Your laptop’s data can be hacked from a variety of sources if left unprotected, and the physical equipment may not be totally secured in a hotel room. This gives you no choice except to carry your laptop around with you at all times.

According to studies, lost or stolen laptops are responsible for 45 percent of data breaches in the United States, and the half-million people whose devices vanished at airports can attest to that.

Thieves aren’t bound by the same schedules, meetings, supervisors, or rules that you are following. They simply have two goals: prey on the simplest targets and avoid stealing anything that can’t be sold.

In this article, we will discuss laptop theft protection by applying simple measures.

Mark or Tag Your Laptop

In the event that your laptop is stolen, marking it will help you identify it. You can use different strategies to do that.

To begin, mark your laptop in a noticeable, external area. Use an adhesive that is tough to erase, or better yet, carve a sign or your initials.

Furthermore, on the inside of the laptop, engrave your name, contact information, and address. This should be done in the battery compartment or a similar, less obvious location.

You can accomplish this with any sharp item, or you can use an electric engraving pen if you want it to appear nicer.

Look for the Best Laptop Security Software

Passwords are helpful, but what if you need a more robust line of security against thieves? This is especially important while traveling and connecting to networks which may not be as secure as your local network.

When you’re working to keep your laptop secured from anyone attempting to steal your data over an internet connection, antivirus software might be very useful. If you’re holding customer information or personal credit card information, this is very important.

Use a Security Lock

Finding a laptop lock that matches your requirements is a simple method to ensure that personal data stays safe on your hard drive. Laptop protection locks make opening your laptop extremely hard, so it’s less likely to be stolen if it’s left out in public.

It is best to ensure that your laptop is secure, whether it’s in your private room safe or on an office desk. A laptop lock adds an added degree of protection and peace of mind if you do leave your laptop behind.

A universal security slot, often known as USS, is found on almost all laptops. It’s essentially a slot into which a security wire can be inserted. This wire can be used to connect the laptop to a security device.

While a devoted burglar with plenty of time on his hands might be able to take the laptop, a criminal seeking a fast score will most likely look elsewhere.

Configure a Laptop Alarm

A steel cable linked to an alarm that generates a loud screeching sound secures your smartphone, tablet, laptop, and other digital gear. It is great for laptop anti theft.

Nothing stops a thief as quickly as an auditory alarm, and the noise alone could be enough to make the thief reconsider his or her actions.

Protect your Wi-Fi Network

Although this isn’t always practicable, you can safeguard your Wi-Fi network at home or at your own business.

It will stop criminals from accessing your data or installing malware on your laptop without having to touch it.

Create an Admin Password

Anyone who does not know your login password will be unable to use your laptop. You must enter the password if the laptop has been inactive for a length of time or upon starting; otherwise, the only choice is to shut down or restart the computer.

This can be done on Windows without having to download anything. However, for other operating systems, you may need to download an application that permits you to do so.

Backup your Data

It’s hard to anticipate every circumstance in which your laptop can be taken when traveling. A laptop cable lock and software firewall security isn’t always sufficient.

Even if you don’t think it’s required, you should make a backup of your data. Consider this: if your laptop is taken, the information on it might be permanently lost.

For maximum protection, your vital data should be stored in two locations other than your laptop. Back up your files to the cloud for convenient access while you’re on the go. However, you should also make a backup to an external hard drive that you may leave at home or at the workplace. If the laptop is stolen or lost, you’ll still have access to vital information in two places.

Conclusion

Lasagne, parfaits, chocolate mousse cake, and security are better in layers. You cannot just eat the cherry on the top and neglect the rest of the dessert. So don’t adopt a one-size-fits-all strategy for laptop security and believe you are safe. The ideal strategy is to use a multi-layered approach.

Employing a few of these methods can significantly reduce the likelihood of your laptop getting stolen. Use the options that you believe will be most useful for laptop anti-theft. After several days, using them will be second nature to you, and you will do so without even thinking about it.

For that reason, we are going to tell you how to keep your laptop battery in good condition and expand its life span to the max.

How to Care for Your Laptop’s Battery and Extend Its Life

If you have ever wondered what is required for you to do to keep your laptop battery in a premium condition, allowing you to use it for years to come, this is the text for you. You will be introduced to the most common ways of keeping your battery well, letting you use your laptop to the full extent. Therefore, let’s begin!

