How to speed up a Windows 8 laptop

Method 1: Use of "out-of-the-box" type tools.

First of all, it is advisable to take advantage of the internal operating system tools, that is, the built-in adjustments and modifications that the user can make to improve the performance of the notebook. Let's focus on the main components that significantly affect the speed of Windows 8 and the laptop itself in general.

Disabling Autoload Programs

If you're not happy with the loading speed of your operating system, it's worth checking how many programs are running automatically. This is because they start up alongside Windows, consuming a certain amount of RAM and CPU. The more applications running simultaneously, the longer it will take for the computer to return to its normal operating state. Not all programs need to run with the operating system, so you can disable them, which is described in more detail in the manual at the link below.

Read more: Configuring Autorun in Windows 8

Elimination of unnecessary programs

It is worth noting the presence of third party programs right away, as you are likely to discover some of them by interacting with autorun settings. If it turns out that you have unnecessary applications installed in Windows 8, and even if they run with the operating system (this may include some unused antivirus), it is advisable to remove such software, especially if it is installed on the system partition of the drive. This will not only free up space, but also improve the performance of your device.

Read more: Uninstalling software in Windows 8

Setting up a swap file

A swap file is a virtual memory taken from the space of a hard disk or SSD and partially assumes the responsibilities of RAM. It is used when the built-in RAM memory in a notebook PC is insufficient to perform user tasks. As a starting point, we recommend that you read our article on when to enable paging file and how much to choose so that you can benefit from it for your laptop's performance.

More information: How to determine the optimal paging file size in Windows

After the first part is done, the only thing left to do is open the appropriate settings in Windows 8 and change it, setting the paging file size that you are comfortable with. To do this, consult the guide of another of our authors by clicking on the following link.

Read more: Change swap file in Windows 8

Virus check

Let's end the block with a usual means of checking the operating system on scan for viruses. This can be done through a tool built into Windows or through third-party programs or even online services. The fact is that the action of threats on a computer often results in a loss of performance, especially when it comes to viruses that exploit cryptocurrencies or deliberately load components with useless processes. However, most of them are simply detected and removed by almost any antivirus.

More information: The fight against computer viruses

Method 2: Special Programs

Using programs to speed up the laptop is not the most efficient way, but almost all processes are done automatically. This software removes junk, disables unnecessary tasks and services, controls iron loading, and provides detailed monitoring. There is another category of software exclusively intended to speed up games when they run. In this case, all unnecessary programs are closed and processes can be prioritized so that all hardware power is directed only to the active application. You can select programs from these categories in our website reviews by clicking the following links.

Read More:
Computer acceleration software review
Software to speed up games

Method 3: Check and Enforce Temperature Control

The temperature status of a laptop is an important indicator to watch. This is because the components of these compact devices tend to overheat, and overheating can reduce performance. With the help of special software, you can always be aware of the current temperatures and keep an eye on them if they occasionally hang on you. You can use several different tools, or you can use a complete program to find out the temperature of your CPU and graphics card.

Read More:
Video card temperature control
View CPU temperature in AIDA64

If you see your laptop overheating, or even feel it with your hands when you put them against the chassis, this situation is likely to affect performance. A good option to speed up Windows 8 in this case is to dust the laptop and replace the thermal paste (the latter should only be done a few years after purchasing the device). The disassembly process is unique to each laptop, but most of the steps are similar. For a general guide on this topic, see the following pages, which will help you understand the ins and outs of the process.

Read more: Fix your laptop overheating problem

Method 4: Increase Hardware Performance

The recommendations described above should help to solve the task of speeding up the laptop comprehensively, but they do not always lead to the desired results. In some cases it may be necessary to optimize the performance of individual hardware components. Then you should start with your hard drive, as it is the most common cause of slow operating system. You can defragment, remove debris, check for errors and dead sectors, change connection mode, or edit device settings.

Read more: How to speed up the hard drive

Alternatively, you can always replace the hard drive with a solid state drive (SSD), which will significantly improve the speed of even an older laptop. However, there are some nuances: the capacity of the SSD is always less than that of the HDD, so when a large number of files are stored, this option is not suitable. The only benefits are a faster operating system, launch / performance of programs and games, not a more powerful laptop. The advantages of an SSD are faster startup, faster program loading, no lag when using Windows, and an improved swap file (if used).

Read More:
SSD or HDD: How to Choose the Best Drive for PCs and Laptops
Recommendations for choosing an SSD drive for your laptop
Replacing the laptop hard drive with an SSD

On older laptops that still have a built-in drive, you can remove it and put an SSD in its place, so you don't have to choose which drive to use. An SSD can be used to install and transfer your operating system and important programs, while the HDD can be used to store large files. The link below refers to installing a hard drive instead of a floppy drive, but the instructions are fully applicable to installing an SSD as well. And if the drive is missing, take a look at the case - drives made in the past have sometimes added empty space to house an additional drive.

Read more: Install a hard drive instead of a CD / DVD drive in your laptop

Next is the graphics card. For the most part, its performance boost should be aimed at gaming device owners and those users who have at least a little understanding of overclocking. You can of course try to edit the controller settings by prioritizing performance, but it doesn't always have the desired effect. When increasing the frequencies, always be careful and follow the instructions of the material in the link below.

Read more: Speed ​​up your graphics card

More or less the same thing happens with the CPU, and you have to keep in mind that there are always risks when overclocking. Overclocking at one time is not recommended, especially if the notebook is not initially designed to overclock. Always use monitoring software to keep an eye on the voltage, clock speed and temperature of your component. If you do it little by little and very carefully, you can at least slightly overclock the processor and add a small percentage to the overall performance of the notebook.

More information: How increase CPU performance

Remember that increasing the performance of a graphics card and / or a CPU always brings more heat. If your laptop is already very hot, overclocking is not recommended as it will cause permanent overheating and increased wear on the laptop's components.

The issue of hardware updates is not going to touch much, because the laptop can only improve the storage information, installing an SSD instead of HDD or next to it, as we have commented previously, and add a piece of memory RAM, if there is room for it in the case (it can be learned from the device model specifications). In some cases, this will have a pretty strong impact on performance, so consider a possible upgrade if the tips above have not helped much to resolve the situation with laptop speed under Windows 8.

Read More:
Find out the maximum amount of RAM on your laptop
How to find out the exact name of your laptop

Has this article helped you?