All computers tend to become slower over time: this is inevitable. On the one hand, the use wears down the hardware components, on the other hand, after installing and uninstalling programs and after browsing the Internet, it is filled with junk files that clog the system making it slower to load. Since, however, we are always in the perspective of saving, we want to underline an important and indisputable fact: a laptop PC, unlike a desktop computer, never completely loses value and always has a market; even if it is 5 years old, it can always be refurbished and reused or sold as used.
In this article we see how to restore lifeblood to an older laptop PC through some renewal operations or by adding new components that should make the computer return as fast and efficient as when it was bought a few years ago.
Steps to bring the laptop back
In this part of the guide we will show you all the operations that we can carry out on our laptop to make the laptop return as new, without spending even a euro.Clean the computer
All computers attract dust and dirt as they age. Cleaning the computer is therefore the first thing to do because a laptop can get "choked" and slow down a lot if the air extraction fan is full of dust. Cleaning a laptop is not difficult, you can unscrew the various panels on the bottom side and clean the laptop inside and out, so that the internal components breathe. On laptops, since it takes a little time to disassemble and reassemble the components, we recommend that you clean once a year (perhaps in conjunction with the famous "spring cleaning").Restore the operating system
Operating systems slow down more and more over time. We have shown you several guides on the site to get your computer back as new without reinstalling Windows and also how to repair errors on Windows : we will only have to follow all the steps carefully, so as to get a computer back as new. It should always be borne in mind that a laptop with a system already installed is always accompanied by a manufacturer's recovery disk or a recovery partition on the hard disk or on the SSD.For this reason, the fastest way is to reinstall the operating system by following the tips described in our guide to restoring your computer to factory settings for PCs and laptops Acer, Asus, HP, Dell, Sony, Toshiba .
Switch to a lighter operating system
A PC with 4 GB of RAM or less could slow down at any moment, given that Windows tends to occupy a very large number of resources (especially in the latest versions).Instead of reverting to an old version of Windows or switching to Windows 10, we recommend switching to an alternative system: GNU / Linux . Linux is a new system and there is certainly something to learn if you have never experienced it, but it has at least two unbeatable features: it is completely free and it is very easy to install . Furthermore, even if the installer must surely receive the support of some guide for the initial configuration of the programs, it can be used without difficulty even by an elderly or inexperienced person.
For PCs that have 4 GB of RAM we recommend trying distributions (ie versions of Linux) called Linux Mint Xfce and Xubuntu; if we have less than 4 GB of RAM we can try Lubuntu or Linux Mint MATE.
If we are looking for other fast systems we can read our guide to the best light and fast Linux based portable operating systems .
Speed up laptop with new components
In this part of the guide we will instead show you which components we can change on our laptop, so as to give them new life and new performances.Install new RAM
If you choose to stay on Windows, a laptop can be partially updated by completely changing the RAM modules, choosing the maximum memory cut supported by the computer (usually 8GB or 16 GB).As seen also in the guide on how to update an old PC by changing some hardware parts, RAM is the only component that can be added or replaced easily and economically. In laptops it is sufficient to open a flap at the bottom where the RAM memory is housed; once we get here we remove the module or memory modules then install the new modules purchased.
To avoid making mistakes, let's check if the RAM already present are the DDR3L (the most popular up to 3 years ago), the DDR3 (very old) or the DDR4 (the newest).
The two types of memories seem completely identical, but in reality the contacts change (in fact we see that the separation notch is positioned differently), making the two types of RAM completely incompatible .
If we need to install a new DDR3L RAM memory kit, we advise you to take a look at the 8 GB Crucial DDR3L Memory Kit (4 GBx2, € 52); if we want to install only one RAM module with the old DDR3, we recommend taking QUMOX 8 GB DDR3 (€ 33). If instead our PC is much more recent and supports DDR4 we can increase the memory up to 16GB, focusing on Corsair Vengeance Performance RAM from 16GB, 2x8GB, DDR4 (€ 73).
To avoid errors, we advise you to read our guide on the types of RAM of the computer: DDR, shape and speed .
Install new wireless adapter
This is an often overlooked update that can really add value to the older laptop. If the integrated wireless card on the laptop does not support Dual Band Wi-Fi, we will not be able to surf at the maximum speed offered by modern modems.To be able to remedy without having to disassemble the whole laptop, it is sufficient to obtain a USB Dual Band Wi-Fi adapter, such as the TP-Link Archer T3U (€ 20).
By installing this small stick in a free USB port we will be able to surf at full speed using the new 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks, which offer much higher transfer rates than the 2.4 GHz networks that we have been accustomed to using on the laptop so far. To avoid confusion we advise you to completely disable the internal wireless card and use only the key (we can disable the wireless cards on Windows by right clicking on the Start menu and clicking on Device Manager ).
To learn more about the difference between the various frequencies available for Wi-Fi, we advise you to continue reading our article on the Differences between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks; which is better ">
An SSD disk has no mechanical parts, making it faster to upload and transfer data.
Once identified the bottom door where the hard disk resides, we read our guide on how to move Windows to SSD without reinstalling everything ; once the SSD is prepared we remove the mechanical hard disk, insert the SSD and start the laptop. If we have done everything correctly, starting Windows will be extremely fast, as will starting various programs.
If we don't know which SSD to take for a laptop, we advise you to consider the 480 GB Sandisk SSD (60 €) or, if we want even more space, on the Crucial MX500 1 TB (113 €). Always on the subject SSD we recommend you read our guide to the Best SSD disks to buy to make the PC go fast .
Conclusions
As we have seen, there are several software and hardware procedures that we can follow to get the old laptop back fast. The most effective are obviously those with the new hardware components, since changing the RAM and focusing on SSDs any laptop comes back to life and becomes very fast.In another guide, we showed you things to do with an old computer to recycle it, revalue it and convert it . If, on the other hand, we want a new laptop at all costs but we don't want to spend too much, we recommend you read our guide on the best low cost laptops above the minimum requirements (250-400 €) .
