As a gamer, you understand the importance of having a powerful gaming laptop to stay competitive. However, even the most advanced laptops can become outdated, leading to subpar performance and frustrating gaming experiences.

Gaming laptops have come a long way since the first one was introduced in 2011. Over the years, manufacturers have pushed the boundaries of innovation, culminating in powerful machines that can handle even the most demanding games.

ASUS, in particular, revolutionised the market in 2016 with its liquid-cooled laptop, setting a new standard for gaming laptops. Today, gaming laptops offer a unique combination of portability and power, making them the preferred choice for many gamers.

But even the best gaming laptops have a limited lifespan. As new games and technologies emerge, your laptop's hardware may struggle to keep up. That is why it is essential to know when to upgrade your gaming laptop. Join The Sandy Times to explore the telltale signs that indicate optimisation.

Frame rates are the backbone of a seamless gaming experience, especially in competitive esports. Game developers continually push the boundaries of visuals and gameplay, making it challenging for older hardware to keep up. Even if you try to lower the settings or resolution, there will come a time when your laptop's hardware is no longer sufficient.

Unlike desktops, laptops have limitations when it comes to upgrading individual components. The CPU and GPU are permanently attached to the motherboard, so they cannot be upgraded. Buy a new gaming laptop if you are experiencing frame rates below 30 FPS for casual single-player games, frequent crashes, or freezes.

Frame rate requirements for different gaming experiences:

To achieve optimal frame rates, it is essential to understand how different components affect your gaming performance. Key components include:

Understanding these components and their impact on frame rates will help you decide when to optimise your gaming laptop.

A slow laptop can be very frustrating during gaming sessions. A sudden increase in boot time or longer game loading times can indicate a problem with your laptop's CPU or GPU. If your laptop is taking forever to boot or games are taking significantly longer to load than before, it may be a sign that your laptop's hardware is failing.

The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is a dreaded scene for gamers. Hardware failure, driver issues, or malware can cause this critical error.  Multiple issues can trigger BSODs, including faulty hardware, outdated or corrupt drivers, software conflicts, viruses, or corrupt system files.

If you are experiencing frequent BSODs, it is essential to address the issue promptly. Updating drivers, rolling back to a previous version or scanning for damaged system files can help resolve the problem.

Occasionally, BSODs can be caused by graphic-intensive games that push your laptop's hardware to its limits. This can expose underlying hardware weaknesses, trigger overheating, or unveil latent software conflicts.

While a single BSOD won't damage your computer, repeated occurrences can lead to data corruption. 

The keyboard and display are among a laptop's most commonly compromised components. Severe hardware malfunctions, such as issues with the CPU or motherboard, can render your device completely inoperable. If your laptop shows signs of ageing or repair costs are increasing, it may be prudent to consider an upgrade before it becomes a costly inconvenience.

Frequent crashes or freezes can signal underlying hardware problems, particularly with the RAM or hard drive. Additionally, distorted visuals may indicate a failing graphics card. Battery issues and persistent error messages can also point to hardware malfunctions that must be addressed. 

For these issues, it is crucial to seek professional help. If the damage is extensive, replacing your laptop may be more cost-effective.

If you have tried to run demanding games like Red Dead Redemption 2 or Cyberpunk 2077 on an old laptop, you know how frustrating it can be. Even newer laptops may struggle to keep up with these games, forcing them to boost their cores and run fans at full RPM. 

If you still use an older laptop with a GeForce MX250 for gaming, you will likely struggle to achieve respectable frame rates on modern games.

While some games are optimised to run well on low-end hardware, upgrading to a newer model with a powerful processor and graphics card will allow you to experience the latest games at their full potential. If you encounter issues running a game on your PC, the primary culprit is almost always compatibility.

Gaming PCs typically last two to four years before you will notice a drop in performance if you play the latest games. Before upgrading, you can try a few things to breathe new life into your laptop.