When it comes down to speeding up a laptop's performance on everyday tasks there are few elements that can help: type of storage (SSD or HDD), processor, and most fundamentally the laptop's memory, also known as RAM. Here on 9to5gadgets we've covered numerous RAM Upgrades over the past year because they're a great way to easily and inexpensively increase your laptop's speed at performing daily tasks.
Today we tackle a notebook that features a great set of specs at a very competitive price but could do with a RAM upgrade to improve the everyday performance on tasks such as video editing, launching apps, turning the laptop on and handling numerous programs at a time. Specifically, today we've set out to cover the Asus VivoBook F515 F515EA-AH34 RAM Upgrade process. A quick tutorial that won't take you much more than 5 minutes and will significantly improve your laptop.
Let's get down to it!
RAM Upgrade of the Asus VivoBook F515 F515EA-AH34
What type of RAM unit can I use? How much RAM does this laptop take?
First off, before you start getting your screwdriver you need to know two very important things. Firstly, you need to know what type of RAM the Asus VivoBook F515 F515EA-AH34 takes and secondly you need to know how much RAM you can install.
To answer the first question, this notebook supports DDR4 PC4-25600 3200MHz Non-ECC SODIMM memory. That's a DDR4 (latest generation) type RAM, that clocks in at 3200 MHz and uses the SODIMM form factor.
Once you know the type of RAM unit you're going to need you should know how much memory you can install. In this particular case the laptop comes with 8 GB that are already soldered onto the motherboard and an empty slot which you can use to install up to 32 GB of RAM totalling 40 GB of RAM in total. Something that we've already seen in other models such as the Acer Aspire 5 A515-54-51DJ RAM Upgrade or the Acer Aspire 5 Slim A515-54-59W2 upgrade.
We don't necessarily recommend upgrading to 40 GB of RAM since most users will never use programs that require that amount of RAM.
Also, ideally, for the RAM to work in dual-channel mode, you should have two identical memory modules on a laptop. That means that for heavy multitaskers we would recommend upgrading to 16 GB of RAM by introducing another compatible 8 GB module of RAM in the available RAM slot.
You could also upgrade with a 16 GB compatible module or a 32 GB compatible module but we can hardly see a scenario with a Core i3 laptop where this amount of RAM would be truly useful. And what's more, you loose the possibility of your laptop working on dual channel mode.
Specifically, to run in dual channel mode you need to have two matching slots that support dual channel mode together.
Asus VivoBook F515 F515EA-AH34 RAM Upgrade Tutorial Step By Step
Once you have bought the memory module you're going to introduce make sure that the laptop is turned off and disconnected from the power source. It's important to stress that the laptop be completely turned off and not in a hybernation phase.
Step 1: Remove the back cover. To do this you are going to need to remove the ten screws attaching the bottom case to the rest of the laptop and then, with the help of a prying tool that could be a guitar pick or a plastic knife, go ahead and detach the bottom case like so:
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| This picture is of another model in the same series, it's identical except for the color. |
Step 2: Once you have managed to remove the bottom case you're going to see the laptop's internals. You will see an empty storage caddy, the battery and the memory slot.
The picture also doesn't feature the battery which we removed for safety by detacching the pins. However, it's not something that's necessary for RAM upgrades so it's not something you need to worry yourself about.
Step 4: Now that you have access to the memory slot simply insert the memory module you have bought into the slot at a 45-degree angle, making sure that the notch on the slot and the notch on the module align.
You will know inmediatly if you are inserting the RAM properly because all the pins will be properly aligned if so and they won't be if you're inserting it incorrectly. Here's an image to illustrate the process of inserting the RAM.
Step 6: Now that the RAM is in place re-attach the bottom case back to the laptop and turn the laptop on - assuming you didn't remove the battery of course -. The F515EA-AH34 might take a bit longer to boot than usual but that's normal since the BIOS is scanning the new hardware installed.
After that's done you can head over to device specifications where you'll be able to see the total amount of RAM installed. That's it! As promised a quick and simple process that takes roughly five minutes and delivers a great boost in performance, easily one of the best investments one can do in terms of upgrading a laptop's productivity.