How to Beef Up an Old Laptop

Even if it's silver or blue on the outside, to most folks, a laptop PC looks like an impenetrable black box on the inside—you wouldn't dream of cracking it open. Some notebooks, indeed, do their best to keep you out. But if you can remove your laptop's bottom panel, chances are good that there's something inside—or maybe several somethings—that you can upgrade.

Notebooks, of course, aren't nearly as flexible as your typical desktop PC when it comes to hardware swaps. But upgrading your laptop, within the confines of what it will allow, can be a great way to get more life out of it. Depending on the model, you might be able to add more system memory (RAM) to make it more responsive, upgrade the storage drive for a capacity and performance boost, or replace the battery to rejuvenate the charge-holding that the machine had when it was new.

What you can actually do yourself varies from laptop model to laptop model, however. This guide helps you identify which laptop components you can (and can't) upgrade, and how to replace them. We'll even discuss items like the Wi-Fi radio and the graphics processor (GPU), and how to handle any warranty issues that might come up if you perform upgrades.

Can Upgrades Void Your Laptop Warranty?

First off: Let's discuss warranties before diving into upgrades. To cut to the chase, engaging in the process of upgrading or replacing parts in your laptop will not void its warranty in and of itself. The FTC has plainly stated that you can't void a warranty by breaking a seal, and more recently, the agency announced plans to crack down on companies that try to prevent their customers from repairing products.

That's not a license, however, to dive in willy-nilly with screwdriver and pliers. The warranty won't cover damage that might occur from your upgrade efforts. If you don't feel confident you can do an upgrade on your own, seek a qualified repair shop or a computer-savvy friend or relative to do the job.

So, What Exactly Can I Upgrade?

This is a general guide for laptops produced from the early 2010s onward—that is, in the last decade. It won't cover every configuration, but it should get pretty close. You will definitely run across exceptions, though.

Early Microsoft Surface Laptop models and their fabric-coated keyboard decks, for example, are largely glued together and near-impossible to open without damage. Or, a different limitation: Some Apple MacBooks use soldered-down instead of removable components.

The bottom cover off, how it looks inside an older gaming laptop. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

That said, on average, the following components are usually upgradable in a typical business or consumer laptop:

The main system memory (RAM).
The primary storage, which may come in the form of an M.2 or mSATA solid-state drive or a 2.5-inch SSD or hard drive.
The secondary storage, if present (typically a 2.5-inch hard drive, and only on larger models).
The battery pack.
The wireless/Bluetooth card.

By contrast, the following parts are almost never upgradable:

The processor (CPU)
The graphics chip (GPU)

Each component above has its own section in this guide, in which we'll explain how to identify whether it's upgradable in your laptop.

This guide doesn't discuss laptop components that are often proprietary or too specific for us to offer general advice about, such as the display, the keyboard, and the touchpad. Replacing those is sometimes possible, depending on the model and availability of parts. But in almost all cases, they would fall under the category of a repair rather than an upgrade. (You'll typically be swapping a broken component for an identical working one.)

Ideally, you'll first want to find a service manual on your laptop manufacturer's support site that describes how to perform basic upgrades. If you can't, most notebooks are relatively simple to service. Popular models may have pro or amateur repair videos on YouTube, although you should consider the expertise of the video's poster before relying on one fully. (Also be sure your precise model is actually the one being upgraded!) As noted, any upgrade you perform is at your own risk, so we strongly suggest doing your research first and not skimping on your toolkit.

Many laptops can be upgraded without tools other than a few Philips screwdrivers (having several on hand, with larger or smaller heads, is a good idea), or in some cases various sizes of star-head or Torx screwdriver. In the absence of a service manual to tell you the size(s) or types you need, flip your laptop over and see what fits. Most laptops will use same-size screws inside and out for simpler servicing, but not always.

For laptop upgrades, a screwdriver kit like this Rosewill set (with a plethora of ordinary and Torx bits) will pay for itself many times over.