Lower the Number of Charging Cycles

One of the essentials of keeping your battery in good shape is definitely by reducing its number of charging cycles. Have in mind that today’s laptop batteries are designed to withstand around 500 full-charging cycles, which means you can fully drain it to 0% and then charge it to 100%, 500 times. However, don’t do that.

Today’s batteries are designed in a way to best work with a little bit of discharge and a little bit of charge. In other words, they will have the longest lifespan when you let them drain to around 40% and then charge them to around 80%. That way, you won’t waste the full charging cycle, but just its fraction, which will ultimately make your battery live longer, and allow between 850 and 1500 charges.

Another thing that will help you keep the number of cycles to the minimum is the Battery Saver feature of Windows 10. When turned on, this feature will stop push notifications, background app activity, Calendar syncing, and offer many other battery-saving activities, such as lowering of the screen brightness, when the battery drops below, for instance, 20% charge.

This is what you need to do:

1. First, go to Start

   

   and enter Settings.



2. After that, go to System

   

   and choose Battery.



3. Mark the square in front of “Turn battery saver on automatically if my battery falls below:” and select at what battery level you want the Battery saver to be turned on, and that is it.

On Mac, make sure that you turn on the Power Nap that will allow you to put your Mac to sleep, saving you more battery life while keeping all the important tasks up and running.

If you are willing to do that this is what is needed to be done:

1. First, go to the Apple menu

   

   and then System Preferences.



2. Go to Battery,

   

   then Battery once again,

   

   and select or deselect “Enable Power Nap while on battery power.”

Don’t Charge it Too Late

As already mentioned, you mustn’t let your battery be fully discharged, because such activity will lower your battery’s life expectance. If it is possible, never let your battery go below 20% charge, and if it does, try to use the battery-saving features that will prevent complete drainage.

Also, if you plan not to use your laptop for some time, don’t fully charge it. The battery should be at around 50% charge when you plan to dispose of it for a few days or weeks. For some reason, such behavior will least affect your battery characteristics and make the lowest negative effects possible, keeping your battery nice and healthy.

Don’t Keep the Laptop Constantly Plugged-in

Although today’s batteries have the feature that stops the charging when the battery is at 100% charge, preventing overheating and excessive power consumption, the fact remains that not allowing your battery to be charged and recharged, will eventually lead to a drop in its characteristics and give you much less autonomy at the end.

Therefore, make sure that you unplug your laptop whenever you can. For instance, unplug it after two hours of work and then put it back on the charger when needed, you may be sure your battery will appreciate that.

Keep it Cool

Extreme heat and extreme cold are never good for batteries, yet chilly temperatures, around 10°C -15°C will be the best surroundings for them.

Too hot is never good for them and if you are facing your computer with constant high CPU and GPU loads that drastically increass the laptop’s temperature, give your laptop and battery a break, and let it cool of for a while.

If you are a dedicated gamer and like to play the games for hours, make small half-hour breaks between a couple of hours of gaming and allow your battery to breathe. You may be sure you will end up rewarded with a much better battery life.

Update OS on Regular Basis

Have in mind that Operating systems are constantly optimized to consume less and less power while delivering the same or better performance. Therefore, don’t forget about this little detail and do the updates regularly.

Final Words

To conclude, if you want to make your battery last as long as possible, these pieces of advice will be more than beneficial. Whatever you do, keep them in mind, and you may be sure that your battery will deliver excellent performance in years to come.

When we say that laptops should not be your weapon of choice if you’re a “ride or die” gamer, we refer to the fact that heat is pretty difficult to dissipate from such a clumped chassis, and that makes a laptop inherently unstable from a temperature point of view.

Heat is the main killer of internal components (as in heat reduces lifespan), not to mention that an overheated CPU or GPU doesn’t perform at 100 percent capacity, hence you should consider getting one of these ASAP.

Here’s our take on how to improve laptop gaming performance:

Keep Your Laptop Clean

We already covered this issue in a previous article, and if you’re a regular reader of our website, you already know that dirt and dust are the mortal enemies of your laptop.

Basically, dust and dirt reduce airflow, which means that the internal components will overheat, the laptop gets hot as a stove and performance drops dramatically due to throttling issues. Go check out your hardware specs and see how much performance drops as temperature increases, you’ll be shocked.

So, keep your laptop as clean as a whistle, and always make sure there’s no dust, food or other debris interfering with your “work”.

Keep Your Drivers Up to Date

Physical cleanliness is one thing, but gaming laptops are usually built around GPUs first and foremost, and here driver updates come into play. If you want to squeeze the last ounce of performance out of your CPU/GPU combo, it is vital to keep the drivers up to date. For faster gaming, this is vital, but fortunately for you, there are people out there who already mitigated the issue.

