter if you’d rather just attempt to buy the fanciest clothing in all of America; the game delivers on all fronts.

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2. GTA 5

GTA 5 is a network of illegal exploits and mind-boggling possibilities, with every single inch of the environment loaded with non-player characters (NPCs) to influence, quests to chase down, or simply gigantic heights of antics to indulge in. Not only will it consume you completely, but it will also spit you out and leave you wanting more.

To tell you the truth, GTA 5 was always going to be one of the top three best Open-World video games. I am aware of that. I am aware of that. Because, for the love of God, it is the most successful entertainment product in the history of the world! While driving around the twisting streets and generating as much commotion as possible, I am wondering whether it is necessary for me to continue describing all of the things that you are capable of doing.

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3. Elden Ring

Additionally, the open world layout has made From’s typical approach to game creation more approachable. It is not possible to state that it is more accessible since there are still bosses that are difficult to defeat and high-level locations that will return whatever is left of your ass to you in a matter of seconds. The flexibility to roam, on the other hand, eliminates the monotony that exists in games that are more linear, such as the Dark Souls series.

As an open environment, Elden Ring is characterized by an aura of mystery that surrounds practically everything in it. This is perhaps one of the player’s biggest advantages. All too frequently, recurring mechanisms like towers to climb and enemy bases to clear imply that you already know what’s going on. Good open world games live on their ability to make you wonder, “What’s over there?”

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4. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

Here’s the next one of the best Open-World games for you. As a continuation of the advances achieved with the Assassin’s Creed series, Valhalla transports you to the Dark Ages and assigns you the role of Viking Eivor, who must trek throughout England in search of a new home for your clan. Find the hidden wealth and mysteries that are hiding in ancient England by constructing your colony, making new friends, forming new alliances, engaging in political maneuvering, and engaging in a great deal of exploration.

All of the most recent Assassin’s Creed games have been fantastic open-world games, but Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is definitely one that you should check out. This is especially true considering that it is already considered to be one of the finest games for the Xbox Series X and the top games for the PC and PlayStation 5 .

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5. Marvel’s Spider-Man

In addition, it is important to mention that the more current Spider-Man: Miles Morales game takes place in the same open environment as the first game and also continues the tale. It is shorter and more condensed, but it is just as captivating, so it is also something that you should look into.

The video game Marvel’s Spider-Man was one of the few titles that successfully revitalized the genre of super hero games. Insomniac’s game, which came out first for the PlayStation 4 and subsequently received a patch for the PlayStation 5, takes us on a journey through a stunning reproduction of New York City. It is packed with huge side missions and other activities to provide a sense of balance to the game’s equally heartfelt narrative.

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6. Far Cry 6

The game offers political things and so much more. It is also a massive open world that offers a wide variety of activities for you to carry out. Yara is a place where there are a lot of things to do, like solving mysteries, completing races, finding partners, and assisting locals.

You are tasked with becoming a guerrilla fighter named Dani and overthrowing the dictatorship that is governed by the Castillo family, namely a man named Anton, who is portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito. Far Cry 6 takes place in the fictitious location of Yara, which is located somewhere in South America.

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7. Minecraft

However, the only thing that may completely restrict your creativity in Minecraft is your own imagination. Achievable, er…achievements provide a loose framework in the event that you desire a little more structure in your games. When you start to show signs of being tired with the mundane world, you may begin to explore the Nether and establish your next fortress there. On the other hand, technically speaking, you have access to two different open-world landscapes. Talk about getting your money’s worth!

Even though Minecraft is officially a sandbox game, it is nevertheless considered to be an open-world game. Okay, okay, okay. This very vast exploration extravaganza has a variety of activities, like punching trees, mining deep into the mountains, and attempting to escape falling into lava. People have built huge towns, functional computers, towering monuments, and a great deal more on Minecraft’s blocky environment.

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Summing Up: Top-Rated Open-World Games

So, that was all there is to know about the best Open-World games that are both fun to play and open to explore. If you want to choose which of the aforementioned games is best for you, you may go over all of their descriptions. If, on the other hand, you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions for us to enhance this post, you are more than welcome to leave a comment below. You may count on us to get in contact with you without any hesitation.

Best Free PC Games Downloading Sites

Here is the entire list of the best free PC games download sites in 2024 that you can rely on and download the latest and most beloved games on your wishlist without spending a penny.

Gaming is one of the best ways to blow off some steam when you are tired from your office job, studies, or any other hectic activity. Additionally, for some top-notch gamers, games are also a source to generate some funds. Some gamers like to stream their gameplay either live or upload to different platforms after recording. While there are others who just like to explore new games and execute different levels just for the thrill of it.

For all of these gamers, one of the major problems that appear is that they can’t find a reliable and best website to download PC games. Although different games are available on platforms like Steam, Battle.net, Uplay, Origin (now EA app), etc., generally, gamers have to pay some money to get the games. However, all gamers may not be able to fork in a few bucks to enjoy any game.

For such gamers, we have brought together this list of the best sites to download PC games. All these websites are tried and tested by us before listing in the article. You can safely download any game you want from the website without having to fear broken links, hidden viruses, trojans, malware, or any other threat. Additionally, these websites also offer you multiple options to download games at once, in parts, from multiple handles, etc. So, let’s have a look at the best website to download PC games for free list, right away.

So, let’s take the first step toward uninterrupted gaming by downloading your favorite games using the PC games download sites provided below. Try to find the games you want on the website and then download from any alternative as required.

1. Ocean Of Games

The first name on this list as the best site to download PC games for free is Ocean Of Games. This website has been in the run for years and offers all the popular PC games to you. You can surf the required games according to different categories like Action, RPG, Adventure, etc. or you can search for specific ones as required. The downloading and installation process of the games offered by the Ocean of Games is a little complicated but once you get a hang of it, you can download any game with ease. Hence, one of the best sites to download PC games.

2. Steam

Steam is one of the most popular and widely opted gaming client platforms. You can also use Steam as one of the best PC games download sites. Here, you will find a variety of games straight from the house of the developers. Additionally, the platform also allows any developer to upload their games for free. However, for some of the high-end games and editions, you may need to pay some bucks. You can download the game as required and play it right away using this one of the smartest and best free game downloading sites.

3. ThePcGames.Net

Another reliable addition to this free PC game download sites list is ThePCGames.Net. Just like OceanOfGames, you can use the website to download as many games as you want for free. However, what’s the best part about the website is that it provides an option to download games in parts, unlike most other websites to download games for free. Gamers love to use the website but the only bad thing is that it contains a lot of ads and annoying pop-ups.

4. OvaGames

The next entry in this list of the best PC games download sites is OvaGames. This is one of the best websites as OvaGames allows you to download any game you want, at once. Additionally, you can also look for and try different games according to categories. The search feature of the website is also very strong, accurate, and reliable. When you try to download any game, the website offers different options and platforms to you. One thing that may bother you is that this best site to download PC games for free contains a lot of ads.

5. GameJolt

GameJolt is a reliable and trustworthy website that shines bright in this best PC games download sites list. Just like Steam, GameJolt is a standalone gaming client for all. You can first download the app for GameJolt and then download the required games to play using the platform. You should try this best site to download PC games for free if you are looking for games like OddVenture, House Party, and various others for free.

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Computer

How To Build Gaming Computers 2024

By admin April 17, 2024

How To Build Gaming Computers, Welcome to BGC where our mission is giving you all the detailed, updated information you need to confidently build your own gaming computers from scratch – even if you’re a complete beginner who’s never seen the inside of a PC before.

When getting a new computer to experience PC gaming in all its graphical glory, if you want to get the smoothest performance and highest graphics quality for your money to maximize your experience (and to avoid lame lag getting in the way of the fun), building a custom gaming PC yourself is the smartest way and has many advantages over buying a prebuilt desktop.

When you learn how to build gaming computers, you’ll not only stretch your money further and get the fastest performance for your budget (meaning higher frame rates and better graphics), but you’ll also be able to include more reliable, higher-quality parts that will allow your system to run as smooth, cool and quiet as possible – for as long as possible.

Plus, when you build a gaming PC it will be WAY easier to upgrade or maintain your machine, as you’ll have full flexibility and control from the very start which means you can easily tweak it over the years however you see fit (and without encountering issues). For example, some prebuilt PCs are quite limited in the upgrades you can do, and some manufacturers even void your warranty if you simply open up the computer case.

Furthermore, building a gaming computer means you can specifically choose the right parts to fully maximize performance in the specific games/applications you care about most. Last but definitely not least, building a gaming PC yourself also means you can select the exact style, theme and features that you really want, to end up with your dream computer. The bottom line? Buying a prebuilt desktop, while convenient for those who are really impatient or strapped for time, just cannot compare to the many upsides of building your own.

But the Best Thing About Building a PC?

You might have heard that building your own gaming computer is super straightforward and essentially just like Lego but for grown-ups. Well, the great thing is – it’s true. All of it. In modern times, building a gaming computer really is as easy as people often say on forums and elsewhere online. It’s genuinely hard to mess up if you simply learn a bit about the components you’ll need (see below), pick a good list of compatible parts based on your budget and preferences (using build guides such as our monthly gaming PC builds as a base of reference), and then simply follow a step by step tutorial to install your PC parts and software.

There’s really nothing overly-complicated or technical about learning how to build a gaming PC for the first time, and we say that objectively and not just because we run a site on PC building. If you think about it, hardware manufacturers want installation of their parts to be as straightforward to do as possible (so more people buy their products). PC parts are designed to be as effortless to work with as possible.

Avoiding damage to your parts is also as simple as following a few basic safety precautions such as not touching the delicate bits, keeping parts in their anti-static bags until installation, taking things slow, and regularly “grounding” yourself to avoid static electricity (by touching a metal object before handling parts or wearing an anti-static strap). Let’s get straight into the basics of planning your first build.

How To Build Gaming Computers

Introduction to Building a Gaming PC

The 5-Step Simplified Guide for Hardware Beginners

As mentioned, planning and building your own gaming desktop computer is a remarkably easy process considering how complex it may sound to some random stranger on the street who doesn’t realize there’s nothing crazy-complicated or overly-technical about it. However, as straightforward as it is to build a computer in the modern PC age, you’ll still need an introductory step-by-step guide to follow along with as a first-timer.

Otherwise it’s all too easy to get lost in research land of doom, as while there’s lots of info around the web on custom PCs, the reality is it’s scattered all over the place on different sites, videos, forums, etc. As a first-timer you could spend an eternity trying to learn and piece together the information you need.

Plus, the manuals that come with your parts don’t provide the necessary installation explanations you require as a beginner. Component manuals can include diagrams and important details regarding installation (so don’t throw them out!) but they lack the full instructions that you need to understand every step.

Any questions or concerns you might have right now about building a PC will likely be covered at some point in the walkthrough below. So, if you’re a bit overwhelmed that perhaps YOU can’t build your own PC and that’s it’s too complicated (it really isn’t), just have trust that you absolutely can despite having no prior hardware experience, and just keep moving through one step at a time at your own pace and everything will start to make sense.

Thanos-Sized Tools Optional

With absolutely ALL the steps required to build a PC clearly explained below, you’re in the right hands – many first-time PC builders have used our guides over the years to overcome their fears and end up confidently assembling the custom gaming PC of their dreams. Will you be next? Good luck, enjoy the quest, and may the force be with you and your parts. Building your first computer is a memorable, rewarding experience, and you’ll feel a real sense of accomplishment and satisfaction every time you boot up your new system knowing that YOU made it all happen and are in full control.

So, in our quest to make building your first gaming PC as easy and frustration-free as possible, we’ve carefully-crafted the below simple-yet-comprehensive 5-step guide on how to build a gaming computer from scratch, with the assumption that you know nothing Jon Snow. This fine-tuned guide has been tweaked over many years to make the process as easy as possible as a beginner (and to include all the burning questions that beginners commonly ask us), and we will cover all the basics you need to know all in the one place (and using as simple language as possible without complicated tech jargon/lingo you’ll often see in other hardware articles/guides).

Step 1: Understand the Required Hardware Parts

Parts Needed to Build a Gaming PC

For your new gaming battlestation of glory to be fully-operational once construction is complete, the following are the essential parts you will need to buy when building your own gaming computer:

• CPU/Processor

• CPU Cooler (most CPUs come with one)

• Motherboard

• RAM/Memory

• Graphics Card (or CPU with integrated graphics)

• Storage Drive (SSD or HDD or both)

• Power Supply

• Case

• Operating System Software (like Windows)

• Peripherals (Monitor, Mouse, Keyboard, Speakers, Headset / Headphones)

Everything else is optional for a computer build, as there are a whole bunch of other additional add-on parts and accessories that you could include in your custom setup either from the very start or later on as an upgrade. But the basic parts above are what’s 100% required to construct a new working PC that you can start gaming on straight away.

Let’s take a quick look at the main role of each of these parts, including links to our detailed hardware selection guides should you want to learn about a particular component in more detail (including what all the spec and features mean). But keep in mind that to build a PC you don’t need to thoroughly understand all the hardware parts n too much detail, and a basic understanding is sufficient to get started on planning your build (so feel free to skip ahead to step 2 if you already know a little about hardware).

CPU/Processor

Also called the processor, the CPU (Central Processing Unit) is a fairly small, square-shaped component that sits on your motherboard and is responsible for all the lightning-speed mathematical calculations required by the games and software you run.

