M3800 RAM and SSD upgrade question

Hi, I'm unsure if this is the right place to post this but here goes...

I've got an M3800 on the way, the base model available here in the UK with 8gb RAM and 500gb Hybrid Drive. Dell Precision M3800

I'm looking to upgrade the RAM and perhaps add in an SSD myself. I have heard that the 8gb RAM exists as a single module and so I am wondering where I could find the specifications of this module so that I could find another one to slot in? I was going to go for this one: 8GB, 204-pin SODIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800 upgrades for Dell Precision M3800 Laptop/Notebook, CT5141538 from Crucial.com
Or is this not possible and I will have to source new 2 x 8gb modules?

I am also a bit clueless about what SSD would be best to get, I'm looking for about 500 gb, am I right in saying that I should get an m-sata drive? 480GB, mSATA Solid State Drive, upgrades for Dell Precision M3800 Laptop/Notebook, CT5141576 from Crucial.com

I would appreciate any help, thanks a lot!

 

You can mix memory modules from different manufacturers. Something like this woulg get you 8GB in a single slot. I am not sure if the base model comes with 1x8GB SODIMM or 2x4GB SODIMMs. In the former case, installation should be easy. Pop the cover, you'll see the second slot below the first stick (or above, depending on where the stick is installed). In the latter case, the two other slots are usually under the keyboard and are a bit of a pain to get to, at least in the two models I have had. Neither of these were Precisions so it could be easy on that model. I don't know.

From what I've read, the M3800 comes with a NGFF SSD slot, not a standard mSATA. I'm not sure about this. May be someone else could confirm?

 

its an msata slot, and the precision m3800 only has 2 ram slots so you'd need a pair of 204 pin ram, for which your crucial memory would be fine, could go with the vengence instead if you think ram speed matters too(but with minimal performance returns)

you'd have to wait till you see the machine before knowing if its 2x4Gb sticks or 1x8Gb stick preinstalled, if its the 1st one, you'd need 2 8Gb sticks and replace both slots in order to hit max memory config

the m3800 comes with an msata slot, not NGFF SSD slot, so feel free to grab the m500 SSD, alternatively i'd recommend the samsung 840 EVO msata SSD since the m500 SSD, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, runs hot and risks overheating despite how rediculous it sounds, it might be true

 

Okay great thanks for the help. You mentioned Vengeance ram could be a faster option, in what way, is there a particular specification which it beats the Crucial stick on? In that case could I have two different sticks with different speeds?

 

Don't forget you'll need a decent set of torx bits to get "under the hood".


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

the particular specification is that the value ram is CL11, vengeance is CL9 which has a lower latency but yet very small, i'm just mentioning it, but it won't bring a huge difference, and yes you can have two different sticks with different speeds as long as they 1) physically fit the ram slot and 2) runs on 1.35V

P.S. i'm just mentioning the vengeance memory, its not going to make a noticeable difference, but sometimes people think more expensive means better, so i'm just mentioning the "more expensive and perhaps better in some way" options for you, there's also kingston value ram and kingston hyperX ram out there, but do bare in mind that the haswell platform might have a hard time supporting 1.5V ram, so make sure the ram supports 1.35V

 

That was my mistake. Dell's website states the Precision has 4 DIMMs (OPs Dell link, click on the ? next to "Memory"). However, it links to the wrong stuff.

This link states that the Precision does have a mSATA slot and a NGFF. However, the WIFI card sits in the mSATA slot.

 

http://www.notebookcheck.net/fileadmin/_processed_/csm__1190886055_ebf3414cf9.jpg

look closely, the wifi-card(hinted by the antenna cable) has the NGFF connector by looking at the card's male interface, hence the wifi-card sits in the NGFF connector instead

to further support my claim:

ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-prod...on-m3800-workstation_Owner's Manual_en-us.pdf

the msata slot is under the flat yellow-ish-orange cable, which is obviously on a different place where the wifi card sits

 

I just get the base model of excellent M3800. I confirm it comes with a 1x8go memory. I wanted to add a msata sdd so i bought a 250go samsung and it works fine as a secondary drive. But i want to install windows 8.1 pro (with the usb key delivered by dell) on this new drive, what is the procedure to follow to make this drive bootable ?

Thanks.

 

BIO-> disable fast boot, disable secure boot restart with f8~f12 not sure which key and select the USB drive to boot into

if the machine is preconfigured with UEFI enabled instead of legacy BIOS, boot into the USB drive with UEFI written in front