A good computer configuration is essential to be able to get the most out of the components of the PC and to achieve both that Windows runs more smoothly and that the most demanding applications, such as games, work as well as possible. In this sense, the graphics card is one of the most important aspects that we must know how to configure, especially if we are going to use our computer to play.
Both NVIDIA and AMD have their own configuration panels with which we can adjust how we want 3D applications to run, such as games . Regardless of the graphics options that we can find within the games, these programs allow us to apply a series of basic configurations depending on whether we want the games to work more fluidly, with more FPS, or if we want to prioritize quality by sacrificing a little this performance.
NVIDIA Control Panel: the great (and useful) stranger
The NVIDIA Control Panel is a tool that allows us to configure how we want the graphics card to behave by default. In addition to configuring the resolution and refresh rate of the screen, it also allows us to activate the G-Sync , control the 3D settings of all programs or adjust the image settings, among many other settings.
Within this last option (although it really appears the first in the list) we will be able to choose how we want the system to behave by default. We have three possible options:
- Let the 3D application decide : this option what it will do is let the program (or game) itself control whether to give higher priority to quality or performance.
- Use advanced 3D image settings : it ignores all the settings and allows us to adjust the options individually by program from the “control 3D settings” section.
- Use my own preferences : allows us to adjust the 3D options easily. We can choose whether to give more importance to performance (to obtain more FPS in exchange for seeing distorted curves) or to quality (to improve the smoothness of the curves).
We can also choose an intermediate point between performance and quality, being the best option if we do not want to complicate ourselves.
Download this panel
The NVIDIA Control Panel is usually installed automatically along with the graphics card drivers. We can find it by searching among the programs installed on the computer, or through the NVIDIA logo that should appear in the system tray, next to the clock.
If you don’t have it in Windows, there are two ways to install it on your computer. The first one is from the Windows App Store, the Microsoft Store. This option will allow us to download the UWP version of the NVIDIA Control Panel, and we can always keep it updated without worrying about anything.
If we have problems, this Control Panel is also included in the NVIDIA drivers that we can download from the manufacturer’s website . This package, in addition to the drivers and the control panel, also installs the GeForce Experience, a program that helps us to optimize the graphics of the games for our PC.
