UPGRADING LAPTOPS
Laptops are not as upgradable as desktop PCs but there are still plenty of things you can do to improve a machine’s performance.
First, look for your machine’s identifier – serial number, model number or Dell service tag – and feed it into your manufacturer’s site. This should give information about maximum RAM limits, battery voltages and port specifications. Use Speccy or Belarc to flesh this out.
You’ll need to take the unit to pieces, which can be a daunting experience for the beginner. Use my video from a previous PC Pro feature about laptop repairs
( pcpro.link/304vid) for top tips on how to get inside.
Let’s go through the most popular laptop upgrades.
RAM
If your laptop is a recent purchase, there’s a good chance that the RAM is soldered to the motherboard, but there may be a slot for an upgrade. The manufacturer’s website will detail the type of RAM required or visit Crucial’s ( crucial.com) scanner, which will give recommendations. Fitting RAM can be tricky as you may need to remove components, so if the budget allows, think about upgrading to the maximum RAM limit – it may be an upgrade you won’t want to repeat.
STORAGE
Adding an SSD into a laptop is a great upgrade. Aside from the speed, the lack of a SATA motor will increase battery life. Manufacturers build laptops to hit price points but will often use the same motherboard throughout the range. Cheap models may ship with a 5,400rpm 1TB SATA drive, whilst more expensive versions may come with a M.2 NVMe drive. The motherboard may have an unused high-speed M.2 socket available, so examine carefully.
An easy way to add a second drive to a laptop is by replacing the optical drive with a SATA caddy. These are shaped to fit into a standard DVD drive bay (but check the height of your drive) and will accept any SATA drives.
eGPU
It’s almost impossible to upgrade the onboard graphics of a laptop, but if your machine has a Thunderbolt connection and you desperately want to play the latest AAA+ titles, consider buying an external graphics card (eGPU). These are large boxes into which certain desktop GPUs can be fitted. Keep an eye on the wattage limits of the eGPU’s PSU, though, as this will restrict your GPU purchasing options. This isn’t a cheap upgrade but a brilliant resource to use is eGPU.io ( egpu.io) ,which is packed with buyer’s guides and a strong community forum.
SCREENS
It may be possible to upgrade to a higher resolution screen, but this largely depends on the LCD cable (specifically, how it’s wired) that runs between the panel and motherboard. This cable is often universal throughout a range so upgrading from 1,366 x 768 to a higher-res display may be as simple as plugging in a new screen. Investigate the resolution of other laptops in the range for clues.
A simpler swap is exchanging between a matte or a gloss screen of the same spec. A great site is Accupart ( accupart.co.uk). If you type your screen’s model number into its system (it’s on the back of the panel), the site will tell you if an alternative is possible.
BATTERIES
Batteries are usually the first laptop component to degrade, but they’re easily replaced and sometimes for a version with higher capacity and a longer lifespan. PSA ( psaparts.
co.uk) is a reputable vendor and its system will match your laptop and show what is compatible.