Even if you’re not tech-savvy, updating your laptop’s drivers is easy as pie nowadays. All you have to do is to install software like Driver Booster from Iobit (just an example), and you’ll be set up and ready to go in a jiffy. By the way, Driver Booster is absolutely free of charge and works like a dream.

Moreover, most gaming/big-brand laptops arrive with in-house made software update utilities, so check that out while you’re at it. The best thing about utilities like Driver Booster is that it will keep your entire system up to date, including your controller and audio drivers.

Install the Latest DirectX Version

If you’re running on Windows 10 or 7, and chances are that you’re a Windows guy if you’re into gaming, having the latest DirectX version is essential. DirectX is software designed to facilitate the graphics in video games, and various versions have been released over the years.

If memory serves, the latest version is DirectX 12, launched back in 2015, and most probably you’ll have that preinstalled if you’re running Windows 10 on your machine. If you want to check out if your gaming hardware is up to date, the easiest way is via DXdiag, i.e. press WIN + R to open the Run menu and enter dxdiag, press enter and you’ll be served with all sorts of intel about your GPU, CPU, DirectX version, sound drivers etc.

Turn-On Gaming Mode in Windows 10

Windows 10 comes with a cool built-in feature that allows you to fine-tune your laptop’s performance. The feature is called Xbox app, and if you activate its game mode, your laptop will run with optimum settings for gaming.

To display the Xbox app press Win+G, and the Game Mode option is at the right end. To enable game mode, just click on it.

Overclock the GPU for Optimized Gaming

For the ultimate gaming experience, provided you’re not a total n00b, you should overclock the GPU. Keep in mind that an overclocked GPU is prone to overheating, as it consumes more power. However, the extra-performance delivered by an overclocked GPU will make you gain a few FPS, which is all that matters.

How to do it? The most popular tool for OC enthusiasts is MSI Afterburner, which works for both AMD and Nvidia GPUS; just take it for a ride and thank us later. However, proceed with care and RTFM first, okay?

Close Background Running Apps

If you have a ton of software/bloatware installed on your machine, they can negatively impact performance, hence closing background running apps is highly recommended before playing games.

The “boomer-tech” way to do so is by opening the task manager and looking for power-hungry apps that are eating away processing power. The smart thing to do is to install special software like Glary or Advanced SystemCare Ultimate and clean up your act! The best thing about the Iobit utility is that it has a gaming mode that noticeably speeds up your laptop.

Adjust Your Laptop’s Power Settings

Windows 10 has a nasty habit of tinkering with your laptop’s performance due to its power management feature. For the best gaming experience, make sure your laptop’s power setting is set to high performance.

You can verify the status at: Settings > System > Power and sleep > Additional power settings – check the High performance option. It’s also worth clicking Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings.

Turn-Off Windows 10 visual effects

Windows 10 has a ton of “eye candy” features compared to previous versions, like the beloved Windows 7, yet these features are making your laptop to pay a heavy toll in terms of performance.

Also, these eye-candy visual effects are turned on by default, and if you want to avoid frame drops and needless slowdown you must switch them off. To do so, type advanced settings in the search bar and click ‘View advanced system settings’, then select ‘Performance options‘ > ‘Visual effects’ and ‘Custom’. If you want to do the job nice and proper, check this out.

Turn-Off Windows Automatic Updates

This may seem strange, but Windows Updates are incredibly power-hungry, and automatic updates are prone to ruin your day, as they work in the background and will dramatically impact gaming performance. The thing about Windows Updates is that they tend to go on at the worst moment possible, and they are a pain in the ass to say the least.

If you want to squeeze the latest drop of performance out of your laptop (or desktop), including turning off automatic updates, go download and run this piece of software. O&O ShutUp10 is entirely free and does not have to be installed – it can be simply run directly and immediately on your PC.

Scan for Malware

Windows 10 comes with a built-in anti-malware tool, dubbed Windows Defender. However, if you’re a reckless user, you may end up with various types of malware bypassing Windows 10’s defenses, so we would advise you to do a full system scan from time to time using the best antivirus money can buy.

Hardware Upgrades

Hardware upgrades are relatively difficult on a laptop, but there’s a “but”. If your laptop was shipped with a classic HDD, switching to an SSD will dramatically increase gaming performance.

