Video meetings have become an essential part of modern work. Employees use Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and other communication platforms every day for team meetings, client discussions, interviews, training sessions, and presentations.

However, many users experience a common problem: their laptop becomes slow during Zoom or Teams calls.

You may notice that applications take longer to open, the mouse starts lagging, the video freezes, audio breaks up, or the laptop fan suddenly becomes very loud. Sometimes, the entire system may feel slow while the meeting is running.

The good news is that this problem can often be identified and improved. In this guide, we will explain why laptops slow down during video calls, how to identify the cause, and what businesses can do to provide employees with better-performing devices.

For companies managing employee devices, Rental Plaza provides flexible options for laptop rental, bulk laptop rental, high-performance laptop rental, and enterprise IT equipment rental across India through Rental Plaza.

Why Video Calls Require More Laptop Resources Than You Think

A simple video call may look like an easy task, but several processes are running simultaneously in the background.

During a Zoom or Teams meeting, your laptop may need to:

• Capture video from the webcam
• Process microphone input
• Receive video streams from other participants
• Process and display multiple video feeds
• Run the Zoom or Teams application
• Maintain an internet connection
• Process screen sharing
• Run background applications
• Use CPU, RAM, GPU, and network resources

If you are sharing your screen, using virtual backgrounds, recording the meeting, or running multiple applications at the same time, the hardware workload can increase further.

An older or lower-configuration laptop may struggle to manage all of these tasks smoothly.

1. Your Laptop Does Not Have Enough RAM

One of the most common reasons for laptop slowdown during video calls is insufficient RAM.

RAM is used by your operating system and the applications currently running on your laptop.

For example, imagine you are attending a Teams meeting while also using:

• Google Chrome with 15 open tabs
• Microsoft Excel
• Outlook
• Slack
• A cloud storage application
• Background security software

All of these applications consume memory.

If the laptop does not have enough available RAM, the system may slow down as it tries to manage active applications.

Common signs of RAM-related slowdown include:

• Applications taking longer to switch
• Browser tabs freezing
• Slow response when opening files
• Video meeting applications lagging
• The system becoming unresponsive

For modern business use, companies should evaluate laptop RAM requirements based on employee workloads rather than choosing the same configuration for every employee.

A basic office employee and a software developer may have very different hardware requirements.

2. Too Many Applications Are Running in the Background

Sometimes, the problem is not Zoom or Teams itself. The issue may be caused by multiple applications running simultaneously.

Many laptops automatically start background applications when the computer turns on.

These may include:

• Cloud synchronization tools
• Messaging applications
• Security software
• Software updaters
• Browser processes
• Backup applications
• Other startup programs

When a video meeting begins, these applications continue consuming system resources.

Before joining an important meeting, close applications that are not required.

You can also review your startup applications and disable unnecessary programs from launching automatically.

However, avoid disabling essential security software or important company-managed applications without approval from your IT team.

3. Your CPU Is Working at Full Capacity

The processor, or CPU, handles many important tasks during a video call.

Zoom and Teams may require CPU resources for:

• Video processing
• Audio processing
• Screen sharing
• Background effects
• Application performance
• Data processing

If the CPU is older or already busy with other tasks, laptop performance may decrease.

You can check CPU usage through Task Manager on Windows.

If CPU usage remains consistently high during meetings, consider which applications are consuming the most resources.

Closing unnecessary programs may improve performance.

For employees who regularly participate in large meetings, share screens, work with demanding applications, or multitask heavily, a higher-performance laptop may provide a smoother experience.

4. Virtual Backgrounds Can Slow Down Your Laptop

Virtual backgrounds and background blur features are useful, but they can require additional processing power.

When you use these features, the laptop needs to identify the person on camera and separate them from the background.

Depending on the device and application settings, this can increase CPU or GPU usage.

If your laptop becomes slow during meetings, try:

• Turning off virtual backgrounds
• Disabling background blur
• Reducing unnecessary visual effects
• Closing other demanding applications

This can be particularly helpful for older laptops.

Employees using video meetings throughout the day may benefit from laptops with stronger processors and sufficient RAM.

5. Your Internet Connection May Be the Real Problem

A slow or unstable internet connection can sometimes feel like a laptop performance problem.

For example, you may experience:

• Frozen video
• Delayed audio
• Robotic sound
• Participants disappearing
• Screen sharing delays
• Poor video quality

However, the laptop itself may be working properly.

To identify the issue, check whether:

• Other websites are loading slowly
• Other people using the same network are streaming or downloading large files
• Your Wi-Fi signal is weak
• The laptop is far from the router
• A VPN is affecting network performance
• The internet connection is unstable

If possible, move closer to the Wi-Fi router or use a stable wired connection.

For remote employees, companies should also consider internet reliability when investigating video meeting performance problems.

6. Too Many Browser Tabs Can Affect Performance

Many employees keep dozens of browser tabs open throughout the day.

Each tab may consume additional memory and processing resources.

For example, you might have open:

• Gmail
• Google Drive
• CRM software
• Project management tools
• Multiple spreadsheets
• Social media websites
• News websites
• Video content

During a Zoom or Teams meeting, these tabs continue consuming system resources.

Try closing tabs that are not required.

You can also restart the browser occasionally if it has been running for a long period.

For employees who regularly work with multiple cloud applications, browser tabs, video meetings, and business software simultaneously, additional RAM can significantly improve the overall multitasking experience.

7. Your Laptop May Be Overheating

If your laptop fan becomes very loud during a Zoom or Teams call, the device may be generating additional heat.

When a processor is under heavy load, it produces heat. If the laptop cannot effectively manage this heat, performance may decrease.

