Gaming laptops aren’t built for the same heavy use as desktops, and their lifespan can be even shorter without proper maintenance. This guide details how I have kept my gaming laptop running at peak performance for years – and how you can too.
Content
- Keep Heat as Low as Possible
- Perform Regular Maintenance to Keep Laptop Clean
- Save Resources When Playing Games
- Take Care of the Battery
- Don’t Try to Go Beyond the Laptop’s Limits
Keep Heat as Low as Possible
Hardware degradation over time is inevitable, but heat can significantly speed up the process – or even cause the components to fail. I don’t just mean overheating issues, as you should try to minimize heat as much as possible. Try to always keep the temperature below 176°F (or 80°C) for both the CPU and GPU. Use dedicated apps to check the CPU and GPU temperatures.
Image source:
Vecteezy
Although there are many ways to decrease PC temperature, using a cooling pad and regularly renewing thermal paste has done wonders for me.
Importance of a Cooling Pad
Cooling pads are often recommended for overheating issues, but I believe they are also beneficial for regular use with gaming laptops. Gaming laptops commonly hit temperatures over 160°F (71°C). Although these temperatures are considered safe, they still contribute to overall component degradation. Cooling pads help further bring down the temperature for even safer use.
They also offer great support for the laptop by elevating it from the surface, allowing even better airflow compared to using it on a table. You can easily use it on your lap without any discomfort from heat. You don’t need anything fancy, as a quiet cooling pad, like the Kootek Cooling Pad, is enough.
Renewing thermal paste
Don’t wait for the laptop to start showing overheating signs – renew thermal paste on the CPU and GPU on a set schedule. Recommended laptop maintenance suggests changing the thermal paste every two to three years. However, I prefer to renew it within two years to not risk the laptop running for even a short period without proper thermal transfer. In fact, I have renewed thermal paste four times in the last seven years – most recently this week.
Renewing thermal paste is an easy process that many people can do on their own. You can bring it to a PC repair shop and have them to help you change the thermal paste for a low fee too.
Perform Regular Maintenance to Keep Laptop Clean
Both the laptop’s external body and internal components collect dust, crumbs, and grime. Not only are they bad for aesthetics, but they can also lead to heating issues and even short circuits in rare cases.
Image source:
Freepik
Follow this maintenance routine to ensure your laptop stays clean both inside and out:
Weekly Cleaning Routine
First, tilt your laptop upside down, and gently shake (lightly pat on the back if needed) to remove loose crumbs/debris. A microfiber or a soft lint-free cloth is all you need to clean the laptop. Use the cloth to clean the exterior of the laptop, including the keyboard and the screen. Avoid pressure when cleaning the screen, and clean in a circular motion.
This is just some light weekly cleaning, so there is no need to worry about hard-to-reach spots – just clear the visible dirt to prevent it from building up over time.
Monthly Cleaning Routine
You’ll need a can of compressed air with a fine nozzle for this. Once a month, use the compressed air to blow bursts onto the keyboard and fan vents. Also, use a soft-bristled brush to clean around the vents and eliminate any debris on the keyboard. A soft paintbrush works, but I prefer makeup brushes, as they are softer and more puffy to clean quickly.
If you are following the weekly routine, you won’t need to do anything special for the screen. However, if there are any stubborn smudges, lightly dampen the microfiber cloth in distilled water to clean it.
Yearly Cleaning Routine
You can do this every six months, but yearly works fine for me, as I strictly follow the weekly and monthly routines. Furthermore, if you are not comfortable with messing around with laptop internals, you can utilize the cleaning service from a PC repair shop.
You’ll need to open the laptop to get access to all the internals. I recommend following our step-by-step guide on fixing an overheating laptop from the internals. It has all the info to both open and clean the laptop. Personally, I only clean what is visible in front, so there is no need to unscrew and access hidden components. Keep your focus on the fan blades and any dirt on the motherboard.
Save Resources When Playing Games
Just because your laptop can, doesn’t mean you need to run everything at max performance. This will just put extra strain on components, decreasing overall life. Try to optimize your setup with these suggestions to only use the resources you need.
Use Balanced performance mode
Balanced performance is enough for most games and will save resources while running most games that should be capable on your laptop. Go to Windows Settings -> System -> Power & battery, and select Balanced next to Power mode.
Match game FPS and laptop screen refresh rate
You should also make sure your game FPS matches the laptop screen refresh rate. Your laptop screen can’t show the FPS beyond its refresh rate, so the extra FPS goes to waste while still using resources. You can use V-Sync or G-Sync/FreeSync (if supported) to force the laptop to sync FPS and the refresh rate.
Disable Turbo Boost whenever possible
For less CPU-demanding games, I like to disable the turbo boost technology, reducing much of the unnecessary stress on the CPU. Although it can be done from BIOS, I prefer using the Throttlestop app to enable/disable it quickly. Just check the Disable Turbo option.
You can also check out how to improve the gaming experience on laptops to find more ways to reduce strain on your laptop components for a longer life.
Take Care of the Battery
The laptop component with the shortest life is the battery, and there is a good chance you’ll have to replace it at least once before other components start showing their age. However, you can still increase the laptop battery’s lifespan with careful maintenance.
If your laptop supports smart charging that stops charging at 80%, take advantage of it. Access the BIOS and enable it under battery configuration settings, or use the laptop manufacturer’s software.
If your laptop doesn’t have a smart charging feature, try to keep it between 20% and 80% when not gaming by unplugging it manually. Additionally, don’t let the battery frequently drop to 0%, as it can affect overall battery health.
As mentioned before, heat is bad for your laptop, especially the battery, as it speeds up the chemical reactions within the battery cells. Make sure you follow the above steps to keep heat to a minimum.
Don’t Try to Go Beyond the Laptop’s Limits
If you prioritize your laptop’s lifespan over performance, don’t do experimental stuff that the laptop isn’t meant to do. Yes, I am talking about overclocking, whether you are overclocking the CPU, RAM, or GPU.
Overclocking is especially a problem on laptops, due to the limited options to get rid of the extra heat that is generated. On desktops, you can just get some new fans, but that won’t work for laptops. Not only will the overclocking process stress the components, but the extra heat generation will surely speed up the degradation process.
Furthermore, even gaming laptops aren’t built to handle continuous use, unlike desktops. I usually have two- to three-hour gaming sessions, with occasional four- to six-hour sessions. Try to take breaks between sessions, even if it means closing the game and doing light web browsing.
These maintenance methods will surely extend your gaming laptop’s life and ensure it keeps giving peak performance. Read on to learn about optimizing Windows for gaming performance, as freeing up resources reduces component stress and slows down wear and tear.
Image credit: Vecteezy. All screenshots by Karrar Haider.
Karrar Haider –
Staff Writer
Karrar is drenched in technology and always fiddles with new tech opportunities. He has a bad habit of calling technology “Killer”, and doesn’t feel bad about spending too much time in front of the PC. If he is not writing about technology, you will find him spending quality time with his little family.
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