Best thing to upgrade on a computer?

[instantreplay]

Hello all!
I'm looking into upgrading my laptop so I can play more games on it. What should I upgrade first? Here are my specs:
Processor  2.3 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory  4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Graphics  Intel HD Graphics 3000 384 MB

[desocietas]

I don't really know anything about upgrading computers, but you might want to see if you're able to replace things in your laptop or not.  It's possible that your graphics card is soldered into your computer and is not replaceable.

[dashv]

Are you looking to play emulators or straight up PC games?

Emulators will want a better CPU. Your ram and graphics chip would be fine.

PC Games will want a decent NVidia card and possibly more ram.

But laptops are tricky. You may not be able to upgrade the CPU and Video.

[tripredacus]

PC Games will want a decent NVidia card a possibly more ram.

Don't lump us all in together! Radeon all the way! 

OP: post the make and model of your notebook. Some notebooks have replaceable video but not many. You may be SOL. RAM seems fine, but if you have a 64bit OS you can add more. I would look up the details on your notebook to determine what the memory limit is, before attempting to buy any for it.

[davifus]

Rather than investing on upgrading a somewhat mediocre laptop. You're better off building a pc from scratch. It will be better in the long run. Small upgrades to laptop is more ideal than getting a prebuild laptop and customizing it to play games on it. Honestly changing any thing internally on a laptop is a total drag.

#teamNvidia

[foxhack]

Hello all!
I'm looking into upgrading my laptop so I can play more games on it. What should I upgrade first? Here are my specs:
Processor  2.3 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory  4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Graphics  Intel HD Graphics 3000 384 MB

You can't upgrade a laptop. Well, you can stick more RAM or a hard drive on it, but that's all you can do. Unless you buy a new system altogether you're stuck with that hardware profile.

#teamwhateverdoesnthavecrappydrivers

[tripredacus]

You can't upgrade a laptop. Well, you can stick more RAM or a hard drive on it, but that's all you can do. Unless you buy a new system altogether you're stuck with that hardware profile.

That's not true. It depends on the make/model. Sure most are not upgradable but some are.

[bobster]

It's actually amazing what a new SSD hard drive can do for an older laptop. It'll run like new, but that doesn't help with PC game specs that require better tech.

[instantreplay]

Thanks for the input guys!
Okay so here's another question. If I'm getting a new laptop, what should I put the most money into?

I do a lot of extended gaming on my laptop. What kind of cooling system should I get? Should I just get a standard fan and get one of those lap things with fans in it to help ventilate the bottom of the compy or should I build something straight into the computer?

I feel kind of stupid or asking this but I don't know a lot about computers (I know basic stuff and can trouble shoot most problems fairly easily), is there a way to hook a laptop up to a tower and use the laptop as a display?

[davifus]

I dont recommend building a laptop from scratch, because it's impractical and waste of money. If you are set on having a Laptop just buy a decent gaming laptop.

[davifus]

[]

[gokurin]

PC Games will want a decent NVidia card a possibly more ram.

Don't lump us all in together! Radeon all the way! 

OP: post the make and model of your notebook. Some notebooks have replaceable video but not many. You may be SOL. RAM seems fine, but if you have a 64bit OS you can add more. I would look up the details on your notebook to determine what the memory limit is, before attempting to buy any for it.

Woo Radeon! I love my 7870. Much cheaper than the comparable Nvidia card.

[tripredacus]

Don't waste your money on anything labelled as an Ultrabook. Definately go for a gaming notebook. I tested some that MSI makes, they seem fine. They are big and heavy and not really portable tho.

[maximo310]

Don't waste your money on anything labelled as an Ultrabook. Definately go for a gaming notebook. I tested some that MSI makes, they seem fine. They are big and heavy and not really portable tho.

Most of those gaming laptops are designed to be that way since companies know that many consumers want a powerful computer but don't have the space for a huge desktop, so those kind of laptops are created with those people in mind. Notebooks don't have the specs for powerful gaming due to have chipset that work to save as much power as necessary, so just get a good gaming laptop or if you have space and want to save money, then just go to customizing your desktop pc.

[caiterz]

I have the best luck buying a standard OFFICE/BUSINESS PC (Made to withstand a lot of being on 24/7 etc) and then upgrading it!

RAM, vid card, and power supply. then you're pretty all set.