Don't rush; never try to force a screw with a screwdriver that doesn't fit a screw head snugly. It's just too easy to strip or hollow out the head of a screw that way, which leaves you with a much bigger problem.

This is the general process for getting to the guts of a laptop:

Shut down, unplug the laptop, and close its lid.
On a desk or other flat, sturdy surface, place the laptop upside-down on a towel or other soft cloth to avoid scratches (and catch stray screws).
Undo the screws holding the laptop's bottom panel in place, and (gently!) remove the panel.
A credit card or plastic trim tool can help separate the panel from the chassis if it's held in by clips or just being stubborn. Never force anything!

Then set the bottom panel aside and segregate the screws you removed from the panel before proceeding.

An HP laptop with its bottom panel removed: Easy access to the memory, SSD, battery, and wireless card. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

You might use small dishes or trays—one for exterior screws and one for interior screws—to hold screws after you take them out. (Note that some laptops use "captive" retainer screws, which will loosen but won't come out of the panel.) Screw lengths can vary, so pay close attention as you remove them; you don't want to return a screw that's too long into the wrong hole. (It either won't go all the way in or could even cause damage as it does.) We are partial to magnetic parts trays to keep screws separated yet secured. (You can find ones great for PC screws for just a few dollars from sellers as diverse as Micro Center and Harbor Freight.)

Magnetic parts trays are invaluable for PC upgraders and builders.

If you're dealing with a mix of screw lengths, though, a good alternative is taping them to a sheet of paper in the relative positions they came out of the laptop. (A rough sketch on the paper of the laptop's underside, and the position of the screw holes on it, will also help.)

PC Upgrade Tools to Consider...

Pro tip: Keep any and all parts you replace! Should you need to send in the laptop for warranty service, you should reinstall the original parts before doing so. The reason for this is simple: If the service department decides to replace parts or your entire laptop, the parts you changed won't disappear in the process. (If you decide to discard the parts anyway, do so properly; many electronics stores will recycle them at no charge.)

Okay, your laptop is now open for business! Let's go through the individual components.

SO-DIMM, So Good: Upgrading Laptop Memory

Increasing a computer's random-access memory (RAM) is one of the most common upgrades. Adding RAM almost always yields superior multitasking and improved responsiveness.

Laptop makers are increasingly turning to soldered memory, however, especially on premium thin and light models, which makes memory upgrades impossible. How do you know if your laptop has soldered memory? Read its specifications—if the memory type starts with "LP," as in LPDDR3 or LPDDR4X, it's soldered in place, and you're out of luck.

On the other hand, if your laptop has SO-DIMM slots, your memory can be upgraded. (SO-DIMMs are laptop-specific RAM modules, shorter than the classic DIMMs that work in traditional full-size desktops.) Your PC's specifications or service manual should list the number of memory slots (one or two is common), the memory type and speed (DDR4-2666, DDR4-3200, and so on), pin count (DDR4 will be 260-pin), and the maximum supported amount in gigabytes (GB). An app like HWiNFO64(Opens in a new window) can tell you all that, along with how much memory is installed currently; Crucial's System Scanner(Opens in a new window) website is even simpler. You'll need to buy memory modules that exactly match the correct specifications. If the laptop has DDR4, you'll need DDR4, for example.

A Crucial DDR4 SO-DIMM. Matching the laptop's recommended peak memory speed and not exceeding the per-slot capacity limit are both—wait for it!—crucial.

