Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Discord to trial gaming mode that reduces CPU and GPU use
Discord is testing a new "Game Mode" feature that will reduce the platform's CPU and GPU usage whilst a game is running on the same machine. The company confirmed the feature will begin rolling out to users next week, with the aim of allowing other software to run more smoothly concurrently. This addresses a common complaint from gamers that Discord consumes significant system resources whilst they play.
Discord is built on the Electron web app framework, which uses JavaScript and Chromium—the basis of Google Chrome—and is not renowned for being particularly resource-efficient. Whilst the new Game Mode could offer meaningful performance improvements, particularly for demanding AAA games, the company acknowledges architectural limitations to how much it can optimise within its current framework. Discord has indicated it plans to introduce additional resource-saving features in future updates.
In short
- Discord testing Game Mode to reduce CPU/GPU usage whilst gaming
- Rolling out next week to help performance with concurrent apps
- Built on Chromium; architectural limits may restrict major improvements
Explained simply
Discord is a communications platform widely used by gamers for messaging, voice chat and connecting with others whilst playing. Gamers have frequently complained that Discord consumes substantial computing resources, which can slow down their games and other programmes running simultaneously.
Discord's software is built using technology that powers web browsers like Google Chrome. This design is flexible but not resource-efficient, which explains why the application traditionally consumes considerable processing power.
The company is now testing a feature called Game Mode that automatically reduces Discord's resource usage when it detects a game running. This could offer meaningful performance improvements for players, though Discord recognises that how the software is fundamentally built prevents it from completely solving the issue. The company plans to introduce further resource-saving features in future updates.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Engadget as “Discord is testing a lightweight mode to free up resources while gaming”.