Acer Aspire A515-45-R1MA 8gb ram, 512Gb SSD, Ryzen 7 5700U , Radeon graphics

Albaman

Hi, I have recently bought this laptop for the sole purpose of upgrading it to its max to edit 4k drone video and for photography editing. The max ram allowed is 24Gb.  I am also aiming for 1Tb or 2Tb for extra storage. I would very much appreciate you suggestions as to what would be the best fit components to achieve this. 

ttttt

@Albaman

Is the 512 GB SSD a 2.5" SATA3 one? Or is it a M.2 NVMe SSD? What is that Radeon Graphics? Is it on-board graphics or a dedicated graphics card. A powerfully graphics card is needed for 4K video editing.

With a PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 NVMe SSD as the boot drive and the maximum RAM, you will be using the full potential of your PC (assuming you have a powerful graphics card already).

As for extra storage, you can easily buy a 5 TB external USB hard drive ( may not be fast, but good for extra storage purpose). Putting a 1TB or 2TB 2.5" SATA3 SSD inside your laptop or not is your choice.

Albaman

Thank you ttttt. Your response is much appreciated.

It is an M.2 NVMe SSD.  The Radeon Graphics are onboard. There is only vague info on the CPU-Z search for what Graphics I have,  such as "AMD Radeon Graphics /Board Acer/ Clocks 400Mhz/Memory 1200Mhz/ Memory size 512 MBytes. 

ttttt

@Albaman

Your on-board graphics may be the weak link, just 512MB.

If I were you , I'll go for a desktop PC with powerful graphic card if 4K video editing is the primary task.

Albaman

Cheers ttttt. would like to take up your suggestion, but as I have laid out AU$1300 for this unit, I may have to start with some increased ram first, just to see what occurs with some trial footage. I shoot at 60fps. Not sure if reducing to 30fps may assist. 

StevenGen

Albaman said:

Hi, I have recently bought this laptop for the sole purpose of upgrading it to its max to edit 4k drone video and for photography editing. The max ram allowed is 24Gb.  I am also aiming for 1Tb or 2Tb for extra storage. I would very much appreciate you suggestions as to what would be the best fit components to achieve this. 

Firstly, I don't know the service manual detailed specs of your laptop model Aspire 5 A515-45 R1MA but, I do know the specs of the A515-43/A515-45G that comes with a top spec CPU Type; AMD Picasso Platform (FP5, 15W) model #: RAVEN 7 3700U and the A515-43/A515-45G memory specs are:

• DIMM Socket Number - 2
• Supports Maximum Memory Size; 32GB, 
• Supports Memory Size per Socket; 16GB, 
• Supports DIMM Type; DDR4, 
• Supports DIMM Speed; DDR4 2400, 
• Support DIMM Voltage; 1.2V and 
• Supports DIMM Package; DDR4 SO-DIMM 260 pin. 

I don't think that your A515-45 R1MA has a different overall specs to the A515-43/A515-45G but, I could be very wrong? Also, there is no service manual references for your Aspire 5 A515-45 R1MA that I can obtain and give you a definite answer to your question. Just to assist you and give you some sort of a reference, have a look at this Acer Community post "What RAM do i need to upgrade my Aspire5 A515-45 R1MA" which shows a caption (see below) of the CPUz "Memory" section of what RAM is installed in this A515-45 R1MA. In that caption its a DDR4-3200MHz at 8GB, seeing that you say that the max memory for the Aspire 5 A515-45 R1MA is 24GB which is questionable? When the A515-43 max memory is 32GB and it has 2x slots, you can work out what each slot can accomodate and how much memory is onboard. If you say that your A515-45 R1MA total is 24GB as there are no 12GB modules to make the 24GB total up, there must be memory on board of 8Gb (which is doubtful) and then you divide how many slots you have to give you the total that every slot can accomodate, as memory modules for these newer and upper spec model laptops come in 8GB and16GB modules at DDR4, its a simple equation.

ttttt

@StevenGen

Hope that @Albaman is not having one model with 8GB soldered to the slot one, that may cause the 24 GB limit.

ttttt

@Albaman

One more thing. As PC manufacturers like to ship x2 M.2 NVMe SSD to customers ( unless it is mentioned in the descriptions that it is a x4 drive), I would suggest you to download and run the CrystalDiskMark program to check it out.

