Why is my new laptop so slow?
When purchasing a laptop, we’ve been conditioned to look at the central processing unit (CPU) and memory and that’s about it as far as the internals go. It’s always been bigger is better in regards to hard disk size, so as long as we have a decent CPU, 8GB of memory and a 500GB or 1TB hard disk what could go wrong. Well, quite a lot actually.
This is a notebook hard disk with spinning platters that’s been around for decades. There’s still a place for this technology but that place is not in your laptop.
The slowest “major” component in a computer has historically been the hard disk (and floppy disk before that). Whenever a program loads or saves to the hard disk there is a slowdown of the entire system as it waits for the disk to finish. The more memory a computer has, the less hard disk access is required, which is why we used to put more memory in a system to speed it up.
So what’s changed, and why is your new bute notebook slow? Although you may have purchased the latest processor technology and you have enough memory, it’s likely that you have some old technology in the form of a spinning hard disk, and this is where everything comes to a screaming halt.
There are two types of spinning hard disks you’ll find in a laptop. One spins at 5400rpm and the other at 7200rpm.
The faster the spin, the quicker the computer can get data from the drive and the faster the computer operates.
If you buy a notebook on the cheap then you’ll most likely get the slow 5400rpm drive and end up with a very sluggish unit. The 7200rpm hard disk is better, but compared to the new drives on the block, they run a sad last place every time.
Thankfully spinning disk hard disks are on the way out and the new Solid State Drives (SSDs) are here!
SSD Technology
New Solid State Drive (SSD) technology provides many benifits:
M.2 SSD Module – This is the type of Solid State Drive in most notebooks and desktop computers. All chips with no moving parts. They have a PCie interface and are generally faster than their SATA counterparts.
- Gives up to 10 times the performance of a standard spinning disk drive.
- SSD’s have no moving parts so they are silent and are more reliable than mechanical drives.
- They are lighter and smaller (great for notebooks) than mechanical drives.
- They require less power to run, generating less heat and giving you better battery performance.
- Did I mention they are FAST?
So now you know what to look for in a new notebook to ensure you get the performance you expect.
Solid State Drive Questions:
Q.Will SSD drive technology help crunch numbers faster?
A. No, not really. The SSD has no effect on computing power. However, it does make a huge difference in the usability, enjoyment factor, longevity and overall productivity of your computer.
Q. Are Solid State Drives very expensive?
SATA SSD – These drives look like a standard notebook hard disk on the outside but are all chips on the inside. They have the same interface as mechanical SATA drives so are an easy upgrade to speed up your existing notebook.
A. Cost of SSD drives are about 8x the cost (per GB) of a mechanical drive, but when you compare cost to speed ratio its worth it. In dollar terms it might be an additional $100-$300
Q. Can I upgrade my current laptop to SSD?
A. Yes, we do many upgrades along and you get back a laptop thats better than new.
Q. What size Solid State Drive should I get?
A. This has to be answered on a case by case basis. A business notebook should be OK with a 256GB SSD drive but this should be discussed with IT support prior to purchase.
Q. Can I have an Solid State Drive in my desktop computer?
A. Yes, the same performance improvements and reliability are able to be put straight into your desktop computer.
IN2Tech recommend an Intel i5 processor, 8GB Memory and a 256GB SSD Hard Disk as a minimum starting point for a laptop used for business.
If you’re in the market, have a chat with us about your requirements and we can source a unit off the shelf or custom build a notebook to your specification.