Netbooks, with their small size and low-power components, can struggle to play high-definition (HD) video content smoothly. However, with some tweaks and adjustments, you can optimize your netbook to deliver a decent HD streaming and playback experience.
Table of Contents
Check Your Internet Connection Speed
The most important factor for smooth HD streaming is having a fast enough internet connection. For 1080p HD streaming, you’ll want an internet speed of at least 5 Mbps, with 10 Mbps or higher recommended[1].
To test your connection speed:
- Go to a speed test site like Fast.com or Speedtest.net
- Run the test multiple times and pay attention to the upload speed result
- If your upload speed is under 5 Mbps, you’ll likely experience buffering and quality issues when streaming HD video
If your internet is too slow, consider upgrading your plan or using an ethernet cable for a more reliable wired connection.
Adjust Playback Settings
There are a few settings in Windows you can tweak to optimize video playback on your netbook[3]:
Enable Optimize for battery life
This lowers video resolution when on battery power to conserve energy. Helpful for netbooks with short battery life.
Switch to Best performance power mode
This allows your CPU and GPU to run faster at the expense of battery life. Useful when plugged in.
Enable Use software rendering
Forces video decoding to happen on your CPU rather than GPU. Can help on low-end GPUs.
Lower in-app resolution
Streaming services like YouTube and Netflix let you pick lower resolutions in their settings menu.
Use Hardware Acceleration
Turning on hardware acceleration allows your netbook to use its graphics card rather than CPU to decode video files. This results in smoother playback.
To enable hardware acceleration:
- Right click on the video player shortcut
- Go to Properties > Compatibility
- Check “Disable display scaling on high DPI settings”
- Check “Run this program as an administrator”
Get a Lightweight Media Player
The default Windows Media Player is quite clunky. Switching to a lightweight third-party player like VLC media player, Media Player Classic, or MPV can boost performance[6].
These players have lower overhead and more optimization options compared to Windows Media Player.
Lower Cache Values
Media players keep a cache of video data to prevent buffering. Lowering the caching values makes the video start faster but may cause more mid-video buffering[1].
In VLC, go to Tools > Preferences > Input/Codecs. Lower the caching values to 300-500ms. Test different values to find the best balance.
Convert Videos to Lower Resolution
As a last resort, use video conversion software to lower the resolution of HD videos. A 720p or 480p video will play much more smoothly than a 1080p or 4K video.
Free video converters like Handbrake, XMedia Recode, or FFmpeg can batch convert videos to a more netbook-friendly format.
Summary
While netbooks can struggle with HD streaming, some software tweaks and internet connection adjustments can help optimize performance:
- Test and upgrade your internet speed
- Enable battery saving and performance modes
- Switch to a lightweight media player
- Lower cache values for faster start times
- Convert videos to lower resolutions
With these tips, your netbook should be able to handle HD streaming and local playback decently, if not perfectly. Just remember hardware limitations, and don’t expect a flawless cinematic experience on a low-power computer.
