How to Upgrade Your Laptop’s RAM: A Step-by-Step Guide

Looking to upgrade your laptop’s RAM? Before you get stuck, you need to consider how much RAM you need, what type of RAM to buy, and the RAM capacity of your laptop.

How much RAM do you need?

If you feel like your computer is slowing down, adding more RAM is a cost-effective way to boost your computer’s performance and run more modern applications. The total amount of RAM you need will depend on three things: how much RAM you currently have, the maximum RAM your laptop supports, and how much extra RAM you need. Let’s start by checking how much RAM you have.

How much RAM do you currently have?

To check Windows 11, hold the button Windows key + WITH and search System. For Windows 10 users, click on Start > Settings > System > About. This will open it O a window that displays your device’s specifications.

How much RAM does your laptop support?

The easiest way to find out how much RAM your laptop supports is to check its manual or look online for the maximum supported RAM capacity. Another way to find out the maximum RAM capacity for your laptop is to use the command line.

Press Windows key + Rsearch for “cmd” and press Enter or left click on yours Desktop and select Open in Terminal. Once the command prompt opens, copy and paste this command into the terminal and press Enter.

wmic memphysical get MaxCapacity, MemoryDevices

This command will give you the maximum RAM capacity of your laptop in KB and the number of RAM slots.

In this example, this laptop supports a maximum of 16GB of RAM in a maximum of 2 RAM slots.

There are many ways to determine how much extra RAM you need. The first is to check Windows Performance Monitor.

1. Go to Starttype “execute” in the search box.
2. OPEN Performance monitor
3. Under Monitoring Tools, click Performance monitor
4. Next, click on green + symbol add another variable
5. Paging file from the list and click Add >>
6. Click OK and watch

This will give you an idea of ​​how much RAM you really need.

In general, 4 GB should be enough for computer operation, light web browsing and text editing. However, I recommend at least 8GB of RAM for normal web browsing tasks, 16GB for most games, and 32GB+ for heavier workloads like video editing, CAD (computer-aided design), and virtualization.

What type of RAM do you need?

Before upgrading your memory, you need to find out which type of RAM is compatible with your laptop. There are three things you need to consider before buying RAM for your laptop: form factor, DDR generation, and RAM speed.

Form Factor

Laptops and desktops require different types of RAM. Desktop motherboards have RAM slots that use Dual In-Line Memory Module (DIMM) format, while laptops use Small Outline Dual In-Line Memory Module (SO-DIMM) RAM. SO-DIMM RAM is smaller than the DIMM RAM used in desktop computers. Since you are upgrading your laptop’s RAM, you will need to look for a SO-DIMM RAM module.

DDR RAM generation

You will also need to know what type of DDR generation your laptop is using. The best way to find out is to open the back panel of the laptop and check what type of RAM is already installed.

In this example, the RAM module above uses DDR3 as indicated on the label.

RAM speed

Now that you know what form factor and DDR generation you need, let’s discuss RAM speed/performance.

RAM performance metrics have changed over the years. DDR3 specifies RAM performance using transfer rates (MB/s) or frequency (MHz), while DDR4 and DDR5 use frequency (MHz) or data rate (MT/s).

If your laptop uses DDR3, the peak transfer rate (MB/s) labels can confuse you, as many DDR3 SO-DIMM RAMs use frequency (MHz) as a performance metric. Here’s a table to compare your laptop’s DDR3 RAM with those sold in stores:

RAM speeds on DDR4 and DDR5 RAM will primarily be measured in Megahertz (MHz). However, sometimes you will see ones that use Megatransfer per second (MT/s). If you compare RAMs where one uses MHz while the other uses MT/s, assume that the two values ​​are the same. So 3200 MHz RAM will have the same speed as 3200 MT/s and 2400 MT/s RAM will have the same speed as 2400 MHz RAM. Although technically wrong, due to confusion in the marketing of DDR RAM, manufacturers still label their RAM in MHz while using MT/s numbers.

In general, you’ll want your RAM to work similarly to the RAM cards already installed on your laptop. A faster RAM speed would still work, but it will only run at the speed your laptop supports. If your laptop can only run 1600 MHz RAM modules, installing an 1866 MHz module will still work, but it will only run at 1600 MHz.

Additionally, using RAM modules with different performance ratings will also work, but both will run on the performance of the lower performance RAM module. So if you install two DDR4 RAMs, one at 2400MHz and one at 3200MHz, it will still work, but both modules will run at a maximum of 2400MHz.

How to install RAM modules

Important: Before touching the laptop, unplug it, turn it off, remove the battery (if possible) and ground yourself.

Most RAM modules are very easy to replace. On the back of the laptop you can find a hatch to access the RAM memory. Otherwise, see if you can remove the back cover or keyboard to expose the RAM. If you can’t find the RAM anywhere, look in the manual or on the manufacturer’s website.

Step 1: Reveal the RAM

Find the removable plastic cover that covers the RAM space. If you have two bays, the larger one will probably hold the hard drive. Loosen the screws and remove the cover. This should reveal one or two RAM slots, one or both of which can be filled.

Step 2: Release the RAM module/s

To release the RAM module, pull the clips on its left and right sides to the side. Once the clamp is released, the module pops out and you can simply remove it.

Step 3: Insert the new RAM module(s).

To insert a new RAM module, slide it into the slot at a ~45° angle, make sure it actually fits in the slot, then push it down.

You can tell if the modules are inserted correctly by the small notches on the sides of the RAM module aligning with the small lugs on the terminals.

Step 4: Reassemble your laptop

And that’s it! Replace the cover, tighten the screw and start the computer.

Troubleshooting common RAM installation problems

When you install new RAM, most laptops will automatically recognize it. However, sometimes things don’t go so smoothly and several problems can arise. Here’s how to solve common RAM installation problems to keep your laptop running optimally.

After installation, the laptop won’t start

If your laptop won’t start after installing new RAM, it could be for several reasons:

• Reinsert the RAM module: Sometimes the module may not be seated correctly. Open the RAM compartment again, remove the module and carefully reinstall it, making sure it is fully inserted into the slot.
• Test each module separately: If you are installing multiple RAMs, try to install only one key at a time. This will help determine if any of the modules are faulty or damaged.

The laptop starts up but does not recognize the new RAM

If your laptop starts up but doesn’t show the upgraded RAM, check the following:

• Verify in BIOS: Reboot the laptop and enter BIOS/UEFI by pressing the designated key (often F2, Delete or Esc). Check the memory section to see if new RAM is detected.
• Make sure the RAM slots are not damaged: Check each RAM slot to make sure it is not physically damaged. If one slot is faulty, the laptop may not recognize the RAM installed in that slot.

Upgrading your laptop’s RAM is easy and can boost your system’s performance. Since most users will run out of RAM before the CPU reaches capacity, upgrading memory is usually smarter and just as efficient as upgrading other hardware or getting a new computer. Besides, it’s much cheaper and you don’t have to worry about data migration.