Your laptop is slow: the checklist we run before quoting a repair
Nine times out of ten a slow laptop is a storage or thermal problem, not a dead machine. Here is the order we check things in.
1. Check the storage type first
A mechanical hard disk in a machine running a modern operating system is the single most common cause of a slow laptop. Migrating to an SSD typically transforms a five-year-old machine for a fraction of replacement cost.
2. Check free space
Below about 10% free space, performance degrades sharply. Clearing space is free and takes minutes.
3. Check thermals
Dust-clogged heatsinks cause thermal throttling: the machine deliberately slows itself to avoid overheating. A cleaning and fresh thermal paste often restores full speed.
4. Check what starts with Windows
Startup applications accumulate over years. Trimming the list is quick and safe.
5. Only then consider RAM
Adding RAM helps only if you are actually running out of it. We check real usage before recommending it - selling an upgrade you do not need is not support, it is sales.