As the mercury soars: What to consider when gaming in summer?
Summer essentials for players for a hassle-free gaming experience
Hyderabad: The past few weeks have been scorching, with the sun blazing relentlessly across the country. As we all search for ways to beat the heat, the news of a delayed monsoon hints that relief might be further away than we hoped.
Now, you might be wondering why a weekly column on video games is mentioning the monsoon. Well, here’s the thing: playing video games isn’t just an immersive experience; it’s also an activity that consumes a considerable amount of electricity and generates a substantial amount of heat. A practice that often relies on high amounts of computing power, and the right temperatures for the optimum experience of play and thus when the thermometer inches towards 40 degrees the energy demands for a gaming session are a lot higher.
This week’s column focuses on what gamers can do to minimize heat, enjoy a smooth gaming experience, protect their hardware, and stay energy- and environmentally conscious.
Pointers to consider if you play on the PC:
If you play on a PC with a custom gaming rig that uses a dedicated GPU, I recommend playing during the early mornings (before 11 am) and late evenings (after 7 pm). It’s also advisable to rationalize your play hours and avoid marathon sessions, as extended engagement time can lead to diminishing returns for most silicon components.
In simpler terms, longer play sessions mean more energy consumption, more heat, and lower performance. Keeping your systems and setups free of dust is important, as dust can contribute to heat buildup. Lastly, while liquid cooling and fans can be effective, it’s essential to remember that heat takes time to dissipate.
For console gamers:
If you’re playing on last-gen hardware (PS4 and Xbox One), I recommend playing in shorter sessions and being aware of the limitations of your nearly decade-old hardware. With the PS4, pay attention to the sound of the fan, and if it becomes excessively loud, it’s a sign to stop playing and allow the console to cool down.
With the newer consoles, cooling systems are generally improved, and the hardware is better optimized. However, their designs are also compact, with limited spaces for heat to escape. Playing during the early mornings and late evenings is advisable, as well as regularly cleaning the console to ensure that dust and dirt haven’t obstructed the airflow.
For mobile gamers:
When it comes to mobile gaming during summer, there are unique challenges due to the compact size of devices. While many mobile phones claim to have cooling technology, it’s hard to assess their effectiveness. However, if you feel your phone’s backplate heating up, it’s a clear indication to consider ending your gaming session.
In fact, with most smartphones, the transition from comfortably warm to scalding hot can happen within just a few minutes. Additionally, it’s advisable to avoid long gaming sessions as they can have a detrimental impact on the battery life. For those who play while charging or using a power bank, it’s best to avoid simultaneous charging and gaming, as the combination of heat from both activities can be excessive.
As we take these factors into account for summer gaming, it’s crucial for players to prioritize the health of our devices and minimize our energy footprint. Even if it means adjusting our gaming schedules slightly by waking up a bit earlier or staying up a bit later, it can be seen as a small sacrifice for the environment and our shared responsibility. This is our bit for the environment after all.