The same goes for a RAM upgrade, i.e. if your machine has only 4-6 GB of RAM installed from the factory, upgrading to 8-16 GB of RAM (or more) will make all the difference in the world gaming-wise.

Fortunately, both RAM and SSD upgrades are perfectly doable at home for most laptop models. And if you’re not tech-savvy, just ask for help at a computer store.

Today’s article is about how to clean a laptop keyboard and return it to sparkling condition. As a bonus, we will also give you a few hints about disinfecting your gear, while we’re at it.

Toilet trips with your laptop aside, if you’ve never cleaned up your keyboard before, you’d be surprised by the amount of crumbs, dirt, hair (especially if you’re a cat owner) and other weird stuff (including dead insects in one particular case) lingering inside.

Also, after extended periods of heavy usage, dust, oils from your dirty fingers (it would be ideal to wash your hands before using your laptop) and even coffee will start building up inside of your keyboard.

Prep Work

Before proceeding with scrubbing your filthy keyboard, there are a few critical steps to take. First, it would be smart to back-up essential data on your laptop, because no matter how long a laptop will last in ideal conditions, if you’re the clumsy type and manage to drop a bottle of Clorox in your laptop keyboard, well, it’s curtains for your machine, Mil-Spec or not.

This brings us to prep work step two: make sure your laptop is turned off, battery removed and everything unplugged from its ports (dongles, mice, whatever). The thing about laptop keyboards is that they are relatively fragile, as in they can get damaged easily if you’re not paying attention or you’re the barbarian type; also, changing a “totalled” laptop keyboard is both expensive and difficult.

We don’t mean for this article to be anxiety-inducing, but just like with our piece on “how to clean a laptop screen”, we want to emphasize that this kind of job is not risk-free, so try to be cautious, that’s all we ask.

Shake the debris out

Now, depending on the size of your laptop, this may be a men-only job: take your laptop, turn it upside down and shake it, baby! We mean that literally, as turning your laptop (and implicitly the keyboard) upside down will most probably eject the visible debris off; you know, things like skin dust, chip crumbs, and all the garbage that’s been building up daily for God knows how long.

Remember to gently pat the back of your laptop while you’re doing the “shaking” (use your third hand, or should we say tentacle?), and we would advise you to do this over a trash can for obvious reasons.

Keep in mind that this first step is aimed at removing the big chunks so to speak, so the next step will be easier.

Use Compressed Air to Blow Out the Gunk

The next step involves compressed air cans, which are also great for cleaning your desktop/laptop innards. When it comes to laptop keyboards, angle your keyboard and start blowing air as you hold the can at a 75-degree angle (the long straw attached, okay?) and spray it in a flowing zigzag pattern. The point being, you don’t want to miss anything, and make sure you’ve hit all 4 sides of the keys.

If you see dirt/whatever stuck between keys, try removing the debris by spraying short bursts of air, but do not insert the straw directly under the keys, as you may cause catastrophic damage. While we’re at “catastrophic damage”, don’t try to remove laptop keys under any circumstance, unless you’re an experienced computer tech-nerd, or you just don’t care.

If anything else fails, you can try cleaning the junk around a particular laptop key by using a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol.

What If I don’t Have a Compressed Air Can and It’s an Emergency?

Okay, so you don’t have a compressed air can and you still want to do this, we got it. In this case, you can always use a soft-bristled brush to clean/wipe gunk and debris from between the keys of the laptop. Ideally speaking, you should do this while keeping the laptop upside-down, provided it’s possible, so you’ll avoid the unpleasant scenario of debris getting pushed under the keys.

That’s a no-no procedure by the way, as you can compromise key integrity for ever and ever. Alternately, considering that cleaning in-between and underneath the keys is relatively difficult, you can use low adhesive tape to clean your keyboard. Here’s how to do it nice and easy, but remember to only use low adhesive tape, as opposed to aviator tape/duct tape, alright kids?

• Tear off an inch of tape and fold it in half so that the non-sticky sides are facing together and the sticky sides are facing outward.
• Slip the tape underneath the edges of the keys and rub back and forth a few times.
• Pull the piece of tape out and prepare to be disgusted.
• Repeat until all of your keys are clean.

The “final solution” for lazy people, and we are not using that phrase lightly, is to use a vacuum cleaner, if you have a model that can modulate the “suction” power.

With the vacuum cleaner on its lowest power-setting (alternatively, you can use a handheld car vacuum cleaner or a USB powered vacuum cleaner, which is actually designed for keyboard cleaning but kind of lacks power), you can try and suck out the debris from your keyboard, but keep in mind, this procedure may be risky with cheap laptops, which often have poor quality keyboards, and you may end up with your vacuum eating-up keys left and right.

