How To Make My Laptop Run Better

How To Upgrade Your Laptop For Increased Gaming Performance

Installing new hardware is the key way to speed up your laptop for gaming. But what can you upgrade?

Laptops are famously non-upgradeable. There are three components that you can upgrade.

Furthermore, if you want a cheap upgrade, why not improve your personal game performance with an external keyboard and mouse designed for optimum gaming?

Undo Some Appearance Options

Lincoln Spector

You can speed up Windows by turning off some of its special effects

Windows works hard to make the screen easy on the eyes. If your PC is underpowered, you may want to sacrifice aesthetics and gain some speed.

Right-click Start, and select System. In the resulting Control Panel windows left pane, select Advanced system settings.

This brings up the System Properties dialog box, already on the Advanced tab. Click the Settings button in the Performance box .

This brings up another dialog box. You can uncheck some of the options, or simply select Adjust for best performance.

Check For Low Disk Space And Free Up Space

You may improve performance if you free some disk space on your PC.

To check for low disk space

Note: If your PC is not low on space, try the next tip.

You can use Storage Sense to delete unnecessary or temporary files from your device, which can also free up space.

If you turn on Storage Sense, Windows will automatically free up space by getting rid of unnecessary filesincluding files in your recycle binwhen you’re low on disk space or at intervals you specify. The instructions below show you how to delete temporary files and how to turn on and configure Storage Sense.

If you can’t find Storage Sense on your device using the following steps, see the “Free up space with Disk cleanup” section below instead.

Note: You may not want to delete temporary files to improve performance. While these files may not be used at the moment, they help your apps load and run faster.

To delete temporary files with Storage Sense

To run Disk Cleanup

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Check For Malware And Other Nasties

Its advisable to run a system scan to ensure that there are no erroneous pieces of software causing harm and slowing down your machine. If you rely on Windows Defender for your security then youll need to go to the Start Menu > Settings > Update and Security > Windows Security then in the right-hand panel click Open Windows Security .

Click this and then in the next window on the right hand side there are options to run a Quick, Full, or Custom scan. Make sure you wont need your PC for a little while and opt for the Full version.

Then click on Scan now. If Windows finds anything untoward it will let you know and suggest ways to deal with the issue.

If you use another antivirus package, such as AVG, Norton, McAfee, or similar, youll need to launch the program and find the option to perform a system scan. They are usually very easy to discover.

Strange Adjustments To Windows Startup Tasks

Any seasoned Windows user must agree that this OS lags far behind macOS, Chrome OS and Linux when it comes to boot times.

Usually, this issue is caused by the number of tasks that start when Wndows starts. And most of them are not necessary. To remove tasks that start at the same time as Windows, launch the Task Manager window and click the Startup tab.

Right-click on unnecessary tasks and select Disable.

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Change Your Laptops Power Plan

The power plan on all computers is set to Balanced by default to save more energy, so your laptop may slow down automatically to save energy. In this case, changing the power setting to High Performance help speed up your laptop. Here is how:

1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key and type control. Then, click Control panel.

2) Under View by, click Large icons.

3) Select Power Options.

4) Select High Performance.

Buy A Solid State Hard Drive

If you own a Lenovo laptop, you may have noticed that its not as fast as it could be.

The problem is that Lenovo laptops are equipped with a solid-state drive . Solid-state drives were designed for low power consumption and high performance, but theyre also more expensive than traditional hard drives. Some newer models are actually equipped with hybrid drives a combination of both. But the price is still higher, and hybrid drives arent as ideal for applications like video editing and gaming, which require high disk access speeds.

Fortunately, theres an easy solution to this problem: upgrading the hard drive in your laptop. But you have to choose carefully between an SSD and a traditional hard drive both have their advantages and disadvantages. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Solid State Drive. A solid-state drive has no moving parts. The platters inside can spin at very high speed, but they dont move when data is stored or retrieved. Its similar to reading from a CD-ROM that runs at 66X speed instead of the standard CD-ROM speed of 33X. This increase in performance can make your laptop feel much faster.

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How To Boost Fps In Valorant: Summing Up

So there you have it, try these measures to get that extra FPS in Valorant on your outdated low-end PC. On the contrary, you should probably get new hardware for your PC to better play any competitive game requiring a high FPS. Since youre not yet ready to take that leap, thats why youre here, and these solutions are sure to help you boost FPS in Valorant.

