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I want to upgrade the RAM on my laptop to 8GB. I've been starting to learn how to build Android apps but my laptop is painfully slow when I have the emulators running, occasionally things just grind to a halt. I have an available slot, and currently only 4GB is installed. I'm just wanting to confirm I am looking at the right products to buy:

$ sudo lshw -class memory
  .
  .
  .
  *-memory
       description: System Memory
       physical id: b
       slot: System board or motherboard
       size: 4GiB
     *-bank:0
          description: DIMM [empty]
          physical id: 0
          slot: ChannelA-DIMM0
     *-bank:1
          description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous 1600 MHz (0.6 ns)
          product: M471B5173BH0-CK0
          vendor: Samsung
          physical id: 1
          serial: 97F07C5F
          slot: ChannelB-DIMM0
          size: 4GiB
          width: 64 bits
          clock: 1600MHz (0.6ns)

I was looking at this 4GB card (I live in Japan, hence the Japanese Amazon) - http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0096YPORU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=A3HYIK9A3QWSZW

Also, I saw some others that were cheaper but I wasn't sure if I have to buy the same branc (Samsung) as the one installed:

http://www.amazon.co.jp/Transcend-%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88PC%E7%94%A8-PC3L-12800-DDR3L-1600-1-35V/dp/B00B5LOOJG/ref=pd_cp_147_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=17FN1G9JW0R0KSRKK5QZ

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%80%90Kingston-%E3%83%8E%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88PC%E7%94%A8%E5%A2%97%E8%A8%AD%E3%83%A1%E3%83%A2%E3%83%AA-DDR3-1600-PC3-12800-KVR16LS11/dp/B00CQ35GYE/ref=pd_cp_147_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=19S5T15NVDGJTCAF1CWP

Do I just need to find cards which are SODIMM, DDR3-1600? I've never upgraded the memory on a laptop before so not sure what properties to look at. Wouldn't be the first time I've bought something only to realize on arrival it is incompatible :)

By the way, my laptop is a Lenovo B590 - http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/lenovo-b-series-laptops/lenovo-b590-notebook

fixer1234
  • 28,064
Martyn
  • 145

1 Answers1

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Brands don't necessarily need to match. If you want to use dual channel ram, its typically a good idea to buy a 'kit' which has been tested together, but with ram quantity alone is a quality of its own.Getting the cheaper ram is definitely something to consider here.

Things to look out for?

SODIMM: Small Outline Dimm. AKA laptop ram. Definitely essential that your ram is this form factor DDR3: The 'Type' of ram you use. Also essential. Different ram has different electrical and physical design. DDR3 also has a low voltage variant which is essential on some systems (and is labeled DDR3L). This should work on regular systems, but a low voltage only system won't use normal ram. In your case either type should work, but you're using regular ram now, and its a good idea to match that/

1600 MHz: Clock speed -All your ram is only as fast as your slowest ram. Get 1600mhz or better . Better is typically pricier to matching this makes sense.

(0.6 ns): memory latency. This is an odd format to use. Once again, your ram is only as good as your slowest, and with memory latency the standard format is in terms of CL numbers. Try to match if you can.

Journeyman Geek
  • 133,878