This happened to me a couple of times, but fortunately, I was able to recoup the stolen keys and put them back. Generally speaking, this method is for “pros” only and we’re only mentioning it for the lulz.

Microfiber Cloth Time

In the next step, you will use a lightly damp microfiber cloth to wipe the keys clean. Obviously, you will go for special stuff like isopropyl alcohol or Pronto antistatic; you can also buy dedicated laptop cleaning solutions/kits, there’s a myriad of brands to choose from. Just remember to never soak the cloth in a cleaning solution, and allow the keyboard to dry completely before turning on the laptop. Never spray or directly apply liquid cleaner on your keyboard, okay?

Disinfection Time

Viruses and bacteria are very resilient generally speaking, and the best method to disinfect a laptop keyboard is by burning it with napalm. Just kidding, we meant Clorox or Lysol wipes. Apple actually recommends the latter for its products, so if Apple gave its blessing on Lysol, so do we.

Now, even if the Clorox brand is synonymous with bleach-based products, the Clorox wipes are actually bleach-free, don’t worry about it.

Final WordБ

If you’ve made it this far, congrats, you’re better than most people. We will end today’s article with a few DON’Ts: never spray liquid onto your keyboard, don’t submerge it underwater, especially if the laptop is still attached, don’t try to yank keys off, and don’t use bleach-based products. Other than that, you’ll be fine; good luck, have fun.

Tips and Tricks for Cleaning a Laptop Screen

Life in plastic is fantastic

And here’s the deal: an LCD screen, as well as an OLED, is protected by a plastic sheath. Plastic has the bad habit of attracting dust particles, and it’s also an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. The point being, whether we’re talking how to clean a laptop or a TV screen, the same principle applies: you’ll have to get rid of invisible bacteria and microbes, dust and, who knows, maybe ancient food stains and spit, that provided you enjoy yelling at your screen when playing games and watching movies or football.

Avoid Scratching Your Screen

To begin with, you must keep in mind that the best way to clean a laptop screen is to avoid scratching it in the first place. The thing is, plastic scratches easily and forever, and laptop screens are particularly sensible, as they don’t benefit from the same glass protection old CRT monitors used to have back in the day.

So, ideally speaking, the first step is to avoid damaging your laptop screen when trying to clean it, i.e., never use window cleaner or glass cleaner on your laptop or TV set. Any harsh products are to be avoided like the plague. It’s true that some high-end laptops, like MacBooks for example, use an oleophobic coating to protect the display, but even that coating can be damaged by alcohol-based cleaners, so check that out before you go-go.

What is the best stuff to clean your display and why is it isopropyl?

If you’re looking to kill off germs, as in if you’re obsessed about that (though you shouldn’t really), you can go for isopropyl cleaner on non-oleophobic screens, such as touchscreen displays, which are prone to getting dirty due to heavy use. This substance is an alcohol-based solvent, yet it’s pretty mild and widely used for its antiviral/antibacterial properties.

The best way to clean a touchscreen Windows-10 laptop is to dilute isopropyl down to 60 percent (it usually comes at 99 percent) with purified water. Basically, you will add one-part purified water and two parts isopropyl 99% in a recipient, and voila, you’ll end up with 60 percent (give or take) isopropyl, which is great for cleaning touchscreens.

Remember to not spray isopropyl directly on the screen, even if we’re talking about big-screen laptops; the right way is to spray/dab diluted isopropyl on a microfiber cloth, and then use it to gently wipe the laptop screen in circular motions, and then from one end to the other. Just dampen the cloth with isopropyl, don’t drench it, okay?

Beside laptop screens, you can actually use diluted isopropyl for cleaning/disinfecting any other surface, that’s a cool life-hack, and remember where you read it first. Now, isopropyl is great for non-oleophobic screens, and it’s also pretty cheap, but this is not a panacea to solve all your germ-infestation high-tech issues. The problem with isopropyl is that it’s somewhat lacking in certain properties dedicated screen cleaners have.

Shop for a high-quality dedicated screen cleaner solution

And by that we mostly mean anti-static and anti-streak properties. The point being, if you’re using isopropyl to clean a filthy display, it would be ideal to use a dedicated screen-cleaner solution to finish the job. There are plenty laptop screen cleaners out there, and probably most of them work great, and have similar features, offering anti-static properties, and being biodegradable. The anti-static thing means that your laptop screen will not be a magnet for dust once it’s treated with a solution like Whoosh! or Ecomoist, i.e., it will stay cleaner for longer.