Check The Disk For Error

It’s possible that your games run slowly on your PC due to bad sectors on the hard drive. You can check your disk to repair them.

Here are two tools you can use: the first one is Error checking and the second one is MiniTool Partition Wizard. The error checking tool can repair file systems and logical bad sectors. However, MiniTool Partition Wizard can tell you whether you should replace the hard drive.

Here is the tutorial on Error checking.

Step 1: Open File Explorer. Expand This PC. Right-click on a drive and choose Properties.

Step 2: Skip to the Tools tab. Then, click Check under Error checking. Finally, you can scan the drive.

Here is the tutorial on MiniTool Partition Wizard .

Step 1: Download MiniTool Partition Wizard and launch it to get to its main interface. Then, right-click a partition and choose Surface Test.

Step 2: Then, run Surface Test to scan for bad sectors. The bad sectors are marked with red blocks. If there are too many red blocks and you can’t fix them, you should consider switching to a new hard drive. Click Partition Surface Test to get the detailed steps.

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Adjust The Amount Of Virtual Memory Windows Uses

Another quick fix for a PC thats slowing down is allowing Windows to use more Virtual Memory.

Way 1 Update Graphics Drivers

The first way you can try to make Sims 4 run faster is to update graphics drivers.

Now, here is the tutorial.

After that, you can follow the wizard to continue. When it is finished, check whether Sims 4 loads faster.

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Upgrade Your Computers Ram

RAM is your computers resource pool for all current tasks. The more RAM you have, the more your computer can do at once. Upgrading your PCs RAM will not only optimize your computer for gaming, but make it more powerful in general.

If youre adding RAM, make sure your new RAM modules match whatever you currently have. You dont want to mix and match RAM types. If youre upgrading all your RAM modules to new ones, confirm which types of RAM your motherboard can support. Then, buy one or more of the same RAM module.

Adding RAM can give you a significant FPS boost, though not as much as upgrading your GPU or CPU. Still, if you can afford the new RAM, it wont hurt.

Way 2 Display Replays

If the replay mode is enabled when playing Fortnite, you will face big FPS drops. So, in order to improve the Fortnite performance, you can also try disabling the replays.

Now, here is the tutorial.

After that, restart your Fortnite game and check whether its performance has been improved.

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Use Dlss Or Other Image Reconstruction Tools

Nvidias Deep Learning Super Sampling is an image reconstruction tool that renders a game with a lower internal resolution, then uses AI to upscale the game to your displays native resolution . For PC gamers, DLSS is the most widespread image reconstruction tool. That said, some games have similar tools.

Look for any settings that refer to image reconstruction or dynamic resolution. This feature is what allows consoles to run so many different games so consistently. Unfortunately, PC versions usually dont come with dynamic resolution or the feature is disabled. As consoles and PCs become more similar, though, more developers have started to include dynamic resolution. Immortals Fenyx Rising and Horizon Zero Dawn, for example, both come with dynamic resolution settings.

DLSS is your best option, but you need an Nvidia GPU and supported game. Otherwise, keep an eye out for any dynamic resolution or image reconstruction settings.

Add More Ram To Your Computer

RAM is temporary storage memory used by your PC to run programs. The more programs you use, the more RAM you need and if you dont have enough, your computer will slow down. You can easily add more RAM by buying an extra memory stick, but you can also replace or buy a completely new RAM if necessary.

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Optimal Settings For Reducing Lag On Minecraft

If you are experiencing lag on Minecraft, first, turn down all the graphics settings as low as you can.

If this helped you eliminate the FPS drops and stuttering, You can turn stuff up like render distance, clouds, particles and smooth lighting before you start lagging again. This way, you can get a good balance between good graphics and smooth gameplay.

Turn Windows Features On Or Off

While youre in the Programs and Features screen, you might want to check to see if there are any Windows components you dont need. Click Turn Windows features on or off and youll see a list of these components.

Youll want to be careful you dont turn off anything you actually need. So again, a search for anything youre unsure about is a good idea.