Use these guidelines to plan your memory upgrade:

Your usage determines how much memory you need. The bare minimum for a reasonably responsive Windows or macOS laptop is 8GB, though you'll want 16GB for much-improved multitasking. Some laptops support up to 32GB or 64GB (and some workstations 128GB) for extreme computing needs.
Each SO-DIMM slot has a maximum per-module capacity. Don't exceed it. If you do, the module won't work. (For example, if each slot takes up to a 16GB SO-DIMM, don't try and install two 32GB SO-DIMMs.) Also, for best results, match the recommended memory speed. Matched pairs of SO-DIMMs are best.
If your laptop has two SO-DIMM slots but only one is occupied, you can simply install another module in the other slot. It doesn't have to be the same capacity—for instance, you can install an 8GB module alongside a 4GB module to get 12GB total—but it should be of the same rated peak speed (such as DDR4-2666). If both slots are occupied and you intend to replace both modules, buy a paired memory kit with same-capacity, same-speed modules (such as a 16GB kit containing two 8GB sticks) for maximum performance and compatibility. Again, obey the peak per-module capacity and memory-speed recommendations from the laptop's maker.
Stick to major memory brands that offer a lifetime warranty, such as Corsair, Crucial, and Kingston, to name a few. It's also smart to buy from an outlet that offers free, easy returns in the event the memory proves incompatible (which is rare but does occur). The surest bet is to buy RAM from your laptop maker or the store that sold you the machine, though those are also likely to be the most expensive options.

The memory upgrade procedure varies from laptop to laptop; follow your service manual if you have it. Otherwise, here's the general process.

First, locate the SO-DIMM slots on the motherboard. The laptop in the photo below has two slots, each with a memory module installed. One module is already released and ready for removal.

Two SO-DIMM slots in a laptop. Notice the silver retaining clips holding the modules down. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

To remove an existing module, simultaneously push the retainer clips to either side with your thumbs. The module will pop up at an angle. Grasp its sides with thumb and forefinger and gently pull it out in the direction it's angled. It should come free with minimal effort.

The new modules will go in the same way, inserted at an angle. The notch along the gold pins lining the bottom of the module only permits insertion one way. (Don't touch the gold pins, lest you transfer oils from your fingertips and impede performance.) Push the module firmly but gently into the slot until it stops (the gold pins should be just visible), then press the top of the module downward until the retainer clips hold it in place. Never force anything! Stop if the module isn't going in easily; there's only one correct way to insert it.

After you reassemble your laptop, it may take a few extra seconds to boot up (and may beep in the process) as it recognizes the new RAM. Running a pre-boot memory test like Memtest86+(Opens in a new window) from a flash drive for several hours or overnight is a wise precaution to ensure the new memory is error-free. Windows 10 also has a built-in Windows Memory Diagnostic tool; search for "memory test" from the Start menu to locate it.

Give Me Room: Upgrading Laptop Storage (SSDs and Hard Drives)

After adding memory, increasing storage is the next most common laptop upgrade. A new storage drive can give you more capacity and performance for a more responsive system, especially if you're replacing an old hard drive with a more modern solid-state drive (SSD). Indeed, going from a hard drive to an SSD is an almost sure turbo boost.

Storage drives used in laptops commonly come in one of four types:

An M.2 SSD that goes into an M.2 slot (working over the PCI Express or SATA bus).
A 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD (working over the SATA bus).
An mSATA SSD that goes into a now-obsolete mSATA slot (working, as you might guess, over the SATA bus).
A soldered-down SSD or eMMC memory (the latter usually found in the cheapest laptops, and neither being upgradable).

The stick-of-gum-shaped M.2 format has been common in laptops since the late 2010s; the photo below shows an example.

An M.2 solid-state drive. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

M.2 SSDs used in laptops come in sizes or lengths ranging from 42mm (M.2 Type-2242) to 80mm (M.2 Type-2280), the latter being the most common.

The other still-used format is the 2.5-inch slab, used first for spinning hard drives and later for SSDs.

A 2.5-inch solid-state drive with SATA connector. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

The 2.5-inch drive is largely going away in laptops, since hard drives are being phased out as boot drives and M.2 drives have become cheap enough (while taking up much less space in today's slim laptops). The other form factor we've mentioned, mSATA, was a precursor to M.2 that has not been used in new laptops for some years now, but still shows up in older laptops. (Replacements are still available if your system requires such a drive.)

