How to improve FPS on a low-end laptop

A modest laptop can still play plenty of games, but it needs a little help. This guide covers the changes that make the biggest difference, in the order we would try them, plus an honest look at what no setting can fix. All menu paths were checked against official Microsoft, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA and Dell support pages on 23 October 2026.

Be honest about the limits first

If your laptop only has basic integrated graphics, no tweak will make the newest big releases run like they do on a gaming PC. What these steps can do is remove the things holding your laptop back: power saving, the wrong graphics chip, old drivers, heat and settings that cost a lot for little visual gain. Lighter games, older games and many free-to-play titles are a better match. Our best free-to-play games of 2026 list is a good place to look.

1. Plug in and set the power mode

Laptops often limit power on battery. Plug in the charger, then set Windows to its fastest power mode.

Microsoft’s steps for Windows 11: go to Start > Settings > System > Power & battery. Under Power mode, you can choose a setting for Plugged in and a separate one for On battery. The options are Best power efficiency, Balanced and Best performance. Choose Best performance for plugged in.

If you cannot change the power mode, Microsoft says a custom power plan might be selected. Open Control Panel > System and Security > Power Options and choose Balanced, then try again.

Some laptops also come with their own control app that has performance or fan modes. Check your laptop maker’s manual or support site.

2. Check Game Mode and graphics settings

Microsoft’s Windows 11 gaming guide says Windows does most of the optimisation for you, but suggests two checks:

• Game Mode: make sure it is on in Settings > Gaming > Game Mode. Microsoft says it should be on by default.
• Default graphics settings: go to Settings > System > Display > Graphics and choose Change default graphics settings. Here you can turn on hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling and optimisations for windowed games.

Optimisations for windowed games, according to Microsoft, improves performance for DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games played in windowed or borderless windowed mode, and reduces frame latency. Restart the game after turning it on.

3. Make the game use your dedicated graphics chip

Some laptops have two graphics processors: a low-power one built into the processor and a stronger dedicated one. If a game runs on the weaker chip, performance suffers.

Microsoft’s steps: go to Start > Settings > System > Display > Graphics. Under Custom options for apps, select the game, then select Options. If your PC has more than one GPU, you can choose Let Windows decide (Power saving), Power saving or High performance. Pick High performance, select Save, and restart the game.

If your laptop only has one graphics chip, this option will not change anything. Microsoft’s steps say this choice applies when a PC has more than one GPU.

4. Update graphics drivers from official sites

Newer drivers often include fixes and improvements for recent games. Only download them from the chip maker or your laptop maker:

• Intel graphics: Intel recommends its Driver & Support Assistant to detect and install the right driver. For laptops, Intel’s note says to install the latest graphics driver from your computer manufacturer first.
• NVIDIA graphics: the NVIDIA driver page offers manual driver search and the NVIDIA App, which NVIDIA says keeps drivers up to date automatically.
• AMD graphics: AMD’s driver page offers an auto-detect and install tool for Radeon graphics and Ryzen chipsets on Windows 10 and 11.

To check which driver you have, Intel suggests opening Device Manager, expanding Display adapters, opening your graphics device and checking the Driver tab.

5. Change the in-game settings that matter most

This is usually where the biggest gains are. Start from the game’s lowest preset, see if it runs smoothly, then raise settings one at a time. These tend to cost the most:

• Resolution: fewer pixels means less work. Dropping from your screen’s full resolution to a lower one can help a lot, though the picture gets softer.
• Render scale or resolution scale: many games let you keep the menus sharp while drawing the 3D world at, say, 70 to 85 per cent. This is often a better trade than lowering the whole resolution.
• Shadows: often one of the heaviest settings. Medium or low usually looks fine.
• Effects such as ray tracing, volumetric fog and ambient occlusion: turn these off first on a low-end laptop.
• View distance and crowd density: helpful to lower in open-world games.

Texture quality depends mostly on graphics memory. If you see stutters when turning quickly, try a lower texture setting. Also try capping your frame rate to a steady number your laptop can hold, which can feel smoother than a number that jumps around.

6. Close background apps and trim startup apps

Apps running in the background compete for memory and processor time. Close browsers, video calls and launchers you are not using before you play.

To stop apps loading every time you sign in, Microsoft’s steps are Start > Settings > Apps > Startup, then switch off apps you do not need. You can also right-click Start, open Task Manager, go to the Startup apps tab, select an app and choose Disable.

7. Keep it cool and clean the vents

Heat is a common hidden cause of poor performance. Dell explains that when the processor or graphics chip gets very hot, the computer reduces clock speed to lower heat output. That is called throttling, and it means fewer frames.

Dell’s advice includes:

• Use the laptop on a hard, flat surface. Dell warns that a blanket, pillow, cloth or paper can cover the fan air intake and cause overheating.
• Clean the air vents. Dell’s steps are to turn off the computer and unplug it, then use compressed air held upright to blow dust from the vents, and wipe around them with a dry microfibre cloth. Do not use a vacuum cleaner, which Dell warns can generate static electricity.
• A cooling pad can improve airflow during long sessions.
• Update drivers and the BIOS from the laptop maker’s support site.

Dell lists sudden shutdowns, random restarts and fans running at high speed while idle as typical overheating symptoms. If cleaning does not help, contact the laptop maker rather than opening the laptop yourself.

8. Try an upscaler if your game has one

Upscalers draw the game at a lower resolution and rebuild a sharper image, which can raise frame rates. They only work in games that include them, and each has hardware limits. Here is what each maker officially says:

• AMD FSR: AMD’s page lists FSR 1 for Radeon RX 400 Series graphics and above and Ryzen processors with Radeon graphics, FSR 2 for Radeon RX 590 and above and select Ryzen processors with Radeon graphics, and the newest machine-learning FSR Upscaling for Radeon RX 6000 Series and above. AMD notes that FSR is available in select games that require developer integration.
• NVIDIA DLSS: NVIDIA says DLSS Super Resolution “boosts performance by using AI to output higher-resolution frames from a lower-resolution input”. NVIDIA lists it for GeForce RTX 20, 30, 40 and 50 Series graphics, with Frame Generation on RTX 40 and 50 Series.
• Intel XeSS: Intel describes XeSS as upscaling technology that uses deep learning to reconstruct detail from neighbouring pixels and previous frames. Check the game’s settings menu to see if it is offered on your laptop.

Start with a “Quality” preset and only drop to “Performance” if you still need more frames.

A quick checklist

1. Plug in and choose Best performance.
2. Check Game Mode and default graphics settings.
3. Set the game to High performance graphics.
4. Update drivers from official sites.
5. Lower resolution or render scale, shadows and effects.
6. Close background apps and trim startup apps.
7. Keep vents clear and use a hard surface.
8. Try FSR, DLSS or XeSS if the game supports them.

If you are thinking about a desktop instead, our guide to building your first gaming PC on a budget explains where the money matters most.