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Signs Your Computer May Have A Virus

Once you have completed the above measures to help your computer run faster, you should see a positive difference in the performance. If, however, you are still experiencing a slow computer, your device may be infected with a virus. Here are the top signs that your computer might be experiencing a more serious issue.

• Unexpected pop-ups continue to appear
• Your hard drive is working extra hard
• Your computer is still slow to start up
• You find you have a lack of storage space
• You are missing files
• Your computers programs continue to crash
• Your web browser is sluggish

If you suspect your computer may be compromised or you cant pinpoint the issue yourself, it can be useful to contact the operating systems support team. They should be able to pinpoint the problem with your system or have you bring in your device for further inspection.

Here are support links to for popular computer systems:

Check For Windows Updates

Windows updates can address bugs related to both hardware and software. So, make sure youve installed all the new Windows updates to keep your laptop running correctly. Here is how to do it:

1) On your keyboard, press the Windows logo key. Then, type windows update and select Windows Update settings.

2) Click Check for updates, and then wait for Windows to download and install the updates automatically.

3) Restart your computer after the update is complete.

So, thats all the recommended methods to speed up your laptop. Thanks for reading and hopefully, you would find this article helpful!

If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below.

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Defrag Your Hard Drive

Recent versions of Windows automatically defragment the disk, but Microsoft’s tool is basic and there are better defragmenters that boost performance even more.

Programs including O& O Defrag are well-known, but IObit’s Smart Defrag 5 is nearly as good and is free.

Bear in mind that you should only use one of these if your PC has a traditional mechanical hard drive. If it has an SSD, don’t use such utilities on them if you have both, only use a defragger on the hard disk.

Uninstall Programs You Dont Use

We often install huge programs without realizing how much space theyre taking up. If you think that might be the case, you can easily uninstall any programs you dont use. Even if its a program you do use now and again, if its particularly large, it might be worth simply reinstalling each time you need it.

To uninstall a program, head over to Control Panel> Programs> Programs and Features.

Go though the programs and decide which ones, if any, you dont need. If youre unsure about a particular program, you could simply use a search engine to find out more. Alternatively, you can also use a tool like the aptly named PC Decrapifier to help you distinguish the good from the bad.

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Turn Off Tips And Notifications

It may seem odd for a tips article to tell you to turn off Windows 10’s Tips feature, but it can reduce processing that Windows needs to do to display relevant tips for your system. The same can be said for Notifications. If Windows doesn’t need to generate a notification, your computing will go faster. I have over 40 apps that are capable of sending notifications. Simply open the Settings app’s Notifications & actions page to change the notification settings. You’ll see a list of individual apps that can send notifications, and you can uncheck those you don’t want to hear from. If you have a lot of these, too, go through the list and you’re bound to find sources from which you have no need to be notified. The distraction savings alone can speed up your PC use, if only in terms of your perception of computing speed. An easy way to pause notifications is to tap the Focus Assist button in the Action Center. This also makes it easier to re-enable them later.

Overclock Your Cpu And Gpu

The most direct way to increase your performance for free is overclocking. Overclocking your CPU can net you some extra frames, but the process can feel tedious and complicated for newcomers. Make sure to read our CPU overclocking guide if thats something youre interested in.

Overclocking your graphics card is much easier. Tools like MSI Afterburner and EVGA Precision X1 allow you to overclock your GPU directly from the desktop and come with clean, no-nonsense interfaces. Precision X1 and Afterburner both come with one-click overclocking, too. With either tool, you can run a scan to automatically apply a modest overclock to your graphics card.

It might seem intimidating, but applying a slight overclock to your GPU is one of the easiest things you can do. Just make sure youre using a reputable tool like Precision X1 or Afterburner.

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Check Ram And The Hard Drive

Age can have an adverse effect on your hardware but users can check on performance with the help of handy monitoring tools that identify if a configuration error or simple deterioration is to blame for a lull in the laptop’s performance. It is recommended to run a few of these tests before upgrading or filing a warranty claim with the device’s manufacturer. If the RAM or hard drive are identified as the source of the problem, both can be serviced by someone familiar with hardware components for a relatively low price . Also, a full hard drive can seriously impact system performance, so if you’re running out of space, it’s wise to back up the old disk and swap it out for a new one.