I recently started working remotely, but my current laptop becomes very laggy when using my company's video-conferencing software. I've already restarted it and cleared the browser cache, but that didn't help. Regular streaming video from services like YouTube and Netflix works reasonably well. The laptop has Intel UHD Graphics 600 and 8 GB of RAM. If I replace it, what level of graphics hardware should I look for, and could the problem actually be caused by something other than the GPU?
4 Answers
The graphics chip usually isn’t replaceable in a laptop. External GPU enclosures require specific high-speed ports and tend to cost enough that buying a better laptop makes more sense. For video calls, you don’t need a powerful dedicated graphics card—look for a modern Core i5 or Ryzen 5 laptop with 16 GB of RAM and current integrated graphics. That should be plenty for normal conferencing.
If you do buy a new machine, prioritize the processor, 16 GB of memory, a fast SSD, and a reliable Wi-Fi 6 adapter rather than paying extra for a gaming GPU. Integrated graphics in a recent Intel Core or AMD Ryzen laptop are more than capable of handling webcam video calls. A dedicated RTX or Radeon card would be unnecessary unless you also plan to game or use graphics-heavy software.
The UHD 600 is found in very low-end, older systems, so the whole laptop may simply be struggling. Also, 8 GB of RAM can work, but 16 GB gives the operating system and conferencing software more room. I’d replace the laptop with a current midrange model instead of trying to upgrade the graphics hardware.
UHD 600 is very basic, but video calls normally work even on much weaker hardware. The bigger suspects are the old low-end processor, Wi-Fi quality, browser issues, or the conferencing software itself. Check whether the lag happens on a wired connection or another network, update the graphics and Wi-Fi drivers, and try toggling hardware acceleration in the browser or app.

Thanks—I’ll test the connection and hardware-acceleration settings before replacing anything.