Maintenance tips

You probably already know, but we will tell you anyway: before starting the cleaning process, always turn off your display and allow it a couple of minutes to cool off; if you’re the clumsy type, as in you have a history with spilling stuff, play it safe and disconnect the laptop from the power cord and remove the battery.

Doing so will eliminate the risk of totaling your laptop if you spill cleaning solution all over it by mistake.

Be gentle

As we already told you, TV and laptop screens are delicate, and you don’t want them damaged, especially if you’re making money with your high-end work-laptop, so remember to employ a gentle touch at all times, because yes, cleaning an LCD screen is a delicate procedure.

Also remember that if you want the best for your screen, go for a high-quality microfiber cloth, and stay away from paper towels or rags, which may damage your screen. It may sound like obvious, but RTFM, okay? As in, if you’re not sure, always read the instruction manual and see what the manufacturer recommends for your laptop. Never, like ever, apply cleaning product directly on the display, alright?

Use Microfiber Cloth and/or a soft sponge

Here’s a short tutorial about what type of gear to use to avoid inflicting damage to your laptop or TV: for dust, the best thing to use is microfiber cloth. If you wear glasses, you already know that, right? The thing about microfiber is that it’s specifically designed to remove debris and dust without scratching surfaces and without producing lint.

For grime and dirt, you can first use a damp sponge, but only if the laptop screen is exceptionally filthy and the microfiber cloth is not enough to get the job done. Always use a brand-new household sponge damped in deionized or distilled water, and after you get rid of the filth using the sponge, you may proceed with the microfiber cloth and finish the job.

For oils and sticky stuff, we would definitely recommend to use safe screen spray only, and always go for a high-quality microfiber cloth.

Big Don’ts

Here’s a list of substances that must be avoided like the plague if you want to keep your laptop screen alive and well: Acetone, Ammonia, Ethyl acid, Ethyl alcohol, Methyl alcohol, Methyl chloride, Surface cleaners, Toluene, Window cleaners and basically any corrosive substance.

While all manufacturers claim their product is the best, even the best specific-purpose products need to be tailored to your needs. Even the best CPU for gaming, for example, might not be perfect straight out of the box.

In this article, you’ll learn the most important tricks and the best practices not only to improve CPU performance but to maintain it and make sure you get the best out of your purchase. The CPU is the best place to target, since to improve your CPU performance means to boost your system overall, but also since the fixes can be easy and quick.

Unclutter to Improve CPU Performance

How and why does a CPU get bogged down, slow, and unable to process lots of data as quickly as you want it?

The problem is applications and processes that jam up the CPU. Some of these might even come pre-installed, meaning the game might seem rigged from the start – but don’t worry, you’re in control.

What do we mean? Well, one of the main culprits for a slow CPU are programs that are installed but never used. Having these onboard for each ride, meaning each time you boot up and use your computer, means that memory, disk space, and processing power is used up for these. PC manufacturers often pack their computers with bloatware; trial versions or limited editions of such software, hoping to incentivize the user to purchase the full version or upgrade.

This is especially true of utility programs that boot at start-up automatically, aiming to provide protection by cleaning up viruses or disk space, but in many cases, you don’t use them consciously or even know they’re there and running.

Uninstalling these programs might help your PC run faster, and its nonetheless good form to only keep what you need if you’re that strapped for resources. You can also stop programs from running automatically at startup with a free Microsoft tool known as AutoRuns for Windows, which will show you everything that runs automatically when you start Windows, as well as let you stop any program from doing so by simply unchecking the box next to its name.

Further, knowing how to lower CPU usage is vital for these reasons specified.

Improve CPU Performance by Overclocking

Knowing how to overclock CPUs is a skill not reserved for the technically-minded of the world. Overclocking simply means to push your system beyond the limits – since manufacturers tend to tone down their out-of-the-box clock speeds with conservatives estimates so the system doesn’t heat up – and get the most processing speed that your system is latently capable of.

Namely, overclocking involves your processor going almost limitless, and the ability to ensure stability particularly when it comes to computer temperature.

Overclocking your system to improve CPU performance might seem quite complicated, but by searching and following specific guides suited for your manufacturer, the right apps and tools make it easy.

There are two important things to consider: ideal cooling methods, such as efficient CPU coolers, and the possibility that you might need to upgrade certain components to overclock safely and successfully. It might seem pointless if you have to buy new parts anyway, but you’re still getting more in less time and at much less cost.

