Why is My Kid's Computer So Slow with Ryzen 5500 and an Older SSD?
Asked by
TechSeeker42
I need some advice on my kid's computer setup. He's using a Ryzen 5500, 16GB of RAM, and a 2070 Super, but things are slow to load, and I'm trying to figure out why. Windows 11 was installed unexpectedly, and there were several issues, especially with OneDrive trying to save game files, which was problematic when he couldn't save screenshots. I disabled OneDrive, but it still appears in file paths, and I'm not sure everything is saving correctly. The computer doesn't feel responsive at all; opening apps like Microsoft Paint takes a long time. With this hardware, things should be snappier, right? Does anyone think Windows might be causing issues with updates on Steam, too?
Answers
It sounds like there are several software issues. Check if the SSD is pretty full; older or budget drives perform poorly when they're close to capacity. Also, look into how many applications are running on startup. You've got enough RAM for basic tasks, but having too many apps active can really slow things down. A fresh install of Windows might help, but remember to back up important files first!
Reply to this answer
First off, you might want to check what kind of SSD your kid has. If it's older, it could be a DRAM-less model which can slow down significantly as it fills up. You might even find it slower than a traditional HDD! Age could be a big factor here. Some SSDs really get bogged down over time, especially if it's nearly full.
Reply to this answer
Make sure the SSD isn't full because it really needs about 20% free space to run efficiently. If there's enough space and it’s still running slow, the SSD may be failing. You should check its health using software like CrystalDiskInfo. Also, keep in mind the Ryzen 5500 isn’t the fastest CPU out there, so it might struggle under heavy loads or if there’s too much bloatware.
TechSeeker42: There's plenty of space left. How do I check the SSD health?
Reply to this answer
Sure, the SSD and CPU are factors, but these kinds of issues started occurring after the Windows 11 upgrade for many. I had similar problems due to OneDrive; when it’s too full, it drags down performance. I’d recommend disabling OneDrive completely or selecting specific folders to sync. If that doesn't help, a clean install of Windows could be the way to go.
TechSeeker42: I did uninstall OneDrive and made sure it doesn't start with Windows, but it still shows up sometimes. Not sure why.
Reply to this answer
Add your answer
Answers are reviewed before publication.
CuriousCoder77: Yeah, it's pretty old. Not ancient, but definitely not new.