If the sequential read is lower than 1,700 MB/s, then it is a x2 drive. If the speed is close to 3,400 MB/s ,it is a x4 drive.

Albaman

StevenGen said:

Albaman said:

Hi, I have recently bought this laptop for the sole purpose of upgrading it to its max to edit 4k drone video and for photography editing. The max ram allowed is 24Gb.  I am also aiming for 1Tb or 2Tb for extra storage. I would very much appreciate you suggestions as to what would be the best fit components to achieve this. 

Firstly, I don't know the service manual detailed specs of your laptop model Aspire 5 A515-45 R1MA but, I do know the specs of the A515-43/A515-45G that comes with a top spec CPU Type; AMD Picasso Platform (FP5, 15W) model #: RAVEN 7 3700U and the A515-43/A515-45G memory specs are:

• DIMM Socket Number - 2
• Supports Maximum Memory Size; 32GB, 
• Supports Memory Size per Socket; 16GB, 
• Supports DIMM Type; DDR4, 
• Supports DIMM Speed; DDR4 2400, 
• Support DIMM Voltage; 1.2V and 
• Supports DIMM Package; DDR4 SO-DIMM 260 pin. 

I don't think that your A515-45 R1MA has a different overall specs to the A515-43/A515-45G but, I could be very wrong? Also, there is no service manual references for your Aspire 5 A515-45 R1MA that I can obtain and give you a definite answer to your question. Just to assist you and give you some sort of a reference, have a look at this Acer Community post "What RAM do i need to upgrade my Aspire5 A515-45 R1MA" which shows a caption (see below) of the CPUz "Memory" section of what RAM is installed in this A515-45 R1MA. In that caption its a DDR4-3200MHz at 8GB, seeing that you say that the max memory for the Aspire 5 A515-45 R1MA is 24GB which is questionable? When the A515-43 max memory is 32GB and it has 2x slots, you can work out what each slot can accomodate and how much memory is onboard. If you say that your A515-45 R1MA total is 24GB as there are no 12GB modules to make the 24GB total up, there must be memory on board of 8Gb (which is doubtful) and then you divide how many slots you have to give you the total that every slot can accomodate, as memory modules for these newer and upper spec model laptops come in 8GB and16GB modules at DDR4, its a simple equation.

Thanks again @ttttt and @StevenGen for your kind advice.

StevenGen... the CPUZ memory data you sent me for the A515-43/A515-45G is identical to mine except that my Uncore Frequency reads as 798.4 Mhz, which is half... Not sure what that all means though. 
ttttt.. I found out that my unit was manufactured 20/3/21. Seem like a bit of tardiness with Acer updating their listings. I found an operating manual but no service manual. It is most probable that my 8gb ram is soldered, and according to the sales guy the max is 24 Gb. I've only had the unit for 6 days so time to open it up and see what's in there. 
When buying the laptop the sales guy said he would install another 8Gb ram (ADATA). When i went back to pick it up, he had added another AU$150 on to the cost. 50 bucks to install it. Told him to take it out.  I can buy twice the Gb in AUS for $150 with change left for a 6 pack!.

So with both your valuable inputs, I shall first of all install the CL22 16gb ram stick and give it a go with some raw drone footage. (Mostly impromptu footage approx 2-2 1/2 minutes.)  If that doesn't work then !!!!

Havabonzaweek

Albaman
 

StevenGen

Albaman said:

Hi, I have recently bought this laptop for the sole purpose of upgrading it to its max to edit 4k drone video and for photography editing. The max ram allowed is 24Gb.  I am also aiming for 1Tb or 2Tb for extra storage. I would very much appreciate you suggestions as to what would be the best fit components to achieve this. 