Common causes of overheating include:

• Dust in cooling vents
• Blocked airflow
• Using the laptop on a bed or cushion
• High CPU usage
• Old cooling systems
• Demanding applications
• Multiple background processes

When possible, place the laptop on a hard, flat surface that allows proper airflow.

Avoid blocking ventilation areas.

If overheating is a regular issue, the device may need inspection or maintenance.

8. Your Laptop Has an Old or Slow Storage Drive

Older laptops may still use traditional hard disk drives instead of SSD storage.

A slow storage drive can affect:

• Application startup time
• Windows performance
• File access
• Software updates
• General system responsiveness

An SSD can provide significantly faster system responsiveness compared with older hard disk technology.

If a laptop becomes slow not only during Zoom or Teams calls but throughout the day, storage performance may be one of the factors to investigate.

For business laptops, modern SSD storage is generally important for supporting faster application loading and day-to-day productivity.

9. Software Updates May Be Running During Your Meeting

Background updates can consume internet bandwidth, processing power, and storage resources.

Examples include:

• Windows updates
• Application updates
• Cloud synchronization
• Antivirus scans
• Software downloads

If your laptop suddenly becomes slow during an important meeting, check whether a major update or synchronization process is running in the background.

Companies can schedule updates outside important working hours where appropriate, based on their IT and security policies.

Employees should not indefinitely postpone important security updates, but proper update scheduling can help reduce disruptions.

10. Your Laptop May Be Too Old for Your Current Workload

Technology requirements change over time.

A laptop that worked perfectly three or four years ago may struggle with today’s workload.

Modern employees may simultaneously use:

• Video conferencing
• Cloud applications
• AI tools
• Collaboration platforms
• Multiple browser tabs
• Security software
• Large spreadsheets
• Business applications

This means the workload on employee devices can increase significantly over time.

Signs that a company laptop may need replacement or upgrading include:

• Regular system freezing
• Slow startup
• Frequent video call lag
• Applications crashing
• Battery problems
• Constant overheating
• Inability to run required software

Companies should periodically review whether employee devices are still suitable for current workloads.

How to Improve Laptop Performance During Zoom or Teams Calls

Here are some practical steps employees can try before replacing their laptops.

Restart Your Laptop

A simple restart can close unnecessary background processes and improve system responsiveness.

Close Unused Applications

Before joining a meeting, close software that is not required.

Reduce Browser Tabs

Keep only essential tabs open during important calls.

Turn Off Virtual Backgrounds

This can reduce additional CPU or GPU workload.

Check Your Internet Connection

Make sure your Wi-Fi connection is stable.

Keep the Laptop Cool

Use the laptop on a hard surface and ensure air vents are not blocked.

Update Zoom, Teams and Your Operating System

Application updates can include performance improvements and bug fixes.

Check Task Manager

Identify applications that are using unusually high CPU, RAM, or disk resources.

These simple steps can often improve the performance of an existing laptop.

How Companies Can Prevent Video Call Performance Problems

For companies, laptop performance should be considered part of employee productivity.

If hundreds of employees regularly experience slow devices during meetings, the issue can affect:

• Internal communication
• Client meetings
• Employee productivity
• Customer experience
• Remote collaboration
• IT support workload

Companies should avoid providing identical laptop configurations to every employee without considering job roles.

A better approach is to create device categories.

Standard Business Users

Employees who mainly use email, documents, web applications, and standard video meetings may require reliable business laptops with appropriate RAM and SSD storage.

Power Users

Employees working with large spreadsheets, multiple applications, frequent video meetings, and cloud platforms may require higher specifications.

Developers and Technical Teams

Software developers, engineers, and data professionals may require higher-performance laptops with additional RAM and processing power.

Creative and AI Teams

These teams may require high-performance laptops, workstations, or GPU-enabled systems depending on their workloads.

This role-based approach can help businesses provide suitable hardware without unnecessarily over-specifying every employee device.

When Should a Company Upgrade or Replace Employee Laptops?

Companies should monitor device performance rather than waiting until every laptop completely fails.

A device refresh plan can consider:

• Laptop age
• Employee workload
• Performance complaints
• Software requirements
• Security compatibility
• Battery health
• Repair frequency

If a large number of employees need upgraded devices, companies may also evaluate laptop rental for businesses instead of purchasing every new device immediately.

Rental can be useful for:

• Temporary employees
• Project teams
• Rapid hiring
• Corporate training
• New office setup
• Device replacement
• Short-term requirements

Businesses can explore bulk laptop rental, monthly laptop rental, high-performance laptop rental, MacBook rental, and enterprise IT equipment rental through Rental Plaza.

Conclusion

If your laptop gets slow during Zoom or Teams calls, the problem may be caused by insufficient RAM, high CPU usage, too many background applications, overheating, a slow storage drive, or an unstable internet connection.

The first step is to identify whether the problem is related to the laptop’s hardware, running applications, or network connection.

Simple actions such as closing unused applications, reducing browser tabs, restarting the laptop, checking internet connectivity, and disabling unnecessary visual effects can often improve performance.

For businesses, regular device planning is equally important. Employees should receive laptops based on their actual workload, especially if they regularly participate in video meetings, run multiple business applications, or work with demanding software.

Rental Plaza supports businesses with corporate laptop rental, bulk laptop rental, MacBook rental, desktop rental, workstation rental, and enterprise IT equipment rental across India, helping companies arrange technology based on employee, project, and business requirements.

With the right laptop configuration and proper device management, employees can enjoy smoother video calls, better multitasking, and a more productive workday.