Five game settings I change before I even start playing

Most games ship with settings tuned for a flashy first impression, not for how you'll actually play day to day. Before I properly start anything, I run through the same short checklist.

First, frame rate. If there's a 30/60 option and the game isn't twitchy, I'll try 30 to save battery. Second, screen shake and motion effects — I turn these way down because they cause eye strain over long sessions.

Third, notifications. A game that pings you all day gets its permissions cut immediately. Fourth, control layout — I always spend a minute repositioning buttons if the game lets me, since default layouts rarely fit real thumbs.

Fifth, audio. I keep music low and effects up, because sound cues often carry gameplay information you'll miss if the soundtrack drowns them out.

None of this takes more than two minutes, and it's the difference between a game that annoys you and one you keep coming back to.