You’ll want a good CPU when building a gaming PC, as its importance to gaming performance is second only to your graphics card. See our full guide to choosing the best CPU for gaming to get up to speed with what all the CPU features mean and which specs are most important, or see our latest sample gaming PC builds which include breakdowns of the current best value gaming CPUs and why.

CPU Cooler

Also referred to as the HSF (Heatsink and Fan), this is what sits on top of the actual CPU to keep it cool and quiet. Most CPUs will already come shipped with a cooler in the box, so chances are you won’t need to buy one when building a computer, though when building a high-end gaming computer you’ll want to consider replacing the stock cooler with a better one for more effective cooling and noise reduction.

Buying your own CPU cooler is especially important if you want to overclock your gaming PC as stock CPU coolers aren’t designed for overclocking, though you should probably avoid overclocking if you’re brand new and just building your first PC. When you buy your own cooler, you have the choice of an air cooler or a fancier liquid cooler, though a good air cooler can be just as effective (if not more in certain configurations) than a liquid one.

Motherboard

If your CPU is the brain of your computer, the motherboard is the heart and central nervous system which acts as the center of your build, as well as transferring information between all of the components in the system.

Whilst it doesn’t directly affect the performance or frame rate of your games, the motherboard is an important component and when you build a gaming computer you want to find a decent one that has the features that you need, the upgrade flexibility that you want, and that is from a good, trusted manufacturer. If you need to know the full details of selecting the right Mothership for your battlestation don’t miss our complete guide to choosing the best motherboard for a gaming PC.

RAM/Memory

RAM (Random Access Memory) comes in the form of horizontal memory modules/sticks that you slot into the motherboard, and is the memory in your computer that running programs and games rely on during their operation.

Generally speaking, the more RAM you have in your system, the faster your programs and games will run, although for gaming there is a point where more RAM isn’t going to noticeably increase performance. These days, 8GB-16GB is usually enough to maximize gaming performance.

Graphics Card

The star of any worthy gaming system, the graphics card (also called a video card or GPU, short for Graphics Processing Unit) is responsible for calculating and rendering the 3D graphics and special effects to your monitor. Your choice of graphics card plays the biggest role in how well your gaming PC will perform (ie how smoothly and high-quality your games will run) and without a decent one in your parts-list you won’t be able to view your games at their best.

Therefore, you should allocate a healthy chunk of your overall budget to your graphics card to maximize the gaming performance of your new rig (more on this in part 3 below). See how to choose the best video card for gaming to delve deeper into what GPU specs and features mean.

Storage Drive (HDD or SSD or both)

For your gaming computer build you’ll need some sort of storage capacity to be able to load the operating system and games on, and there are various devices you can use for this with the most common being either an internal HDD (Hard Disk Drive) if you’re on a budget, an internal SSD (Solid State Drive) for faster performance, or a combination of both a HDD and a SSD (where you’d use the SSD as the main drive for your operating system and a handful of programs, and the HDD for all your other files). There’s no need to worry about getting a huge amount of storage upfront, as you can always add internal or external drives later on.

See choosing a SSD for more.

Power Supply

Commonly referred to as simply the PSU (Power Supply Unit), the power supply is a box that sits inside your case (usually on the bottom) and provides the power for your system from your main wall socket in your house. When beginners learn how to build a gaming computer for the first time, it’s often an overlooked component and that makes sense because how important can a power supply really be, right?

But hold it right there – when you build a gaming PC this is a common rookie mistake to avoid at all costs (simply buying the cheapest PSU you can find), as it may come back to bite you later on as cheap PSUs spell trouble. If a power supply dies, there’s the risk of it frying and killing your other parts in the process, so you could say your new custom gaming computer is only as strong as its weakest link.

A bad PSU is a liability, and you can re-word that to HUGE liability if you’re building a powerful, more high-end PC. Choose a good power supply for your PC build that will last the distance, has decent efficiency (80+ Bronze minimum), and that provides enough power for your particular parts-list (and future upgrades).

Case

Last but definitely not least in terms of the core hardware components that make up your PC tower, the case (sometimes called the chassis if you want to get fancy) which will house all your precious parts, provide airflow to your system with a bunch of fans and grills, and which is obviously responsible for how your awesome new gaming computer will look from the outside.

Will you choose a sleeper low-key look for your new custom gaming PC, or more of an in-your-face aggressive all-RGB beauty with see-through side panels? Perhaps something in-between? There’s a vast array of cases out there to suit any taste, and you can see some of our current favorites in our guide to choosing a case for a gaming PC build.

Operating System Software

There are a gazillion software programs you can install on your PC, but there’s only one that is 100% non-negotiable, and that of course is an operating system. Windows is the most popular choice for gaming, with Windows 10 being the latest and greatest and what we’d recommend if you’re building your first custom gaming PC. Linux is your other option, but it’s more technical and will require a lot more work to get started with.

Peripherals

The above are the core parts you’ll need when you build a gaming computer, but to make a working new computer that is also ready to play games from the get, you’ll need a couple extra things. Without things like a monitor or mouse, your new PC will just be a hopeless heap of hardware that sits there twiddling its thumbs in boredom.

• Monitor – Without a screen to actually view the beautiful graphics that your graphics card renders, your new PC is essentially one big expensive box of useless parts. But not all screens are created equal, and they can vary greatly in price, features, sizes and resolutions. Picking the right monitor for gaming is an artform of which we distil as simply as we can in our gaming monitor buying guide.

• Mouse – The mouse is another peripheral required for a new gaming computer build to actually be use-able from the get, and to some gamers it’s an important part of the overall gaming experience as not all mice are created equal when it comes to gaming. Depending on how seriously you take your gaming, and how much you’re willing to invest in a quality comfortable model that lasts, you’ll want to put at least a little thought in the mouse you choose as they can vary greatly in size, weight, features, feel, and responsiveness.

• Keyboard – For a new PC to work you will also obviously need a keyboard, any some gamers will do just fine getting a budget, low-cost keyboard that just gets the job one. Others will want to invest in a higher-quality, more comfortable and/or feature-rich keyboard, such as one with high-quality keys, extra programmable macro buttons, and/or cool LED backlighting.

• Audio – Music and sound effects can play a huge part in your favorite games so you don’t want to neglect your setup’s audio capabilities, especially if you want the best gaming experience. You have various options here, including getting a set of external gaming speakers, picking a monitor with built-in speakers (most aren’t too good though), or finding a nice gaming headset (or gaming headphones if you don’t need a mic).

Step 2: Choosing the Right Budget for Your Needs

How Much is it to Build a Good Gaming PC?

You may wonder how much it costs to build a computer for a good gaming experience, but the answer completely depends on your specific wants and needs. What makes a good experience is subjective, and things like the types of games you play, the resolution you’ll be gaming in, and the performance level (ie frame rate) you’d be satisfied with will differ from gamer to gamer. Let’s talk about it.

When building your own custom computer you’re only limited by your budget and imagination, and you have the option to build a very cheap gaming PC for a few hundred bucks, or to fork out a few thousand on a high-end monster of a machine (and everything in-between). If you’re strapped for cash though, the good news is you can still build a good gaming computer on a budget (and for much cheaper than you may realize) and end up with an enjoyable experience. Not everyone needs to run the latest, most graphically-demanding AAA games in super-high resolution and at super-high frame rates to have a blast.

The biggest factor at play for most gamers when choosing how much you should spend on a gaming PC build is the screen resolution you will be gaming in. Higher resolutions than the standard 1080p (like 1440p and 4K) will demand quite a bit more firepower from your system if you want a smooth experience, and if you’re a picky gamer who wants to play at the highest graphics quality settings and/or you’re using a monitor with a higher-than-average refresh rate and wish to get higher-than-average frame rates to take advantage of that refresh rate, you’ll need even more power.

Let’s look at a few different price points and which resolutions/applications are ideally suited for that amount.

Under $500 (Entry-Level Modern Gaming)

With a spending of amount of 500 dollars and under you’ll be quite restricted, but the truth is with smart component choices you can still build a first gaming PC that will play modern titles in the standard 1080p resolution with very playable performance (depending on the game though and how much you turn down the graphics settings).

A build in this price point may be all you need though if you’re just mainly sticking to older, less demanding games, or you don’t mind turning down the graphic settings considerable and/or you don’t mind the occasional slow-down/lag here or there in the more demanding titles.

Many popular eSports titles have much lower demands and can perform really well on a real cheap setup. Obviously you can’t expect much in terms of peripherals and accessories in this tier either, but some gamers honestly don’t mind using a basic, generic mouse, keyboard and monitor that simply gets the job done.

$500 to $1000 (The Mainstream Mid-Range)

The best value PC gaming resolution right now is 1080p (also called Full HD), and building a PC between 500 to 1000 dollars will allow you to achieve good performance at this resolution (and the closer to $1000, the closer to perfect performance you’ll get).

This price range also allows for a decent 1440p gaming computer, which is the next resolution up in quality from 1080p and will make for an even more immersive experience. You could say this price point is the overall sweet spot in terms of striking a nice balance between your gaming experience and your cash outlay, and if you’re wanting the very best 1080p gaming PC possible then $800 to $1000 is more than enough.

$1000 to $2000 (High-End Gaming)

Now we start getting into very high performance for the gamers who demand more such as flawless 1440p gaming on high/ultra settings or high refresh rate gaming for 144Hz monitors. A build between 1000 to 2000 dollars will also get you good virtual reality and 4K gaming performance.

Pro creators, producers, game streamers, and/or artists performing demanding non-gaming tasks such as high-end video editing, game development or 3D rendering/animation should also be eyeing off this type of budget (or even higher if you’re a true professional wanting to leave no stone unturned when it comes to productivity).

$2000 and Beyond (Ultimate Performance)

Now we get into serious power, and building your own desktop in this price range is for gamers seeking the very best gaming experience that money can buy, with little to no compromises. In other words, if you’re either rocking a 4K monitor and want to take full advantage, you’re aiming for 144FPS+ to take full advantage of a 1080p/1440p 144Hz monitor (or even 240Hz; yes, this craziness does exist), or if you’re delving into the deeply exciting rabbit hole that is VR and want the best experience – throwing down a couple grand or more on an extreme gaming computer may be a worthy investment for the experience of a lifetime.

Just don’t forget to put the VR headset down every once in a while to breath the fresh air of reality, as in 2019 it’s legit addictive as hell and only getting better and better.

Step 3: Plan the Perfect Parts-List for Your Budget

Always-Updated Example PC Builds

It’s time for perhaps the most fun part of building a gaming PC – planning, tweaking and perfecting an awesome list of matching, compatible components for your budget, performance aims, and specific preferences. To help you pinpoint exactly where the current best value parts are within the market as a gamer, our constantly-updated Best Gaming PC Builds for the Money series is here to help and has been the go-to, most-popular part of the site since first kicking off the series quite a long time ago.

Every quarter we do the meticulous, painstaking research in coming up with the very best gaming desktop build examples that we possibly can based on over a decade of build design experience, all the way from a super bang-for-buck $300 entry-level setup for casual gaming to a monster $5000 all-RGB rig of glory with all the bells and whistles (and every build budget in-between).

Our gaming PC build guides explain how to choose the fastest, best value parts on the market as a gamer

Allocating Your Budget for Maximum Gaming Performance

If you’re tweaking a build or designing your own parts-list from the ground up, don’t forget that the two most important parts as gamers are the video card and CPU. You should allocate a nice chunk of your overall budget towards these two, and it’s a good idea to base your parts-list around them.

Graphics Card: 25-40% of Total Build Budget

To build the best gaming PC for your money, you’ll want to invest a minimum of 25% of your total build budget on the graphics card, as nothing is more important to gaming performance. So for instance, for a gaming computer build around 1000 dollars you’re looking at a graphics card around $250 to $400 to max performance. Going higher than $400 or so will mean having to make too many sacrifices on your other parts, and less than 25% means you’re not allocating enough of your budget to graphics and leaving gaming performance on the table like many prebuilt PCs do.

CPU: 15-25% of Total Build Budget

The second most important component when building your own custom gaming computer, so look to also spend a healthy portion of your budget on the fastest one you can get. Using a $1000 system as an example again, throwing $150 to $250 on the CPU is about the right balance. Remember this is just a general guideline, and also this is for gamers wanting the fastest gaming performance; if you’re building a workstation PC or hybrid gaming/workstation PC, consider throwing a bit more at a better CPU.

The reason we single out the graphics card and CPU is because, as mentioned in step 1, these are the two most important parts in a gaming PC. You should probably think about choosing these parts first when planning your build, assuming you want to maximize gaming performance. Picking a graphics card around 30-40% of your total budget (and 15-25% for a CPU) is a good ballpark to aim for that will allow you to include the best graphics card you possibly can in your rig, which will lead to the best gaming performance.

For anyone wondering, yes bottlenecking is possible (which happens when your CPU is too weak in correlation with your graphics), but for most builds these ratios will work well and you won’t experience bottlenecking.

Our general philosophy on balancing a build for the fastest gaming performance

Performance Perfectionist? Aiming for Specific FPS Targets

If you follow the general guidelines above, or study how we allocate different spending budgets in our best PC builds for gaming series, you’ll end up with a very good performing gaming PC for your budget (we also provide estimated FPS numbers in all our build guides).

