I'm looking to upgrade the RAM on my laptop which currently has two 4GB sticks, and I'm considering replacing one of them with a 16GB stick. This would take my total RAM up to 20GB. I used the Crucial System Scanner, and it said my laptop supports a maximum of 16GB. However, when I run commands like Get-CimInstance Win32_PhysicalMemoryArray and sudo dmidecode -t 16, I see that my motherboard may support up to 64GB. I'm confused about which information to trust. If I end up installing a 16GB or even a 32GB stick, is there a risk involved? Additionally, my laptop supports RAM at 2133MHz, but if I buy a 16GB stick that's 3200MHz, will it still work at 2133MHz? For reference, I have an Asus Vivobook with an Intel Core i3 8th Gen and an Intel UHD 620 GPU.
3 Answers
It helps to know the exact model of your laptop, including the manufacture year. Generally, if it originally came with two 4GB sticks, it might not handle 64GB, but some laptops can surprise you. About the RAM speed, if you go for a 3200MHz stick, it should automatically downclock to 2133MHz since that's what your laptop supports. Just be cautious—double-check the specs before purchasing.
I recommend using Crucial's scanner tool too; it's typically reliable. However, make sure to cross-reference with your laptop's official specs on the manufacturer’s website for the most accurate info. Don't forget to look for compatibility; even if it says 64GB, it could still vary by model. Also, if you're getting 3200MHz RAM, yes, it'll just run at 2133MHz in your setup.
Always check the manufacturer's specifications! Sometimes they can provide insights that third-party tools miss. It sounds like you might be better off sticking with 16GB if Crucial says that's the limit, as pushing past that might not end well for performance. And regarding the RAM speeds, you're correct; faster RAM will run at the slower speed of your system.
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