If you are switching to PC from console gaming, you might find the game performance a bit underwhelming. This is usually due to a low FPS (Frames Per Second) rate. Depending on the mechanics of the game, a low FPS can make it painfully difficult or even impossible to play.
Luckily, there are a few hacks you can implement to learn how to increase FPS on a laptop.
How to Increase FPS on a Laptop
To increase FPS on a laptop, you can update your GPU drivers, overclock some hardware, upgrade the graphics card, use SSD instead of HDD storage, tweak the game’s video settings and reduce screen resolution.
Here is a detailed explanation of how to implement each hack.
Upgrade GPU and its Drivers
The GPU is at the epicenter of any gaming on a laptop. That is why it would be almost impossible to boost FPS while ignoring the graphics card. One way to ensure that you take full advantage of your GPU’s performance is by upgrading its drivers.
Whether you are using drivers that came with the laptop or the graphics card, a simple upgrade can bring about a huge difference in performance.
You will need to know the graphics card you are using before you can upgrade the drivers. You can figure this out on Windows by going to Device Manager then check the name of the display adapter. Once you know which GPU you are using, download the compatible drivers from the company website, and install it on your laptop.
If you are switching from say, a Full HD to 4K display, you might also need to upgrade the GPU to a more powerful model. You will notice lagging FPS rate if you use old graphics chip with a powerful 4K display.
Overclock the Graphics Card
While overclocking is a common practice in the gaming community, it might be a new concept for newbie gamers. This is simply increasing the GPU’s clock speed so that it is faster than the standard speed set by the manufacturer. In the past, overclocking was a dangerous gamble since it posed a great danger to the laptop’s hardware.
However, with modern laptops coming with more robust and smart features, this is something you can easily leverage on to boost FPS. Do not be tempted to overdo this as you could damage some hardware. A 10 to 15% increase in clock speed is enough to significantly increase FPS on your laptop.
Switch to SSD instead of HDD storage
If you are using traditional HDD storage on your laptop, you will need to upgrade to SSD to boost the gaming speed. While HDD can handle some light titles, we don’t recommend it for serious gaming. This is because it is slow, noisy, and causes a lot of overheating. SSD on the other hand is faster and more suitable for gaming laptops.
Now, keep in mind that SSD in itself does not result in a faster FPS rate per se. However, it will reduce load time to ensure that your game is ready to play within a few seconds. You probably hate waiting for minutes before the game can fully load.
For faster gaming, therefore, we recommend that you use at least 256GB SSD storage.
Reduce Display Resolution
While you might not think that screen resolution has any effect on gaming performance, it is actually one of the things that veteran gamers consider when looking to boost FPS. We did some testing and noticed that the game’s frame rate gradually drops as you increase the resolution.
This means that gaming at a lower but comfortable resolution can increase FPS on your laptop. For example, we noticed that gaming at 1920×1080 is much better than 2560×1440. Reducing the resolution will significantly boost the frame rate making the game much smoother to play.
You will notice that the reduced resolution makes the game more pixelated. This is a necessary compromise if you are looking to play at a comfortable frame rate.
Change the Game’s Video Settings
There are a lot of things in settings that can mess with FPS. A few tweaks on such features as draw distance and shadow quality could get you back on track. In most cases, lowering a few video settings could result in satisfactory game performance.
You will find that some settings contribute more to par performance than others. So, you should toy around with a few game features until you find a combination of settings that have a greater impact on game performance.
One of the most effective features you can tweak for peak performance is Anti-aliasing. This feature helps to make game objects less pixelated by smoothening lines around the borders. This usually leverages a lot of hardware power and turning it down a bit can help increase FPS.
Conclusion
Getting better frame rate for your game is not hard. You can use all or some of the above tips to boost FPS on your laptop and enjoy more streamlined gaming. Upgrading the GPU together with its drivers happens to be the most effective so if you were to perform just one hack, it should be that one.