But if you want to take things further and guarantee that your new system will get the frame rate that you want in a certain game at a certain resolution (and settings), then you’ll want to do some further research and look into benchmarks around the web to confirm you’ll get the performance you’re after with the parts that you decide to buy. We also have specific game performance guides for popular eSports in our main menu which can save you time. Also, if you’re building a PC for virtual reality we’ve got you covered with our in-depth guide for that too.

Planning a Hybrid Gaming and Workstation PC Build

As well as predicting the performance your parts-list will get in the games that matter to you, if you’re building a hybrid gaming and workstation system for other demanding tasks for work, you’ll need to take your particular programs and workflow into account when planning your build too. For example, you might want to allocate more money to the CPU and/or RAM if you care just as much about video editing, 3D production and/or streaming as you do about gaming performance. You might also see better performance going with AMD over Intel, or vice versa, depending on the specific programs you’ll be using.

Planning Ahead for Upgrades (RAM, CPU, GPU, etc)

This should go without saying when you’re learning how to build your own gaming PC, and when you plan your parts-list around a well thought-out example build like our own builds this has already naturally been taken into account, but if you’re planning a parts-list from scratch (or tweaking an existing build from someone else) then always consider the upgrade path. Let’s cover a few basic examples that is good to know as a beginner.

First and foremost, with RAM being one of the most common upgrades you can make to a gaming PC (as it’s quite inexpensive yet brings a nice little boost in overall performance), as a rule of thumb you want to always keep a couple of RAM slots free on your motherboard.

That means choosing a motherboard that has 4 RAM slots if you’re getting 2 RAM modules now (which is a good idea by the way as 2 modules usually runs faster than just the 1, even if it’s the same amount of RAM). In the chance you do pick a motherboard with only 2 slots (perhaps it’s a small form-factor one that you really like), you’ll want to consider just getting the 1 RAM module instead to keep one slot free for the future.

If you plan on swapping the graphics card for a better one in a few years time, there shouldn’t be any problem with doing that, but make sure you choose a computer power supply that will provide enough power to accommodate a more powerful card in future. Same thing goes with upgrading to a dual graphics card setup should you want to do that later on, and in that case you’ll need even more wiggle room power-wise.

Upgrading a CPU later on is also possible, but if you’re going for Intel you’re likely not going to be able to upgrade to the latest processor in a few years as you’d also need to change the motherboard too. This is where AMD has a nice advantage, as their current AM4 platform is compatible with future CPUs by doing a BIOS update, meaning if you buy an AMD CPU and motherboard today, in a few years time you can likely upgrade the CPU to the newest edition whilst keeping your same motherboard.

With Intel, you’d have to either upgrade to a faster yet older CPU (as in, the same generation that you’re buying now), otherwise you’d need to get a new motherboard if getting the latest CPU. Although to be fair on the whole AMD vs Intel debate, there’s no telling how long AMD’s AM4 platform will last.

Step 4: Confirm Compatibility & Buy Parts

If you’re using one of our recommended gaming desktop builds exactly as-is, you don’t have to worry about checking compatibility between all of your parts as we do all that for you, but if you’re tweaking one of those builds or designing your own parts-list from scratch you’ll need to do compatibility checks yourself. Although, it must be said that even if you’re using someone’s already-planned build (such as one of ours), we encourage you to confirm compatibility for yourself anyway just to be extra safe as people can mistakes.

A new gaming PC can be expensive so you want to ensure what you’re buying is completely compatible. Furthermore, as a beginner who’s building your first PC, you’ll ideally want to learn at least the basics of how to do basic compatibility checks so that you can be a smarter builder now and for the rest of your merry gaming days, and so you don’t have to rely on someone else or a tool.

Speaking of tools, a site called PCPartPicker is handy for checking basic compatibility of the parts you’re thinking of buying, but keep in mind it doesn’t check absolutely everything such as certain spacing/size issues among other things, meaning it is possible to encounter an issue if you don’t do some manual compatibility checks yourself.

But yeah, in many cases (pun intended) you could be just fine relying solely on their compatibility checks. If you want to be extra cautious to avoid compatibility issues, any experienced builder will tell you the same thing: never just rely on a tool and do your own checks to be on the safe side. Even if using a tool like PCPartPicker, if you’re new to hardware and building a gaming PC it’s always best to learn how to do compatibility checks between all of your parts yourself. It’s not hard, and you’ll be a smarter, more informed builder now and for your future builds/upgrades (once you build your first PC, you’ll never want to buy a prebuilt again).

See Also: How Accurate is PCPartPicker for Compatibility Checks?

See our individual hardware guides to learn what you need to know about choosing parts that are compatible. For example, our guide to choosing the right motherboard explains how to choose a compatible CPU and RAM for your motherboard.

Buying PC Parts Online vs Offline

These days, Ecommerce (AKA buying online) has well and truly become the norm in most industries. Going into a physical store to buy something is nice for some people who still want to speak to someone face to face, and while nobody on Earth has the Jedi-level persuasion skills capable of convincing Grandma to start buying her socks online, for most people buying online is a no-brainer for the amazing convenience.

But it’s not just the convenience; if you want the best price on most consumer products, buying online is the best way to go 9 times out of 10 as online stores typically don’t have the overheads of brick and mortar stores, and can therefore afford to offer the most competitive price. With PC hardware, in most cases (pun intended), it’s no different. However, if you’re lucky enough to have a good brick and mortar computer store near where you live such as good old Microcenter in the US, there’s no harm seeing what they can offer (just give them a call).

But in most situations, buying from a trusted, reliable, well-oiled major online store like Amazon will get you the best price possible.

Navigating Customer & Professional Reviews

When researching a particular product, reading both professional and customer reviews can come in real handy to learn more about the product and someones experiences with it if you want to dive deeper into whether a particular model is worth the money or not. Whilst still helpful, be wary when researching customer reviews and ratings (ie amateur reviews) as they can be misleading in some cases because people who have a bad experience often feel inclined to leave negative reviews, whereas those who are on their merry way with a successful component, happy as Larry Page, tend to not leave their thoughts in a positive review.

That sometimes skews the perception of certain products, where you might see many 1-2 star reviews from those who have received faulty or broken parts, and you start to think the product is a piece of junk when the reality could be it’s just fine and those unlucky customers who got a dud/lemon are the exception and not the norm. Don’t get me wrong though, certain products are definitely more prone to fault and DOA (dead on arrival) issues, so if you see a lot of bad ratings it potentially is a bad buy, but don’t take things at face value too quickly in this industry.

If you want to research reviews, lean more towards trusted, credible sources such as top hardware sites like TechSpot, TomsHardware, AnandTech just to name a few. However, customer reviews from sites like Amazon and PCPartPicker can still be very helpful so long as you put your thinking cap on whilst reading, don’t get too caught up in any one person’s opinion as it can be tough discerning between who actually knows what they’re talking about (and giving an accurate representation of a product), and who might just be speaking random, inaccurate nonsense just because they had a bad experience.

It should go without saying, but always base your purchase decisions off multiple sources and not just from that one guy who said “Product worked (for me). Therefore, must be greatest, most amazing product in galaxy. If you don’t buy this, you’re a lower lifeform. 5 stars”. By the same token, don’t necessarily lose all hope in a product after one gal rages “Product didn’t work (for me). Worst product on planet. Obviously made by Jawas in back of Sandcrawler. Nobody on Earth should buy, ever. Boycott company or you’re a bad person”.

Should You Buy All Parts at the Same Time?

You most definitely can slowly piece together a build part by part over time, but if you’re a beginner you’re probably best off buying all the core components of your new system at (or around) the same time. Why? A couple reasons:

1. Some parts will have a limited time frame in which you can return them for a replacement in the odd case that they are defective. If you buy one part at a time, you can’t know for sure if a certain part is working perfectly before you have all of your parts together. So if you get unlucky and receive a faulty part, and you find this out a few months or even later when you finally get around to building your PC, you may not be able to return or swap it.

2. Another reason to favor buying all the PC parts for your build around the same time is that as times goes on new parts will obviously come out, and it’s possible that if you then buy a newer part in future to use with the older parts that you purchased previously, you might encounter compatibility issues. This is both quite uncommon, nad avoidable if you know what you’re doing, but it has happened before to beginners so it’s worth mentioning. An example would be buying a motherboard now, then waiting a few months to buy a new CPU and failing to realize that it’s not compatible with your older motherboard.

When Building a PC What Should You Buy First?

If you are slowly piecing together your build one part at a time, perhaps because you don’t have enough money to buy all your parts in one go, you may wonder which component/s you should buy first. It’s a good question, but there’s no hard or fast rule and will depend on various factors. But a good starting point is to base your build around your CPU and graphics card, and then go from there, because these are of course the most important parts. But you could also choose/buy your case first, and then go from there. It really is down to personal preference.

Cutting Costs to Build a Cheaper PC

If you’re on a tight budget or just looking to assemble the most cost-effective rig that you possibly can (no matter what price point), there’s a host of various things you can do. If that sounds like you, don’t miss our complete guide on this which covers everything from the glaringly obvious ways to save money on a build down to the less obvious ninja hacks and tricks. We told you were you in good hands here at BGC and we weren’t kidding around, so enjoy and hope it helps:

17 Tips and Tricks to Save Money on Your PC Build

Step 5: Assembling Your Gaming Computer

So you’ve planned a well thought-out, fully-compatible list of good-quality, reliable parts to get the performance you want in the games and/or applications you’ll use. You’ve also ordered them all and are ready for the moment of truth to finally construct your epic new battlestation of gaming glory. Fear not, as the installation process really isn’t difficult if you have all the steps laid out for you in an easy to follow manner. Speaking of which, you didn’t think we’d leave you hanging on that now did ya?

Our comprehensive yet easy to follow guide to building a PC was carefully-crafted with complete beginners in mind, and includes all the important little details and detailed explanations you need to get through your first custom gaming computer build with ease:

How to Assemble a PC from Scratch (Step by Step for Beginners)

Our gaming PC build tutorial covers installing all your parts in detail (minus the jargon)

Once a Builder, Always a Builder

That wraps our introduction to planning and building a gaming computer for beginners, and we hope this roadmap helps you on your way to a smooth, hassle-free first gaming PC build. When you’ve finished building your first custom PC, it’s going to be hard ever going back to buying a prebuilt system ever again. You’ve seen behind the curtain, beyond the wall, through the matrix, and [insert witty pun here] – there’s no going back now! Good luck, gamer.

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20+ Must-Have Software For Windows 10-11

By admin April 8, 2024

20+ Must-Have Software For Windows 10-11, If you are a computer-savvy person, know about the must-have software for Windows 10 you should use in 2024 to make the most out of your brand new PC and laptop. Microsoft’s beloved operating system – Windows 10 – comes with an array of most up-to-date features and functionality to give you a better and personalized computing experience. From work to gaming, we rely on a bunch of Windows 10 apps to cater to all our computer needs.

In spite of that, every now and then you may find yourself on the lookout for some additional apps for Windows 10 depending upon your requirements.

To solve this problem once and for all, you should start loading your system with all the essential and useful Windows 10 programs that would create a great impact on your work and play.

Keeping all this in mind, below we have mentioned some of the essential apps for Windows 10 that you need to make a note of ASAP. Move down the list and download the must have software for Windows 10, 11, or older version devices.

What Are the Must-Have Software For Windows 10, 11 In 2024?

Here we present you our curated list of must-have apps for Windows 10 and 11 that everyone should install on their PC right away. Let’s check out the best PC programs for Windows 10.

1. Win Riser– The Best PC Optimizer and Booster

Let us introduce you to Win Riser. It is a program you will find extremely useful to speed up your computer and optimize its performance. Win Riser is among the top most-used Windows PC software for its brilliant PC cleaning and optimization capabilities. It is well-known for its deep scan and removal of accumulated junk, invalid and faulty Registry remover, integrated driver updater, and the following delightful features.

Key features of Win Riser

• Tracks and removes malware with a single click

• Deeply scans your PC for driver updates, junk files, or problems impacting its performance

• Creates a backup of existing drivers and allows their easy restoration whenever you want

• Creation of a system restore point, allowing you to restore your system if anything goes wrong

• Boasts an integrated tool to manage your device’s startup items

• You can customize the paths, apps, locations, etc., for scanning

• Allows you to ignore the registry items or drivers you do not wish to scan

• You can schedule the computer scans

2. Driver Update Software

“A must have program for Windows 10 to update outdated drivers”

A driver or a device driver is a computer program (also known as cluster of files) that allows one or more hardware devices such as speaker, printer, graphic card, etc. to build connectivity and communicate with the computer’s operating system.

Without the correct drivers, the operating system would not be able to know what kind of a device is attached to the computer and how to operate or control its functions.

Therefore, it is extremely important to keep your Windows drivers up-to-date always for a smooth and healthy functioning of hardware components.

Using corrupt or out-of-date system drivers, you may face various compatibility or driver-related issues such as no sound, blue screen of death, shuttering or crashing problems, Wi-Fi connectivity issues, or some of the devices like printer may completely stop working.

The safest and easiest way to prevent such device conflicts is to use the best free driver updater software for your Windows 10 PC. Moreover, the driver updater is also an important software for Laptop Windows 10, 11, or older versions.

It is a powerful and extremely user-friendly utility that effortlessly auto-scans your entire PC and helps users install the latest, manufacturer-recommended drivers in just a blink of an eye.

