As a laptop owner, you are likely to encounter some noticeable performance issues, especially if you use an older device or fail to take care of it. This spells trouble for the overall gaming experience.

In some cases, you might think that getting rid of your laptop and getting a new one is the only option. It might be true, but that does not mean you should give up. If anything, there are multiple ways to improve a computer’s performance, even if it has been neglected for a while.

Reinstall the Operating System

The first thing to do is to reinstall the operating system. It is a common practice, particularly on a computer that is slow. A clean slate often helps, and what better way to do that on a computer than reinstalling the OS.

It might take a while, but it is a necessity. Also, keep in mind that when you are reinstalling the OS, the data on the device is lost. Thus, be sure to back up important files, so you do not lose them.

Take Care of the Dust Inside

Another issue, and this one is a bit more problematic on a laptop than a desktop computer, is the dust inside. Cleaning the dust inside a PC case is easier than cleaning the dust inside a laptop.

You need to take the device apart to remove the filth thoroughly, and many laptop owners are reluctant to do that because they are afraid of damaging the hardware. Leaving the work to someone experienced is a good approach. There should be a service nearby that offers cleaning the dust inside computers, including laptops.

Check for Potential Hardware Improvements

Sometimes, hardware upgrades are cheaper than getting a new computer. The problem with laptops is that not all models are compatible with hardware modifications because most of the hardware is integrated.

Nevertheless, if you have the money and your laptop does not fall in the “no modification” category, you can look to add extra RAM, replace the hard drive with a solid-state drive, or even consider an external graphics processing unit.

Run the Latest OS Version

We already mentioned the need to reinstall the operating system, but it is as important to emphasize having the latest OS version available.

Some people are not that keen to hurry and download an update on a computer because it takes a lot of time. However, the fact that the computer is slow could be the result precisely because it is missing the operating system updates.

Other than the overall performance improvements, running the latest OS version also means that you can benefit from the most recent features introduced in the operating system, as well as cybersecurity threat prevention tools.

Create Enough Free Space on the Drive

Do not expect that your laptop will run optimally if there is hardly any drive space on it. Some people push it to the limit and end up with just a few gigabytes of free storage when in reality, at least 15 percent of total drive space should be free.

Instead of having a cluttered drive, try to do your best and go through the data that is currently on the computer. You are bound to find files you no longer need and can remove them.

Some more ideas to deal with the storage problem include transferring data to external storage. Cloud services and an external HDD offer solutions to the disk space issue.

Another bit of advice is for those who like to keep media on their laptop. Movies and TV shows are accessible via streaming services, so there is no need to clutter the computer’s drive.

Consider Cybersecurity Threats

Get a good antivirus tool and scan the device for potential malware. Even small viruses can snowball and cause significant performance issues on a computer.

In case the scan finds corrupted data, tell the antivirus to remove it permanently. In the future, you should be more mindful of potential cybersecurity threats. Moreover, make sure that the antivirus software on a computer is running all the time.

Disable Startup and Background Processes

Resource hogs are worth a shout as well. You need to pay attention to background processes and disable them once they become unnecessary. Use Activity Monitor on a MacBook and Task Manager on MS Windows.

As for startup items, disabling them means not having to wait as much for a computer to load after you boot it. Regular restarts help with the overall performance as well and should be taken into account when talking about startup items.

Declutter the Desktop

The last bit of advice is to declutter the desktop. Keeping files on a desktop might be convenient, but it is not good for the laptop’s health. If you must, use the search function when looking for files, but be sure to put them into relevant folders and outside the desktop.

And that´s it for this article. If you want to learn how to push your gaming PC even further, check out our articles on how to overclock your monitor and your mouse. Also consider getting a stand so that you can play your laptop without hunching over and hurting your back.