How to game on a medium budget laptop

Gaming has become a bigger use case in the past few years, even convincing many laptop buyers to switch from other platforms to Windows. However, not all laptops are built the same, and if you don’t have a modern gaming laptop, enjoying some AAA titles can feel like a distant dream. That doesn’t always have to be the case though. You can still game on older or less powerful machines, albeit with a lower level of visuals and general performance. Here are a few tips to optimise your laptop for games.

Keep realistic expectations

If the machine you’re working with is too outdated in terms of specifications or doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card, it is important that you don’t expect too much out of it. For modern gaming titles, your laptop will need at least a dedicated graphics card like the Nvidia GTX 1050 or AMD Radeon RX 560, along with at least 8GB of RAM.

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Optimise system settings

To get the most out of your laptop’s performance, optimising your system settings is an important step. You can begin by adjusting the Windows power settings to ‘High Performance’ to maximise your laptop’s performance. Also, disable unnecessary background processes and startup programs (the programs that begin automatically when you boot up Windows) to free up system resources. You can also use the built-in Task Manager or third-party software to manage running programs effectively.

Update your drivers and games

Keeping your laptop’s drivers and software up to date is essential for the best possible gaming performance. Regularly check for updates for your graphics card, sound card, and other hardware components. Also, don’t forget to update your games too. New game updates often feature optimisations for older systems.

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Cooling solutions

Gaming sessions can lead to overheating and performance throttling, which is when the heat starts negatively affecting your machine’s processor/chipset. Invest in a laptop cooling pad or elevate your laptop on a stand to improve airflow and dissipate heat efficiently. Regularly clean the laptop’s vents and fans to prevent dust buildup. If possible, also ensure your room is as cool as possible.

Adjust graphics and performance settings

Most modern games offer various graphics and performance settings that can be adjusted to match your laptop’s capabilities. Some will even begin with a benchmark test that will adjust these settings automatically when you open a game for the first time. Experiment with these settings to find the right balance between visual quality and performance for your laptop. Lowering resolution, disabling features like ray tracing or anti-aliasing, and reducing shadow and texture details can improve frame rates, making your game run smoother.

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If you’ve tried all the above methods and still cannot run a game properly or are still not satisfied with the way a game performs on your machine, consider upgrading to a new gaming laptop with updated specifications.

The market is full of medium-budget gaming laptops like the ASUS TUF Gaming F15, the HP Victus 16, the Acer Aspire 5, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3, and the Acer Nitro 5, most of which cost below Rs 60,000. Check out our in-depth laptop buying guide for more help on choosing the right laptop.