There’s nothing quite as frustrating as sitting down in front of your computer to relax and watch a film, TV show, or video clip, only to have your computer slow down or crash. There could be several reasons why your computer’s performance is below par. Fortunately, there are solutions for almost any problem:
#1 Malware Infection
Malware is any malicious software like a computer virus. All types of computers get viruses, including PCs and Macs. In fact, Mac malware threats per endpoint user are now greater than Windows. You could get a malware infection from a bad link, website, email, social media message, etc.
Not only can malware slow down your machine, but it can also slow down your Internet connection. Of course, more dangerous types of malware can also raise security and privacy concerns. Sadly, your computer’s antivirus tools aren’t good enough to remediate more sophisticated emerging threats. Try a light and efficient free virus removal tool that has anti-malware capabilities to crush the following performance affecting malware:
- Adware: Have you ever seen a barrage of popups on your screen? If so, the chances are that you have an adware infection. Adware invades your privacy and can slow down your computer and Internet.
- Computer Virus: A computer virus is a threatening piece of malware that corrupts files and folders. It can cause your computer to crash or slow to a crawl.
- Toolbars: Mysterious new toolbars on your web browser are potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) that can negatively impact your browser’s streaming capabilities.
- Spyware: A very malicious program, spyware invades your privacy. Some types of spyware can crash your browser or computer too.
#2 Bloatware
It’s a good idea to remove noncritical preinstalled software from your computer because such trial run programs offer little value and often carry malware designed to spy on you. Bloatware also takes up valuable system resources. At the very least, examine the software loading at startup and prevent needless programs from booting with your machine.
#3 Router
Your router can affect your Internet in multiple ways. Here are some tips that may help you earn an Internet speed boost:
- Move your router to a central location of the home
- Connect your computer to the router with a cable instead of WiFi
- Restart your router regularly to clear its memory
- Upgrade to a more modern and faster router
- Change WiFi password to protect your Internet from freeloaders
Additionally, ensure that your downloads and uploads are deactivated when streaming videos. You can also try upgrading your Internet connection if tinkering with your router doesn’t help.
#4 Upgrade Computer
Sometimes, a few upgrades can substantially improve your computer’s speed. The two most cost-effective upgrades are a faster Solid State Drive (SSD) and more memory. SSD can make your machine noticeably quicker if you use an outdated mechanical hard drive. Likewise, extra memory can give your computer more room to breathe if you only have 4GB of RAM.
Watching videos on a slow computer or Internet connection can certainly be annoying. But you can certainly get a lift with the right changes.