A detailed guide for choosing laptop RAM

    Hello GT! The disastrous tendency to make laptops thinner and thinner has already deprived us of upgrades and scattering of ports. In the best case, the manufacturer makes it possible to replace the drive, in the worst case, it offers to buy an ugly and indecently expensive docking station with additional connectors.



    Fortunately, professional and gaming laptops remain true to the old concept of a personal computer, in which you are free to upgrade hardware. Today we’ll talk about the upgrade of the memory subsystem.

    Non-standard frequency potential and memory


    The old DDR3 is still actively present on the market - even the “flagship” macbooks still use it, and not a new standard: since the Intel Core processors of the Skylake and Kaby Lake generations are able to work with both types of memory, however, with some limitations. Since the CPU has one memory controller, and the normal voltage for the “new” memory is 1.2-1.35 Volts, then DDR3 should also be written with L (low voltage) at the end and operating voltage reduced to 1.35. However, in our time only such memory is present on mobile platforms, and modern production technologies make it possible to make memory working both at 1.35 volts and 1.5 volts, and any Kingston mobile DDR3 will suit both a laptop and a compact system with “ desktop "processor.



    According to the specifications, the last two generations of i3 / i5 / i7 processors in laptops support DDR4-2400 MHz, DDR3L-2133 MHz and DDR3L-1600 MHz: at first glance, the choice is not great. However, the same limitations formally exist on desktop processors and are successfully bypassed through the BIOS of the motherboard. In support of the above, we can cite examples of laptops with DDR4-2800 MHz modules installed from the factory and the same MacBooks with their 2133 MHz DDR3L.



    Overclocking on a laptop


    Since Intel’s greedy managers blocked the possibility of overclocking for mere mortals, requiring extra payments for “now-not-so-and-so-free” megahertz, overclocking RAM on laptops is available in two cases: you have a flagship model and a processor with the HK index (i7 -7820HK, i7-6820HK) or on the thematic forums there are modified (or "leaked" from the manufacturer) BIOS for your model with an unlocked tab for advanced settings.


    To ensure comfortable conditions in the monstrous ASUS ROG GX800V, a hybrid cooling system + external dock with dropsy is used

    DDR3L


    ASUS, MSI and Lenovo in the last generation transferred their flagship gaming laptops to the advanced memory standard, but who said that it is time for a laptop with a conditional i7-4960HQ to retire? Yes, three years ago video cards work so-so in modern games, and even mobile video cards are even worse, because the graphics performance in the "big brother" and the mobile PC is equal only in this generation, but can you play on the "average" ones? But conventional Photoshop, illustrators, and other tri-de-maxs generally don’t give a damn about fashionable technologies: OpenGL is supported, there is 1-2 GB of video memory - and that's good. And the rest can be put in quick RAM, if that.



    Compatibility table


    To simplify the upgrade of old systems, we have compiled a small plate that will help you not to make a mistake with the choice of RAM for your iron friend.

    Core 2000m-series
    Core 3000m-series
    Core 4000m-series
    Core 5000h-series
    Core 6000h-series
    Core 7000h-series
    Max. total RAM
    32 GB
    32 GB
    32 GB
    32 GB
    64 GB
    64 GB
    Max. capacity of one module
    8 GB
    8 GB
    16 GB
    16 GB
    16 GB
    16 GB
    Supported Voltage Frequency
    DDR3 1.3 to 1.5 volts, 1333 and 1600 MHz
    DDR3 1.3 to 1.5 volts, 1333 and 1600 MHz
    DDR3L up to 1.35 volts, 1333 and 1600 MHz
    DDR3L up to 1.35 volts, 1600 and 1866 MHz
    DDR3L up to 1.35 volts, 1600 and 1866 MHz
    DDR3L up to 1.35 volts, 1600 and 1866 MHz
    Recommended Model
    KVR1333D3S9 / 8G
    KVR16S11 / 8
    KVR16LS11 / 8
    KVR16LS11 / 8
    HX318LS11IB / 8
    HX318LS11IBK2 / 16 (paired kit)

    KVR16LS11 / 8
    HX318LS11IB / 8
    HX318LS11IBK2 / 16 (paired kit)

    KVR16LS11 / 8
    HX318LS11IB / 8
    HX318LS11IBK2 / 16 (paired kit)


    If your laptop runs on integrated graphics in the processor and costs “slow” factory memory - when upgrading, you should replace the old module with a couple of the fastest ones, choosing the ones compatible with your system.



    iGPU does not have its own memory reserves (except for a modest cache and frame buffer), and operates a system RAM for storing models, textures and results of intermediate calculations, and the slow memory subsystem is a bottleneck for relatively powerful IntelHD variants (530 and higher, and, Of course, good graphics class Iris and IrisPro). Details about accelerating the work of the integrated video core in the processor by replacing the RAM can be found in our previous article .

