Need help upgrading RAM

M

meetdilip

Adept
Hi, my HP laptop has 8 GB RAM. Planning to upgrade to 16 GB. Would be buying from Flipkart (or Amazon). Not sure which one to buy. From the YouTube videos, my Pavilion Gaming Laptop has 2 slots for RAM, I guess one of them is empty now. Talked to HP Support, and they said to buy

DDR4-3200 bridge to DDR4-2666

CPU-Z screenshot

1687825847770.png


Would be nice if you can help me buy the right one. Thanks.
 
@meetdilip

Pro tip: The screenshot of the adjacent "SPD" tab will give us more info when it comes to guidance.

Nonetheless, your current module seems to be a 3200MHz one, so pairing it up with something like this Crucial offering should do the job. You can also take a look at the Marketplace section for possibly more viable deals.

Keep in mind that choosing anything lower (e.g. 2666MHz) will downclock both modules.
 
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@meetdilip

Welcome!

Thanks for the screenshot. This particular state of affairs is either related to a soldered RAM or an incompatible/intentionally trimmed down memory controller.

Can you kindly specify the exact model number of your laptop? Is it the HP Pavilion 15.6 inch Gaming Laptop PC 15-ec2000 (2P6B3AV), as mentioned here?

If so, then it indeed uses the 3200MHz module out of the box. However, HP has yet to update the service manual for this series on its consumer support site, so you'll only get references of 2666MHz in the official maintenance and service guide. You can still use it a reference for opening up the chassis and other servicing jobs.
 
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HP laptops, in my experience, aren't that hard to open. Not sure if things have changed recently. If you are confident enough to open it on your own, I'd recommend opening the laptop and confirming that it has an empty slot. That's the most sure shot way of knowing what you need to buy.
 
@meetdilip

Thanks for the confirmation.

As a matter of fact, I've also updated the previous post based on the assumption that the 15-ec2000 is your model. Kindly refresh the page and you should be able to see the changes.

In a nutshell, go with any 3200MHz SODIMM, like the aforementioned Crucial model.
 
Thanks :)

It needs to be a dual channel one, right?

What do you think about this one? Is Crucial good, should I try any other brand?

www.flipkart.com

Crucial 3200Mhz Crucial Notebook 8gb ram Memory with 10 Years Warranty DDR4 8 GB (Dual Channel) Laptop (0CT8G4SFRA32A) - Crucial : Flipkart.com

Buy Crucial 3200Mhz Crucial Notebook 8gb ram Memory with 10 Years Warranty DDR4 8 GB (Dual Channel) Laptop (0CT8G4SFRA32A) only for Rs. 5075 from Flipkart.com. Only Genuine Products. 30 Day Replacement Guarantee. Free Shipping. Cash On Delivery!
www.flipkart.com www.flipkart.com
I used the scan utility from Crucial.in and it says

1687834457125.png
 
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The dual (or multi) channel part comes into play when you use two or more memory modules. Mentioning it in the product description of a single module is nothing but a sham.

As suggested by Crucial's scanning tool (which is a handy thing, but don't trust it blindly), your proposed scenario (8GB * 2) as well as the higher configuration (16GB * 2) will eventually lead to a dual channel setup, but you don't need a "dual channel compatible" memory module for that.

Crucial is quite reputable when it comes to RAMs and SSDs. You can opt for it without a hitch. It's just that I personally (and many other forum members) don't prefer Flipkart for electronic goods because of their unreliable and disreputable aftersales support.
 
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