So which drive format does your laptop use? The service manual will tell you, or you can simply remove the bottom panel and take a peek. Note that the drive may be covered with a heatsink. If you can't readily see it, there's a possibility the drive may just be soldered-down chips you can't upgrade, but it could also be layered under other components. In some models, the motherboard and M.2 slot might be accessible only from beneath the keyboard, not the bottom panel, which is why looking for a service manual or model-specific video can save you some trouble. Note: An eMMC memory boot drive will never itself be upgradable, so there's no point in investigating further if you know that is what your laptop has.

If your laptop uses an M.2 drive, verify whether the drive employs the older SATA bus or newer PCI Express bus, and buy an SSD of the same type. The replacement drive you buy will also need to be of the same physical length. (When in doubt, search for the drive's model number, which should be printed on it.) One wrinkle with modern M.2 SSDs using the PCI Express interface is that you'll want to know whether your laptop supports PCI Express 3.0 drives (very likely) or PCI Express 4.0 ones (much less likely). A 4.0 drive will work in a 3.0 laptop, but at slower speeds, and it's best to match types. (See much more on the topic in our roundups of the best overall M.2 SSDs and best PCI Express M.2 SSDs.)

Buyers of 2.5-inch and mSATA drives don't have to worry about interface or length, since those drives are one-size-and-one-interface (SATA) fits all. (For drive recommendations, see our guide to the best internal SSDs.) If you have a 2.5-inch hard drive in your laptop, you can replace it with a higher-capacity 2.5-inch hard drive or a 2.5-inch SSD. The latter should feel far snappier than a hard drive. The only fitment issue to check (generally a non-issue with newer laptops) is 2.5-inch drive thickness. Most recent laptops with a 2.5-inch bay should have a 7mm-high clearance inside the bay, and you should check that the 2.5-inch drive you are inserting is that height. Some older laptops may have a roomier 9.5mm-high bay, and you may want a 7mm-to-9.5mm plastic spacer(Opens in a new window) to fill the extra room.

This is a 7mm-thick 2.5-inch SATA SSD, with a plastic spacer attached for 9.5mm-high bays.

Now, onto installation. Replacing your laptop's main storage drive means you'll need to back up its data and reinstall the operating system on the new drive, a job this guide won't cover. (Start here for some guidance if you want to copy the whole Windows installation to the new drive beforehand, not reinstall Windows; in addition, know that using a cloud storage service is often easiest for data backups before a reinstall.)

We'll start with 2.5-inch drives (and get to M.2 and mSATA in a moment). These drives will sometimes be retained in a caddy, which connects at four corners of the drive. The caddy itself may be screwed into the laptop, in which case you'll need to undo those screws first. After you lift the caddy out, the old drive may still be tethered by its connector, so undo that next. Gently pulling while wiggling the connector from side to side should do the trick.

The caddy itself may be attached to the drive via screws, as well, so undo those if present. Set the old drive aside. Then do everything in reverse to install the new drive. Start by attaching the caddy to the drive, then plugging in the connector and seating the caddy in the laptop chassis. If necessary, screw the caddy into the chassis.

Installing an M.2 or mSATA drive is easier. After removing the retainer screw (potentially two for mSATA drives), lift the edge of the drive where the screw is located by a few millimeters—the official range is 5mm to 20mm—and gently pull the drive out in the direction it's angled.

Removing an M.2 SSD: Pull it gently at an angle. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

When installing the new drive, insert it at the same angle (5mm to 20mm from horizontal) and gently push it in until the gold pins at the bottom disappear. (Avoid touching the pins.) Then press the tip of the drive downward until the retainer hole lines up with the screw hole, and replace the screw(s). That's it.

Note: You'll need a fine-tipped Philips screwdriver for the M.2 screw. A magnetic-tipped one will help a lot with these notorious screws, which aren't much bigger than eyeglass screws and are super-easy to lose in a carpet or inside the guts of a laptop. Be warned, and be careful!

