How many RAM slots are here?
October 14, 2021 6:28 AM Subscribe
I'm trying to help my father, over the phone, upgrade the RAM on a laptop. I have two specific related questions.
It's a Dell Inspiron 15 3521, with this RAM slot configuration. Am I right in seeing this as two slots?
If so, it looks like this machine can handle a max of 8GB, w/4 in each slot?
I'm pretty much a n00b here, so any corrections will be welcome. The goal here is to allow him to run Windows 10 on this machine w/out it being excruciatingly slow.
It's a Dell Inspiron 15 3521, with this RAM slot configuration. Am I right in seeing this as two slots?
If so, it looks like this machine can handle a max of 8GB, w/4 in each slot?
I'm pretty much a n00b here, so any corrections will be welcome. The goal here is to allow him to run Windows 10 on this machine w/out it being excruciatingly slow.
Best answer: The laptop's tech specs (page 9) is frustratingly vague since it isn't obvious that the limit is 8GBs overall or per slot.
With that said, RAM manufacturers like Crucial offer tools to advise you on what you can buy for your computer. Their advice for the Dell Inspiron 15 (3521) confirms automatronic's guidance.
posted by mmascolino at 7:28 AM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
With that said, RAM manufacturers like Crucial offer tools to advise you on what you can buy for your computer. Their advice for the Dell Inspiron 15 (3521) confirms automatronic's guidance.
posted by mmascolino at 7:28 AM on October 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
One other thing to note:
The goal here is to allow him to run Windows 10 on this machine w/out it being excruciatingly slow.
This laptop originally shipped with an old fashioned mechanical hard drive. If that's still what's in there, then it may be slow running Windows 10 even if you upgrade the RAM. Modern solid state drives are many times faster.
posted by automatronic at 2:51 PM on October 14, 2021 [3 favorites]
The goal here is to allow him to run Windows 10 on this machine w/out it being excruciatingly slow.
This laptop originally shipped with an old fashioned mechanical hard drive. If that's still what's in there, then it may be slow running Windows 10 even if you upgrade the RAM. Modern solid state drives are many times faster.
posted by automatronic at 2:51 PM on October 14, 2021 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
You can put up to 16GB in this machine by using two 8GB SODIMMs.
There's an video here showing exactly how to do it on this model.
posted by automatronic at 6:34 AM on October 14, 2021 [2 favorites]