Gaming laptops have become increasingly popular over the years as more and more people are turning to gaming as their primary source of entertainment.
However, with the constant advancements in technology, it can be tough to keep up with the latest trends and ensure that your gaming laptop is performing at its best.
Whether you’re a casual gamer or a professional, there are always ways to improve your gaming laptop’s performance, which is why we’ve put together this guide.
In this article, we’ll be sharing our top 10 tips to improve your gaming laptop and ensure that you’re getting the most out of your gaming experience. Plus, we’ll even throw in a secret 10th tip at the end, so keep reading!
Tip 1: Use an External Screen
An external screen can boost FPS in games by 17% on average! This only applies to laptops that use Optimus, so if Intel or AMD integrated graphics show in task manager. An external screen is especially helpful when playing games that require high-resolution graphics. It helps take the load off your laptop’s graphics card and ensures smoother gameplay.
Tip 2: Raise Your Laptop
Raising the back of your laptop up a bit can do wonders for your laptop’s performance. The intake fans underneath can get more air, which can lower temperatures and increase performance. A cooling pad with fans should do a bit better if you’ve got more space.
Tip 3: Plug into Wall Power
For the best performance and battery longevity, plug your laptop into the wall power. Many laptops perform much worse on battery power, and needlessly going through recharge and discharge cycles continuously is a good way to reduce the battery lifespan.
Tip 4: Limit Battery Charge Level
Although you should plug in where possible, staying at 100% charge all the time is bad for the battery. Many modern gaming laptops will let you limit the charge level. If you do use the battery often, I would just let it charge to 100%. But if you’re on wall power mostly, then consider a lower charge limit.
Tip 5: Increase Battery Life
If you do need to run on battery, then consider lowering the screen brightness as much as practical. If you’ve got a higher refresh rate gaming panel, turn it down to 60Hz. If you’ve got a MUX switch, make sure you’re using Optimus. Turn off or lower any other lighting, set a lower performance mode, and customize the power settings in Windows. Undervolting may help too.
Tip 6: Performance Tuning
Undervolting and overclocking are good options to squeeze out extra performance from your gaming laptop. Undervolting can also lower temperatures as you’re using less power.
Tip 7: Use Dual Channel Memory
Put simply, if your gaming laptop has two memory slots but you only have one memory stick, you’re leaving performance on the table. Using dual-channel memory can significantly improve your gaming laptop’s performance.
Tip 8: Calibrate Your Screen
Calibrating your screen can improve your gaming experience by making colors look more vibrant and true to life. This requires a physical tool that’s probably not worth buying unless you’re a professional creator, but you can try and download an ICC profile for your screen model that might be better than nothing – assuming your laptop didn’t already come calibrated from the factory.
Tip 9: Change Thermal Paste
It depends on what sort of paste was used at the factory, but often swapping to a more premium paste can lower CPU and GPU temperatures by a few degrees. If your gaming laptop is thermal throttling, changing the thermal paste can significantly boost performance.
Tip 10: Turn on RGB Lighting
As a bonus, turning on your laptop’s RGB lighting can actually improve your gaming experience. Not only does it look cool, but it can also improve your FPS in games. If RGB isn’t your thing, then set all the lighting to red so it will run faster.
FAQ’s: Tips to Improve Your Gaming Laptop
Can these tips be applied to all gaming laptops?
Yes, these tips can be applied to most gaming laptops, although some specifics may vary based on the model and brand.
How often should I change the thermal paste in my gaming laptop?
It’s recommended to change the thermal paste every 1-2 years, or whenever you notice your laptop’s temperatures getting excessively high.
Will using a cooling pad really make a difference?
Yes, using a cooling pad with fans can help lower temperatures and increase performance, especially if your laptop has limited ventilation.
Is it better to use my gaming laptop while plugged in or on battery power?
For best performance and battery longevity, it’s recommended to use your laptop while plugged in, but if you do need to use it on battery power, make sure to optimize your power settings.
Can I undervolt and overclock my gaming laptop at the same time?
It’s generally not recommended to undervolt and overclock your laptop at the same time, as this can cause instability and potentially damage your hardware.
Conclusion: Tips to Improve Your Gaming Laptop
These 10 tips are some of the most effective ways to improve your gaming laptop’s performance and enhance your gaming experience.
From optimizing power settings and memory to improving cooling and graphics, implementing these tips can make a significant difference in the performance and longevity of your device.
Remember to take good care of your laptop and to maintain it properly to ensure that it continues to perform at its best. Whether you’re a casual gamer or a hardcore gamer, these tips can help you get the most out of your gaming laptop.
So, what are you waiting for? Try out these tips and see the difference for yourself! And if you have any additional tips or suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments section below.
Thank you for reading and happy gaming!