How to make an old laptop function faster

Laptop. Image source: Bingedaily

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This article explains practical ways to speed up an old laptop, from uninstalling unnecessary programmes and cleaning dust to upgrading hardware like SSDs and RAM, JUSTICE OKAMGBA writes

For many people, an old laptop can feel frustratingly slow. Programmes take forever to load, web browsing is sluggish, and even simple tasks can become a test of patience. While replacing your laptop is one option, there are effective ways to breathe new life into an older machine. Experts in hardware and software suggest, on Quora, a combination of cleaning, upgrading, and optimising your system to improve performance.

Hardware Consultant Martin Hancock at Dell emphasised the role of hardware upgrades in speeding up an older laptop.

“You could try adding more memory and swapping out any storage for high-speed SSD drives. If your Central Processing Unit is mounted in a socket, you may be able to replace it with a newer model, and this goes for the graphics card as well. Some high-end laptops will have upgradable graphics modules and Wi-Fi cards too,” he said.

Electrical and computer engineer Douglas Pickard suggests starting with the basics. “The first step is to uninstall every programme you don’t need. Lots of us have stuff sitting on our computers that isn’t really necessary anymore. By itself, that won’t do much for speed, but it’s a good start. Make a list of all the programmes that remain.”

After cleaning out unnecessary software, Pickard advised making a full backup of your data. Whether it’s on an external hard drive or a cloud service, having a backup ensures that no important files are lost during the upgrade process.

Once the system is cleaned and backed up, Pickard recommends installing a solid-state drive. Older laptops typically come with spinning hard drives, which are much slower than SSDs.

“Install the drive and install Windows on it. Then install all the software on your list, and restore your data from your backup or your old hard drive,” he explained. Using the laptop for a few days ensures that everything works correctly before reformatting the old drive, which can then be used for storing less critical files.

Computer science graduate Ian Heggie suggests another approach for those willing to invest in slightly older, second-hand parts.

“Buy used parts. Upgrade to an SSD, increase the memory, and upgrade the CPU if possible. Keep the laptop cool so it doesn’t throttle back the CPU and memory, and consider improving anything it is waiting for, like internet speed or a local NAS,” Heggie said.

He also recommends considering a more efficient operating system, like Linux, or using more lightweight programmes. “Technically, this doesn’t ‘speed up’ the laptop, but it reduces the work the system has to do, which achieves the same result for the user.”

A long-time laptop user, R. Dickey, shared his experience with these upgrades. His 15-year-old dual-core Pentium laptop, equipped with only 4GB of RAM and a mechanical hard drive, was extremely slow under Windows 10.

He added an extra 4GB of RAM for a total of 8GB and installed a used Intel SSD. “These upgrades made it acceptable for my needs. The laptop was old, so it was easy to find second-hand parts. Other than that, wiping the hard drive and reinstalling the operating system to remove bloatware also helped,” he explained.

Dickey’s experience shows that even old laptops can be made usable with a combination of memory upgrades, faster storage, and cleanup.

Irfan Surdar stressed the importance of SSDs for speed. “The best way to speed up an old laptop that does not have an SSD is to install one. Spinning hard drives are extremely slow compared with SSDs. If you replace the spinning drive with an SSD, you will immediately feel the difference in speed. Your laptop will boot much faster, and overall performance will improve,” he noted. For anyone still using a traditional hard drive, this is often the single most effective upgrade.

Former electronics enthusiast Antony Peter recommends several routine maintenance steps.

“Uninstall unnecessary software like cleaners or RAM boosters, clean temporary files and folders, control startup items, and if you have heavy internet security programmes, consider using the built-in Windows Defender instead,” he said.

Additionally, Peter advised regularly using built-in disc tools to clean up or defragment your drive, especially if you are using a mechanical hard disc.

Computer scientist Jose Medeiros highlighted the importance of managing memory and startup programmes.

“What model and make is your computer, and which operating system are you running? Remove unnecessary startup applications to free up RAM, keeping only essential programmes like your antivirus. Adding more RAM can make a world of difference depending on your current memory,” he explained. Small adjustments in software settings, combined with memory upgrades, can significantly improve responsiveness.

Technician David emphasised the physical condition of the laptop. “Have someone who knows what they are doing open the case, clean out the dust, and reseat the RAM.

Laptops act like vacuum cleaners, sucking in dust that clogs the heat sinks for the CPU and video card. Once cleaned, laptops often regain speed because the CPU no longer throttles itself to prevent overheating,” he explained.

Macintosh consultant Bradley Dichter reminded readers that performance issues aren’t always the laptop’s fault. “Remove whatever is slowing it down, whether malware, viruses, or a filled hard drive. Sometimes the issue is slow internet access rather than the laptop itself,” he said.

Justice has over three years experience spanning digital and print media. At The PUNCH, he currently covers the automobile sector with special interest in features and industry analysis.

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