Taking all the essential features of an ideal driver update into consideration, we suggest using Bit Driver Updater that can not only takes care of all driver-related issues but also maximizes the performance and processing speed of your computer. The best software for Windows 10, 11, 8 or 7 updates drivers on your system with minimal effort.

The best thing about this product is that you don’t need to shell out a fortune for it, it’s FREE!

3. Duplicate Photo Finder – Free Up Disk Space

“A must-have program for Windows 10 to clean duplicate photos”

With the rise of widespread adoption of smartphone technology, taking selfies and pictures of everything that catches our attention has become more than just a trend.

However, these identical-looking selfies and duplicate photos tend to get piled up over time, consumes up to gigabytes of disk space, and makes it extremely difficult to manage your digital collection of albums. What if you find out basic software for Windows 10 or other versions that can clear up all the clutter and duplicate data from your device automatically?

To keep your photo gallery and system optimized, all you need is a dedicated duplicate photo cleaner software.

Since Windows 10 PC doesn’t come with an in-built duplicate photo remover tool, it is important to add this utility to your list of must-have apps for Windows 10.

Quick Photo Finder is one of those nifty, renowned software available in the marketplace that can make your job much easier.

It effortlessly finds and removes the multiple copies of duplicate ones, plus also helps you recover a significant amount of lost storage space that you forgot you ever had, all in just a matter of seconds!

4. VPN (Virtual Private Network)

“A must-have software for Windows 10 to keep online identity secure”

Next on our list of essential software for PC is NordVPN. Depending on the country you reside in, there is a chance you might have to put up with geo-restricted content or your government blocking certain websites.

What if the list contains your favorite social media platforms or movie streaming sites?

So, have you ever wondered that your IP address, browsing activity, location, and online identity could be at risk? Well, cybercriminals and spies around the world can see everything you do online such as the websites you’ve searched for, the pictures you’re posting, the movies you’ve been watching, and lots more.

Therefore, it is important to use a good VPN service to hide your IP address and encrypt sensitive data to keep it secure from prying eyes.

The best thing about VPN is that it not only provides a safe passage for your internet traffic but also lets you bypass the censorship to access blocked websites from anywhere in the world along with superfast streaming and unlimited bandwidth.

Having trouble shortlisting the ideal service provider, see the list of Best Free VPN for Windows 10.

5. Cleaner Software

“A must-have software for Windows 10 to unleash its maximum performance”

Cleaner Software is another must have programs for Windows 10. You don’t even want to know the amount of junk your computer can store up and how it can make your system lag behind in its functioning. All those files, caches, and digital debris that you most definitely don’t need.

To avoid that, you need an effective cleaner software. To save you from the hassle of finding one, we have below mentioned a couple of best Windows 10 software which are a must-have Windows applications for cleaning your PC and laptop efficiently.

IObit Advanced SystemCare

When the talk is about the best cleaning apps that you must have on Windows, we cannot skip IObit Advanced SystemCare. The best Windows software is a powerful and easy-to-use software has many interesting features, such as more than 30 troubleshooters ( for example, AI Mode, firewall protection, anti-tracking, and large file cleaner) to clean, protect, and speed up your computer.

You can make a click on the link below to download this cleaner-cum-booster to get the ultimate PC performance.

CleanMyPC

CleanMyPC is a powerful tune-up utility tool developed by MacPaw Inc. to help you get a safer and cleaner PC. With the help of this tool, you can effortlessly scan every nook and cranny of your computer to delete megatons of junk files and boost the speed and overall performance of your PC.

CCleaner

This powerful cleaning utility from Piriform is one of the best PC software on the face of the earth. It automatically deletes broken Windows registry entries and the temporary files. It also detects and identifies all the software that your system doesn’t require.

Bid those extra bits and bobs goodbye, and work with a fast functioning computer.

6. File & Photo Recovery Software

“An essential app for Windows 10 to recover lost or deleted data”

It happens a lot of times that we delete some important files obliviously and then regret this action for quite a long time.

But we might just have something that would ensure that this doesn’t happen again.

Whenever you delete a file, even from the Recycle Bin, the file isn’t actually wiped off the face of the earth. Its sector is still on the hard drive, and you can use that to recover your file (Yay!).

Now, let’s take a look at some of the file/ data recovery software & programs that you must have in Windows 10.

Stellar Data Recovery

The next on our list of PC software list for most essential apps os Stellar Data Recovery. It is one of the most capable and popular software used by Windows users to recover lost or deleted data. With the help of the free version of this program, you can easily retrieve up to 1 GB of lost or deleted files from Windows PC, laptop, USB stick, hard drive, etc.

Recuva

Image source: Cloudwards

Recuva, a file recovery tool, assists the user to recover and restore her/his deleted files in the system.

After loading the software, the user just needs to choose which file she/he wishes to recover and from which location. Once the search is configured, the software will start a scan process and find the files matching the entered criterion. The user can, subsequently then, select the desired files to be recovered. There is one another file recovery software named EaseUS which also works fine.

7. Utility Software

“Must-have Windows app for managing and improving the performance”

Another one on the list of best programs for Windows 10 is a Utility software. It is a one-stop solution for maintaining your PC. The software offers many tools which can help you in managing, optimizing, and analyzing the performance of the PC. The list of tools includes a disk defragmenter, backup utilities, disk cleaners, disk compression, network utilities, virus scanner, and many others.

By reviewing Utility software we have shortlisted the best must-have software for Windows 10 and an older version which you can install for maintaining your PC.

Revo Uninstaller Pro

Revo Uninstaller is a great software that can help you in various aspects of protecting and maintaining your PC. The best part about this software is that it can be used on mobile devices as well. It moreover offers some of the best tools like Windows app remover, force uninstaller, installation monitor, advanced scanning for residuals, logs database, and many others. We would recommend you to try this software for better performance and improve the life of the PC. All these features make Revo Uninstaller as best software for personal computer to improve the performance of your device.

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Best File Copy Utility Softwares for Windows 2024

By admin April 8, 2024

Best File Copy Utility Softwares for Windows 2024, Cut, copy, paste. Sounds familiar? Millions of us, transfer and copy files almost on a daily basis. Let us find out thus, some of the best file transfer software and file copy software for Windows.

If you notice, there might be typical days when we have spent not just one but a few hours in transferring files and copying files. But, let’s say a typical file is quite large, then what happens? Of course, it takes a longer time for transfer. Several developers have come up with different data copy software applications that help you avoid the errors coming up during the transfer or copy of large files/folders from one system to another in Windows.

What Are the Best File Copy Utility Software for Windows?

Let’s look at the detailed features of each of these best file transfer tools below:

1. File Fisher

This is one of the most portable file copy software that can be used for copying and transferring the files from one system to another. This is also one of the fastest file copying apps available in the market.

The best part of using this app is that you don’t have to download the app at all; instead you have to just drag it to your desktop and then simply run it in your system. In addition to it, you can also keep the app in your pen drive or your flash drive for smooth installation into your PC anytime. The interface is highly easy-to-use and quite interactive.

Since it supports a huge number of file formats, you can copy any file into your PC comfortably with the help of this app. Newcomers and experienced PC users can all use it easily and effectively.

Features of File Fisher

• File Fisher offers a simple yet unique user interface

• This file copy tool does not require any installation as it is a portable tool

• You can easily transfer files from one format to another easily

• The software is compatible with all the Windows OS even with the latest ones too

What Are the Best File Copy Utility Software for Windows?

Let’s look at the detailed features of each of these best file transfer tools below:

1. File Fisher

Since it supports a huge number of file formats, you can copy any file into your PC comfortably with the help of this app. Newcomers and experienced PC users can all use it easily and effectively.

Features of File Fisher

• File Fisher offers a simple yet unique user interface

• This file copy tool does not require any installation as it is a portable tool

• You can easily transfer files from one format to another easily

• The software is compatible with all the Windows OS even with the latest ones too

2. TeraCopy

Use TeraCopy as data copy software to copy files comfortably within folders or into Windows desktop. TeraCopy provides a robust and interactive interface. This app is extremely flexible and is one of the most fast running apps. TeraCopy is available freely as well as in a paid version. The free version of TeraCopy also has a lot of features that help successful copying of files from one system to another.

With TeraCopy you can comfortably evade those files that seem to be troublesome and still continue copying rather than stop for some corrupted files. If you’re wondering how would be the transfer over a network then let me tell you with the use of TeraCopy it is a lot easier and faster. You can drag and drop files that can prevent moving folders accidentally.

Features of TeraCopy

• It is one of the simplest file copy utilities

• The software automatically skips corrupted or problematic files

• It even repairs the corrupt file and recovers data

• You can easily drag and drop files from one drive to another

Reasons to use TeraCopy

• Skips corrupted files: With TeraCopy at your disposal, corrupted files cannot block the file transfer as the application skips them instead of halting the entire process.

• Fast and easy to use: The options like drag and drop, high customization, etc. make this app fast and friendly enough for both beginners and advanced users.

• Useful shell integration: TeraCopy boasts individual plugins, i.e., shell integration support to save your time and effort.

3. Fast Copy

The interface of Fast Copy is not one of the most efficient ones but the app is definitely one of the most efficient fast copy software for Windows. Fast Copy is freely available as a program and helps you move the files rapidly from one network to another.

To ensure enjoying the best speed, it employs multiple threads to read, write, verify and also uses the overlapped and direct I/O systems.

Due to the interface not everyone can use the app comfortably especially if you’re a novice, however, for an experienced PC user; it is indeed a wonderful copy software for Windows.

Features of Fast Copy

• It is one of the fastest file copying tools

• The software supports UNICODE and over MAX_PATH file pathnames

• It supports UNIX wildcard

• It uses multi-threads to bring out the best speed of devices

Reasons to use Fast Copy

• NSA File Wiping Support: One of the best things about Fast Copy is that it supports data sanitization methods approved by the National Security Agency (NSA) to keep your confidential information safe.

• Resource-friendly: This application does not bug your computer with unnecessary pressure on the resources as it is lightweight.

• Command-line: For the techies out there, it has command line and UI wrapper support.

4. ExtremeCopy

ExtremeCopy can help copy files from one system to another quickly. It can enhance the speed of the machine based on the physical structure of the machine. There are a lot of user-friendly features in the app. However, it would not support copying files from the network.

The program is capable of integrating with the Windows Explorer making it easier to use. Extreme Copy is not a software that supports file syncing but is one of the best file transfer software available.

Features of ExtremeCopy

• The software offers the freedom to pause and skip any file easily

• You can easily resume the interrupted process

• It comes with a built-in error management feature

• It is one of the best file transfer software for PC

Reasons to use ExtremeCopy

• Fast copying: It lets you copy files much faster (20% to 120% speedier) than the native Windows copy tool.

• Optimizations: ExtremeCopy can be a perfect choice for you, as it optimizes the copying speed and its resource consumption automatically.

• Efficient free version: We agree that the free version of this software has no high-end features. But, it does not reduce its functionality, and you get the same fast copying speed for free.

5. Unstoppable Copier

This app has been in use for a very long time. This file copy software functions at an enormous speed. Unstoppable Copier is a recovery solution that copies and transfers all your files from the directory.

The best part of it is that they also try to repair the faulty and damaged files. It works on any of the Windows operating systems except Windows 10. This is one of the best interactive Windows copy software that one can obtain.

Features of Unstoppable Copier

• The software lets you copy, recover and repair files easily

• It offers great speed transfer

• Being one of the oldest software it offers the best tools and speed

• It is compatible with most of the Windows OS

Reasons to use Unstoppable Copier

• Command-line support: If you are a techie who is not a fan of those graphical interfaces, you’ll be glad to know that this application supports command-line UI.

• Backup tools: There are backup options available such as creating and saving transfer lists for future use.

• Blazing fast: Unstoppable Copier is among the most high-speed copying tools available currently to copy files.

6. GS RichCopy 360

With GS RichCopy 360 copying many files from one system/folder to another is swift and quite easy.

In fact, there is a backup software with GS RichCopy 360 for MS Windows operating systems. This backup software can allow you to synchronize through the servers, Windows OS and also through various networks. You can always know and see all the copied tasks through a special Wizard interface available only with this tool.

Features of GS RichCopy 360

• It can be considered as the fastest file transfer software for Windows 7,8 and 10

• To help you check all the tasks it offers WIzard Interface

• It can easily transfer data between network

• You can share files, directories, or even drives effortlessly

Reasons to use GS RichCopy 360

• Byte-level replication: One thing that you might find highly useful in this application (that many other similar programs lack) is its ability to replicate files at the byte level.

• Supports long path names: Some files have really long path names (over 260 characters long). But, you don’t have to worry, as this software supports them all.

• Simultaneous file copying: It does not take a long time to copy files using this software as it copies files (up to 255 threads) simultaneously.

7. Perigee Copy 1.7

You can use this tool to copy the files from one system to another in the shortest amount of time.

If there are many files to copy from one server to another, then you know very well how long it takes to copy, if you use the default Windows copy function. Therefore, the Perigee Copy tool can offer a quicker solution.

It is an easy-to-use software with an interactive interface that is effective in so many ways. However, the drawback with Perigee is its incompatibility with Windows OS versions 8 and 10.

Features of Perigee Copy 1.7

• It offers a very easy to adapt interface which can be used by any user

• Apart from just copying files, you can delete them too

• You get many features like archive bit, overwrite, and others.

• It works perfectly for the Windows 7 and older versions

Reasons to use Perigee Copy 1.7

• Shell integration: With this software’s integration with the Windows menu, you can perform copy-paste tasks much more easily.

