How to Improve Your GPU
The graphics processing unit (GPU) is a piece of laptop hardware that handles visual effects for everything from basic two-dimensional images to complex gaming details. Unlike a graphics card--which is separate--the GPU is built into your laptop's motherboard, essentially sharing its processing power, rather than working as a separate entity. While compact, a GPU is significantly limited in terms of performance, especially with games and video editing. However, there are some measures you can take to improve your GPU.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Update your drivers. GPU manufacturers, such as ATI, Intel and Nvidia, regularly release software that updates their products. As games and graphics become more complex, new drivers allow your GPU to adjust and meet these demands.
-
2
Modify your GPU's properties. Right click on your desktop and select "Graphics Properties" from the menu that appears. This will open your GPU's control panel. Individual panel layouts vary, but the settings you want to change are usually found in the "3D" section. To increase your graphics quality, increase the level of anistropic filtering, shader details and texture quality. To increase performance, reduce these settings. You can also adjust these settings within a game, generally in the "Options," "Graphics" or "Graphics Options" menus.
-
-
3
Close other applications. Your GPU has plenty of untapped potential. Since it shares its power with the rest of your computer, shutting down any unnecessary applications can give you a smoother gaming or video experience without sacrificing graphics quality. From your desktop, press the "Ctrl," "Alt" and "Del" keys in rapid succession. In the next screen, select "Start Task Manager." A full list of all your applications will appear. Right click on an application and select "End Process" to close it down. Some programs need to remain active, so do not close anything with the word "local" or "system" next to it.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Although you can improve your GPU to a degree, there comes a point where your machine simply cannot keep up with the latest graphics advances. In this case, the best alternative is to invest in a personal computer (PC) or gaming laptop. PCs, however, are much cheaper.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
