Laptop Tips
8 CHECK YOUR POWER PLAN It’s worth taking a peek at your power plans in the Control Panel on a laptop, found under “Hardware and Sound.” If it’s a powerhouse laptop that you’re essentially using pluggedin as a desktop replacement, slap that high performance plan on and call it a day; otherwise, you’ll want to take a trip into the advanced power plan settings. The default balanced plan is usually a good call, but even then you might want to make some adjustments; like disabling certain ports while the monitor is asleep, for example.
9 DISABLE TIPS Windows 10 wants to be helpful, but like a bumbling manservant, sometimes that help is actually less than helpful. By default, Windows 10 scans your system periodically to give you (usually unwanted) advice, and this can have a small impact on mobile processor performance, particularly in cheaper laptops. You can turn it off in System Settings, under “Notifications and action.” Just toggle off the slider marked “Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows.”
10 MANAGE YOUR TEMPERATURES BETTER As we said earlier, it’s a good idea to use third-party software, such as Hardware-Monitor, to keep an eye on your system temperatures. This is even more critical with laptops, where keeping your CPU cool is an even more difficult endeavor. If you’re regularly using demanding software on your laptop – 3D rendering tools, for example – then heat spikes are inevitable, but there are a few things you can do to alleviate the temperature load on your poor laptop. The general optimisation tips elsewhere in this article are a good start, but making sure you’re positioning your laptop right is important, too. Don’t actually put it on your lap, for starters. Ensure that all the air vents are clear, and only use it on hard, flat surfaces. If you have problems with temperature, consider using something to prop your laptop up, creating more empty space beneath it for better airflow.