Upgrading RAM on an Inspiron 17R?

I just bought a new Inspiron 17r (with an Intel Core i5-2410M, 8 GB of RAM and 750GB hard drive). On the Crucial website it says I can use DDR3 PC3-10600 or DDR3 PC3-12800, DDR3 (non-ECC) RAM. However, the maximum RAM available for my sytem is 8GB (which I already have).

In the future, will it be possible to upgrade my computer to more than 8GB of RAM?

 

Intel® Core? i5-2410M Processor (3M Cache, 2.30 GHz)

Based on that website, the maximum memory size is 8GB...

So... I'll have to change my processor to update my RAM? How do I know if I can change my processor?

 

For those that have the same question as me about their 17R...

Apparently, you can change the CPU -- however, it may still not be possible to exceed 8GB of RAM. The support for memory is mainboard-dependent and it would appear that the board in this system can't exceed 8GB.

Systems that can exceed 8GB will have four memory sockets.

So the only option in the future to upgrade this computer will be to just buy a new one. A bit disappointing... but that's what you get for a budget model.

 

8Gigs of ram should be plenty. You have a pretty quick system as is, I wouldn't worry for a few years. Changing the processor is nearly impossible... fyi.

 

Unfortunately at the moment, I don't think you will be able to exceed 8GB total memory, and that is because of the nature of the Core i5/Core i7 Dual Core Processors. With these processors the memory is limited by the processors not the BIOS of the laptop any more.

I'm not sure if it's possible with the Inspiron 17R but you should definitely look into it because there maybe a chance. If you can upgrade your laptop processor to a quad-core model, preferably the i7-2630QM as it's the most likely to produce least amount of heat in that group. But that's your best shot at it with the Inspiron 17R, but the side-effects could be that your cooling system was designed for dual-core processors so it might not be up to the heat it will be producing.

Also changing processors isn't any where near an impossible feat, it just requires time (usually an hour or two when you know what you are doing) and preparation of course, meaning you'll have to do research on to what socket type is right for processor. I've upgraded my processor beforehand, after watching some videos on youtube and planning, I was able to do it just fine. In fact, I was able to extend the life of my laptop for who knows when as it's still running.

 

Unfortunately, the cost of a new i7 processor will cost about $300... that's almost half what I paid for my entire computer! If I had bought an Alienware model that costs $2000+, I can see the point of upgrading the CPU. But for my budget model it's a bit impractical at the present time. Hopefully the price drops in a few years so I can replace it...

 

Inspiron's aren't what they used to be, to be perfectly honest, I think it was after my model that they just really started to get nerfed, basically with each successive model that they released. The best way to describe it is the difference between the XPS and Inspiron back then and now. It just seems that gap is way more than now then it was back then, or perhaps it's just me, I don't know.

 

I had an Inspiron E1705 that lasted me 5 problem free years. That is the main reason why I bought the new Inspiron 17r. It's only used for internet, MS Office and minor photo editing... so it's all that I really need.

But I definitely agree with you. It's too bad that the Inspiron brand has been downgraded so much. I think the Inspiron models have turned almost into a throw away computer... Use it for a couple of years and then throw it out. And with Windows 8 coming out next year with a touch screen interface, I'm already thinking my brand new laptop will be out of date sooner rather than later....

I guess that leads me to my next question... Can you install a 1900x1200 touch screen monitor on an Inspiron 17R?

 

Yeah, I would definitely hold off buying any laptop unless you really have to, this few months are going to be really ground-breaking stuff, especially with displays and etc. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a larger display size than 1920x1080, which is just a slap in the face of any designer.

I'd rather just buy something that would the touch features to be perfect honest, I find that to be distracting unless they come with a real reason to use it, outside of moving icons it's really more of distraction really. I think it's a stupid idea to integrate that, I'd rather just save up for a really power laptop that'll last me at least another 5 years, like this Inspiron is probably going to end up doing.

Unfortunately know, your laptop would be too small to house the screen, if it was the other way around then yeah, but adding a 16:10 screen into something designed for 16:9 is impossible.