As a new laptop owner, you might be a bit surprised by how many intricate things there are to consider as far as the device’s performance goes. This is particularly noticeable among those who switch from desktop computers to laptops.
While many things remain the same, laptops require more attention in certain areas. Neglecting to create a proper maintenance routine will eventually lead to significant performance issues on your computer. If you want to avoid that or have already noticed how it takes longer for your laptop to load after each restart, it is time to take some action.
Dust Inside
Compared to desktop computers, it is much harder to clean the dust inside a laptop. When you have a PC case, taking it apart for thorough cleaning is not that challenging. Meanwhile, if you want to remove the filth inside a laptop, you will need to put effort into taking the device apart.
You need to check how much dust is inside and make the laptop clean so that it stops overheating the hardware. It is not the most interesting task but ensuring that there is as little dust inside the laptop as you can help with the overall performance.
Storage
Running out of free space on a hard drive is not that difficult when you are using a laptop. The issue becomes even more prominent if your laptop comes with an SSD rather than HDD since the former offers less storage.
As far as hard drive space on a laptop goes, it is recommended to have about 20 percent of total storage unoccupied. In fact, 20 percent might not cut it either, so try to have as much free space on the laptop as you can.
For starters, you should look at the files you have installed or downloaded. Media, email attachments, video games, software, and other data you no longer need should be deleted permanently.
In case you have files that you want to keep around but do not wish to clutter the drive space, use external storage. Getting an external HDD or a USB flash stick is quite cheap these days. Moreover, you can transfer files to cloud services, though you will likely need to pay a monthly fee to get enough storage for that.
Finally, get a cleanup utility tool to get rid of temporary system junk, such as old backups or software cache. It is better to use software rather than doing the work manually because you might delete some important files accidentally.
Malware
Despite being aware of potential cybersecurity threats, you should still not discard the possibility of attracting unwanted malware, viruses, phishing, and other threats to your computer.
For one thing, as a laptop user, you need to be wary of public Wi-Fi. The internet at your local library or a fast food joint might be free, but it usually lacks the required security layers. There might be some hackers waiting for unsuspecting people to join a network and expose their devices. If you are using the public internet, make sure to connect via virtual private networks.
Other than public Wi-Fi, you might also become a victim after someone sends you a shady URL or a random file. As a rule of thumb, you need to ignore links or files that look random and questionable. Clicking on them might also infect your device.
The last bit about malware should be pretty obvious—you need reliable antivirus software to clean corrupted files. Such tools should also be running in the background and detecting potential threats before they cause problems for the laptop.
There are multiple choices when it comes to antivirus software, but you can always go with some of the best and most recognized tools like Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, Norton, and McAfee.
Accessories and Hardware
Laptop accessories and hardware will cost you extra money, but they are a solid choice for boosting the overall laptop performance. Besides, if you have a relatively old computer, it probably has pretty outdated hardware, meaning that it is due for an upgrade, especially if you have no plans to get a new laptop anytime soon.
The most common laptop hardware upgrades include replacing an old hard drive with a solid-state drive. Next, you have an option to get an external graphics processing unit, though a good GPU can be quite expensive. Lastly, if there is room for extra memory, you can purchase RAM for your laptop.
Now, for accessories, there are not that many options if you are specifically looking to improve the laptop’s performance. One accessory that stands out is a cooling pad. On the other hand, an external storage device is worth a shout as well.
Background Processes
Keep in mind that a laptop has a finite amount of memory and other resources. If you are looking to optimize its performance, it is necessary to keep a check on the background processes.
There might be one or two background applications that are redundant since you do not need them at the time, but they are still running because you forgot to close them. Some of these applications could also be the result of too many startup items.
If you notice sudden drops in your laptop’s performance, check how many background processes are running. For MacBook, you can use Activity Monitor, and for Windows, there is Task Manager.
Internet Browser
An internet browser deserves a separate section given how often we surf the net on our computers.
Poorly performing browsers might be the result of your ISP, so check with them first. If the internet provider confirms that things are okay on their end, you will need to look for a solution yourself.
Perhaps you have installed too many extensions or enabled pop-ups that slow the internet browser? Or maybe it has been too long since you cleared the browser cache?
Taking care of the extensions cache ought to boost the browser’s speed. And if the issue persists, you might need to switch to a different browser.
