How I can make this better (Laptop)

[Evo]

Okay here's the specs

 

Microprocessor 1.3GHz AMD Dual-Core Processor E-300

Microprocessor Cache 1MB L2 Cache

Memory 2GB DDR3 SDRAM (1 DIMM)

Memory Max Maximum supported = 8GB

Video Graphics AMD Radeon HD 6310 Discrete-Class Graphics

Video Memory Up to 949MB total graphics memory

Display 15.6-inch diagonal HD BrightView LED-backlit display (1366x768)

Hard Drive 320GB 5400RPM hard drive

Multimedia Drive SuperMulti DVD Burner

Network Card 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)

Wireless Connectivity 802.11b/g/n WLAN

Sound Altec Lansing speakers

Keyboard Full-size keyboard 

Device Touchpad with on/off button

PC Card Slots Multi-format digital media card reader for Secure Digital cards and Multimedia cards External Ports

• 3 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0

• 1 VGA (15-pin)

• 1 RJ-45 (LAN)

• 1 Headphone-out

• 1 Microphone-in

Dimensions 14.80" (L) x 9.72" (W) x 1.23" (min H) -1.41" (max H) Weight 5.50 lbs Power 65W AC adapter

6-cell 47WHr lithium-ion battery ID Mech Description HP Webcam with integrated digital microphone

 

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

Now that's from the website, it only has 2GB of ram, I posted a few months ago about buying it from my brother for 50-60$ but recently he's become a bit desperate to sell it, so I snatched it for 20$

 

 

Now here's my question: The damn thing takes 46 seconds to open up Chrome, 14 seconds to open up MS word and 1 minute and 12 seconds to open up CS6 (Photoshop) I want to upgrade this, and I can do it for around 300$ Instead of buying a new tablet or something. These are averaged out from 5 trials after I let my system boot and sit for 10 minutes.

 

 

I know on a laptop you can't upgrade their graphics card, but I know I could upgrade to a SSD for around 100$ And that would probably help ALOT with the time it takes to open programs, I've already eliminated some needless tasks on startup and the times I took improved a little, I also know that I could upgrade the Ram to the max 8Gb for about 60$. Now here's the question: I just want to play some games on it and possibly use it as a home server (NAS) or a game server or something. I get around 8 FPS in Minecraft, and that is probably mostly due to the Graphics card, if I where to upgrade the SSD and Ram, would the Laptop perform significantly better?

 

 

Are there any other upgrades that I could do to make it better?

 

Is upgrading my CPU viable? Could I do it? Would it improve performance? How much would it run me? Compatibility? 

 

I have a second monitor so that's taken care of, and if I where to use it as a Server my basement is poorly insulated and my Modem and Router sit in a room at about 50-55 degrees, the floor is cement so overheating would probably not be an issue, but if so I could upgrade the cooling system

 

I don't want to make this into just a server, I want to use it to game as well, but as of right now it runs games worse than my PC.

 

Any help is appreciated, and since I already have the laptop please don't tell me to go make my own...

[jcocn5]

yea.  go to Staples.... lol

[Lundy004]

Upgrade to a desktop

 

gg

[Zemki]

To boost to gaming, find a gfx card. Did some searching on the card, its integrated without dedicated ram. Open it up and see what's all inside though.

 

Aside from that I don't think an ssd would be worth it. You'd gain read/write speed but less space for any given price point.

 

CPU socket ftl bga   http://products.amd.com/pages/quicksearch.aspx?q=ft1%20bga&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

didn't look into any of those processors yet.

 

Upping ram would help, seeing as the 6130 potentially grabs half of the current total.

[vlatkozelka]

well... usually id be more helpful about posts like this one , but this PC is pathetic .

i mean the cpu is bad , the ram is bad , the vga is  -not sure- on a laptop vga u can never be sure   , the hdd is terrible (5400 rpm would drive me crazy) .....

yeah as zemki suggested , try upgrading ram , not only size , check their clock speed too . And that 5400 rpm hdd is just terrible , thats all u could do i think .

[DrSithis]

You can upgrade to a better compute for what you're going to pay in upgrades. Just trade in and pay roughly $250+ for a new one.

 

Spare me the ace please, Lundy.

[StJohn Gumby]

Here's my suggestion.

 

 

 

BBQ

[CerealKlr]

Upgrade the RAM first, max it out if its affordable. This will help the most.

 

U could get an external drive for games, but I'm not sure if it would play better or faster load times, but, probably... and you would be able to use it in the future.

 

On another note, have you reformatted it?

Wiped the cache and scanned for viruses?

Tried turning off/deleting unnecessary programs running in the startup folder?

 

You could probably trade it on craigslist for a tablet, or sell it for cash to use, for a desktop.

 

I wouldn't spend $300 upgrading it, you can get a decent used desktop for that, if you already have a monitor.

[Evo]

I factory reset it, as of now I used it to get a 20% trade-up bonus for my Surface which I'm using right now