• Security: You get a confirmation message whenever you perform any action to inform you about the files that are going to be affected to take care of their security.

• Feature-rich: If you are looking for software that is a complete package with all essential features, like overwrite, etc., this program can be your best choice.

8. Copy Handler

For those users who are always transferring multiple files from one system to the other, Copy Handler can help immensely in transferring bulk files in less time.

It is a free to use app. Copy Handler operates at a faster rate, and aids in pausing, resuming, restarting and cancelling the different functionalities. It supports many languages at a time. You can transfer files between drives and computers in quite a less amount of time.

Drag and drop functions are also supported by the copy handler. To note, Copy Handler would resume the paused and unfinished copying of all files with a system restart. It is an extremely easy-to-use app and its effectiveness and flexibility is worth applauding.

Features of Copy Handler

• You can easily copy files in bulk using this best file copy software

• Easy drag and drop functionality for copying and moving files

• Even when the PC shutdown it pauses the process and can be easily resumed

• The software offers detailed statistics to help you understand better

Reasons to use Copy Handler

• Open source: One of the best things that make Copy Handler a perfect pick is that you can examine its code if the techie in you wants to do it.

• Complete control: You get full control over the entire copy/paste process and its speed.

• Queue support: Copy Handler has a unique feature that allows you to carry out multiple tasks at once in a specific order.

9. Robocopy

Robo Copy is not an app in actuality but rather a command-line utility to copy and transfer files from one server to another many times. Robo Copy replaces XCopy and has more offerings as a data copy software. If you have to run this utility, your command would be called Robo Copy.

It can work on Windows Vista and also on Windows 8. Robo Copy does not work on all PC’s as it does not have an interactive GUI.

Features of Robocopy

• Robocopy requires no additional tool for copying or transferring files

• Even when the network is interrupted the software performs great. It resumes when the connection is better

• Using the software you can skip files that are already copied

• You can easily transfer files and data from one server to another

Reasons to use Robocopy

• Error-free copying: Robocopy is a Windows command that does not make any error even when copying paths with over 259 to 32,000 characters.

• /MT feature: With this command, you can perform file copying in multithreaded mode.

• Wide availability: Being portable and compatible with almost all Windows versions, this tool is widely available.

10. EaseUS Disk Copy

Are you planning to copy an entire drive?

You can call it more like a drive cleaner since it copies a drive to another drive. EaseUS disk is quite fast as a data copy software and the best versions for file copy are available for Windows 7, 8 and 10.

It is an extremely precise app and can clone the entire disk with perfect precision and accuracy.

Features of EaseUS Disk Copy

• The software is compatible with all major Windows OS

• It is a fast software for copying or cloning the whole disk to a new location

• You can easily create a bootable disk with this software

• The software is accurate and performs copying with 100% accuracy

Reasons to use EaseUS Disk Copy

• Ease of use: To copy/paste files with this software, all you need to do is follow a simple three-step process.

• One-click migration: Using this software, you can migrate your data, apps, and complete OS to a new hard drive safely with just a click.

• Easy replacement: You can get EaseUS Disk Copy to use SSD instead of an HDD effortlessly.

11. UltraCopier

UltraCopier is an open source file copy software used to copy files. UltraCopier is very simple to use and has a multitude of premium features at your disposal for free. No matter how less versed you’re with a computer, you can always use this particular software without any difficulty.

There are some features like start, stop, resume that you can navigate through comfortably. You can perform a multitude of copy tasks from one server to another. It is also compatible with Linux and macOS.

Features of UltraCopier

• The software offers advanced features like speed limitations, pause, resume and stop

• You can easily perform multi-copy tasks

• It is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux

• UltraCopier has a built-in error management feature

Reasons to use UltraCopier

• Useful features: It offers some of the high-end features, such as speed controls and functionality to search in the copy lists.

• Customizations: If you are looking for a straightforward and customizable (with the plugin support) file copy utility, UltraCopier can be the best choice.

• Multilingual: UltraCopier boasts support for multiple languages and a portable form of the software.

12. MiniCopier

MiniCopier, a super-fast utility to copy files very quickly. It is a completely automatic utility for copying files. All you need to get started is – just drag and drop the files that you want to copy, in the red basket presented in the software’s window. And, then it will begin the rest procedure automatically. It has the standard buttons as well such as Pause and Start.

Though the user interface of this application is very simple, at the same time, it is very effective and productive too. Apart from this, it also keeps records of those transfers as well which gets dismissed. Overall, it is the best way to copy or paste files and folders in no time.

Features of MiniCopier

• You can queue all the transfers easily on this software

• The transfer speed can be set easily with MiniCopier

• You can pause and resume the process anytime

• Using the software you can easily change the name of the file

Reasons to use MiniCopier

• Queue support: The software supports queuing, where you can add a transfer to the queue when current transfers are ongoing.

• Greater control: With options like limiting the copy and transfer speed of files, MiniCopier lets you be in charge of the process.

• Behavior setting: MiniCopier allows you to specify a default target file behavior.

13. FF Copy

The next best file copy utility software for Windows in our list is FF Copy. It is a file transfer utility for Windows users. With this, you just only need to copy or paste the file to a transfer queue and then it will be copied in the sequence. Comparatively, it is way faster than other such kinds of utilities. FF Copy lets you transfer multiple files or folders simultaneously.

Just in case, if the source becomes unavailable then FF Copy automatically re-generates the source and starts transferring the files after a while. It allocates the disk space and eliminates disk fragmentation. FF Copy is highly capable of boosting the speed of the entire process. Undoubtedly, if you are searching for the best way to copy files pretty instantly then you should rely on this amazing utility.

Features of FF Copy

• The software offers a feature to add files in queue for ease

• You can easily pause and resume the process as per requirements

• During file transfer issue you can easily skip to the next file transfer

• It offers a detailed description of the process

Reasons to use FF Copy

• Portability: FF Copy is a portable software, hence no installation is required to run it.

• System friendly: This software does not burden your system unnecessarily, as its memory and CPU utilization remains low.

• Fast speed: With features such as queue support, this software lets you copy/transfer multiple files really quickly.

14. KillCopy

KillCopy is an excellent and fastest file-transferring software available for Windows PC. This utility tool makes the overall process of file copying much easier with a drag-and-drop feature. In order to ensure an error-free file-transferring process, KillCopy utilizes a high-speed verification mode.

Features of KillCopy

• It comes with a KillDelete option to erase the source file, once the copying process completes.

• Has a feature called Auto Resume functionality that automatically starts the file transfer process when the process abruptly stops.

• It’s Turbo Mode enhances the copying speed of large files.

Reasons to Use:

• Parallel: This mode boosts copy speed when copying files between different physical devices.

• Speed Limit: This feature lets you limit the maximum copy transfer speed in Kbps units.

• Turbo Mode: This mode can improve the overall speed of the file copying process, especially when copying large files between local disks.

15. NiceCopier

The next on our list of the best utilities to copy files and folders with NiceCopier. It is a quick and easy-to-use software that allows you to copy and paste data hassle-freely.

Moreover, it boasts many outstanding features, such as pausing and resuming the copy/paste process, an option to change the settings like running at startup, and much more.

Furthermore, below are its other features, pros, cons, and reasons to use it.

Features of NiceCopier

• A single window displays all the running tasks

• Calculates the best file copying speed

• Task queue creation to improve software performance

• Allows you to perform check-sum-based verification of files after copying them

Reasons to use

• Portable: One of the top reasons you should use NiceCopier is its portability. You can carry it in a flash drive and use it without downloading anything on the computer.

• Lightweight: NiceCopier does not pressurize your system resources and consumes very little space on the device.

16. Total Commander

Allow us to conclude this entire list of the best file copy utility software with Total Commander. Total Commander is not merely a copy utility but a smart file manager. With the help of the tool, you can run two windows side by side and use them to copy and move the data within the system and its storage. Let’s know more about this tool from the information below.

Features of Total Commander

• Custom columns

• Quick View panel

• Tabbed interface

• Built-in FTP client

• Thumbnails view

Reasons to use

• Thumbnail: One of the main reasons why you should download the Total Commander tool is that the tool offers a preview of the files in the form of thumbnails for ease of decision-making.

• Supports Multiple Archives: Total Commander supports various extensions of Archive files like CAB, ACE, TAR, GZ, RAR, UC2, ZIP, 7ZIP, etc.

17. Copywhiz

Copywhiz is another best file copy utility software that you can try. Just like any other software on this list, Copywhiz is a very advanced and a great utility to enjoy copying data smartly.

Features of Copywhiz

• Easy copying

• Handles multiple files

• Integration is possible

• Smart UI

Reasons to use

• Recent Files: The software allows you to copy and manage recently modified or added files with ease.

• Personalized: Copywhiz allows you to look for files and copy them according to the name or extension of the file.

18. SuperCopier

The next name on this list of the best file copy utility software for Windows 10/11 is SuperCopier. This is a simple tool that makes it feasible for you to copy data from one location to the other.

Features of Copywhiz

• Simplest file copying

• Smart UI

• Personalizable interface

Reasons to use

• Effective Performance: The software allows you to move or copy multiple files at once. Moreover, you also get lightning-fast copying speed with the tool.

• Smart UI: The user interface of SuperCopier is quite simple yet smart. Even a beginner can get the most out of the tool with ease.

19. OrganizerMaX

Here’s another addition to this list of the best file copy utility software for Windows. OrganizerMaX is multiple levels better than the traditional copy utility of Windows. Using this tool, you can add tags, copy and paste, search for files, and do a lot more with ease.

Features of OrganizerMaX

• Simple interface

• Modifiable

Reasons to use

• Reliability: The software offers some of the most advanced features for a copy utility.

• Fast: OrganizerMaX is quite fast as compared to any other tool offered in this list.

Final Words

These are some of the best file copy utility software available for Windows in 2024. Most apps are quite efficient in handling the speed with which the files are transferred from one server to the other or from one network to the other.

Bulk file transfers and copying is possible with some of these apps as well. Some can also help you transfer an entire folder from one server to another. With some apps you can avail many premium features whereas with other open source platforms you can enjoy splendid features free of cost.

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Application

Best free YouTube downloader apps 2024

By admin April 4, 2024

Best free YouTube downloader apps 2024, Downloading content from YouTube doesn’t have to be stressful. Below, we round up a few of the best apps for saving YouTube videos and explain why you should avoid shady ripping sites.

YouTube has been around for almost two decades at this point. Naturally, plenty of users have come and gone during this time. Additionally, over the years, the platform refined its acceptable content rules and adopted a strict copyright claims system, leading to the deletion of millions of channels. In fact, if you go through one of your old playlists, you’ll almost certainly see at least one of the following errors:

•

◦ “This video is private”

◦ “This video has been removed by the uploader”

◦ “The channel associated with this video has been terminated”

◦ “This video contains content from [company], who has blocked it on copyright grounds”

Once a video is removed from YouTube, you can’t even see its title anymore. Still, its ghost remains, causing a few seconds of silence whenever you reach that spot in the playlist. You know that you liked whatever video used to be there, but can’t quite remember what it was. Worse still, there’s no way to find out – it’s simply gone.

The only way to prevent this is to download your favorite YouTube videos. This is easier than you might expect, and allows you to make a permanent archive of content that would otherwise be forgotten forever. Here’s a short list of our favorite YouTube downloader apps, and a brief description of what makes each so special:

Best YouTube downloader apps in 2024

1.VideoProc Converter AI: Our first choice for saving YouTube videos. Supports up to 8K resolution and every format you can think of. Can even upscale low-quality video using AI-powered tools. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

2.SnapDownloader: Intuitive and powerful service that lets you try all of its features without providing any payment info. Ideal for backing up lots of videos at once.

3.YTD Video Downloader: Simple, straightforward app that supports all of the most popular video-sharing sites. Free to use, with higher speeds and batch downloads if you upgrade to a paid plan.

4.4K Video Downloader: Flexible app that makes it easy to save entire YouTube playlists, extract subtitles, or automatically scrape new uploads. Allows a handful of free downloads, with no limits for paying users.

5.ByClick Downloader: This app is able to backup entire YouTube channels and adds a button to every video for one-click downloading. Free for the first 24 hours, but then you’ll have to upgrade. Only available on Windows.

6.Allavsoft Video and Audio Downloader: Works with YouTube, Vimeo, and many similar services. Offers a batch download feature, conversion tools, and 24/7 support. Five-minute video limit on free plans.

Criteria for the best YouTube downloader apps

There are hundreds of apps that let you download videos. That said, many are far more complex than they need to be for such a simple task. Then there are the downloaders that seem to work with every site except YouTube, or those that come bundled with adware. To make sure we only recommend the best of the best, we looked for services meeting all of these criteria:

• Can reliably download videos from YouTube and similar platforms

• Lets you convert the video to a format of your choosing (even audio-only)

• Has a free tier, money-back guarantee, or trial period

• Provides the ability to queue up multiple downloads

• Boasts a clean, simple, and novice-friendly interface

• Doesn’t ask you to install any sketchy programs during setup

The best apps for downloading YouTube videos

Here are our top YouTube video backup apps:

1. VideoProc Converter AI

(Windows, Mac)

VideoProc Converter AI is primarily a video-editing program but its downloading feature is second to none. Users can try this service for free, though you won’t be able to process videos that are longer than five minutes unless you upgrade to a paid plan. Still, we’d say this is worth doing since the app works with over 1,000 streaming sites including YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok. It’s one of the few that’s able to download 8K resolution video.