Can I Upgrade My Laptop's CPU or GPU? (Don't Get Your Hopes Up)

Unlike desktops, laptops since the early 2010s have mostly used soldered rather than socketed CPUs, making upgrades impossible. The only exceptions to this rule are the rare behemoth gaming rigs that use desktop processors, such as the Alienware Area-51m. Apart from them, laptop CPU upgrades are absolute non-starters.

Don't believe us? Look up the CPU model and see what socket it uses. If it's a BGA socket, that means it's soldered and can't be upgraded. (See our guide to choosing a laptop processor.)

As with CPUs, GPU upgrades are also a no-go in laptops, though not for entirely the same reasons. Most ordinary notebooks rely on graphics silicon that is integrated into the main processor, such as Intel's UHD Graphics or Iris Xe Graphics, or AMD's Radeon Graphics integrated solutions. Upgrading these chips is impossible since they're a permanent part of the processor and thus, the mainboard.

Gaming laptops and mobile workstations that include a dedicated AMD or Nvidia GPU are also generally impossible to upgrade, since the GPU is almost always soldered to the motherboard. For the rare laptop that does have a modular GPU, changing it out for anything that differs from the original is a questionable prospect because of the potentially different heatsinks, chassis configurations, and/or power demands of other solutions that may have been offered for purchase at configuration time.

This is true even for laptops that use Nvidia's supposedly modular MXM standard, which has disappeared from laptop design. MXM cards came in many formats and board layouts, compatibility wasn't guaranteed across brands, and the cards were prohibitively expensive. They were intended for laptop makers to design around and integrate, allowing for some modicum of configurability at time of sale, not for consumer upgrades, though you could occasionally find them on the gray market.

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That said, you may still be able to give your laptop a GPU boost if it has a Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 port. These allow you to connect an external GPU (eGPU) like the Razer Core X Chroma (hit the link to understand what those enclosures can and can't do), into which you install a compatible PCI Express desktop graphics card of your choice.

Back in Charge: Replacing the Battery Pack

Once upon a time, more laptops than not had removable batteries that could be swapped without tools. Only a few rugged laptops still do, but battery replacement is nonetheless possible and can extend the usable life of your laptop.

Notebook batteries typically last for only a few hundred charge cycles before wearing out. If yours doesn't hold a charge for as long as it once did after trying our tips for increasing battery life, it might be time for a battery replacement. Ditto if your laptop doesn't charge when plugged in, and definitely if the battery is starting to swell.

You'll want to try your best to source a genuine, i.e., original battery from your laptop manufacturer. Third-party batteries may not be designed to the same standards and may not offer the same capacity or potency as factory power packs. Paying a little extra for a genuine battery is worth the money.

As for the replacement process, the batteries in most of today's laptops are sealed inside the chassis, which means getting to them requires removing the bottom access panel as described earlier. The battery should be easy to locate; it spans most of the chassis in the HP notebook in this photo.

A laptop battery pack should be easy to spot once the bottom panel is off. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

Carefully note how the battery connects to the motherboard, typically through a single connector as you can see in the photo here. (Note the handy illustration on how to remove the cable. This can vary from laptop to laptop, but should give you the general idea.)

Here's a closer look at the battery connector. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

In addition to removing the connector, you'll need to undo any screws that secure the battery before you can remove it. (Remember to isolate these screws from any others you may have installed, and tape them down to a sketch of the laptop interior if they differ in length or girth.) Other wires may also be routed around the battery; take care not to pull or stress them. They'll need to go back the way they were. Taking a before-and-after photo of the interior with your smartphone is never a bad idea.

Installing the replacement battery is a reversal of the removal process. Route any wires around the battery, then put the new battery in place, screw it in, and plug in the connector. Again, never force anything.

After you replace the bottom panel and plug in the laptop, its charging indicator should illuminate. You can start using the laptop immediately. To test the battery, allow it to charge fully, then use the laptop on battery power until it gives you a low-battery warning. Charge it again and verify that it reaches full capacity.

