Fundamental Glossary
Understand the technical terms we use in our optimization and maintenance guides. Knowledge is the first step to extracting the most from your hardware.
BIOS / UEFI
The basic system that runs before Windows. This is where we configure the boot order (for formatting) and hardware adjustments like XMP for RAM.
Drivers
Programs that teach Windows how to communicate with your hardware (graphics card, sound, Wi-Fi). Outdated drivers are the #1 cause of blue screens and slowness.
Malware vs Virus
Malware is any malicious software. A virus is a specific type that replicates itself. Today, the biggest danger is Ransomware, which hijacks your data and demands a ransom.
SSD (Solid State Drive)
Modern storage, 10x faster than old HDDs. If your PC takes more than 1 minute to turn on, the lack of an SSD is likely the culprit.
FPS / Hz
FPS is how many frames your PC generates per second. Hz is how many frames your monitor can show. For competitive games, the higher, the better.
Bloatware
Useless programs that come pre-installed on the PC (factory) or that we accidentally install along with other software. They consume RAM and processing for nothing.
Thermal Throttling
When the processor or graphics card gets too hot (usually above 90°C) and intentionally slows down to avoid burning out. Causes sudden stutters in games.
XMP / DOCP
Automatic RAM overclocking profile. If you bought 3200MHz memory but didn't activate XMP in the BIOS, it's likely running at 2133MHz (much slower).
Ping / Latency
The time it takes for your PC to send data to the game server and receive a response. Measured in milliseconds (ms). High ping causes 'teleporting' and command delay.
Overclock
The practice of forcing a component (CPU/GPU) to run at a higher speed than the factory setting. Increases performance (FPS), but also increases heat and power consumption.
Bottleneck
When one part limits another. Example: Having a super powerful graphics card (RTX 4090) with a weak processor (an old i3). The card stays idle waiting for the processor to work.
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