Playing games on your laptop can be a fun and relaxing way to spend your time, but it can also be frustrating if your laptop keeps crashing while you are in the middle of a game. Not only does this ruin your gaming experience, but it can also damage your laptop and cause data loss. So, why does your laptop crash when playing games, and how can you fix it?
In this article, I’ll explain the common causes and solutions for laptop crashing when playing games, and help you enjoy a smooth and stable gaming performance.
Why Laptop Crashing While Playing Games
There are many possible reasons why your laptop crashes when playing games, but some of the most common ones are:
- Low Specs
- Overlocked
- Game Settings
- Outdated Drivers
- Unnecessary Programs
- Malware and Viruses
- Hardware Issues
Low Specs
Your laptop’s specs are too low for the game. If your laptop does not meet the minimum or recommended requirements for the game, such as the CPU, GPU, RAM, or storage, it may not be able to run the game smoothly and efficiently. This can cause your laptop to overheat, freeze, or crash.
Overlocked
You overclocked your laptop too much. Overclocking is a process of increasing the speed and performance of your laptop’s components, such as the CPU and GPU, beyond their factory settings. This can improve your gaming performance, but it can also make your laptop unstable and prone to crashes. Overclocking also generates more heat, which can damage your laptop’s hardware.
Game Settings
The game’s settings are too high for your laptop. If you set the game’s resolution, quality, or effects to a level that your laptop cannot handle, it may cause your laptop to struggle and crash. You should adjust the game’s settings to match your laptop’s capabilities and preferences.
Outdated Drivers
Your laptop’s drivers are outdated or corrupted. Drivers are software that allows your laptop’s hardware and software to communicate and work properly. If your drivers are outdated or corrupted, they may cause compatibility issues, errors, or crashes. You should update your drivers regularly to ensure they are working correctly and support the latest games.
Unnecessary Programs
Your laptop has insufficient system resources. If you are running too many programs or processes in the background while playing games, or if your laptop has low disk space, it may reduce the amount of system resources available for the game. This can affect your gaming performance and cause your laptop to crash.
Malware and Viruses
Your laptop has malware or viruses. Malware or viruses are malicious software that can infect your laptop and cause various problems, such as slowing down your laptop, stealing your data, or crashing your system. You should scan your laptop regularly with a reliable antivirus program and remove any malware or viruses that you find.
Hardware Issues
Your laptop has hardware issues. Sometimes, your laptop may crash due to hardware issues, such as faulty RAM, hard drive, or motherboard. These issues can cause your laptop to malfunction, freeze, or crash. You should check your laptop’s hardware and replace any damaged or defective parts.
How to Fix Laptop Crashing When Playing Games
Now that you know the possible causes of a laptop crashing when playing games, you can try the following solutions to fix it:
- Check Specs
- Stop Overclocking
- Game Settings
- Update Drivers
- Close Unnecessary Programs
- Scan Your Laptop for Malware or Viruses
- Hardware Problems
Methods to Fix Laptop Crashing When Playing Games
I researched online and discovered some intriguing methods to address laptop crashes while playing games.
Check Specs
Check your laptop’s specs and compare them with the game’s requirements. You can find your laptop’s specs by right-clicking on the Start menu and selecting System. You can find the game’s requirements by checking the game’s website, store page, or manual. If your laptop’s specs are lower than the game’s requirements, you may need to upgrade your laptop’s hardware or lower the game’s settings.
Here What Specs are Required for Gaming? – Unlocking the Ultimate Experience 2023
Stop Overclocking
Stop overclocking your laptop or reduce the overclocking level. If you overclocked your laptop too much, you may need to stop overclocking or reduce the overclocking level to make your laptop more stable and prevent crashes. You can use a program such as MSI Afterburner or Intel XTU to adjust the overclocking settings of your laptop’s CPU and GPU. You should also monitor your laptop’s temperature and voltage to avoid overheating or overloading your laptop.
Game Settings
Adjust the game’s settings to suit your laptop. If the game’s settings are too high for your laptop, you may need to lower them to improve your gaming performance and prevent crashes. You can change the game’s settings from the game’s menu or options. Should lower the resolution, quality, or effects of the game to reduce the load on your laptop’s CPU and GPU. You can also enable the V-sync or frame rate limit option to prevent screen tearing or stuttering.
Here What Is Stuttering in Games and How to Handle It on a Gaming Laptop?
Update Drivers
Update your laptop’s drivers. If your drivers are outdated or corrupted, you may need to update them to fix compatibility issues, errors, or crashes. You can update your drivers manually or automatically. To update your drivers manually, you can visit the manufacturer’s website of your laptop’s components, such as the CPU, GPU, or sound card, and download and install the latest drivers for your laptop’s model and operating system. To update your drivers automatically, you can use a program such as Driver Easy or Driver Booster, which can scan your laptop and install the correct and updated drivers for you.
Here is How to Update Your Drivers and Software in Windows 10
Close Unnecessary Programs
Close unnecessary programs or processes in the background. If you are running too many programs or processes in the background while playing games, you may need to close them to free up system resources for the game. You can use the Task Manager to view and end the programs or processes that are using a lot of memory, CPU, or disk. To open the Task Manager, you can press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard, or right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager. Then, you can select the program or process that you want to close and click End Task.
Here is How to Close Unnecessary Programs and Processes – Boost Your Computer’s Performance in 2023
Scan Your Laptop for Malware or Viruses
If your laptop has malware or viruses, you may need to scan it and remove them to protect your laptop and prevent crashes. You can use a reliable antivirus program, such as Windows Defender, Avast, or Malwarebytes, to scan your laptop and detect and delete any malware or viruses that you find. You should also update your antivirus program regularly and avoid downloading or opening any suspicious files or links.
Hardware Problems
Check your laptop’s hardware and replace any faulty parts. If your laptop has hardware issues, you may need to check your laptop’s hardware and replace any faulty parts to fix your laptop and prevent crashes. You can use a program such as MemTest86 or CrystalDiskInfo to test your laptop’s RAM or hard drive and identify any errors or bad sectors. You can also open your laptop’s case and inspect your laptop’s motherboard and other components for any signs of damage or wear. If you find any defective or damaged parts, you should replace them with new ones or take your laptop to a professional repair service.
The Bottom Line!
Laptop crashing when playing games is a common and annoying problem that can ruin your gaming experience and harm your laptop. However, you can fix this problem by following the solutions we have provided in this article. We hope this article has helped you learn how to fix laptop crashes when playing games and enjoy a smooth and stable gaming performance. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about laptops crashing when playing games:
Your computer may keep crashing when you play a game because of various reasons, such as low specs, overclocking, high settings, outdated drivers, insufficient resources, malware, or hardware issues. You can try the solutions we have mentioned in this article to fix this problem and prevent crashes.
Yes, bad RAM can cause games to crash, as well as other problems, such as blue screen of death, freezing, or rebooting. Bad RAM means that your RAM has errors or defects that prevent it from storing and retrieving data properly. You can use a program such as MemTest86 to test your RAM and identify any errors. If you find any bad RAM, you should replace it with a new one or add more RAM to your laptop.
You can fix your laptop from crashing by following the solutions we have provided in this article, such as checking your laptop’s specs, stopping overclocking, adjusting the game’s settings, updating your drivers, closing unnecessary programs, scanning your laptop for malware, or checking your laptop’s hardware. You can also try to restore your laptop to its previous state or reinstall your operating system if the problem persists.