Are Gaming Laptops Upgradeable?

Laptops are some of the most popular pieces of technology in modern society, and it’s not hard to see why. Unlike desktop computers that require wires or docking stations for each component, laptops have all their components soldered onto a motherboard so they can be as small and lightweight as possible without sacrificing functionality.

Because of space limitations, not all parts of a gaming laptop are upgradeable. The GPU and CPU are usually integrated into the motherboard making it impossible to be upgraded. On the other hand, most gaming laptops can have the RAM and storage switched.

GPU

GPU is probably the most important component of a gaming laptop. The GPU is what draws all the pixels on your screen and when it comes to gaming, you want only the best out there.

Most modern laptops have an onboard GPU that cannot be switched or upgraded so you’ll have to rely on the manufacturer for better ones.

You can also opt to add an external GPU which is a lot easier and cheaper but the results may not be as good especially if it’s too weak or outdated to play better games. However, the internal GPU will remain not upgradable.

CPU

Your processor is responsible for running all the programs and applications you’re currently using. It handles your RAM, HD’s processing, motherboard’s process, and everything else in between.

CPU is what gives speed to your laptop so you’ll have a much better experience if you upgrade it, especially when playing high-end games that require a lot of processing.

See also  Why Does My HP Laptop Keep Freezing?

But the processor cannot be upgraded because it’s soldered at the motherboard. If you want to upgrade your CPU, then it’ll need a new mobo and RAM which will cost you a lot of money.

RAM

The RAM is responsible for loading all your apps and games into memory so they can be executed whenever you run them. It’s one of the cheapest components in a gaming laptop.

You can upgrade your RAM to 16GB or 32GB and it’ll surely give you better performance when playing games, especially if you’re using an external GPU because you’ll need more memory for some games due to their bigger files size.

Storage

Storage is usually a hard drive or SSD which can be upgraded. While it’s not necessary to upgrade your hard drive, you’ll need some extra space for high-end games.

You’ll want at least 500GB of storage so that way you wouldn’t have to keep uninstalling and reinstalling games just because there isn’t enough place for them.

Most high-end gaming laptops come with an SSD and that’s the one you should upgrade since it’ll give you a much better load time, faster booting, and overall better performance in loading everything from your games to applications.

Conclusion

Upgrading gaming laptops can be hard because most of them don’t have upgradeable components. Upgrading the GPU and CPU will require you to get a new motherboard, RAM, and other small parts which puts it out of reach for some people.

The best recommendation I can give is to really think about what you’ll use your laptop for before you go out and buy it.

See also  Can Any Laptop Run Football Manager?

Leave a Comment