"Albaman" take a caption of the CPUz "SPD" section specs of your OEM RAM that is installed in your A515-45 R1MA. As and if your "Uncore Frequency reads as 798.4 MHz" and its at Channel # "Single" then your OEM RAM must be of a lower speed/timing than the DDR4-3200MHz that works in the referenced RAM that is installed in that other A515-45 R1MA that I referenced you to. Let us see your "Memory and SPD" specs and what type of RAM you have.

Albaman

StevenGen said:

Albaman said:

Hi, I have recently bought this laptop for the sole purpose of upgrading it to its max to edit 4k drone video and for photography editing. The max ram allowed is 24Gb.  I am also aiming for 1Tb or 2Tb for extra storage. I would very much appreciate you suggestions as to what would be the best fit components to achieve this. 

Firstly, I don't know the service manual detailed specs of your laptop model Aspire 5 A515-45 R1MA but, I do know the specs of the A515-43/A515-45G that comes with a top spec CPU Type; AMD Picasso Platform (FP5, 15W) model #: RAVEN 7 3700U and the A515-43/A515-45G memory specs are:

• DIMM Socket Number - 2
• Supports Maximum Memory Size; 32GB, 
• Supports Memory Size per Socket; 16GB, 
• Supports DIMM Type; DDR4, 
• Supports DIMM Speed; DDR4 2400, 
• Support DIMM Voltage; 1.2V and 
• Supports DIMM Package; DDR4 SO-DIMM 260 pin. 

I don't think that your A515-45 R1MA has a different overall specs to the A515-43/A515-45G but, I could be very wrong? Also, there is no service manual references for your Aspire 5 A515-45 R1MA that I can obtain and give you a definite answer to your question. Just to assist you and give you some sort of a reference, have a look at this Acer Community post "What RAM do i need to upgrade my Aspire5 A515-45 R1MA" which shows a caption (see below) of the CPUz "Memory" section of what RAM is installed in this A515-45 R1MA. In that caption its a DDR4-3200MHz at 8GB, seeing that you say that the max memory for the Aspire 5 A515-45 R1MA is 24GB which is questionable? When the A515-43 max memory is 32GB and it has 2x slots, you can work out what each slot can accomodate and how much memory is onboard. If you say that your A515-45 R1MA total is 24GB as there are no 12GB modules to make the 24GB total up, there must be memory on board of 8Gb (which is doubtful) and then you divide how many slots you have to give you the total that every slot can accomodate, as memory modules for these newer and upper spec model laptops come in 8GB and16GB modules at DDR4, its a simple equation.

Thanks again @ttttt and @StevenGen for your kind advice.

StevenGen... the CPUZ memory data you sent me for the A515-43/A515-45G is identical to mine except that my Uncore Frequency reads as 798.4 Mhz, which is half... Not sure what that all means though. 
ttttt.. I found out that my unit was manufactured 20/3/21. Seem like a bit of tardiness with Acer updating their listings. I found an operating manual but no service manual. It is most probable that my 8gb ram is soldered, and according to the sales guy the max is 24 Gb. I've only had the unit for 6 days so time to open it up and see what's in there. 
When buying the laptop the sales guy said he would install another 8Gb ram (ADATA). When i went back to pick it up, he had added another AU$150 on to the cost. 50 bucks to install it. Told him to take it out.  I can buy twice the Gb in AUS for $150 with change left for a 6 pack!.

So with both your valuable input, I shall first of all install the CL22 16gb ram stick and give it a go with some raw drone footage. (Mostly impromptu footage approx 2-2 1/2 minutes.)  If that doesn't work then !!!!

Havabonzaweek

Albaman.
 

ttttt

@Albaman
I did a little digging from the web, seemed your PC ( or maybe some variants of it) uses Radeon RX Vega11 on-board graphics. If that is the case, the on-board graphics performance should not be too bad ( not as good as powerful dedicated card of course).

For the mean time, just put up with it. Enjoy your laptop!