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You're welcome, please let us know if there's any news.

Thanks a lot for your help Alejandro, it is very much appreciated.

No, I will not be putting a new drive into the computer.

Best wishes,

John

Hi Dignitas

Acer Aspire 5 A515‑45 — RAM & SSD Upgrade Guide

Your R5‑5500U model shares the same chassis and platform as the R7‑5700U variant, so the physical upgrade limits are similar. The “24 GB RAM / 2 TB storage” figures you’ve seen are Acer’s validated maximums — but in practice, higher capacities can work if the modules/drives meet the same specs.

🖥 RAM

• Slots: 1× soldered DDR4‑3200 (8 GB) + 1× SO‑DIMM slot.
• Current: 8 GB onboard + 16 GB in slot = 24 GB.
• Possible: Users have installed 32 GB in the slot for a total of 40 GB. Stability depends on using a quality DDR4‑3200 SO‑DIMM from a reputable brand.
• Tip: Match DDR4‑3200 speed. Mixed sizes are fine, but dual‑channel runs only on the matching portion.

💾 Storage

• M.2 NVMe slot: PCIe 3.0×4. Acer specs say up to 2 TB, but 4 TB NVMe drives (2280 form factor) have been used successfully.
• 2.5″ SATA bay: Accepts up to 7 mm‑thick SSD or HDD. You could add a 4 TB SATA SSD here if you need even more space.
• Tip: If installing both NVMe and SATA drives, check BIOS for boot order after the swap.

🔧 Upgrade steps (overview)

1. Back up your data.
2. Power off, unplug, and remove the bottom cover (small Phillips screws).
3. For RAM — release the clips and insert the new module at a 30° angle.
4. For NVMe — remove the screw, swap the drive, and secure it before reassembly.
5. For SATA — connect drive to caddy, attach cable, seat in bay, then secure.
6. Reassemble, boot, and check BIOS/Windows for detection.

⚠️ Notes:

• Use an anti‑static strap or ground yourself before handling components.
• Keep the original parts in case you need warranty service.
• While higher‑than‑spec upgrades often work, they’re unofficial — proceed with care.

Adding SSD to Acer A515-45-R74Z laptop — Acer Community