Maximum memory for an Aspire 5 (A515-54G-71QV)

Johnan

There seems to be some confusion about the maximum memory configuration for this laptop.  It's a brand new model (core i7 10510U 10th gen) and it was available on the Acer website until very recently (the last few days) - now it doesn't seem to be available but nonetheless, I purchased one recently from a well known retailer in the UK.

There was never any information available anywhere on the Acer website including datasheets or user manuals that stated what the maximum memory can be.  Online memory suppliers like crucial, Kingston and MrMemory all state that the maximum RAM for this laptop is 20GB, which is due to 4GB being soldered on board and the availability of a single SODIMM socket inside which can take a 16GB module.

Having read this I purchased a 16GB Kingston HyperX 2666 SODIMM and fitted it myself (anti-static precautions as I'm an electronics design engineer with over 30 years experience).  All is well- the laptop boots fine, but only reports 16GB, not 20GB.  Upon closer inspection, the SODIMM I took out of the laptop was in fact 8GB and constituted all of the memory in its purchased configuration of 8GB - there is no 4GB soldered on board.

As such, if all the memory this laptop can have is dictated by the single slot inside, what is the maximum capacity SODIMM I can fit?  The 16GB module is working fine (huge speed gains reported by PCMark 10 of between 5% and 15% depending on the category).  However, Acer wouldn't have limited the laptop capacity to 16GB would it?  Surely it can take a 32GB module, can't it?

MaClane

Good evening Johnan !

This series has 2 variants in the models:
One with 4Gb on-board supporting up to a maximum of 20Gb (4 + 16 in the single slot)
Another with 2 slots available, 16Gb in total (8 + 8)



The limit is based on processor, controllers and chipset.
I recommend that you use CPu-z to check your RAMs.

Johnan

MaClane said:

Good evening Johnan !

This series has 2 variants in the models:
One with 4Gb on-board supporting up to a maximum of 20Gb (4 + 16 in the single slot)
Another with 2 slots available, 16Gb in total (8 + 8)



The limit is based on processor, controllers and chipset.
I recommend that you use CPu-z to check your RAMs.




I have used CPU-Z - it says the laptop has 2 slots, but inside I can only see one (promise!) Slot#1 reports correctly - slot#2 is greyed out in CPU-Z.  It does suggest there are 2 slots, but inside I can only see one SODIMM connector.  You can find 515-54G upgrade videos on YouTube, etc.  Whilst the exact spec. of these models may differ to mine, the general view you get is the same - there's only one SODIMM socket.

Mystery remains...

MaClane

CPU-z in most cases will detect 2 slots (even the integrated one) as it reads the tracks that exist and not the slot.
If the first is "gray" it is because there is only one slot available for upgrade.
What can occur is incompatibility of the internal RAM chip.
What version of your Bios?

Johnan

Hi,

Thanks for continuing the discussion.  I've restarted the laptop and taken a photo of the BIOS information page - see attached.  Does this help?



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Acer-Samuel

Johnan

I'm thinking this model of Acer laptop is so new that the various memory retailers like Crucial, etc. haven't caught up yet.  I think it's the Kingston website that offers 3 versions of the A515-54G, but the suffix (in my case the "71QV" model) is not there.  The crucial website doesn't care which variant I have - it just says all 515-54G models have 4GB onboard and a single slot that can take 16GB max.  It was effectively the top-spec. machine in the Aspire 5 range but it's either sold out, or it wasn't selling well - one or the other - but it's now not listed as a model on the Acer website.

Puraw

@Johnan I have the same laptop (Black) bought last month in an Acer store in the Philippines: A515-54G-70AG MFG Date: 2019/08/24
S/N: NXHNBSP002XXXXXXX but without a SSD (just very slow 1 TB HDD SATA 1) with 4GB onboard DDR4 and my Insyde BIOS is version 1.11 (maybe I should upgrade to 1.12?) and SPD (Slot 1) is greyed out. Not yet opened the back to check if the slot is indeed empty as 1 screw has a Acer warranty sticker.


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Acer-Samuel

Johnan

Puraw said:

@Johnan I have the same laptop (Black) bought last month in an Acer store in the Philippines: A515-54G-70AG MFG Date: 2019/08/24
S/N: NXHNBSP002XXXXXXX but without a SSD (just very slow 1 TB HDD SATA 1) with 4GB onboard DDR4 and my Insyde BIOS is version 1.11 (maybe I should upgrade to 1.12?) and SPD (Slot 1) is greyed out. Not yet opened the back to check if the slot is indeed empty as 1 screw has a Acer warranty sticker.

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Acer-Samuel

I would suggest yours might have 4GB soldered to the main board and the SODIMM slot completely free for upgrade, in which case all the website advice I'm getting elsewhere is probably correct for your laptop and you can add 16GB to get 20GB total.  But mine has all its memory derived from the one memory slot and definitely no onboard RAM.  Luckily, my laptop had no Acer warranty sticker, so I did the job myself - otherwise I would have waited for the warranty to run out...