Tips for Playing Slots on an Older Computer

Luckily enough, not all modern software pushes older machines beyond their capacities. For some uses, like online casino games, even aging computers can continue to get in on the action long after these machines fail to keep pace with cutting-edge programs. Using contemporary slots as an example, we're going to explore what users of old machines can do to ensure the best performance possible.

What's in a Modern Online Casino?

Before looking at what you can do to improve computer performance, we first need to consider where we'll be setting our sights. For this, we're going to be looking at a site where users can play slot games for real money in titles like The Vault Cracker, Bonanza, and Retro Rush. Though there are hundreds of choices on a website like this, they all have similar requirements, and they all run on the HTML5 platform. For the user, this means that requirements are going to be an internet connection, a modern browser, and practically any machine sold within the last ten (or more) years.

The Different Approaches

There are several different methods by which older computers can be sped up, though some might not be applicable. If one of these doesn't work, just try the next on the list.

Physically Cleaning a Machine

If you've never looked inside a computer before, you could be surprised at how dusty they can get. This will rarely break a computer, but it can introduce performance problems, even for casino games, thanks to what is called thermal throttling. In basic terms, a computer that is running too hot will shut itself down, so if we clean it out, we might make it go faster. Accomplishing this task simply requires taking the side off the case and blasting the dust out with a can of compressed air. Just be sure to do this outside or in a well-ventilated environment.

Picture 1 of Tips for Playing Slots on an Older Computer

Running a Defragmentation Program

Storage systems on an old mechanical hard drive start by organizing files in sequential areas of the disk, but this doesn't last forever. Eventually, files fill spaces all over the drive, which can massively slow down seek time. In online casino games, this means everything on a system can take longer to load, including browsers. To address this problem, running a system defrag will organize everything as efficiently as possible. If you haven't done this before then it can take a while, so be aware it could take a night to complete.

Limiting Startup Programs

If your computer takes a long time to start up, it might have too many unnecessary programs and start-up services installed. If this machine is no longer your main system, be sure to uninstall anything you no longer need. You should also remember to disable unnecessary programs in startup, which can be hugely helpful.

Picture 2 of Tips for Playing Slots on an Older Computer

These three tips are simple, but they're also effective at speeding up older systems. For getting more life out of older machines for casino games, general browsing, or other low-requirement processes, they're well worth checking out. With the right luck and the right machine, you could get years out of a computer you were otherwise ready to throw away.

David Pac

Update 07 January 2022