There's not that much offer when it comes down to 17-inch mid-range laptops and it can be hard to find a great model at a great price that gathers all the specs we were hoping for. One of the features that mid-range laptops most commonly "get wrong" is laptop memory, with most mid-range laptops featuring a standard 8 GB of memory. That's all well and good if you're an average user but if you're a power user then 8 GB simply isn't going to cut it.
Now we've covered the HP 17-cn0021nr in the past and while it has many wonderful features. It's also lacking when it comes to memory. However, fortunately for us, HP allows us to upgrade the RAM on the HP 17-cn0021nr and today that's exactly what we're going to walk you through.
HP 17-cn0021nr Memory Upgrade Tutorial
What type of RAM do I need? How much RAM can I use?
The HP 17-cn0021nr is compatible with both DDR4 PC4-21300 2666MHz NON-ECC SO-DIMM units, as well as DDR4 PC4-25600 3200 MHz NON-ECC SO-DIMM memory sticks. We recommend the latter as it has a higher clock speed and therefore will deliver a better performance.
As far as the maximum amount of RAM is concerned. That's one of the benefits of this notebook, as you can stretch the memory to a maximum of 64 GB, 32 GB of compatible RAM on each of the slots.
By default, this model comes with 8 GB of RAM (removable). So we would recommend power users to upgrade to at least 16 GB with two compatible 8 GB modules or even 32 GB through two compatible 16 GB modules. 64 GB is possible but that could be a bit of an overkill if you're not working with literally dozens of programs at a time.
Should I replace the onboard RAM?
Yes. It's good practice to replace the onboard RAM to make sure both RAM modules have the exact same specs so that the RAM can work in dual-channel mode. Otherwise, you run the risk of having more memory but not having an improved performance because the RAM is working in single-channel mode.
How do I perform the upgrade?
Full disclosure: We haven't had the opportunity to work with this particular unit. However, pretty much every single RAM upgrade is the same - and we've done dozens of RAM upgrades -. Therefore we don't have pics of this particular model but instead will use stock pics from other models to guide you through the process. Again, it's the simplest upgrade there is so there's nothing to fear in this regard.
You're going to need a screwdriver, and pry to help you open up the casing of the laptop.
Step 1: First off you want to make sure the laptop is turned off and disconnected from the power source. That means completely off. Not hibernating. Then you want to place the laptop upside down and remove the screws attaching the lower case to the rest of the laptop. Once the screws have been removed you're going to grab a pry to gently pry open the laptop case like so:
Step 2: Once you've successfully removed the case and exposed the internals of the HP 17-cn0021nr you should be able to quickly locate the RAM slots. There are two in this case, it should look like this:
Step 3: As you can see, one of the RAM slots is occupied by the onboard RAM. To remove it you're simply going to grab the metallic clips located on the sides of the RAM slot and pull outwards like so. You can use your hands for this. The RAM will be released at a 45-degree angle and you'll be able to remove it by pulling outwards.
Step 4: Now that you've removed the onboard RAM, you're going to grab the two RAM modules you bought and insert them into the RAM slots making sure that the notch on the module and the notch on the slot align. You're going to insert the RAM at a 45-degree angle like so:
Step 5: Once the RAM is inserted into the slot with the pins and notch aligning, you're going to press down firmly but gently. You should hear a clicking sound. That's the sound of the clutches on the side clutching to the RAM and it means you've introduced the RAM properly.
Step 6: Now that the RAM has been properly upgraded you're going to go ahead and place the case back on. Screw it to the laptop and turn the laptop on. Finally, to confirm that the operation went as planned, you should see your new amount of RAM under the "Installed RAM" line in "Device Specifications".
And that's it. As you see it's a pretty easy process, possibly the easiest upgrade you can perform on a laptop without having any technical knowledge. Now simply sit back and enjoy all the new possibilities that having more RAM on the HP 17-cn0021nr will afford you, being able to multitask like a pro.