Perhaps you've read our in-depth review of the Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L, or perhaps you've already bought this laptop and decided 4 GB of DDR4 RAM simply wasn't going to cut for your day to day use.
Either way, we know that there are a lot of non-techies out there who want to improve the multitasking capabilities of their Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L but simply don't know how to and this post is for them.
How to upgrade the Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L's RAM: Step by Step
1) First and foremost you need to buy the right RAM module, otherwise, you won't be able to upgrade the laptop's capacity. In the case of the A515-43-R19L you need a 260 pin DDR4 RAM module that works at 2400 MHz and uses the SODIMM format. In case this all sounds like Chinese here's a link where you can find these particular RAM units on Amazon.
2) Once you figure out the compatible RAM for the Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L you're going to need to figure out how much RAM you want to install. In this case you should know that this model allows for a maximum capacity of 32 GB of RAM, 16 GB per slot. You've got 4 GB already in the motherboard and an empty slot which is where you may install up to 16 GB of RAM.
How much RAM should I get for the A515-43-R19L?
That's the million-dollar question. Our professional advice, in this case, considering the laptop specs would be to go for at least 8 GB (this model has stellar reviews & a killer price). 4 GB of extra RAM gives you a nice 8 GB which will make for a pretty solid multitasking performance.
It's always advisable to use the same capacity of RAM on each slot. You could go ahead and get another 4 GB module to upgrade to 8 GB or you could go all out to 16 GB getting two compatible 8 GB modules, therefore removing the base RAM the laptop comes with.
If you want, you can also remove the RAM the laptop comes with and just go ahead and install a single 16 GB unit without having to purchase two 8 GB units.
3) Remove the base. Now that you've decided on the capacity to upgrade you should get a screwdriver and remove the 10 screws underneath the laptop. Once you've taken these out grab a plastic fork or plastic knife and remove the lower lid, what's important here is that you don't use metal which is an electrical conductor.
4) Once the base has been removed you should go ahead and unplug the battery, very important step.
5) Locate the RAM slots. In the case of the Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L you've got two slots, one that's being used for the 4 GB it comes with -which you can remove if you wish - and an empty slot where you are going to place the RAM you've purchased previously (unless you remove the 4 GB it comes with).
6) Place the RAM upside down and place it within the memory slot until you hear the "click" of the clasp that grabs onto the RAM -assuming you've "unclasped" it previously-. Don't apply much pressure, try, and do it in a gentle manner.
7) In the final step, remember to plug the battery on. Screw the lid base back on and turn on your laptop.
8) To confirm that the upgrade was successful you should press the "Start menu" -> "About" -> "About your PC" -> "Device Specifications" and once there you should be able to see a line called "Installed RAM" which will show you the amount of RAM currently on your device.