Hardware Advisor
What Hardware Advisor does#
Hardware Advisor scans your PC's hardware — CPU, GPU, RAM, monitor refresh rate, and more — and gives you advice based on what it finds: whether something's bottlenecking your performance, or whether your rig is a good fit for the game you're asking about. Press no key set by default, or click "Scan My PC" on the widget, to run a scan. After the first scan, the same button becomes "In-game settings help".
How the scan works#
The scan reads your hardware directly from Windows — nothing extra to install, nothing sent anywhere until you trigger it. The results go through the same chat pipeline as any other question, so the advice you get also takes into account the game you're playing and anything else WingHUD already knows about your setup.
Your hardware profile#
Each scan also saves a short hardware profile with your account: your processor, graphics card and its memory, RAM, the system or laptop model, motherboard and BIOS version, storage type, your main display's resolution and refresh rate, and your Windows version. WingHUD uses it in every answer, in any game's chat and by voice too, so a later question like "what should I lower for 100 fps?" is answered for your PC without scanning again. The rest of the scan, such as your other monitors and peripherals, isn't kept with your account. To update or remove the profile, click the gear on the Hardware Advisor widget, or open Settings → Data & privacy → Hardware profile.
In-game settings help#
Once your PC has been scanned, the widget's button reads "In-game settings help". Clicking it, or pressing no key set by default, doesn't scan again: it puts the cursor in the chat box with a "Hardware profile attached" chip above it. Ask in your own words, typed or by voice, for example "best settings for 1440p at 120 fps", and the answer is tailored to your hardware and the game you're in. Press Esc, the chip's ×, or the widget again to cancel; nothing is sent until you ask.
When your hardware changes#
When WingHUD starts, it quickly checks your graphics card, processor and memory against your saved profile. If something changed, or the scan is over three months old, the widget shows "Hardware changed since your scan — re-scan" or "Scan is over 3 months old — re-scan" under its button; click that line to scan again. It never re-scans on its own.
Prebuilt PCs and laptops#
The scan records your PC's system model, so WingHUD knows when it's a prebuilt desktop (an HP or Dell, for example) or a laptop. It then reasons from that model's real limits, such as power, cooling and which processors its board supports, rather than treating a laptop graphics chip like the desktop card with the same name or suggesting an upgrade the board can't take.
If the scan fails#
If WingHUD can't complete the scan, it tells you directly instead of guessing — make sure WingHUD is allowed to run and try again.