How To Convert Work Laptop to Personal – 25 Ways

Is there anything more frustrating than realizing you’ve outgrown your current laptop? It seems like yesterday you were toting it around to class or work, but now the screen is too small, and the battery life is pathetic.

If you’re in the market for a new laptop, but don’t want to break the bank, here is how to convert work laptop to personal.

Whether you’re looking to save money or want a little extra computing power, these tips will help make your old machine feel new again. Also, you may consider getting free laptop with food stamps.

Why Do You Convert Work Laptop to Personal Laptop?

The laptop is expensive, but you want one. Many people are in this situation, and it can be tough to make the decision on which laptop to purchase.

Do you go for the inexpensive computer, or do you go all out and splurge on something high-end? If you’re like most people, your budget can’t accommodate an expensive laptop, but you still want something that will be reliable and have some decent processing power.

The good news is that you don’t have to worry about this dilemma anymore because several options can help you turn your work laptop into a personal one.

How To Convert Work Laptop to Personal Laptop – 25 Ways

To successfully convert a work laptop to a personal laptop, you need some tools and extra equipment. However, don’t worry because there’s no soldering required or anything like that. Here are 25 things to help you turn your old work laptop into a capable personal device.

1. Connect an External Display

Being used to having multiple displays, buying a new laptop can feel like downgrading. A quick and easy way to solve this problem is to connect your old machine to an external monitor or TV via HDMI or VGA. It may not be as comfortable as two screens, but it’ll certainly do in a pinch.

2. Add More Memory

Most laptops don’t allow you to upgrade memory after purchase, but there are a few tricks you can use to make your old machine feel new again.

First, check the user manual to see if your laptop allows for an upgrade. If it does, all you need is some extremely low-profile RAM. Try using a USB Memory stick to upgrade without opening your machine or voiding its warranty.

3. Change the Operating System (OS)

Windows 7 is only a few years old when you think about it. That means there are several generations of computers that can’t run it. If your laptop’s specs meet the minimum requirements for Windows 7, but you find yourself running into errors while trying to upgrade, try reinstalling Windows 8.1.

4. Remove Unnecessary Hardware

If your laptop is already on the older side, it’s possible that some of its hardware isn’t even compatible with new operating systems. Any hardware that has been made for Windows XP or earlier will need to be removed before you upgrade to 7 (or later).

Luckily, you can uninstall most wireless hardware without hurting your machine. If you’re unsure about what you can safely remove, try asking around online or contacting the manufacturer directly to see if they recommend it (or not).

5. Add a Wireless Card

If your laptop’s wireless card is no longer functional, but WiFi is essential to you, the solution may be as simple as replacing the card. It’s possible that after a quick search online, you’ll find a compatible model for just a few dollars.

6. Install GNU/Linux or Another Operating System of Your Choice

Why not install another operating system if you don’t have to use your laptop for work or school-related activities? While there are tons of free alternatives to Windows and OSX, one of the most popular (and accessible) is GNU/Linux.

7. Use it as a Media Center PC

If you’ve ever tried watching a movie on your laptop’s display, you know it can be next to impossible. If an external monitor is out of the question, several all-in-one systems will turn your old laptop into a media powerhouse!

Of course, if you’re looking for something a bit more portable and straightforward, stick to adding an external hard drive or upgrading your current storage.

8. Make It Portable with External Storage

Suppose you want the ability to back up your record (or take them on the go). In that case, all you need is a large external hard drive or an extra SSD.

While adding an external storage device can be slightly complicated depending on your laptop’s hardware, it’s still way more accessible than buying an entirely new machine.

9. Repair It or Sell it for Parts

When your laptop becomes slow and unresponsive, the best thing is to wipe it clean and start from scratch. Consider selling your machine for parts on Craigslist if you can’t commit to that. There’s no reason why an old laptop can’t go to a good home.

10. Upgrade Your Laptop

If the thought of getting rid of your old computer makes you sad, that doesn’t mean you have to settle for the dinosaur it has become. Many companies offer laptop upgrades!

While you can’t upgrade CPU or GPU, laptops usually come with an extra SATA port. If your laptop supports hot-swapping, consider switching out your optical drive for a second hard drive.

11. Use for File Backup

An external hard drive is the cheapest way to expand your laptop’s storage. Thanks to the ubiquity of USB, you can easily attach an extra hard drive and use it for backing up files – or even extra storage.

12. Customize the BIOS/Firmware

Thanks to the steady effort of developers, you can hack your laptop in dozens of different ways – including overclocking it! While tinkering with the BIOS/Firmware is dangerous, it’s also rewarding.

Since almost every laptop has at least one open-source program for changing system settings, there are lots of possibilities when trying to push your hardware to its limits.

