Extending laptop memory some info required before i do

[computergeekguy]

I got a question i just got a new laptop with 4 gigs of ddr3 ram it said i could put another 4 gigs in there to make 8.

My question is this how much of the ram has to be the same?

I know they both must be ddr3

Do they both have to be 1333 mhz?

What must be the same and what dosent have to be the same?

Thanks

 

[kado897]

It is best to have identical memory in all slots. Usually laptops only have two slots anyway so you would need to replace both sticks with 4GB. DDR3 memory is quite cheap these days. You can see what you need from here. SDRAM, DDR2 and DDR RAM memory upgrades from Crucial.com

 

[computergeekguy]

thanks for reply i would rather not just wast the ram that is in there as it is plenty good ram and i don't have a different laptop to put it in.

I know that the best results come from identical ram so maybe what i will do is buy another of the same brand that is in it already. i was just wondering if i could have to different brand names as long as they are both ddr3 1333 mhz and so on

If worst comes to worst ill buy 2 new 4 gigs though i would rather not do that as it means an extra $20

Thanks for reply tough

 

[rraod]

About the memory chip frequency, If your system memory bus speed is 1333 MHz, you have to fit in 1333 MHz or higher chips for maximum speed. But the system will be running at 1333 MHz speed only. You can put two different memory chips with different bus speeds, but the system will be working at the lower frequency chip speed. Even the higher speed chip will be running at lower speed.

I suggest you to have same bus speed for both chips. There is no problem in using different makes.

 

[kado897]

You don't say what laptop it is and how many slots you have. If you have only two you will need to upgrade to 2x4GB.

 

[computergeekguy]

it has two slots and it is the

Acer Aspire AS7560-Sb416


sorry about big letters that is just the way it copyed.

Any way according to cpu-z i have 2 2gig sticks in there already so even though it is expandable to 8 gig's i would have to replace both 2 gigs and put in 2 4gigs like you were saying.

O well

Thanks for all your help

 

[bobkn]

it has two slots and it is the

Acer Aspire AS7560-Sb416


sorry about big letters that is just the way it copyed.

Any way according to cpu-z i have 2 2gig sticks in there already so even though it is expandable to 8 gig's i would have to replace both 2 gigs and put in 2 4gigs like you were saying.

O well

Thanks for all your help

The price for that in the US would be $46 at www.crucial.com. Not free, but about the same as a (small) tank of gasoline.

 

[whs]

To tell you the truth, in daily operation you would probably not see any difference between 4GB and 8GB. Only very few applications (e.g. CAD or if you run a lot of virtual machines) will make use of all that RAM. Look how my 8GBs are being used (or unused). And the system was on all day.

 

[Comp Cmndo]

I didn't notice any difference at all when I added 4GB to my notebook which had 4GB to start with. The RAM does not have to be from the same manufacturer, the specifications need to be identical so it will operate in dual-channel mode. Even so, HWInfo64 reports the 2 modules as having somewhat different timings, i.e. 333MHz mode which laptop is not using. Memory timing is being set at 666 & 9-9-9-24 for both. One module is Elpida, the other is Corsair.

 

[computergeekguy]

yes i was thinking about using them for virtual machines and such.

I found 8 gig for like $35 free ship

But ill see how the 4 gig handle first and go from there as if i need to upgrade

im thinking i might

 

[kado897]

yes i was thinking about using them for virtual machines and such.

I found 8 gig for like $35 free ship

But ill see how the 4 gig handle first and go from there as if i need to upgrade

im thinking i might

It depends what you are going to run in your VM. A Linux guest can perform well on 0.5-1GB but a Windows guest will need 2-4GB. Windows 8 runs well in VMPlayer with 2GB allocated whereas Windows 7 needs at least 3GB to be usable. Also bear in mind that a running VM will take whatever memory you allocate to it exclusively for its own use.