Is your old laptop lagging, taking forever to load, and twitching? Many gamers face performance issues when using older gaming laptops. Fortunately, you don’t need to buy a new device to play better. So, how to make your old laptop faster for gaming?
Well, Upgrade key components like the SSD and RAM, adjust in-game settings, adjust power settings, and clean your laptop regularly. With these tips, you can make the most out of your existing hardware for a smoother, more enjoyable gaming experience.
Let’s see how to speed up your old laptop to the best gaming laptop so you can play more smoothly.
How to Make Your Old Laptop Faster for Gaming: 10 Essential Tips
Old laptops make gaming difficult. In this case, you can improve the performance of your laptop without buying a new one. Adding hardware, adjusting settings, and optimizing software can speed up your old laptop.
You can do it this way:
1. Upgrade to an SSD (Solid State Drive)
SSDs are faster than HDDs. They allow your laptop to boot up and load games faster. An SSD speeds up your laptop’s startup time and helps your games load faster.
 It makes your system more responsive. For example, you’ll notice less lag and delays when opening programs or launching games.
2. Increase Your RAM
Laptops use Random Access Memory (RAM) to run programs. If you only have 4GB of RAM, games can slow down quickly. By adding more RAM, your laptop can handle more tasks at once.
More RAM means your laptop can handle more data at once. Games with more memory will run faster with 8GB or 16GB, reducing stuttering and lag.
3. Update Your DriversÂ
Updating your drivers, especially the graphics driver, is a must for gaming. Older drivers can cause poor performance and crashes.
Updated drivers make your laptop’s hardware work better with newer games. They also fix bugs that could cause issues during gameplay. Usually, it is possible to find driver updates on the manufacturer’s website.
4. Optimize Power Settings
Most laptops are set to “power-saving mode” by default, which reduces performance to save battery life. Gaming requires “High Performance” mode.
In “High Performance” mode, your laptop will use its full power. This improves game performance and reduces lag.Â
5. Clean Your Laptop Regularly
 Over time, dust and dirt can build up inside your laptop, especially around the fans and cooling vents. Cleaning your laptop’s vents and fans will improve airflow. When your laptop stays cool, it performs better. In long gaming sessions, overheating can lead to performance drops.
6. Uninstall background programs
When you game, other programs running in the background can use up your laptop’s laptop’s resources. This can make the game run slower.Â
You can close these programs to free up space for the game to run better. Turning off unnecessary background apps gives your game more processing power. You can use Task Manager (press Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to see which programs are active and close any you don’t need.
7. Use Game Booster Software
Game booster programs, like Razer Cortex or MSI Afterburner, to optimize your laptop’s laptop’s resources for gaming. They stop unnecessary background tasks and prioritize the game.
Game boosters free up system resources and focus on improving game performance. It can improve frame rates and decrease lag in games.
8. Keep Your System UpdatedÂ
Updates fix bugs, improve security, and enhance laptop performance. An updated system ensures your laptop runs at its best. With Windows automatic updates, you’ll you’ll always have the latest performance and security improvements.
9. Consider an external graphics card (eGPU)
 If your laptop has a Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C port, you can use an external graphics card (eGPU). You can connect it to your laptop and get better graphics. An eGPU allows you to use a desktop-grade graphics card with your laptop. It can dramatically improve gaming visuals and frame rates, especially if your laptop has a weak graphics card.
10. Adjust Display SettingsÂ
Your laptop’s display settings can also affect gaming performance. If the screen resolution is set too high for your laptop to handle, slowdowns can occur. Lowering resolution can improve frame rates.
Last Note
It’s not necessary to buy a new gaming laptop to enjoy faster gameplay. With the right upgrades and adjustments, you can breathe new life into your old laptop.
Start by upgrading to an SSD and adding more RAM. Clean the fans and vents, update drivers, and adjust settings in both your operating system and games. You’ll notice faster loading times, fewer crashes, and smoother gaming.
Finally, your old laptop will handle games better if you follow these steps.