Kick Up the Connectivity: Upgrading the Wi-Fi Card

If you're looking for a new wireless card to pair with your new Wi-Fi 6 router, you're in luck: Laptop Wi-Fi cards are more often than not modular (not soldered) and can thus be upgraded.

The simplest way to identify yours is to refer to your laptop's service manual or locate the card under the system's bottom cover. The wireless card is usually easy to differentiate from others in your notebook since it will have at least one antenna lead; the card in the HP shown below has two.

This M.2 Wi-Fi card has two antenna connectors. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

The main factor that affects which wireless card you can use in your laptop is the interface. Laptops produced from the early-to-mid-2010s typically used Half Mini PCIe, while those made after that likely follow the newer M.2 Type-2230 (Key E) standard. The two kinds are not interchangeable or cross-compatible. The slots are keyed differently and won't even accept a card of the other type.

Barring a service manual to tell you about your wireless card slot, you can figure it out just by examining the card. The one shown above is identifiable as an M.2 2230 card by its single centered retainer screw. A Half Mini PCIe card, as shown below, has two retainer screw holes, one at either corner.

This is a Half Mini PCIe Wi-Fi card, also with twin antenna connectors. (Photo: Charles Jefferies)

The other factor affecting your wireless upgrade choice is the number of antennas in your laptop. Most notebooks have two, though even if your laptop has just a single antenna, you can still install a wireless card that has two leads. Granted, with just one antenna connected, you won't get the signal-strength benefits of paired antennas. On the other hand, if your laptop already has two antennas, don't buy a card with just one lead connector; you'll lose a degree of signal strength.

Sourcing a wireless card is easy enough; just poke around Newegg or Amazon. One key thing to note, though: Unless your laptop specifically supports Intel Integrated Connectivity(Opens in a new window) (CNVi), which moves much of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality into the processor itself, don't buy a wireless card with a CNVi label; it won't work.

Ready for installation? For Windows laptops, uninstall the old wireless card first. Open Device Manager by searching for it in the Start menu. Expand the Network Adapters list, right-click your wireless card, and click Uninstall. Afterward, shut down your laptop.

Right-clicking in Windows 10's Device Manager helps you uninstall the old card.

Before installing the new card, note how the old card's antenna or antennas connect, as you'll need to reconnect them to the same spot(s) on the new card. Installing a single-antenna card into a laptop with one antenna leaves no guesswork; otherwise, snap a quick reference photo.

For laptops with two antennas, one is the main and the other is the auxiliary. The main connects to the wireless card's No. 2 lead (it should be labeled as such) while the auxiliary connects to No. 1. Sometimes, the antennas themselves are color-coded (black for main, and white for auxiliary).

To remove the old card, start by disconnecting the antenna lead(s). Grip the metal part right where it connects to the card and tug vertically; it should pop out. (Don't yank the cable itself.) Next, remove the retaining screw (possibly two, if it's a Half Mini PCIe card). Last, pull the card out of its slot by gripping it with thumb and forefinger and, ever so slightly, wiggling it free while pulling horizontally.

To install the new card, insert it into the slot, then put the screws in place. Take care not to touch the gold pins along the bottom of the card. Finally, connect the antenna leads; press them down until they snap in. Stash or route the antenna cables as they were, so they don't get pinched when you replace the bottom panel.

The laptop's operating system should recognize the new card when you reboot and install it automatically.

Summing It Up: What Can I Upgrade?

Despite the modern movement towards soldered components, most laptops are at least in part upgrade- and repair-friendly. Adding memory, a larger and faster storage drive, and a fresh battery can revitalize your laptop and give it several more years' lease on life. In our experience, the most immediately impactful upgrades are moving from a platter hard drive to an SSD of any type, followed by installing more memory.

Processor and graphics upgrades are a no-go in 99.9% of cases, but if those components no longer meet your needs, it's probably time for a new laptop anyway. And with that, we wish you happy and successful upgrading! Drop your own upgrade tips and experiences in the comments below.

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Source: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-upgrade-your-laptop-a-part-by-part-guide

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