Over the years, gaming laptops have evolved to be some of the best all-around devices on the market. They provide great performance and are incredibly portable, which makes them an excellent choice for people who need to game on the go. But as time passes by, the graphics of newly launched games are getting better. This makes gamers wonder whether they can play such games on their laptop or not, and the answer to this question is “Not Always”.

Now, gamers have two main choices: to buy a new laptop with better specifications or to upgrade their current gaming laptop. The first choice is sometimes difficult to execute, as new laptops are quite expensive, especially for those who are low on budget. So, if you are looking for the answer to the second choice, then we have got you covered and will discuss to what extent you can upgrade your laptop.

Upgrading a Gaming Laptop

You can only upgrade certain parts of the laptop,  which also depends on the model of the laptop’s motherboard. For example, some motherboards come with extra slots that give you the freedom to upgrade parts like RAM and SSD, while on others it is not possible. So, before deciding to upgrade your laptop, you need to confirm the model of your motherboard and get the required information to determine whether you can upgrade it or not. This information can easily be accessible by looking at the bottom of your laptop or by looking at the motherboard directly.

Upgrading RAM

Most laptop motherboards will offer you the ability to upgrade the RAM by providing you with additional slots or by inserting more RAM into the same slot as well. RAM is an electronic memory that retains information while electronic power is off, which is the most accessible type of memory since it is usually an integrated part of your computer’s motherboard.

RAM is made up of large arrays of tightly packed memory cells that store data quickly and can be accessed instantly. Data and programs that are in the RAM are usually accessible directly by the central processing unit (CPU), and are often volatile, meaning that they are lost when the computer is turned off. So having more memory means that you should be able to access your applications a lot sooner, which are open in the background.

Upgrading Solid State Drives (SSD)

Today, almost every laptop is packed with a solid-state drive, often referred to as an SSD. They have revolutionized the way we use our computers and have made multitasking, loading apps, and operating system functions faster than ever before. They have even enabled us to store more data on our computers, including large files and games, without reducing the performance of our systems. These drives are much faster than traditional hard drives and offer better performance, lower power consumption, and greater reliability, which results in faster boot and application load times.

They also come with their own set of advantages, such as increased read and write speeds, better reliability, and decreased energy consumption. In short, if you’re looking to get the most out of your computer and want to increase the speed at which your operating system and applications load, an SSD is a way to go. Apart from these two components, most laptops can not be upgraded. However, there are certain laptops, such as Alienware, that allow you to update the CPU and GPU, but they are expensive. As a result, it is always preferable to sell your used laptop and purchase a new one with higher features to fulfill your demands.

Some Tips for Your Gaming Laptop

• Frequently update your windows driver for smooth performance
• Frequently upgrade your graphic card driver for enhanced graphics and better gameplay
• You can use third-party tools for managing frames per second (FPS) that will be used to optimize your graphics for better gameplay
• Clean your motherboard and other internal parts every 6 months to improve the performance and thermals
• Scan your laptop every few days for viruses and malware that can hinder its performance

Using an External Graphic Card

If you still want to upgrade your laptop for better graphics performance, then there is a way to do that and that is by connecting an external graphic card with the laptop via USB 3.0 or a thunderbolt port. The good part is that this will greatly enhance your gaming performance, and there is no need to buy a new laptop with a better graphics card. The bad part is that you need to carry the external graphic card with you whenever you want to use it for gaming, and you need to handle it with care as well.

Conclusion

These days, gamers love to play games on laptops as they are portable, so you can carry them with you wherever you go, unlike a desktop computer. But as the time passes by and the new games are launched, this makes anyone wonder if they can play those games on their laptop and if not, then can they upgrade their gaming laptop or not. So, we have covered some of the key parts that you can still upgrade and some tips as well that will help you get the best out of your current laptop as well.