Simple tips for improving laptop performance

The demands we require from our laptops and workstations have increased massively from the times of simply working from the office at a desk with a computer and monitor. From finishing off that last email on the busy commute home from the office to being in a group video call for your dream job, it has become a necessity to ensure the device you use is running the best it possibly can.

The laptop has essentially become an extra limb for a lot of people both socially and professionally and with more people working from home it is enabling people to be far more flexible too. At InnoVent, we refurbish, as part of our 2nd Life IT program, a whole host of different laptops which have been used and cared for in a lot of different ways -some good, some not good- so with that in mind, here are our top 5 tips for laptop care for optimum performance:

Learn about 2nd Life IT here

Keep your device fully updated ✅

This is a very simple piece of laptop housekeeping that gets overlooked often.

Updates are always being developed for both the laptop itself and the operating system (OS) and iron out many kinds of bugs, problems, and flaws. At InnoVent, it is a part of our refurbishment process to install manufacturer support software (that is free to anyone and everyone) from the manufacturers website and run Windows updates (found in ‘Settings’) to ensure the device has the most current drivers and firmware.

Updating the BIOS is an absolute must too to ensure everything runs as it should. If your camera or speakers are not working properly, then updating your laptop is the first place to look.

Buy a protective case ✅

It sounds silly to say, but we cannot recommend this enough.

A secure and protective case not only prevents your device being scratched up when on the move but can stop airborne debris from infiltrating the inner workings of your laptop. Laptops that are left open on a sideboard or table also run the risk of dust filled keyboards and depending on how the laptop is built, that can be quite a costly repair so making sure you zip it up in a case when the device is turned off is a simple yet effective way of helping prevent this. The last thing you’re going to want to do is turn up at a client meeting with a tatty laptop with a tonne of scratches on it!

Work at a designated and well-ventilated workspace ✅

When working from home it may be tempting to take yourself away from your desk and work sitting on the sofa or even from the comfort of your own bed. Although innocent enough, it can present a few issues with the general operation of your laptop. Cooling vents tend to be located on the base of the device meaning it may struggle to be cooled properly if the laptop is placed on a soft surface such as a cushion or duvet. If the device cannot be cooled properly then the processor is at risk of overheating which can lead to problems such as lag and slow performance and may even create errors which force the system to reboot or shutdown.

Pets -as much as we love them- can also prove to cause a few problems, as animal hair gets everywhere. Not only do the little hairs find their way under the keys on your keyboard but they can also be pulled into the cooling fans. Dogs & Cats may be a human’s best friends however they certainly do not get along with laptops.

Casually eating and drinking at your laptop can cause issues too. We recently saw a broken screen that had been caused by a singular dry grain of rice being closed between the LCD and keyboard, so keeping those crumbs away from your laptop is always a good idea.

Keeping your device out of extreme temperatures ✅

There are many differing views as to how to care for the batteries in laptops, however all manufacturers will tell you that very low and very high temperatures are bad news for the lifespan of a battery. Leaving a laptop on the seat of your car in direct sunlight in the middle of summer (or in your car on a frosty night in the middle of winter) can act as a catalyst to deteriorate a battery. When a lithium cell battery (which are common in laptops) deteriorates, it creates carbon dioxide which then begins to bloat the battery. If this is not identified early, then the battery will grow in size and put massive strain on the housing of the device which then cracks and distorts the chassis and whatever other components it comes into contact with.

A simple faulty battery can cause a whole host of problems so it’s certainly important to treat these well.

Check your ‘Task Manager’ for slow performances ✅

It can be hugely frustrating to boot on a laptop and have to wait an age for the device to load. There are many reasons why it can take so long, however by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete you can enter your ‘Task Manager’. Select ‘More Details’ you can check the processes and performance of your laptop, but why is this handy? Let’s say that you have noticed that your laptop has become a lot slower than what it was when you used it last week.

By entering your Task Manager and checking the ‘Processes’ it may transpire that you have installed software that is using a lot of processer power. If this software is not something you require, then removing it or disabling it would then allow your laptop to focus on other tasks. If there are not any red flags regarding any processes, then the ‘Performances’ tab may indicate that your memory is being overworked (nearing 100% capacity) which means that it could be time to upgrade the RAM in your device.

Being able to check these allows you to be proactive with the running of your device and means you can keep it operating faster for longer.