Are you a laptop gamer looking to enhance your gaming performance? Well, you’re in luck as we’ve put together this handy guide detailing all the tips and tricks you need.
Is a Laptop Good for Gaming?
Before we go into the how’s, let’s look at the why’s for a second. Is a laptop good for gaming? The short answer is yes!
Modern-day laptops come equipped with the same level of power as a desktop gaming PC but in a small portable form factor. Armed with all the latest cutting-edge hardware, you don’t need to compromise on performance. You can still enjoy fast speeds, optimised efficiency, and realistic graphics. What’s more, they are extremely versatile and easy to transport with you virtually anywhere, allowing you to game or work on the go with ease.
Need more convincing? Check out our big guide to gaming laptops.
Top Tips and Tricks to Enhance Your Gaming Performance
If you have noticed a drop in performance or simply want to push your gaming laptop to the max, there are a few simple tricks you can do.
Adjust Power Settings
Power management is vital for a laptop. These gaming devices have been fine-tuned to work without a consistent tether to a main source. The power plan is responsible for managing how your laptop utilises this power, deciding which applications get what and how much. You’ll typically have a few different plans to select from including:
- Balanced
- Power Saving
- Custom
- Gaming
Depending on the model and manufacturer, the names of these might differ.
Adjusting the power settings to plans that are designed for intensive workloads or gaming will optimise performance delivering faster speeds, smoother visuals, and minimal disruption to gameplay. It’s easy to configure your laptop’s power plan. Go into Start > Settings > System > Power & Battery. Select the power mode that you want.
Select the Correct Power Settings for Your GPU
One key difference between desktop PCs and laptops is that laptops come with different modes for the GPU. These power modes will affect both the performance of the graphics card and power consumption of your laptop.
Not having the correct power mode for your GPU can limit your FPS whilst in-game resulting in display stutter during those critical boss battles.
For gaming, we recommend you switch to the maximum setting that is available on your laptop to ensure you can reap all the performance advancements and boost to your FPS.
Increase Fan Speeds
Laptops get hot whilst gaming even with their complex cooling systems consisting of fans and heatsinks. If this thermal solution hasn’t been configured correctly to ramp up under heavy-duty loads, the higher temperatures can have a notable impact on your gaming performance.
To get a better handle on temperatures when gaming, simply adjust your fan speeds to ensure it always runs at max speed or enable turbo boost (if your laptop is compatible). Turbo boost will allow the fans to hit their max RPM to consistently dissipate heat, keep temperatures to a minimum, and ensure whisper-quiet fast operation.
Turn on Windows Game Mode
Laptops that come equipped with either Windows 10 or 11 will include a dedicated XBOX app. This integrated XBOX app features plenty of helpful tools including screen recording and Game Mode.
The Game Mode is especially handy for optimising your gaming performance. With the Game Mode enabled, Windows will automatically run your games at optimum settings, giving you that much needed boost as and when you need it.
Limit How Much You Have Running in the Background
Having lots of open applications running in the background whilst you game can affect your performance. Unless you need them during the heat of battle, any unnecessary programs should be closed as they’ll still be drawing precious resources from your CPU.
You can easily see which applications you currently have running by opening the ‘Task Manager’. Here you’ll get a drop-down list of every program you have open. With a simple click, you can close anything you don’t need.
Download the Latest Graphics Card Drivers
At the centre of your gaming performance is your GPU. It’s responsible for rendering what you see on screen and delivering the silky-smooth gameplay you desire. If your GPU drivers aren’t up to date, you won’t receive the standard of performance you expect.
It’s a lot easier than it might sound to upgrade your graphics card drivers. Primarily because there are dedicated software designed for this very purpose – NVIDIA GeForce Experience and AMD Gaming Evolved.
Want to know more about updating to the latest GPU drivers? We’ve got a blog for just that, which talks you through the entire process step-by-step.
Ensure Your Laptop Has the Latest OS Update
In addition to GPU drivers, you also need to consider your OS. Has it been updated to the latest version possible? If not, you’ll be putting your laptop at risk and struggling with a drop in performance.
Think you may need to update your OS drivers? Here’s how to do it in both Windows 10 and 11.
Keep Your Laptop Clean
A laptop cluttered with dust and grime won’t perform the same way as one that is factory fresh. Dust that has infiltrated the fans will limit how fast they can spin, affecting temperatures, and ultimately causing a drop in performance.
Is your laptop in need of a good ol’ tidy? Our Spring Cleaning hub has everything you need to get it back sparkling and in tip top shape.
Still Struggling to Boost Your Performance?
Have you tried virtually everything to increase your gaming performance to no avail? It might simply be time for an upgrade to your laptop to ensure you can get back to AAA gaming.
At Overclockers UK, there is a whole host of fantastic gaming laptops for you to peruse, each packed with the latest and greatest gaming hardware. We’ve selected our top pick below, but you can take a look at the full range by clicking the button.
MSI Raider GE68 Gaming Laptop
- 16.0” QHD+ display
- 240Hz refresh rate
- Intel i9 14900HX CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4070
- 32GB DDR5 RAM
- Windows 11 Home
Share Your Tips to Enhance Your Laptop’s Performance
Got any other tips or tricks to maximise performance on a laptop? Share them in the comments below.
- 6 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
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