You’re free to backup a single video, a playlist, or an entire channel, and there’s even a screen recorder in case you’d like to capture live streams as they’re happening. One of the interesting things about this service is that it includes AI-powered tools. These are useful for upscaling standard-definition video to 4K, restoring damaged film, or bumping the frame rate up to 60fps.

Pros:

• Supports all of the main video-sharing sites including YouTube

• Exceptionally versatile

• AI video-enhancement tools

• Very easy to use

Cons:

• Primarily designed for video editing

PRICE:VideoProc Converter AI has a free plan, but premium subscriptions cost $25.95 per year. These include a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free and cancel if you’re not satisfied.

2. SnapDownloader

(Windows, Mac)

SnapDownloader boasts a streamlined interface that’s easy to get the hang of. Users can either paste up to 100 links into the URL field or switch over to the built-in browser and find videos on any platform they like manually. This app supports 360 video, 8K resolution, and can automatically download subtitle files and separate audio. There’s even a trimming tool included so that you don’t waste time downloading silent, boring, or irrelevant parts of the video.

We’re big fans of this app’s scheduling feature. This lets you queue up URLs and choose a time for the downloads to begin. As such, you’ll be able to backup all of your content at a time when nobody else in your home needs to use the internet. SnapDownloader’s website has an FAQ section, but it’s a little sparse. Luckily, there is an email support form in case your question hasn’t been answered yet.

Pros:

• Suitable for YouTube, Tiktok, and more

• Granular control over what and when you download

• Fully-featured free trial

• Downloads up to three videos simultaneously

Cons:

• Website could use a few more support articles

PRICE:SnapDownloader provides a free trial with no payment info required. Afterward, you’ll have to pay $7.99 per month for access. Alternatively, annual plans cost $29.99 and lifetime licenses are $39.99. Monthly plans have a 24-hour guarantee period, and all others offer 30 days.

3. YTD Video Downloader

(Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)

YTD Video Downloader has a very simple interface, with separate tabs for downloading and converting videos. Users can just enter a URL (or several) and the app will automatically grab everything, regardless of whether the link is to a channel, playlist, or individual video. All of the most popular formats are supported, and this app works with YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo, among other platforms.

This software is free to use, but there are a few caveats. For instance, you’re subject to daily download limits, your speeds are limited, and you can’t use the batch download feature unless you upgrade. There is a seven-day free trial, so unless you’re looking to download thousands of videos, you may not even need to pay anything. If you’re having problems, you can submit a support ticket. There is also a Frequently Asked Questions section on the website, though it’s fairly sparse.

Pros:

• Works on almost any device

• Novice-friendly design

• Ideal for downloading lots of videos at once

• Lengthy trial period

Cons:

• Premium plans are expensive if you pay monthly

PRICE:YTD Video Downloader is a freemium service, although to download multiple videos per day, you need a paid plan. These start at $6.99 USD per month, with annual plans costing as little as $35.88 following a seven-day trial.

4. 4K Video Downloader

(Windows, Linux, MacOS)

4K Video Downloader takes all the hassle out of backing up your favorite YouTube content. It supports YouTube shorts, playlists, and full channel archival, plus it works with your private videos provided you log in via the app’s internal browser. Naturally, other popular sites (like Twitch, BiliBili, and Facebook) are supported too.

There aren’t as many supported file formats, but all of the main ones like MKV, MP4, and OGG are accounted for. Additionally, we were pleased to see that 4K Video Downloader supports multiple languages. The site includes plenty of setup guides and tutorials, although the “contact us” link doesn’t actually do anything.

Looking for more than the free version offers? Good news: this app actually has reasonably-priced lifetime licenses. In other words, after paying a one-time fee, you can download as much as you like, forever. Paid users also unlock the multi-threading feature, allowing them to download up to three videos simultaneously.

Pros:

• Expansive support section, with posts in over a dozen languages

• Can download just about anything, even videos that are set to private

• One-time payment

• Allows multiple downloads at once

Cons:

• Can’t convert to as many video formats as its rivals

• No way to speak with staff as contact link broken

PRICE:You can use 4K Video Downloader for free indefinitely or unlock its full potential with a $25 lifetime pass. Alternatively, annual plans are available for $15. Each includes a two-week money-back guarantee.

5. ByClick Downloader

(Windows only)

ByClick Downloader goes the extra mile to make your life easier. The app inserts a button under every YouTube video, even if it’s embedded on another site, that lets you grab it with just one click. You can directly paste in video links, too. Whether you’re looking to backup your private videos, scrape an entire channel, or archive a Twitter feed, ByClick is up to the task.

The app can’t help you edit videos, but it can convert them to a few of the most popular formats. Additionally, users can choose whether to download a video’s subtitles or just the audio. The app supports roughly two dozen different languages, but unfortunately, the FAQ section on the website is only in English. As such, you may have to rely on translation tools to help you find answers. Users can speak with staff directly using the site’s built-in contact form.

Pros:

• Easily archive full YouTube channels

• Affordable lifetime plans

• Supports many video-sharing sites

Cons:

• Inconsistent multilingual support

• Only available on Windows

PRICE:ByClick Downloader has a 24-hour free trial that gives you access to all of its features. Afterward, you’ll have to pay to keep using the service. Lifetime plans cost $40 but at the time of writing, these are available at 50 percent off.

6. Allavsoft Video and Audio Downloader

(Windows, Mac)

Allavsoft Video and Audio Downloader might not be the prettiest service in this list, but it’s more than capable of backing up your favorite content. In fact, it claims to work with over 1,000 sites including YouTube, Spotify, and Facebook. Popular video formats like MP4, MOV, and AVI are supported, although unlike some of the tools above, Allavsoft’s maximum download quality is 4K.

In addition to its batch downloading functionality, this app comes with its own browser. This way, you can visit any site and simply grab any video you want. There’s also a screen recording feature in case you’d like to backup live streams. Allavsoft’s website doesn’t provide any support documentation or setup guides, but there is a contact form so you can get help if you need it.

Pros:

• Capable of saving video from just about anywhere

• Promises to respond to support requests within 24 hours

• Good amount of customization

Cons:

• More expensive that many of its competitors

• Can’t download 8K video

PRICE:Allavsoft Video and Audio Downloader has a free trial that lets you download up to five videos (provided they’re under five minutes long). Paid plans cost $19.99 per month, $29.99 per year, or $69.99 for a lifetime license. All plans include a 30-day guarantee.

Are there any other ways to download a YouTube Video?

Yes, several. However, they all come with their own disadvantages. Below, we’ll cover a few of the most common ways people download YouTube videos, and why they’re less than ideal.

Sign up for YouTube Premium

Premium only allows you to download videos at a maximum of 1080p resolution. Further, you have to check into YouTube every 30 days (and in some places, every 48 hours) or you’ll lose the ability to watch the content you’ve downloaded. Those are some pretty steep disadvantages for a service that costs $13.99 per month.

In a perfect world, YouTube would let paying subscribers freely download any video they like for offline playback. That’s not the case, though. First off, while YouTube is available just about everywhere, there are some countries that don’t have access to YouTube Premium yet.

YouTube-ripping sites

Plenty of websites can help you download content from YouTube. However, many of these only rip audio, not video. Additionally, they usually only let you process one download at a time and may add the name of the website to the resulting filename. To make matters worse, there’s no easy way to tell whether the site is providing a legitimate service or simply trying to trick you into running malware.

Finally, these sites are often taken down when they get popular. YouTube has filed multiple lawsuits against the people who operate these platforms, claiming they facilitate copyright infringement or otherwise breach YouTube’s protection measures.

Browser extensions

A quick look at your browser’s extension store will reveal dozens of addons that claim to be able to download YouTube videos. You’ll notice that the ratings seem to be all over the place, though, and on closer inspection, it seems like most have at least a few comments saying they don’t work anymore.

Let’s say you find one that seems to work. Again, there’s no way of telling whether the file you download is actually a video or just a Trojan. Further, browser extensions tend to be created by single developers or small teams. In other words, any change to YouTube’s backend is likely to result in the app being broken for quite some time.

Am I allowed to download videos from YouTube?

YouTube’s terms of service explicitly say that you are not allowed to download any content without express permission from both the platform and the copyright holder (which you are extraordinarily unlikely to get).

The biggest flaw here is when you stream a video, you’re effectively downloading a copy of it whether you intend to or not. On the plus side, as far as we’re aware, YouTube has never taken action against a user for making a copy of someone else’s video.

In fact, there are plenty of examples of prominent YouTubers who freely admit to doing this. Hbomberguy, for instance, previously covered problematic creators and mentions having archived his target’s channels ahead of time to prevent them from hiding incriminating content. Kevin Stratvert, meanwhile, has millions of subscribers as well as a video specifically explaining how to download content from YouTube. In other words, you should be just fine.

Disclaimer: We are not lawyers and nothing in this article should be considered legal advice. Please do your research.

Why would I need to download a YouTube video?

One of the most common arguments against YouTube downloaders is that they’re often used for piracy. While that may be true, there are plenty of perfectly legitimate reasons why someone may want to get their own copy of a video. Here are just a handful:

• Backing up their own content

• Archiving other people’s content for historical or research purposes

• To include sections of someone else’s video in one of your own (assuming fair use)

• To prevent the permanent loss of media that can’t be found anywhere else

• So you can watch while offline or in a country where YouTube is not available

• Checking whether a visual issue such as artifacting is included in the video itself or caused by the way YouTube renders content in a browser

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Games

The Best FPS games on PC 2024

By admin April 2, 2024

The Best FPS games on PC 2024, FPS games are a classic PC gaming staple, and whether you’ve been playing them since the 90s or started your journey more recently with the boom in battle royales, there are plenty to choose from when it comes to the all-time greats. To help you narrow down what to play next, we’ve created this list of the best FPS games to play right now, from single-player epics to team-based shooters you can play with mates. Heck, some don’t even necessarily have guns in them at all, and you may find the odd boomerang or bow in here too.

The 25 best FPS games on PC

You can find our list of the 25 best FPS games on PC below, which you can either browse in one big gulp, or jump straight to individual entries using the links below. And if your favourite FPS isn’t here, let us know in the comments below. It was number 26, honest.

25. Severed Steel

Kicking off with a newbie to the list, Severed Steel is all about sick stunts. Wall runs, somersaults, dolphin dives, slick slides: if you want it, Severed Steel has it. As you run around each mission while pulling off stunts and completing objectives, you shoot voxel dudes with their voxel guns that you pick up on the go. As you shoot your guns and arm cannon, bodies and walls will explode in a glorious shower of destruction. Oh yeah, you have an arm cannon! It does big damage, and Severed Steel’s destructible voxel arenas (am I saying “voxel” enough?) become your playground when you start blasting through walls.

Severed Steel can feel disorienting at first, but it’s rather forgiving. You won’t take damage as long as you simply keep moving, so it’s all about chaining stunts together to close the distance between enemies and take them down before they land a single shot. It’s the complete opposite of Superhot’s near-constant slow-mo, but it makes you feel equally badass.

24. Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village continues the journey of Ethan Winters and his unlucky hands. As he explores the titular village, you’ll fight lycans, zombies, and more with all sorts of guns. If, like me, you were also petrified by Resident Evil 7 and couldn’t muster the courage to defeat the Baker family, then rest assured that Village is a far less terrifying experience. The first run will still feel tense, and there are some horrifying moments, but overall the atmosphere isn’t as unsettling. A big reason why? Village leans into the chaotic action of Resident Evil 4 and 5, handing you plenty of powerful guns that you can use to pop heads with ease.

Village thrives on that action, and while the first half is a slower, more horror-focused experience, the latter half gives that up for an action game that fires on all cylinders. There are big boss fights, even bigger explosions, and hordes of enemies to slaughter as you see fit. If you’re hankering for more, the Mercenaries mode offers action-packed time trials that rank your combat abilities, while playing the campaign with cheats is an absolute treat. Trust us when we say infinite ammo grenade launchers are the best.

23. Boomerang X

It’s safe to say that I was blown away by Boomerang X. As I said in my Boomerang X preview, it’s the DOOM game I’ve always wanted and it may have ruined FPS games for me. Gun are overrated – boomerangs are the new hotness.

Boy does the boomerang feel good to fling, and you’ll quickly get access to a handful of superpowers that’ll only make the wooden spinner even more fun to use. Like the ability to teleport to it mid-air, or the ability to slow-time to a crawl as you line up that perfect shot. Combat is remarkably fluid and there’s barely any downtime. It’s fast, frenetic, and a whole heap of cool. String together a flawless succession of moves, and trust me, the feeling is unrivalled.

22. Titanfall 2

Titanfall 2 could have been the best singleplayer FPS of 2016, if it hadn’t been for the new Doom. Nonetheless, if you want straight-up action thrills with a whole lot of flash, some particularly glorious movement and impressively stressful mech-based boss fights, this is going to make you very happy. And hey, there’s a robust soldiers vs giant robo-suits multiplayer mode in there too, building on what the multiplayer-only Titanfall 1 already established.

