108 PCWorld JULY 2020HERE’S HOW CHEAP & FREE WAYS TO MAKE YOUR PC FASTER
Windows to Linux isn’t as rough as it used to
be, but you’ll still want to check out our
beginner’s guide to Linux (go.pcworld.com/
bgln), including the software
recommendations on the last page.- EMBRACE CLOUD
GAMING
Linux isn’t the only way you can repurpose a
computer. Rather than using a pokey PC as a
traditional do-it-all machine, consider giving
your system a singular role if you have
another PC you can use as your primary rig.
Let’s look at some ways you can make
obsolete computers purposeful once again.
If you’re a gamer, the easiest option for
an old laptop is simply to use it to game
while you’re away from your main gaming
rig. “But Brad!” I hear you wailing. “You
can’t game on an old PC!” Ah, but you can
with a decent Internet connection. After
years of teasing, the promise of cloud
gaming’s finally coming true, letting even
the most humble computers get in on the
action by streaming your gameplay from
far-away servers, Netflix-style. Nvidia’s
GeForce Now (go.pcworld.com/nvnw) is
the best bet for PC gamers, as you BYO
games by linking your existing accounts to
various platforms. Better yet, there’s a
surprisingly full-featured free tier. Google’s
rival Stadia (go.pcworld.com/sdia) is like a
(somewhat half-baked) console in the cloud,
while Shadow (go.pcworld.com/shdo) gives
you access to a powerful remote desktop,
capable of both playing your games and
running your software.
And there’s always Steam in-home
streaming if you want to use an older PC as a
secondary gaming computer. Steam
in-home streaming runs
games on your beefy
gaming rig, but beams
them over your home’s
Wi-Fi network so you can
play them on other
devices. It’s like cloud
gaming, but right inside
your home.- FLING SOME
FILES
Speaking of repurposing - your hardware, two