Following guides for your CPU and components is important because even two CPUs with the same model number from the same manufacturer can be different, and thus can vary in results and speeds, usually owing to the other components installed.

Improve CPU Performance: Windows 10 Guide

While Windows 10 brings newer features and the ability to make your hardware more efficient, it is also vulnerable to compatibility issues, failing hardware, malware, and various bugs.

The first thing to do to improve CPU performance on Windows 10 is to make sure you keep your system regularly updated.

These updates can be system updates, driver updates, and updating your operating system to the latest “version” of Windows 10, the latest build.

In a lot of cases, if you’re suddenly noticing performance problems, an update might be needed.

To check for updates, open Settings (by typing it in the Search box) or right-clicking the Start menu.

• In Settings, click on Update & Security, and then on Windows Update.
• Click on Check for Updates.
• If the option is there, click on Download and install now below the Check for Updates button under the heading that says Optional updates available.
• Restart your computer to install the updates!

For updating Windows to the latest versions, follow these same steps up until you click Check for Updates, and then:

• If the option is there, click Download and install now under the Feature Update heading.
• Click Restart Now and let your computer do its thing, making sure not to turn it off during the process.

To update drivers, while there are many third-party applications available, it’s also an in-built feature with Windows 10.

• Search for Device Manager and open the app.
• For the device causing problems, expand the list by clicking the plus sign next to it.
• Right-click the device you want to be updated (such as your model of Display under the Display tab) and select Update Driver. This can be done automatically online, where Windows will then search for the most appropriate and latest drivers for the device.

Ultimately, however, third-party applications seem to work best for most.

Finally, here’s a nifty trick to improve CPU performance by ensuring your CPU gets the cooling it needs. In this, we’ll alter the PC’s Cooling Policy settings as well as the Minimum Processor State settings to let the CPU cooling fans run quicker to let the processor run faster – without this, Windows 10 automatically lets the CPU slow down if temperatures are high to protect the system.

• Head on over to the Control Panel from Start or by Search.
• Click Power Options, then navigate to Change Plan Settings, and then Advanced Power Settings.
• Expand the list for Processor Power Management, and then the one for Minimum Processor State. Here, change the “Plugged in” settings to 100.
• Expand the list for System Cooling Policy. Here, change the settings to Active.

And voila! Enjoy increased CPU performance while making sure that your PC stays safe from any damage!

Custom-built laptops are a different story. Can you build a laptop yourself though? Yes and no.

Some manufacturers like Lenovo have a “Build Your Own” option on their websites, which starts with you choosing a model and an OS and then moving on to picking out the parts. In this case, you don’t assemble the laptop yourself. The manufacturer can assemble it for you in a few weeks at most.

If you decide instead to build a laptop from scratch yourself, the process can be difficult but not impossible. You can gather the parts yourself and get to work, using the laptop kit you’ve hence created for yourself. There are laptop kits available in the market too, such as the Pi-Top Raspberry Pi DIY Laptop Kit, and these can make your job much easier.

Why Would You Want A Custom Laptop?

If you find you always end up replacing the pre-loaded programs in pre-built laptops and upgrading parts after the initial purchase, then you might end up saving money on a custom laptop. If your use is going to be more specialized than generic (such as, say, you want to build a gaming laptop because mainstream gaming laptops are too expensive), then again, try building your own laptop.

Selecting Your Key Players

Let’s talk about building your own laptop kit if you’ve decided to collect the key components of your dream laptop yourself rather than opt for a pre-designed kit. Here are the things you need to be most careful about and why.

The “Bones”

The barebones laptop is also called a laptop case, and it refers to the “shell” that is going to hold all your hardware. Most shells come pre-fitted with a motherboard, which will determine the kind of memory and CPU you can use.

So apart from the motherboard, look into the screen size of your shell as well as what the keyboard is like since these things can’t be changed later. It can be difficult to find a laptop shell for sale on its own. Companies like MSI still offer them, but if you’re going with a specific brand’s custom laptop then you won’t have this problem.

Processor

You will need to choose a processor category (and then an individual processor) based on your usage. Low power processors such as Intel Atom are good enough for casual users, and they offer better battery life. These are usually already soldered onto motherboards.

Value processors like Intel Pentium are similar in that they are good for basic tasks, but they work better with low-end systems. Mainstream processors are the most versatile and offer the most bang-for-your-buck, like Intel i5. If you really want to up your game, (or gaming, if that’s the laptop you want to build) go for a performance processor like Intel i7.

