Laptop Video Problems
The factors that make laptops so convenient--lightness and portability--also affect their performance. Video processing is very resource-intensive, requiring a fast processor (CPU) and high power consumption. Most laptops will be designed only for simple video tasks, such as playing web videos and DVDs, and not playing graphics-based 3D games.
Laptop video problems can emerge suddenly or gradually, and once they take hold they can render your computer unusable, so it is advised that if you notice a problem, you should get it repaired sooner rather than later.
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Diagnosing Video Problems
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The source of your video problem may be in one of two places: the screen, or the video chip on your motherboard. You can test whether a problem is with the screen or the video chip by connecting an external monitor to your laptop, and seeing if the problem replicates itself on the external monitor.
LCD screens are fragile, and can be damaged by pressure, sharp blows or liquids. A damaged LCD screen may show missing pixels or lines on the screen, or strange warped colors. The screen may flicker or not turn on at all, which indicates there is a problem with the connection between the screen and the video chip. Damaged laptop screens can be repaired by a technician.
The video chip on your motherboard is a special processor which handles all the video display tasks for your laptop. If your laptop works normally for documents and internet browsing, but has problems when performing complex tasks, such as playing games or watching DVDs, then it is likely that the video chip is not powerful enough, or requires a driver update.
Updating Video Drivers
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If your video is stuttering, or unable to maintain a smooth frame rate while playing a video, you can try updating the video drivers for your laptop.
Drivers are pieces of software written by computer makers to tell your computer how to use the installed hardware. Computer makers often update this software several times over the lifetime of a computer, so updating your drivers will often improve the performance of your whole computer.
You can update your video drivers by visiting the website of the computer manufacturer, and searching for drivers that match the model and operating system of your computer.
Only download drivers from the official manufacturer's website, or from companies such as Microsoft or Apple (depending on the make of your laptop). Malicious program writers put bogus video drivers on the internet and try to lure people into downloading them, promising extra video performance. These bogus programs can be badly written or contain viruses which will damage your computer.
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Improving Gaming Performance
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If your video is fine for normal computing tasks, but has problems when playing computer games, your laptop is probably limited by the amount of video memory and speed of the onboard video chip. Remember, laptops aren't generally designed to be able to play the latest graphics-intensive games.
Most games have settings for video, where you can lower the video quality in return for smoother video. Smaller screen resolutions are easier for your video chip to process and display onscreen.
New games also employ special effects such as anti-aliaising (line-smoothing) and complex shadows for realism. You can turn these effects off within the game, which will improve the performance.
Warning
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Unlike desktop computers, laptops are assembled in such a way that many of the parts are inaccessible or difficult to replace or repair for the average person. If there is a hardware problem with your laptop, do not try to fix it yourself. It's better send it back to the manufacturer or retailer where you bought it for the repair to be performed by a technician, rather than risking further damage to your computer.
Avoiding Video Problems
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Keep your laptop free from obstructions which can cause it to overheat Laptops are tightly constructed to make them small and portable, and the video chip is often incorporated onto the motherboard, rather than as a separate unit, which increases the internal temperature of the computer.
You should make extra efforts to keep your laptop cool, and ensure that it has proper airflow around all the vents, especially when performing video intensive tasks such as gaming or watching DVDs. Protect your screen by keeping liquids away from your computer, and close the lid of your laptop when it is not in use.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Mike Licht Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Adam Rifkin
