My game runs slow

Computer hardware is getting faster and faster and those of us who enjoy playing big 3D games often go out and buy high-end gear. So what is wrong when you load up a really performance intensive game such as World Of Warcraft or Elder Scrolls: Oblivion on your new PC and it far from lives up to your expectations ?

Many things can be wrong and you should check that you have the latest drivers and patches. The tech forums will often advise you to look at your taskbar and close any unnecessary applications. In my opinion this shouldn't normally be required if you have a really fast PC. Only if there is an actual conflict between the game and a background application.

This is when you should scan your PC for spyware/adware - hidden background programs that soak up your CPU and memory resources. On a fast PC you most likely won't notice any performance loss before you run a heavy application. And if your new state-of-the-art machine is unprotected, then there is a good chance that spyware is the cause of the missing performance.