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    Can i upgrade to 2x16GB RAM ?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by MatthiasBraun, Jul 23, 2019.

  1. MatthiasBraun

    MatthiasBraun Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi@All!

    My old 2011 Laptop (XPS15 L502X) is tuned (mostly) to the max:
    It has a 2860QM 2,5 GHZ (3,5 GHZ Boost) Quad Core, 16GB 1600MHZ Ram, 1TB samsung 850 Pro SSD and 5TB HDD im Caddy Slot, Full HD LED Display and EGPU with THE BEAST and EVGA NVIDIA GeForce GTX1060 SC (and some more overcloking)

    (more about my egpu project here:
    https://egpu.io/forums/builds/2011-...dition5gbps-exp-gdc-8-0-windows-7/#post-62675)

    NOW I WANT AND NEED EVEN MORE RAM! :)

    Sometimes i come to the max when i have opend 10+ Tabs, use several ram disks for Adobe Photoshop, Illu und Premiere and and these programms opend with several different files...

    So i now want to upgrade to 2x16GB, BUT i dont know if i can. My Processor can handle 32GB, but what about my mainboard ? Offically it only supports 2x4GB but with the newest bios i can use 2x8GB.

    Now i use the unlocked A12 bios from captain casar and i dont know if he unlocked the max RAM per Slot.

    Does ANYBODY know if i can use 2x16GB in this Laptop ? Anybody tried this ?
    Is there a way to UNLOCK the bios so it will supports 2x16GB ?
    I will use highly compatible crucial RAM, this one:

    https://www.notebooksbilliger.de/cr...zNtM34oAsGO8Bxy06JByJunm-o70aAjNhEALw_wcB:G:s


    Best wishes
    Matthias Braun
     
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2019
    MatthiasBraun, Jul 23, 2019
    #1
  2. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    I would just buy the RAM with the option to return it if it doesn't work. :)

    With your customizations, I don't think there will be another user that can answer this for you authoritatively. ;)
     
    tilleroftheearth, Jul 23, 2019
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  3. Reciever

    Reciever D! For Dragon!

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    No, as far as I am aware the CPU can handle 32GB with 4 SODIMM slots making for 8GB per module.

    There was some ram that was 16GB DDR3 but I believe only 5th gen could use it (at least from what I can recall)

    But like all things, trial and error to see for certain. If you try it out make sure you can return it if it doesnt work out.
     
    Reciever, Jul 23, 2019
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  4. MatthiasBraun

    MatthiasBraun Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thanks guys. I think i have to and will try it out.
    8GB per slots seems to be the deal BUT
    maybe captain casar did unlock the bios in a way
    that i can use 16GB per slot...
     
    MatthiasBraun, Jul 23, 2019
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    jaybee83 and tilleroftheearth like this.
  5. Mastermind5200

    Mastermind5200 Notebook Virtuoso

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    You'd be CPU limited, not BIOS limited.
     
    Mastermind5200, Jul 23, 2019
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  6. MatthiasBraun

    MatthiasBraun Notebook Enthusiast

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    Sorry what is Broadwell ?
    Is there a chance it will work anyway or is there a way to get it to work ?
     
    MatthiasBraun, Jul 23, 2019
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  7. saturnotaku

    saturnotaku Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    The short-lived fifth-generation Intel Core i-Series CPU, which is three generations newer than what you currently have.

    No.
     
    saturnotaku, Jul 23, 2019
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  8. MatthiasBraun

    MatthiasBraun Notebook Enthusiast

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    So its purely hardware limit, right ?
    No possibility with unlocked bios, or something...
    Sad... really sad.... But still 16GB is plenty.
    I may cut back with these RAM Disks :D
     
    MatthiasBraun, Jul 24, 2019
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  9. Reciever

    Reciever D! For Dragon!

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    Yes its a hardware limit, 5th gen was a slight exception for that higher capacity.
     
    Reciever, Jul 24, 2019
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  10. RMSMajestic

    RMSMajestic Notebook Consultant

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    Short answer, NO.
    you will need broadwell.
    That 16GB RAM need special BIOS support and I've only seen it on ASUS R4BE.
     
    RMSMajestic, Jul 24, 2019
    #10