The Real Reason Your New Laptop Runs Slow

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Have you ever purchased a brand new Windows laptop computer, and found it to run almost as slow as your old one?

Well, you’re not crazy. Brand new laptops from Windows do tend to run slow right out of the box. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially since you’ve just forked out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on your new machine.

The real reason your new laptop runs slow isn’t because you already have to fork out for laptop repair, it’s because of bloatware. Manufacturers are paid by third-party companies to add bloatware to their new laptops. Just goes to show that user-experience isn’t the number one concern – instead, laptop manufacturers want to pump out the cheapest laptop possible.

Let’s have a look at the issue of bloatware in more detail.

What is Bloatware?

Bloatware – also aptly known as shovelware or crapware – refers to the collection of software that comes pre-installed on new laptops. This may include anti-virus software, browser toolbars, games and photo editing programs.

This software is, for the most part useless, because it’s nothing more than a ‘trial’ or ‘demo’ version. A trial version either expires after a set amount of time, or holds back key features of the software. It will then prompt the computer-user to pay to upgrade to the full version.

Software companies pay laptop manufactures to include their software on new computers in the hope that less-experienced computer-users will upgrade. It’s easy money. Pretty evil, huh?

Bloatware Makes Your New Laptop Run Slow

Like all software, bloatware takes up valuable memory. It can cause your laptop to take much longer than it should to boot up and shut down.

In fact, according to Microsoft’s benchmark tests, removing bloatware from six Windows 7 computers improved start up performance by about 40%. What’s more, a PC Pro study concluded that bloatware adds more than one minute to the average start-up time, and two minutes if you use an Acer brand laptop.

How Can I Get Rid of Bloatware?

Here’s where you get seriously annoyed with Microsoft.

Microsoft sells what’s called a ‘Microsoft Signature’ PC, as well as ‘Signature’ editions of other manufacturer’s laptops. These are, more or less, laptop computers without the added bloatware. Of course, their main selling point is how much faster and safer a Signature laptop is compared to a regular laptop.

Microsoft also charges computer buyers to turn any laptop into a Signature laptop. In other words, you have to pay extra to get your computer working exactly as you expected in the first place.

The good news is, you don’t have to pay Microsoft even more money to remove bloatware. There are a few removal options that are just as effective.

Manually Uninstall Added Bloatware

You can manually uninstall bloatware in the same way you’d uninstall any other program – from the Uninstall Programs window in the Control Panel. The only trick here is knowing what you’re looking for, which can be difficult since bloatware varies from computer to computer. A Google search should give you some guidance.

Automatically Uninstall Added Bloatware

If you don’t want to go through your device manually, you can install a program to scan your laptop and automatically uninstall bloatware. PC Decrapifier is pretty good, but not perfect. It tends to miss a few programs.

Image credit: TWCN