A slow or laggy monitor can be incredibly frustrating when you’re trying to get work done on your laptop. There are many reasons for monitors to slow down and to prevent your laptop screen from lagging, there are a variety of troubleshooting steps you can take to get your display back up to speed.
In this all-inclusive guide, we’ll cover the top 10 ways to speed up when your laptop monitor starts lagging.
Reasons why your laptop screen is lagging
There are a few core issues that tend to be responsible when a laptop monitor slows down. Some of them are :
- Outdated, incompatible, or faulty graphics drivers – The graphics drivers serve as the software interface between your laptop’s hardware and the operating system. Outdated or corrupt drivers can lead to poor performance.
- Display resolution/settings too high – If the monitor resolution is set higher most of the time, it can overload the graphics processor and cause lag.
- Too many resource-intensive programs open – Having many demanding apps like games open stresses the laptop’s components and bottlenecks monitor performance.
- Hardware problems – Faulty or dying hardware like the GPU, display connectors, etc. can prevent the monitor from running smoothly.
- Operating system files corrupted – Damaged system files related to the display, graphics card, or drivers can impact monitor speeds.
- Malware, viruses, or outdated security software – Malicious software running in the background hog resources needed for optimal monitor performance.
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10 Tips to Speed Up a Slow Laptop Monitor
If you notice visual lag, choppy playback, or input delays on your laptop’s display, here are 10 troubleshooting steps to improve monitor speeds:
1. Update Graphics Drivers
Outdated graphics drivers are a leading culprit of laptop monitor slowdowns. Update to the latest drivers from the GPU manufacturer’s website. For NVIDIA cards, get drivers from NVIDIA’s website. For AMD cards, get drivers from AMD’s website.
2. Adjust Display Resolution
If the monitor is set to a resolution higher most of the time, lower it to reduce resource demands. For example, lower 3840 x 2160 to 1920 x 1080.
3. Close Unnecessary Apps
Close hardware-intensive apps like games, video editors and CAD software to free up system resources for the monitor. Keeping fewer apps open will lighten the load.
4. Check for Malware and Run Antivirus Scans
Malware and viruses running stealthily can slow monitors down. Run full system scans using antivirus software like Malwarebytes and remove any infections found.
5. Update OS and Software
Install all available operating system and software updates, especially those related to monitors, graphics, and hardware drivers. Updates often include performance fixes.
6. Use Laptop Mode
Enable your laptop’s high-performance “Laptop Mode”, if available. This scales back visual effects to boost monitor speeds. On Windows 10, search for “Power Options”.
7. Adjust Refresh Rate in Display Settings
If your monitor supports higher refresh rates than the default 60Hz, increase this for smoother visuals. Just make sure that your laptop supports the higher refresh rate.
8. Check GPU and CPU Usage While Gaming
If you notice lag during games, use Task Manager to view GPU and CPU usage. If either is nearing 100%, the laptop may be underpowered for optimal speeds.
Lower the game’s graphics settings to make sure you don’t overuse the CPU and GPU.
9. Test with an External Monitor
Connect an external monitor via HDMI, DisplayPort, etc. If the external monitor has no lag, it points to an issue with the laptop’s built-in display rather than system resources.
10. Change Power Settings to Max Performance
In Windows, go to Power Options, choose “High performance” and ensure “Maximum processor state” is 100% to force the CPU to higher speeds needed for fast monitors.
How do you identify hardware that can slow down your computer?
If you’ve tried the above software troubleshooting but nothing works. The issue is may be hardware-related. Here are a few steps to identify any hardware problems:
- Check GPU temperatures – Use a system monitor app like Speccy to check GPU temps while gaming or running graphics-intensive apps. If reaching very high temps, it indicates the GPU is being overworked and possibly failing.
- Test with integrated graphics – Switch laptops with hybrid graphics to use integrated graphics instead of the dedicated GPU. If performance improves, it points to GPU-related problems.
- Replace monitor cable – Swap out the display cable connecting the monitor to the motherboard. Faulty cables can bottleneck performance.
- Try external display – As mentioned above, connect to a TV or external monitor. If the issue persists, it likely indicates a problem with the OS or components rather than a built-in monitor.
- Check for loose GPU – Open the laptop case (after disconnecting power) and ensure the dedicated graphics card is properly connected without any visible damage.
- Replace GPU thermal paste – Remove the GPU heat sink, clean it, and replace the thermal paste. This can improve cooling for overheating GPUs.
When Should I Consider Upgrading My Hardware?
If your laptop’s monitor is still underperforming after trying the above software and hardware troubleshooting, the laptop may be underpowered than your work needs. Upgrading components like the RAM, CPU or GPU can help speed up an old, overwhelmed laptop monitor.
Look for options to upgrade RAM to improve multitasking efficiency. Faster CPUs with more cores allow quicker response when interacting with monitors. And more powerful dedicated GPUs are important for gaming and graphics work. All these things will speed up your slow PC.
Preventing Future Monitor Slowdowns
Once you’ve resolved monitor lag, keep your laptop running smoothly by doing some simple tasks. They are :
- Closing unused programs and browser tabs to preserve RAM
- Adding more RAM if needed for your workload
- Using compressed air to dust fans and heatsinks monthly
- Keeping OS and drivers updated
- Not overlapping displays (mirroring stretching across laptop and external monitors)
- Avoiding resource-heavy animations and visual effects
When to Consider Getting Professional Help
If you’ve worked through everything related to the software and hardware troubleshooting steps without fixing laptop monitor slowdowns, it’s best to seek professional IT assistance.
You can contact the manufacturer’s website for seeking help or if your laptops is out of warranty you can realy on Tech repair shops.
They can perform diagnostics to identify issues software tools can’t find. They can test components like the GPU and display connectors for faults, and have the expertise to replace complex parts. While an investment, professional repairs can restore a lagging laptop monitor’s performance and extend the life of the device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my laptop monitor so slow?
Common reasons for a slow laptop monitor include outdated graphics drivers, unsupported display resolutions, too many resource-heavy applications open, malware hogging resources, and failing hardware like an overheating GPU.
How do I speed up my laggy laptop monitor?
Update graphics drivers, close unneeded apps, adjust resolution and refresh rate, enable high-performance power mode, run malware scans, update software and monitor GPU/CPU usage. Also, check for hardware issues like thermal throttling.
Can a slow laptop monitor be fixed?
Yes, slow laptop monitors can be fixed through software troubleshooting like updating drivers, closing apps and enabling laptop mode. Hardware fixes like replacing faulty display cables, adding RAM or upgrading the GPU may be needed for aging laptops. Professional repairs can fully diagnose and replace failed components.
Final Words
Frustratingly slow monitor performance can make it difficult to get work done on your laptop. So you may think of what to do when monitor slows down laptop.
By following the solutions mentioned above in this guide, from updating drivers and adjusting settings to replacing faulty hardware, you should be able to get your laptop’s monitor back up to an optimal speed.
Pay attention to when performance drops to identify the culprit and don’t hesitate to seek professional help if DIY efforts are unsuccessful. If you have tried it all and nothing works you will have to go for a new one that will be able to
