Choosing whether to upgrade your laptop or get a new one is huge. A laptop is a vital tool for both work and amusement for most of us. Thus, factors like speed and memory are critical. Some laptops, and even MacBooks, try their utmost to keep you out.
However, if you can remove the bottom panel, chances are there’s something, or numerous things, within that you can improve.
When it comes to hardware changes, laptops aren’t nearly as adaptable as desktop PCs. However, updating your laptop within the limits of what it will allow can be a terrific way to get more life out of it.
Five Ways to Upgrade Your Laptop
Depending on the model, you may be able to add extra system memory (RAM) to improve responsiveness, update the storage drive for increased capacity and performance, or replace the battery to restore the machine’s original charge-holding capability.
1. Upgrade RAM for Laptop
One of the most typical upgrades is to increase a laptop’s random-access memory (RAM). Increasing RAM nearly always results in better multitasking and responsiveness.
Your RAM should be updated if the laptop comes with SO-DIMM slots. You must purchase memory modules that precisely match the required specs. If your laptop has DDR4, for example, you’ll need DDR4.
The basic requirement for a decently speedy Windows or macOS laptop is 8GB. However, 16GB is recommended for much greater multitasking. Some laptops accommodate up to 32GB or 64GB of memory for high processing demands. Each SO-DIMM slot has a per-module capacity limit. Don’t go overboard. If you do, the module will not function.
If your laptop has two SO-DIMM slots, but only one of them is occupied, insert a second module in the second slot. If you want to stack two 8GB modules to reach 12GB of storage, that’s fine, but the recommended peak speed must be the same on both.
If both slots are already occupied, and you want to upgrade both memory modules simultaneously, go for a paired kit with identical capacity and speed modules (for example, a 16GB kit with two 8GB sticks).
Stick with memory brands with lifetime warranties, such as Corsair, Crucial, and Kingston.
2. Storage Upgrades for Laptop
Following RAM upgrades, the most popular laptop upgrade is expanding storage. A new storage drive can provide greater space and performance for a more responsive system, particularly if you replace an old hard drive with a more current solid-state drive (SSD). Indeed, switching from a hard disc to an SSD is nearly always a turbo increase.
If your laptop has a platter-mechanism hard drive, an SSD upgrade will be more noticeable. It’s because, with an SSD, you are just dealing with flash memory.
- Best Solid-State Drives in the market –
- Samsung 980 Pro 500GB M.2 NVMe Gen4
- Samsung 980 1TB M.2 NVMe
- WD_Black SN850 500GB M.2 NVMe Gen4
- Crucial P5 1TB 3D M.2 NVMe Gen3
- Sabrent Rocket 2TB M.2 NVMe Gen4
3. Upgrade Your Graphics Card
Many individuals want to know how to expand their laptop graphics card (GPU), usually for gaming purposes. However, the possibilities for upgrading a laptop graphics card are restricted. Typically, a new graphics card cannot be installed on a laptop or a MacBook. Most laptops include an integrated graphics card or a standalone graphics card.
The easiest option to improve your laptop’s graphics is to replace it with a new one with a better GPU. Nvidia and AMD makes the finest graphics cards for laptops.
If you don’t have a laptop that can update to a new video card, you can acquire an external GPU if it has a Thunderbolt 3 connector. You’d have to purchase a gaming box, such as the Razer Core X, Nvidia, and AMD compatible.
4. Use an External Optical Drive
Because almost all current laptops lack disc drives, they must make the greatest use of their limited capacity to provide a genuinely portable computer experience. External drives are inexpensive and easy to use. Attach one to your computer through a USB port, wait for the installation to complete, and you’re ready to go.
An external SuperDrive is a convenient method to play physical discs on your Mac, but if you use your Mac in many locations frequently, you may not want to take an external drive with you.
If you frequently upload huge media files to your hard drives, such as entire TV series or full-length movies, you may consider investing in a USB drive or SD card to save these items outside rather than cluttering up your hard drive.
5. Update Your Operating System
You don’t need to buy a completely new laptop to receive the latest operating system in most circumstances. Latest laptops come with newer operating systems, but you can often install the upgraded system with no work.
For example, if your laptop is still running Windows 8 and you want to update to Windows 10, you’ll need to delete Windows 8 from your hard drive and download the newer version.
Bottom Line
Although upgrading your laptop isn’t always the simplest path to a better computing experience, these recommendations are simple to do on your own. So, try the one that seems the best fit, and upgrade your laptop now!
