Your Windows 11 laptop is struggling with games? Don't forget to try these tips and tricks!

Were it not for gaming and video games, high-end laptops would not be that common – the portable computers would be reserved for a narrow field of professionals and video editing enthusiasts.

However, even laptops that are perceived as "powerful" can sometimes find it challenging to run some games – and that doesn't sound like a good time, now, does it?

If your Windows 11 laptop is struggling when you attempt to game on it, you shouldn't forget that not all problems are hardware-related and there are things you can do to help things smooth out.

First, you should make sure that your video drivers are up-to-date. If you've got an NVIDIA graphics card, you can go to the NVIDIA Drivers site.

To update your graphics drivers, start by identifying your GPU model either by typing it in a search field or selecting it manually from a list. Download the latest drivers from the official site and run the installer. If you happen to be an AMD user, you should visit the AMD Drivers page, choose the correct model, and follow a similar process.

You can also update drivers through Windows 11 by going to Settings > Windows Update. If you've already downloaded drivers but haven't installed them, open Device Manager, right-click your graphics card under Display Adapters, and select to update the driver automatically.

It's crucial that you always restart your PC after installing drivers to ensure they work properly!



Additionally, you can always give the Game Mode a try – this is how Windows 11 optimizes your system for gaming (it's done by prioritizing system resources for games, reducing background activity, and minimizing interruptions).

Game Mode could result in a more stable frame rate in games, so to enable it, you can launch it via pressing the Windows Key and "i", then select "Gaming" from the sidebar and turn on "Game Mode".

If you're experiencing stuttering, the Xbox Game Bar might be the cause. Disable it by navigating to Settings > Gaming > Game Bar and turning off controller access. For more control, go to Settings > System > System Components, find Game Bar, click the three dots, choose "Advanced Options," set it to never run in the background, and click "Terminate".

In case of memory-related stuttering, increasing virtual memory can help. Open Run (by pressing Windows+R), type "sysdm.cpl", go to the Advanced tab > Performance Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory > Change. Disable automatic management, choose a custom size (1.5x to 3x your RAM), and apply the changes. Don't forget to restart your PC.

If nothing helps, you can always lower your game's graphics settings – it's not a "perfect" solution, but it's better to reduce lag than having the highest possible resolution.