    DDR4


    With DDR4 memory, everything is somewhat simpler: it is supported only by two generations of mobile systems, based on the Intel Core 5000 and 6000 series, and in gaming laptops (as well as some all-in-ones and ultra-compact PCs), usually there is a sufficient amount of RAM from the factory. There are exceptions from both generations - the flagship i7 "mobile" series with overclocking support - their memory controller provides high-speed modules and supports overclocking.



    Core 6000h-series
    i7-6820HK
    Core 7000h-series
    i7-7820HK
    Max. total RAM
    64 GB
    64 GB
    64 GB
    64 GB
    Max. capacity of one module
    16 GB
    16 GB
    16 GB
    16 GB
    Supported Voltage Frequency
    DDR4 up to 1.25 volts, 2133 MHz
    DDR4 up to 1.25 volts, 2666 MHz
    DDR4 up to 1.25 volts, 2400 MHz
    DDR4 up to 1.25 volts, 2800 MHz
    Recommended Model
    KVR21S15D8 / 16
    HX426S15IB2K2 / 32
    (pair set)
    KVR24S17D8 / 16
    HX424S14IB2 / 16
    HX424S14IBK2 / 32
    (paired set)
    HX426S15IB2K2 / 32
    (paired set)

    Release of memory at frequencies above expected soon

    Unfortunately, Intel implemented wide support for high-speed SO-DIMM DDR4 memory with a frequency of 2800 MHz in only one processor on the market (and it lives in indecently expensive systems), and AMD still hasn’t shown Ryzen mobiles: Kingston was simply not involved in the unpopular direction, and in laptops with i7-7820HK it is extremely rare that the maximum amount (64 GB) out of the box is not set.

    Flour of choice and pitfalls


    For most active GT users, an upgrade is unlikely to be a contingency situation, and a clear understanding of the required memory volumes is supplemented by a good knowledge of the hardware, only Geektimes has become so popular that articles from it regularly diverge on social networks and unscrupulously browse other resources even without reference to the source Therefore, we cannot ignore some obvious points.

    How to find out the current memory size and its characteristics?


    The easiest way is for users of Windows 10. Open the task manager (Shift + CTRL + Esc), in it the tab “Performance” and go to the memory section:



    Where can I see a specific processor model?


    Everything is in the same place, but in the "Central processor" section:



    What if I have Windows 8 / Windows 7?


    You can use the free CPU-Z utility - it will show comprehensive information about the processor and the set of installed memory modules.



    What can be pitfalls?


    In most cases, none, however, some laptops with younger intel processors refuse to accept 16-gigabyte DDR3L memory modules, for them the maximum amount is limited to 8 GB per slot, so the only available option is 2 8 GB dice. Since we are talking about the younger processors (i3, pentium, celeron) and their "energy-saving" versions - there is hardly a task that puts a laptop with such a stuffing in an uncomfortable position in memory (at a maximum of 16 GB), and not in computing power.

    The system says that I have 2 more memory slots, I opened the laptop - and the only available slots are busy, what should I do?


    There are not many options: either the manufacturer decided to save a couple of bucks and did not unsolder two additional connectors, and the BIOS is one for the entire line of laptops, or they are on the other side of the motherboard.

    In the first case, the place for the RAM slots can be found next to the two available - in some service the missing elements may well be soldered, but here it’s worth studying the issue ten times, looking at related models and studying forums: it’s possible that not only contact pads are installed , but also their binding.


    The unusual location of the RAM slots on the Lenovo ThinkPad laptop.

    In the second, look at the guides for disassembling your laptop on the network - either under the keyboard there will be a hatch with access to two connectors, or you will have to remove the motherboard itself.

    And what about the compatibility of already installed memory with a new one?


    If you bought a module with the same frequencies as the existing one, there will be no problems. Notebook RAM rarely has non-standard timings, and JEDEC stitched profiles have specific delay values ​​for each operating frequency. Only two processors (the same 6820 and 7820HK) can work with overclocking memory, and in laptops with such hardware usually 32 or 64 GB are usually out of the box - you are unlikely to need an upgrade in the near future.

    All this is too complicated, I will not remember


    Well, in this case, KVR16LS11 / 8 is very likely to be suitable from DDR3, and for newer systems with DDR4 on board, KVR21S15D8 / 16. For complete confidence, you can use our master for the selection of compatible iron.



    Summer is the time to upgrade


    As usual, we give our readers promo codes - and if the dollar exchange rate does not please you, then let this small discount make the cold summer a little warmer.

    As you remember, there is never a lot of memory, let alone mobile. Therefore, if you want to get hold of Kingston SO-DIMM (and we have a lot of it useful and different) - this can be done here .

    By the way, you've probably heard that Kingston has a lifetime warranty. Why this is so and how the history of the memory of our company generally developed can be seen in the video below.



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