How to Buy Laptop Memory
Is your laptop too slow? Before you go out and buy an expensive replacement, consider upgrading your memory. Upgrading your RAM is one of the safest, easiest and cheapest ways to boost the performance of your laptop.
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Things You'll Need
- Laptop
- $25 or more, depending on the memory you want
- A credit card or PayPal account
Instructions
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Determine how much RAM you already have. To do this, navigate to the "Start" menu and select the "Control Panel," "System and Security" and "System." Scroll down to the Installed Memory (RAM) line, which displays the amount of RAM in your laptop.
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Decide how much RAM you need. Most laptops can hold up to 4GB of RAM, and that is as much as Windows Vista can process. In Windows 7 (64-bit), 3GB or 4GB RAM may slightly improve performance from the 2GB minimum recommended configuration when multitasking RAM-heavy applications, The Customize Windows states. Although your laptop may be able to handle 4GB, the 32-bit version of Windows XP can only process 2GB, so adding more than 2GB to a laptop using Windows XP (32-bit) is a waste of money.
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If you decide that you still need to upgrade your memory, use a Memory Advisor tool, such as on the Crucial site (crucial.com) to determine what model of RAM is best for your laptop. All you have to do is enter your brand, product and model. You'll subsequently be given a list of compatible RAM sticks. The model number can be found on the bottom of most laptops, usually on a sticker with a bar code. After inputting your brand and product, look for a series of numbers and letters on the bottom of your laptop that matches a model number in the drop-down menu.
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If the recommend RAM is too much memory or too expensive for you, scroll down to find an alternative RAM model appropriate for your needs.
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To buy Crucial RAM sticks for your laptop, you can buy them online. Just click the green "Add to basket arrow." Then type in your ZIP code on the following page to determine your shipping costs, review your order, click "Crucial Checkout" or "Checkout with PayPal" and follow the directions on the next screen. Your RAM will arrive within a few business days.
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If you want to shop some other brands, many other websites, including Kingston and Corsair, have similar features to Crucial that gives you compatible memory sticks for your laptop. Shop around and find the best and cheapest memory that you need.
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If you plan to buy additional computer parts from multiple manufacturers, buy everything from the same website to save on shipping costs. Just be sure to match the model number from the RAM you found on the RAM manufacturer's website with the online computer store to be sure that you're getting the same product.
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Tips & Warnings
Check out the RAM manufacturer's return policy. You can usually return RAM memory that you buy from reputable companies if they turn out to be incompatible with your system.
Always follow the directions provided with your laptop or RAM package when upgrading the RAM in your laptop.
Always remove your battery and unplug your computer before opening your laptop case.
Touch metal or use an antistatic strap to remove static from your body before handling electronic parts, which can become damaged from static electricity.