That is, assuming you can find opponents. Titanfall 2 suffered from something of a failure to launch, having resolutely lost the marketing wars of late 2016. It may stay alive over time thanks to word of mouth, but even if it doesn’t, definitely check it out for that singleplayer campaign. It is, however, on the brief side, so we strongly recommend playing on Hard difficulty – as well as making it last longer, it makes the mech fights particularly feel that much more satisfying once you finally claim a steel scalp.

21. Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite landed out of nowhere with a surprise multiplayer launch in late 2021, but it disappeared equally as fast. That’s a shame, because it’s one of the best free to play games on PC right now. Sure, the progression system wasn’t great at launch and improvements were slow, but that core loop of running and gunning around arenas is Halo at its finest. With the campaign dropping a few months after (paid or on Game Pass), Halo Infinite quickly became a full Halo experience – and it might just be the best one in decades.

If you’re after something a bit bigger than Halo’s multiplayer arena shooter, then check out the sprawling open world campaign. Sure, an open world Halo might not have been on your wishlist, but careening around huge spaces in a Warthog while gunning down grunts and hoovering up collectibles is like a bigger and better version of Combat Evolved’s infamous Silent Cartographer level. If you simply miss the Halo of old, then don’t panic. Halo Infinite still has plenty of linear levels sprinkled throughout that feel like traditional Halo.

20. Deathloop

In Deathloop, a puzzling plot sends you back through a repeating timeloop while you figure out how to assassinate eight visionaries. They’re a bunch of nasties on an island, and if you manage to kill all eight in one night, you can free yourself from the timeloop. The day is split into four sections – morning, noon, afternoon, and evening – and you can only enter one of four areas per chunk. The visionaries move between the four areas throughout the day, so the puzzle is finding a routine that lets you kill all eight. That usually involves finding the moments when they pair off, so that you can execute a sneaky double assassination.

Only, Deathloop isn’t actually that sneaky. Unlike its predecessors in Arkane’s Dishonored franchise, Deathloop seems to focus heavily on action, relishing in the FPS joys of headshotting a bunch of enemies. Time is a weird soup, after all, and death doesn’t really mean anything when you’re trapped in a loop. So, kill, die, and kill some more. It’s a liberating cycle that allows you to really go wild and experiment with playstyles, as you don’t need to worry about future repercussions of your actions if you never make it past today.

In that chaotic action, you’ll meet Julianna. She’s another assassin, but her target is you. Julianna can be controlled by an AI, but the real fun begins when another player takes on the role and invades your world. When Julianna invades, you become trapped in your current area until either one of you dies, or you manage to hack an antenna that allows you to escape. Invasions often result in a tense game of cat and mouse, followed by a huge firefight in which both players use every weapon at their disposal. It’s an explosive end to most missions that delivers frenetic action and memorable multiplayer moments.

19. Rainbow Six Siege

Rainbow Six Siege does what Battlefield games have thus far only pretended to do: provide a multiplayer world which is destructible at a granular level. Instead of buildings collapsing when scripted levers are pulled, in Siege almost every door, window, wall, ceiling, and floor can have a hole poked in it via gunshot, grenades, battering rams and breaching charges.

It feels like technical wizardry and the consequences ripple throughout the entire experience, creating tension from the ability to be attacked from any angle, encouraging teamwork through asymmetric missions which force one team to defend themselves against the other’s attempt to breach their compound, and forcing traditional Rainbow Six tactical awareness without a planning phase by requiring you to hold a perfect mental map of the building around you at all times.

It’s equally impressive for being a team-based multiplayer shooter that feels fresh, offering something different from the Counter-Strikes and Call of Dutys while staying true to the spirit of the Rainbow Six series.

18. Warhammer: Vermintide 2

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is all about killing rat people. Slicing them with swords, whacking them with maces, chopping through them with an axe – anything goes when you’re fighting the vermin hordes. Most importantly, though, it always involves bloody carnage that feels oh-so-good. If you’re in the mood for some simple, yet chaotic melee action, then Vermintide 2 is the game for you. And, for those of you screaming about how it isn’t an FPS, every class has some kind of ranged option to try. The bow is a personal favourite of mine, but there are also spells and guns that you can use to blow the rat people to pieces.

Cutting through rat folk might seem easy at first, but when elite enemies start picking your allies off, isolating them from the group for an easy kill, you’ll realise that teamplay is the key to survival. By forcing you to stick together, Vermintide 2 perfectly captures the feeling of being part of a fantasy party. Even if you’re unfamiliar with Warhammer lore, fans of Lord of the Rings or Dungeons & Dragons should find a lot to love here. Sure, Warhammer is a little more grimdark than Middle Earth or Faerun, but when you’re cleaving through rats with an axe while your mate unleashes a volley of arrows on an incoming horde, your fantasy-adoring spark is sure to ignite.

17. Turbo Overkill

Turbo Overkill is a retro-inspired FPS following in the footsteps of Quake and DOOM, albeit with a techno twist. You’ll charge around arenas slaughtering all sorts of enemies, but along the way you find augments that you can install to gain new powers. That could be a subtle boost, such as extra armor on getting a chainsaw kill, or something a little more chaotic, such as massive explosions whenever you hit the ground. Traversing the map to find those upgrades is a treat, too, as Turbo Overkill constantly propels you forward with incredible speed through its neon-filled streets.

We gave Turbo Overkill a bestest best when it launched in early access in late 2021. But, to reiterate one of the most salient points: you have a chainsaw for a leg. Fun times follow, as you can use that chainsaw leg to skid and slide around while tearing through baddies. They explode in violent bursts of blood, but there’s no time to stop and look at your victims, as Turbo Overkill is all about delivering that huge damage with speed and style.

16. Neon White

Carrying on from Turbo Overkill, here’s another game that’s about running fast. Neon White is a speedrunning FPS in which you use cards to either kill nasty demons, or launch yourself towards the goal in hopes of shaving off half a second.

It’s that second part that’s really fun, as each of Neon White’s levels quickly become complex puzzles to solve. It’s easy to get stuck in a loop of just running the same route over and over again, sure, but taking the time to step back and wander around the level to see every avenue and secret passage will give you insight into other potential paths. And then you run it and complete the mission an entire second faster. A second! Few things feel better than that.

15. Hunt: Showdown

Hunt: Showdown‘s this mixture of PVP and PVP, underscored by serious tension. You take on the role of hunters with the express aim of assassinating an AI “boss” tucked away somewhere on the map. Trouble is, there are other squads also attempting to do the same thing. Die and you lose your equipment forever. Survive, and you’ll not only keep your stuff, but get some of the spoils too. That’s the tension for you – every single foray into the dark could spell disaster.

The audio design’s also sterling in Hunt: Showdown too, with gunshots that ring out from miles away, and the clang of chains could help you locate an enemy that’s stalking you nearby. Even swapping your weapon or reloading in quiet moments might give away your position. It’s an FPS that’s unlike anything out right now.

14. Call Of Duty: Warzone 2

Warzone 2 may not be battle royale king like its predecessor once was, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t any good. Far from it! There’s a brand new gunsmith which lets you tinker with weapons in even greater detail, which makes for even spicier metas. The new map Al Mazrah is – in my opinion – better than Verdansk, in the way it facilitates fights and removes a lot of boring grey in favour of some actual colour.

Warzone 2 isn’t perfect by any means, but what it offers is a free-to-play, triple A shooter with COD’s brilliantly smooth FPSing. It’s also worth noting that the game often receives free updates to keep things fresh, so it’s unlikely you’ll get bored quickly.

13. Team Fortress 2

That Team Fortress 2 is a sequel and a remake of a sober-as-a-nun multiplayer mod seems almost irrelevant now. But it’s part of what makes the game so important. Valve took years and years to settle upon a model for what has become one of the firmly-entrenched favourites of the PC gaming fraternity, and that they did so allowed it to prove that a multiplayer first-person shooter can be funny, even witty, and that constant experimentation and progression can keep a game alive and evolving long after it should have ground to a halt.

Team Fortress 2 felt like an experiment, and it still feels like an experiment, and that experiment was a success. A move to free-to-play and a hat-centric economy has kept TF2 thriving. The cost of this is that something of the original spirit was perhaps lost in this translation to gimmee, gimmee, gimmee, but we can forgive that.

12. Devil Daggers

2016 was in many ways a vintage year for first-person shooters, and the reason for that was because they understood their past. DOOM, obviously; Overwatch returned to Team Fortress rather than COD; Titanfall 2 was the big sci-fi silliness of the noughties again and Devil Daggers… well, Devil Daggers is from an alternate timeline where Quake changed everything and was never forgotten in favour of military men and careful plots.

A beautiful hellscape of big square pixels against a midnight backdrop, monstrous things looming at you from the darkness, and the dance, the endless dance. A pure test of everything that first-person shooters ever taught us. Reflex, awareness, movement, practice, true grit and no surrender. It is about your own time and only about your own time, because that is all that matters – everything else that shooters ever added is mere fluff.

11. DOOM Eternal

DOOM 2016 was a bloody and brilliant reintroduction to the demon-slaying franchise, but DOOM Eternal takes it to new heights. It doesn’t waste any time making you wait around, opting instead to hand you a shotgun and force you out into the demon crowds. Within moments, you’re platforming around chaotic arenas with an upgraded shotgun, machine gun, and a chainsaw doing what that DOOM guy does best. Namely, rippin’ and tearin’.

Sure, you might have done that just a few years ago in its predecessor, but Eternal pushes you to get faster and more ferocious. It has some new platforming elements that not everyone will appreciate, such as wall climbing and swinging from poles, but when it comes to tearing through arenas filled with hulking demons, DOOM Eternal does it best.

10. Left 4 Dead 2

Zombies: in 2008 they were still very exciting. They still are today when blessed with Valve’s magic touch, which in a few, brief, cyclic co-op skits adds more life, wit and hinted-at history to its characters and its world than most of the 8 hour+ singleplayer campaigns in this list stuck together. Including Left 4 Dead 2 in the list was complicated, however, given most of what makes it to strong was work done by the previous year’s Left 4 Dead.

It’s a sequel not that different to the original, and not a game that I felt, on its first outing, really changed anything. However, it’s clear with time that Left 4 Dead 2 was a major under-the-hood upgrade, both closer to what was intended for the zombie-blasting horror game, and also a bigger move in the direction of pure co-op, which wasn’t something that even seemed possible before the let’s-all-die-together first Left 4 Dead came along.

Another strong reason to choose this over L4D1 (which still has a more memorable cast of Survivors, to my mind) is how much it’s been expanded by mods. You can stick Deadpool in there, expand it from a 4-player game to a 16-player one, turn everyone into a dinosaur or recreate pretty much the entirety of L4D1 within it. Get thee to the Steam workshop and indulge.

9. SUPERHOT / SUPERHOT VR (2016)

There ain’t nothin’ new under the sun – a miserable claim that SUPERHOT Team disproved twice in one year. First there was SUPERHOT itself, a shooter in which time only moves when you move (or shoot) (or throw something) (or punch). Then there was SUPERHOT VR, which singlehandedly redeemed the whole concept of virtual reality and easily made it into our pick of the best VR games.

SUPERHOT is both maximum-adrenaline thrills and highly tactical – transforming the first-person shooter from a game about precision aiming and reflexive movement into one in which every twitch counted. The world is super-slow-mo until you do anything, which grants you the time to plan the move but leaves you subject to a devious puzzlebox construction in which one action leaves you vulnerable to some other threat. It is sublime, and it is impossibly cool.

Particularly in VR, where you are making those movements yourself – the ducking, the punching, the throwing, the shooting. The Matrix fantasy without any of the bilge – just superhot action. A glorious, glorious reinvention of first-person violence.

8. Deep Rock Galactic

Deep Rock Galactic combines drunk dwarves with some complex tunnel systems and lots of nasty subterranean bugs. The result is often sheer chaos, as four players charge into the depths to mine whatever they need for the big corporation in the sky. You pick a role, each of which has a unique weapon and traversal mechanic, and zip through the caves at incredible pace, collecting ores as you head towards a main objective.

The chaos comes when you’re trying to wrap your head around these main objectives, connecting winding pipelines or powering huge machines, while fending off those blasted bugs that just won’t stop. As you go, hordes of creepy critters will charge in your direction. A rational team might fight them together, deploying traps and getting into a strong defensive formation, but I find the fun in panickedly running away and screaming. But, whether you play Deep Rock Galactic as a true co-op shooter or as a wild romp in the caverns, it’s sure to be a good time.

7. GTFO

Hurtling down into the dark depths of GTFO‘s Rundowns (levels) is a terrifying start. What’s even more terrifying, though, is when teammates don’t work together. We tend to quickly designate a leader when I play with friends, but someone always wanders off a little too far or fails to follow orders. Lots of screaming, shooting, and swearing ensues. It’s pure chaos with a horror-filled flair, and it’s a great time online. It demands teamwork and precision if you want to survive, but that fills every encounter with a level of tension that few other FPS games reach.

That tension is only heightened by the enemy variety crawling around every level. You never know what might lie behind each door, but spotting a Scout’s tendril as you enter a new area could spell the end of a run. The thrill of needing to adapt to whatever you find, and often sneak past enemies to preserve resources, makes GTFO the best co-op survival horror on PC.

6. Half-Life: Alyx

Alright, yes, you’ll need a VR headset for Half Life: Alyx, alongside a powerful enough rig to run it nicely. But, if you’ve got both of these things, then you’re in for a treat.