13. Add a Second Hard Drive/SSD

Besides the size of your laptop’s primary storage, doubling your speed is probably the easiest upgrade you can do. While there are a few ways to go about this, most users plug in an extra SATA cable and install their secondary hard drive.

14. Make a Hackintosh

If you’re looking for a powerful portable machine cheaper than both Macs and PCs, Hackintosh might be just the thing.

Thanks to your laptop’s open-source drivers, it may be possible to run macOS on your older laptop! While this is still relatively difficult, there are several online communities of users happy to help on forums.

15. Convert to a Tablet PC

If you’re only using your laptop for browsing the web and word processing, there’s no reason why you can’t use it as a tablet. Tiny tablets like the ASUS ZenPad are surprisingly affordable – and work just like a free laptop with food stamps.

16. Redesign Your Laptop

Lastly, why not get creative? If your budget is free or close to it, you could always try to build a laptop of your own. Of course, this option is probably only good for programming students – but wouldn’t you rather have something unique? Many great tutorials are available online, so find one that suits your needs and start designing.

17. Build a Steam Box

Gaming laptops are expensive, and since they’re usually only suitable for a few years, you could spend almost as much as you would on a gaming PC.

Luckily, there’s another option: building your Steam Machine. With the right parts, you can build an affordable gaming machine that has all of the benefits of a laptop – but runs all of the Steam games you love.

18. Add a Larger Battery

If you’re a dedicated gamer, there’s a good chance your laptop only lasts between 1-3 hours on a full charge. If that sounds familiar, it might be time to upgrade the battery.

While most laptops use impossible-to-open sealed casing, some brands like Dell and Lenovo have started offering easily replaceable batteries. While they may cost a bit more, you’ll never have to fear your laptop dying again.

19. Turn It Into A Workstation

If your laptop is powerful enough, consider turning it into a workstation. You’ll need to download Bootcamp if you’re running Windows, but the result is worth it. Mac users have fewer options, but you can still create a more productive environment by using Parallels or VMWare Fusion.

20. Extend the Life of Your Drive

If your laptop is still running slowly after its initial speed boost, it might be time to look at the hard drive. Modern solid-state drives are high-speed and can improve boot time and overall performance. With a new SSD, your laptop will feel like new again.

21. Build a Home Server

If you’re a power user, you’re already familiar with the benefits of having a home server. Whether you want to store your files in one place or run a Minecraft Server from your house, there’s no reason you can’t do it. Luckily, you will get many helpful tutorials online – and if you don’t know where to start, you can always ask online.

Of course, if your budget is free or close to it, you could always try to build a laptop of your own. Of course, this option is probably only good for programming students – but wouldn’t you rather have something unique? Many great tutorials are available online, so find one that suits your needs and start designing.

22. Upgrade to Solid State Storage

If your primary storage is starting to fill up, you might want to consider an SSD upgrade. Prices are constantly falling, but there are still many great deals online. Of course, if speed isn’t a priority, you could always use the laptop for extra storage – or invest in a NAS instead.

23. Make it Digital-Picture Ready

Lastly, if your laptop is still good for photo editing, you could always try to make it digital-picture-ready! Even if your screen isn’t big enough for serious work, you will get many helpful tutorials online – and if you don’t know where to start, you can always ask online.

24. Convert to a Netbook

If your laptop is powerful enough, consider turning it into a netbook. You’ll need to download Bootcamp if you’re running Windows, but the result is worth it. Mac users have fewer options, but you can still create a more productive environment by using Parallels or VMWare Fusion.

25. Make it Tiny

If you’re a dedicated gamer, there’s a good chance your laptop only lasts between 1-3 hours on a full charge. If that sounds familiar, it might be time to upgrade the battery!

While most laptops use impossible-to-open sealed casing, some brands like Dell and Lenovo have started offering easily replaceable batteries. While they may cost a bit more, you never have to fear your laptop dying.

What Are The Benefits of Convert Work Laptop to Personal?

There are many advantages to keeping a personal laptop, and it’s up to you to discover them! Maybe you want more screen real-estate or don’t like the ergonomics of shared desks.

Whatever your reasons may be, there is always something great about owning your computer – and we’re sure that everyone will benefit from your decision.

Hopefully, we’ve explained to you the advantages of owning a personal laptop. We all know free laptop from the government, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t consider upgrading.

No matter your situation, there is always something great about owning your very own computer – and we’re sure that everyone will benefit from your decision.

FAQ About Convert Work Laptop to Personal Laptop

Final Verdict

Although laptops provide a lot of great benefits, they come with their problems as well. No matter your situation, there is always something great about owning your computer – and we’re sure that everyone will benefit from your decision.