I am confused on RAM Max info

Hi,

I am going to buy this Alienware from Best Buy. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/alienwa...=4550902&productCategoryId=pcmcat247400050000

The manual for the 17 R3 says 16GB RAM is max. http://downloads.dell.com/manuals/a...ops/alienware-17-r3_reference guide_en-us.pdf

I have seen on crucial's web site ( http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/alienware-17-r3/CT7892028 ) and on here in this thread - http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...2gb-ddr4-2400-mt-s-confirmed-ram-list.787212/


What do I have to do to get 32GB of RAM in the Best Buy 17 R3 I am considering to buy? OR does the ones at BB are limited unlike the ones direct from Alienware?

Thank you for your help.

 

32 GB of DDR4 has been compatible with the 17 R3 since it first launched. The laptops from Best Buy are identical to those Dell sell. In fact, Dell has an option to configure the 17 R3 with 32 GB of RAM.
As for the manuals, they never/rarely get updated (the 17 R3 was shipped with a max of 16 GB, hence why the manual states a max of 16 GB of RAM). 32 GB, as an option, came out a couple months ago, I think.

 

Buy 32 gb of whatever speed RAM is compatible with the processor in your rig, then swap it out yourself, and sell the stock junk. Would be cheaper then getting Bestbuy to mark it up and install it for you.

 

Thank you guys!

 

Does anyone know why Dell have a limit on the 17 R3 of 32GB when the Core I7-6820HK has a limit of 64GB?

http://ark.intel.com/m/products/889...-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz#@product/specifications

 

The limitation is that AWs only have 2 sodimm slots, the Skylake mobile chipset can handle at least 64GB. Nothing to do with the CPU I'd think.

 

Hi etern4l,

That's what I thought, but Dell say the AW 17 R3 has a limit of 32GB? Maybe they are only saying that because 32GB sticks of DDR4 SODIMM of the right specifications aren't available yet?

 

I'm not aware of 32gb sticks, even the 16gb ones are not very common. I would assume AWs support up to 32GB. Look into Clevos if you need more RAM.

 

Hi etern4l,

No point in me looking at Clevo, last week I ordered a 17 R3

32GB is available for 17 R3 in 2133 and 2400 from Crucial. They don't list 64GB because they don't make it yet. I don't 'need' 64GB BTW, I was just curious as to why AW state that the 17 R3 maximum RAM is 32GB when clearly the 6820HK can handle 64GB. I can't believe there is any way they could set up the memory connections to 'only' accept 32GB when the processor is stated by Intel to take 64GB.

http://uk.crucial.com/gbr/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Alienware/alienware-17-r3

 

That's exactly what happens. The 16GB RAM modules are not very common and there aren't any 32GB modules on the market. Once they are released, you'd need to try them but according to the processor's specs, they should work.

 

Hi Alienware Rep,

See my previous post, 32GB is available from Crucial in 2133 or 2400 versions.

Intel say the processor can take 64GB, Alienware say the laptop can only take 32GB. surely if the processor can take 64GB then the laptop can take 64GB and that is what Alienware should state, regardless of what size memory sticks are currently being manufactured??

 

I looked at the Cruical website, and the 32 GB is marked as 2 x 16 GB (2 sticks of 16 GB of RAM), not a 32 GB stick. It's also referred as a 32 GB kit.
There's also something else to consider: if the RAM slots are compatible with 32 GB of DDR4 SO-DIMM RAM (laptop RAM). That, we don't know. I don't know if anyone knows, to be honest. In theory, it could.

 

Hi Game7a1,

Yes, when I said Crucial had 32GB I meant the kit rather than 1 stick as it's dual channel.

For the 6820HK Intel state:

Max Memory Size (dependent on memory type) 64 GB

Memory Types DDR4-2133, LPDDR3-1866, DDR3L-1600

http://ark.intel.com/products/88969/Intel-Core-i7-6820HK-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-3_60-GHz

 

Being dual channel doesn't mean it's two sticks. That's just the channel it operates at (but it can operate at single channel if there's only 1 stick in the system).
Again, I repeat what I said. There's also something else to consider: if the RAM slots are compatible with 32 GB of DDR4 SO-DIMM RAM (laptop RAM). That, we don't know. I don't know if anyone knows, to be honest. In theory, it could. But that doesn't mean much unless it's tested, and that can't be done until 32 GB SO-DIMMs exist (because 2 RAM slots). Hence, Alienware goes with the safe and proven option for listing 32 GB as the maximum (if they haven't updated).
I mean, I used to have an i7-3740QM in my m14xR2. The CPU supported a max of 32 GB of RAM, but only through 4 sticks of 8 GB of RAM. The m14xR2 only had 2 RAM slots and the most each slot could accept was 8 GB, and so, it maxes out at 16 GB. A very similar case could be said about the 17 R3.
Also consider if the CPU is compatible with 32 GB SO-DIMMS. That, we don't know.

 

Hi Game7a1,

Yes, it would be interesting to find out what the two R3 slots can take. I guess no one will be in a position to try 2 x 32GB sticks until someone else manufactures them!

It would be nice if our local AW Rep found out from his colleagues in tech support and posted the real deal here, so we all know what we 'can' upgrade to.

I wasn't referring to the fact you can use one stick of DR4, only that you have to buy it in packs of two sticks, unless you know anyone selling single sticks, but I've not seen any, so to me, quoting Crucial selling 32GB of DDR4 will always mean 2 sticks of 16GB.

 

There isn't much for me to get from the guys above either, we don't support the setup at this moment. We recently added 32GB support. 64 would need to be a 2x32GB kit, and since we do not have those available and the laptop doesn't have 4 slots to try 4x16GB, we can't confirm its functionality. I'm on the same boat as Game7a1, there are many things we do not know about this since the hardware is unavailable or it hasn't been tested/verified by the product developers.

 

Hi Alienware Rep,

OK, thanks for getting back to us. I'm going to buy the 32GB from Crucial as it's only going to cost me £113. If 64GB does appear it's going to be more than double that price until some economy of scale kicks in.

32GB might be deemed overkill but I like to be able to turn off the pagefile, as I see no reason to be writing to disk (even the 2x 950 PRO 512GB I am installing) if I can keep everything in the much faster DDR4.

 

This looks like a potential winner. 32GB 2400 CL14 RAM.

http://m.dabs.com/products/kingston...of-2--hyperx-impact-hx424s14ibk2-32-BZN9.html

Someone on Amazon used the 16GB 2133 CL13 version in the AW 17 R3 with good results. Part of their review is copied below.

"Got about 10-15fps boost in my skyforge game in 4k resolution, worth the money but I will say like I did in my crucial m.2 sata 6gb ssd review. I got about 20-25 fps boost in 4k from those ssd's in raid 0 after installing these. So all in all, I'm now running Skyforge at about 70fps on my alienware 17 r3 laptop in 4k resolution at high settings, one below ultra. I was at about 40fps before the upgrade or about 60ish at medium settings."

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/B014R8JRRW/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_paging_btm_2?ie=UTF8&pageNumber=2