Graham said in his Half-Life: Alyx review that this is “the Half-Life game you’ve been waiting for, even if it’s not the one you were expecting”. And this is because the game’s been designed with VR in mind. You’re now able to reach out and touch City 17, and the motion control shooting “feels better than Half-Life’s combat ever has”.

And Half-Life: Alyx embraces horror too, with moments where you’re cowering in corners or chucking objects to distract enormous monsters. You’re even able to cover your mouth with your actual hand, and have it replicated in-game. It’s very much been lifted by VR, and not harmed by it.

5. Half-Life 2

Of course. So much is in Half-Life 2, from an unprecedented level of architectural design to facial animation which rendered anything else obsolete overnight, to a physics system which transformed shooter environments from scenery into interactive resource, to some of gaming’s most striking baddies in the Striders and a huge step forwards in making AI companions believable and likeable.

It’s also a long, changeable journey through a beautifully, bleakly fleshed-out world, and although of course you are on the hero’s journey, it’s careful to keep you feeling like a bit player in a wider conflict. That this, plus the cliffhanger ending of Episode 2, left so much more to be told leaves PC gaming in a perpetual state of frustration that the series has, publicly at least, ground to a halt. I don’t think all of it is as striking as it once was – particularly, much of the man-shooting feels routine and slightly weightless now – but Half-Life 2 gave us more than any other first-person shooter before, and maybe even since.

4. Dusk

DUSK is a retro-styled FPS that’s retro, but doesn’t get stuck trying to mimic retro. It has the gut-spilling impact of the genre, yet mixes it with modern twists: like picking up items to create impromptu climable routes to hidden areas, or just slinging saw blades and soap at foes.

There’s a lot of coloured-key collecting to open doors in DUSK, but it’s spread across loads of complex, batshit maps that only get better as you barrel through through its campaign. There is, of course, a metal soundtrack paired with a level of spookiness designed to make you both enjoy the riff and jump out of your chair within five seconds of one another. Please don’t skip out on this.

3. Valorant

There’s no elegant way to put this: Valorant is Counter: Strike but with wizards and ninjas. One team wants to plant a bomb, the other needs to stop this from happening. How? By inching around corners, having decent aim, and making strong callouts in the team chat. Patience is rewarded here, as is coordinating with your team to control each map.

If Valorant sounds like Counter: Strike, that’s because the gunplay is pretty similar. However, where it differs is in ability usage. You can choose from a roster of Agents who each have special powers that’ll let them do stuff like teleport across short gaps, flashbang around corners, or heal allies. If this sounds aggressively unbalanced, don’t worry, almost all of these abilities feel like useful tools, as opposed to pain-bringers.

I’d say I prefer Valorant to Counter: Strike nowadays, purely because it feels more current. There’s regular updates and some invaluable tools – like an aim training map – are baked into the game, as opposed to being buried away in a “community creations” section of a store.

2. Apex Legends

Oh my, Apex, what excellent bumslides you have. What solid shootsing you offer. What a delightful bunch of canyons and swamps you’ve plonked us in. We should have known better than to doubt the makers of Titanfall 2’s robot antics. Since its launch Apelegs has added plenty of new characters, new maps, and even a new Arenas mode.

It’s a solid murder hike every time you dive into Apex Legends, and there really is nothing that matches its pace in the Battle Royale realm.

1. Destiny 2

Destiny 2 is an incredibly fluid MMO FPS with some of the best shooting around, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Whether you want to team up with others to topple big bosses, turn on your fellow players and slug them with a shotgun in Crucible’s PvP modes, or play through epic stories that span the solar system, Destiny 2 has something for everyone.

Whichever activity you prefer, you can easily sink hundreds, if not thousands, of hours into it, and the brilliant gunplay makes it a constant joy. Not only is the best FPS around, I’ll wager that Destiny 2 is also the best superhero game right now. There’s something I love about swinging electro swords and firing off a golden gun imbued with solar energy to kill massive raid bosses in a bid to save the solar system.

Destiny 2 has so much to love, but that doesn’t mean it’s without fault. The onboarding experience is incredibly awkward for newbies, with the removal of the original Red War campaign and subesquent Forsaken expansion making the story completly incomprehensible without watching oodles of lore videos. That proves a chore for even the most dedicated of Guardians, and it’s a roadblock that’s almost guaranteed to alienate new players who try to hop in for a new expansion.

However, it’s a testament to Destiny 2’s strengths that we still recommend it so highly. It’s a masterful FPS with so much fun to be had, regardless of whether you prefer PvE or PvP. And, with so much content available for free, there’s no really no reason not to give it a go. So, off you pop, go decrypt some engrams, get some snazzy armor, and start shooting aliens. Eyes up. Guardian.

Source : Rock Paper Shotgun

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Android

Best Android Launchers in 2024

By admin April 1, 2024

Best Android Launchers in 2024, Android launchers are one of the most useful apps for customization. It can entirely change the look of your home screen and how it behaves. It can even change things like icons and themes and offer a variety of other personalization features for your device. Most legacy Android launchers have the same stock Android theme, which may seem a bit too cluttered. But now, many newer launchers are going for a minimal aesthetic. Here are the best Android launchers available right now.

We’d also like to give an honorable mention to Flauncher (Google Play). It officially launched in 2022 and is easily one of the best Android TV launchers on Google Play.

AIO Launcher

Price: Free /In-app purchases ($0.99 – $9.99 per item)

AIO Launcher does it differently than many Android launcher apps. It does away with the standard home screen in favor of an information-packed list of stuff. It shows things like your latest SMS and missed calls, your media player, your system info (RAM, battery, storage, etc.), and even stuff like news, Bitcoin price, Twitter, and more. The list is actually quite extensive.

The premium version also includes integration for Telegram and your regular widgets from other apps. Not everything has to look like stock Android, and AIO Launcher certainly shows that it can be done effectively. Luckily, most of the features are free, and the free version doesn’t seem to have ads.

http://andauth.co/gKjXPn

Launcher iOS 17

Price: Free

If you like the look and feel of the iOS UI, this app’s for you. This launcher gives your Android phone a look similar to iOS 17. This includes a lock screen, a control center, many animations, different wallpapers, and widgets. It has a ton of customization options. There are some features, like lock screens, notifications, a control center, and assistive touch, that you need to download separately. It does require some time to configure everything perfectly, but once everything is set up, Launcher iOS 17 makes your Android look a lot like iOS. There are a few bugs, but it works great for a free app.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.luutinhit.launcherios&gl=us

Best Android Launchers in 2024

Before Launcher

Price: Free /In-app purchases ($1.99 – $5.99 per item)

Before Launcher is one of the few minimal-style launchers on the list. This one claims to help reduce interactions with your phone by up to 40%. There is also a notification filter that reduces notifications by about 80%. Some other features include a clean, easy UI and the ability to pin important apps or hide unimportant apps. It’s a bit light on customizations, but that’s pretty typical for minimal launchers. You do get support for icon packs, though.

You get the vast majority of features in the free version, which also doesn’t contain advertisements. The developers also state that the app can’t capture any data and requires no permissions to run. That’s fairly standard for Android launchers on this list, but we thought you’d still like to know.

https://andauth.co/KYHSK5

Square Home

Price: Free /In-app purchases ($1.99 – $5.99 per item)

If you like the Windows UI, then you’re going to love this app. Square Home brings the old Metro UI of Windows Phone to your Android device. It has a user-friendly interface that is both simple and visually appealing. With features like vertical scrolling within a page and smooth horizontal transitions between pages, it faithfully replicates the metro-style UI. It’s a bit different from the default Android experience. It utilizes tiles to display your notifications, calls, SMS, e-mails, and more. Square Home also boasts a smart app drawer that intuitively organizes your apps, which it sorts by usage.

Additionally, it offers quick access to your contacts and tons of other customization options, making it a great launcher choice. The developers address user-submitted complaints and work on them to update the app frequently. You need to pay for some premium features like animated tiles, a media controller, infinite scrolling, 3D effects for horizontal scrolling, and others. There are monthly subscription plans of $1.99 and a lifetime subscription priced at $5.99 too.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ss.squarehome2&gl=us

Olauncher

Price: Free

Olauncher is a great choice for minimalist lovers. This launcher offers a clean, clutter-free experience with its extensive customization options. It’s also open source. The most basic features allow you to do everything, from resizing text to renaming apps and even controlling the visibility of the status bar. It has gestures, wallpapers, dark and light theme support, dual app support, work profile compatibility, automatic app launch, and more. The best part is that it’s completely free and has no ads.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.olauncher&gl=us

Lawnchair 2

Price: Free

Lawnchair Launcher is an excellent Android launcher for fans of minimalism. It’s an open-source project that mimics much of the look and feel of the Pixel Launcher. The app features adaptive icons, a fun icon pack, an “At a Glance” feature that uses notification dots for quick access, and a drawer category function to neatly organize your apps. You can also choose between a light and dark mode for your system. It integrates with Google Feed and Homefeeder to provide a comprehensive Android launcher experience. It’s also completely free. This app used to be one of the most popular launchers, but now it has many bad reviews because the developers have stopped updating the app.

http://andauth.co/iCaojv

Total Launcher

Price: Free /In-app purchases ($1.99 – $5.99 per item)

Total Launcher is an older launcher app. It offers a lot of customization options and is suited for both those who prefer a clutter-free experience and those who want tons of widgets. It has a simple UI, so it’s really easy to use and setup. It features various themes, wallpapers, icon packs, and much more.

Total Launcher is free to use, but you’ll need to pay for premium features like folder search and hidden apps. There are monthly subscriptions of $1.99 and a lifetime subscription of $5.99. It’s a worthwhile investment considering the rich customization and functionality it brings to your Android experience.

https://andauth.co/dOgy1y

Microsoft Launcher

Price: Free

Microsoft Launcher is one of the most popular launcher apps available on Android. The app features custom icon packs, daily Bing wallpapers, and a dark theme for low-light use. It simplifies phone transitions with Backup and Restore, enabling local or cloud backups. Intuitive gestures, like swiping and tapping, streamline navigation. Plus, it ensures accessibility with screen lock and recent apps view gestures. It also has integration with many Microsoft services, including their calendar, email, to-do list app, and direct integration with Microsoft PCs.

http://andauth.co/rTRNtX

Niagara Launcher

Price: Free/ In-app Purchases ($0.99 – $29.99 per item)

Niagara Launcher offers a user-friendly, ergonomic experience for Android users. It has an adaptive list layout that shows you essential information like messages and calendar events, and it even has support for media players. It has unique wave alphabet navigation with embedded notifications. The app is ad-free, lightweight, and embraces Material You Theming for customization. The developers are still frequently updating the app.

https://andauth.co/2V0ciL

Nova Launcher

Price: Free

It doesn’t get better than Nova Launcher. Nova Launcher has been around for quite some time, but it is still one of the best Android launcher app options available. It has a laundry list of customization features that include gesture support, the ability to customize the look and feel of the app, icon pack support, themes, and much, much more. The app also gets updated at a breakneck pace, which means bugs generally get squished quickly and new features are added consistently. It also comes with the ability to backup and restore your home screen layouts for when you eventually switch to a new phone. It’s the one we’d recommend you try first.

http://andauth.co/RtzXmc

Wide Launcher

Price: Free /In-app purchases ($2.99 – $49.99 per item)

Wide Launcher is a newer app that offers a unique Android experience with a home screen that’s three times wider than standard launchers. It allows you to place items anywhere and provides a wide range of palettes and mini-apps for enhanced smartphone use. You can personalize your home screen with a variety of selected wallpapers, stickers, app icon styles, and picture frames. The launcher features intelligent organization and smart widgets called applets. There’s a fun feature that allows you to have virtual pets running on your screen called Hellopets. It’s also ad-free.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shouter.widelauncher&gl=us

Rootless Launcher

Price: Free

Rootless Launcher is a decent, stock Android-style launcher from 2018. It’s actually a fairly basic experience. You get a stock Android look and feel with some additional customization elements to complete the look. Some of the features include icon pack support, adaptive icon pack support, an icon shape selector, themes based on your wallpaper, and the ability to change the location of the search bar. You can also get Google Feed working on this launcher, but like most, it requires an extra plug-in download and installation. The website with the instructions for that is in the Google Play description.

http://andauth.co/HHDUTB

Smart Launcher 6

Price: Free /In-app purchases ($0.99 – $26.99 per item)

Smart Launcher is another famous and quite old launcher app for Android. It has features like automatic app sorting and an ambient theme that dynamically adapts to your wallpaper. There’s an option to hide the navigation bar, and you can even protect sensitive apps with a PIN. Its UI is designed for one-handed use, and essential elements are conveniently placed at the bottom of the screen.

The launcher provides responsive built-in widgets and extensive customization options, allowing you to personalize themes and fonts. It also has a smart search bar, which simplifies tasks like finding contacts or searching the web. The problem with this launcher is that it feels like some of the features are forced; there’s no option to disable them.

http://andauth.co/wDhePH

Lynx Launcher

Price: Free /In-app purchases ($3.99 per item)

Lynx Launcher is a new launcher app that offers a clean and distraction-free Android experience. The app supports theming, allowing you to change icons and even the entire theme, with the option to toggle dark mode based on your preferences. It has tons of customization features that allow you to tweak everything from the dock’s position to text size and notification dots. It also lets you hide non-removable apps. There are gestures that give you quick access to apps, contacts, and settings. A favorites screen shows your most-used apps and contacts for easy access.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.n277.lynxlauncher&gl=us

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