Windows laptops are pretty fun. They come in all sorts of price ranges, unlike the Apple Macbook which has excellent specs but also a hefty price tag. By comparison, Windows laptops are pretty cheap, and there is a large number of companies like Sony, Asus, Lenovo, and Dell manufacturing wide ranges of laptop computers. Unfortunately, after a while most users experience their Windows laptops slowing down. Sometimes it gets bad to the point of annoyance and frustration. But don’t worry, you don’t have to bin it just yet. This blog will discuss a few common reasons that cause laptops to slow down and how you can fix them.
Table of Contents
Why Your Laptop is Slowing Down and How to Fix It
One of the best things about Windows laptops is that they are pretty versatile. Many are almost as powerful as a high-end desktop. Certain laptop manufacturers such as Alienware make laptops that are purpose-built to offer the best gaming experience possible on a portable machine. And while many laptops are relatively cheaper than Macbooks, some can be pricier. Even the ones that aren’t more expensive than the Macbooks don’t exactly come cheap. So it is very understandable if you’re reading this asking yourself “why is my laptop running slow” and trying hard not to pull your hair out of your head.
After all, you did pay a significant chunk of your hard-earned money to buy one. You want it to last as long as possible before you get a new one. The only thing worse than a broken laptop is a slow laptop, which can be very frustrating every time you try to use it. But before you try to sell it off at the local electronics store, give this blog a read. Common problems that slow down Windows laptops can include:
- Too Many Programs and Applications Running
- Windows OS May Be Out Of Date
- Possible Virus and Other Malware Infection
- Your HDD May Be Near The End of Its Life
One or more of the above problems may be causing your laptop to run slow. But you can fix each of them which usually brings your laptop back to normal functioning. Let’s look at these in more detail below.
Too Many Programs and Applications Running
To run programs, your laptop uses its RAM or Random Access Memory. Most of you might already know that computers have a limited amount of RAM available. Internet speed slows down when many users are using the same limited bandwidth. In the same way, the more programs that are open at the same time, the more RAM your laptop uses. Even after you close some of these programs, they can continue to run in the background and slow down your machine. With significant processing power already locked in with these programs and applications, your laptop will continue to run slow.
You can fix this problem fairly easily using Windows Task Manager. Hit ctrl + alt + delete to open the Task Manager panel. Once open, click on the button that says More Details. This gives a detailed look at what programs are running, how much memory they are consuming, and other details. Simply right-click on the non-essential programs that are hogging the most RAM, and click on End Task. This will force the program to quit, and it will stop running in the background as well.
Windows OS May Be Out of Date
Windows, like many other tech companies, continually works on improving its products. As such, they periodically roll out new updates as well as brand new operating systems with improved capabilities. If you don’t have auto-updates turned on, or are using an unlicensed version of Windows, you likely don’t have the latest drivers and patch updates. Since your older version of Windows OS is now not compatible with newer applications, it can often slow down and cause frustration. That’s not to mention that outdated operating systems are a huge security risk. They lack the latest security updates and remain vulnerable to newer cyberthreats. Luckily, simply updating your OS to the latest version, or switching to a licensed copy of Windows will fix this problem. Get your laptop running smoothly again.
Possible Virus and Other Malware Infection
If you aren’t careful about your internet habits, such as using your laptop on a public Wi-Fi hotspot instead of your residential Cox Internet Ultimate or using an outdated OS, your computer might be acting slow because it is infected with malware. Malware can take many forms, such as viruses, botnet, Trojans, and others. If you don’t have an up-to-date antivirus application on your computer, you likely won’t even find out that your computer is infected. Newer Windows OS already have security and virus protection built-in. Use this to periodically scan your PC and remove any malware that might be present.