Memory

The overall strength of your RAM (or simply memory) will determine how good your laptop is at multitasking. This strength depends on both size and speed. 8GB is the minimum size you should be going for, although 16GB provides a good fit for power users. Extremes like 32GB are also available.

While you can configure RAM size, speed is not as conveniently adjusted (even with options like overclocking). Memory speed varies with RAM types (such as DDR3 vs DDR4) and the extent to which you can overclock.

Storage

The strength of your storage is also very important since this is where all your data is kept and depends on type, interface, and size of your internal storage. There can be two types here; SSD and HDD. Both have their pros and cons, but hard drives are a bit more dated and SSDs are faster.

The most popular storage interface right now is SATA 2.5”. It even comes in M2/PCIe style now. Storage size will depend on the kind of your storage you’re using. SSDs usually range from 128GB up to 1TB while hard drives can offer 4TB or even more.

Graphics Card

A good graphics card can make a very noticeable difference in performance. There are three types of graphics cards widely available. Integrated graphics cards are built into the CPU, such as the Intel HD-series, and are perfect for everyday use and even some low-key gaming.

If your gaming is going to be more intense, go for a mobile graphics card such as the RTX 2060/70/80 Max-Q. This is quite expensive though, and a more budget-friendly option is the GTX 1660 Ti, but it does come with some performance loss.

Professional graphics cards are like gaming cards with a few tweaks. They’re meant to be used for tasks such as 3D imaging and heavy video editing. This category is so expensive though that you shouldn’t look into it unless you absolutely need to.

Display

You’re going to spend so much time looking at your laptop’s display, and the kind of display you have will determine how much you enjoy working on your laptop. Display size and resolution are both important.

You can pick a display from 10” to 17”, but choose wisely because this will impact overall laptop size. We recommend going for a 15” inch screen to maximize both performance and portability. Whether you go higher or lower will depend completely on your needs.

The number of pixels on a screen determine screen resolution. Some manufacturers, like Apple, market resolution as ‘retina’, but don’t let this jargon confuse you. Most mainstream laptops use 4K resolution, which is equivalent to Apple’s retina (MacBook Pro actually has a lover resolution than 4K).

Other things that can affect your experience in the way that display does include additional laptop features like fingerprint readers and network cards. Some pre-built laptops have these things; some do not, but since you’re building your own anyway, why not go all-in?

How to Build Your Own Laptop

Once you’ve decided on all the details, it’s time to assemble your masterpiece. We’ve broken it down as simply as possible, but remember that you can always get professional help if you find yourself stuck.

• Other than your components, make sure to have your tools at hand. You’ll need delicate ones like needle-nose pliers and magnetic screwdrivers. Remember to wear an anti-static wristband while working so you don’t ruin any parts with static. Grip tape is helpful where pressure needs to be applied without damaging components.
• Before you start working, come up with a way to keep track of everything so you don’t lose time later (and end up getting too frustrated to work). This is especially important given all the small screws you’ll be dealing with.
• Start by removing each panel from your shell one by one, starting at the bottom. This is where all the parts go.
• Starting with the hard drive, mount it onto the bracket in its panel and secure with screws.
• After removing the motherboard panel, insert your memory into its respective slot. You will feel it click into place (if it doesn’t, try the other direction)
• One corner of the CPU will be missing pins; this is what you need to align with the notch in its respective panel. Once inserted, lock it into position.
• Now insert the cooling fan, making sure that it has some thermal paste applied to the bottom. You will need to line it up with the exhaust and/or dust filters in your shell (shells can have different designs) and angle the heatsink into the correct position.
• When inserting components like the CPU and hard drive, be very careful about not bending the pins. Take your time.
• Once everything is in place, you can attach the power cable to the motherboard and screw all the panels back into place (you’ll thank yourself for keeping track of all the screws now).
• Insert the battery and start up the laptop. First things first, run a memory test to see that your RAM is working. You can use the BIOS.
• Once everything looks good, you can install your operating system and voila! You’re done.

To Conclude: Is It Worth The Effort?

The short answer is: probably not. To be frank, a lot could go wrong if you’ve never done something like this before. If you’re happy with what a pre-built laptop can offer you (which is enough for most people), then probably don’t do this.

Drawbacks are, however, relative. If you really need a custom laptop and you’re a techie with some experience assembling machinery (and you’re also feeling adventurous), then go ahead and sink your teeth in!