How much performance boost do you get, upgrading from 12 GB to 20 GB of RAM. Aspire 5, i5

KanagawaTomasu

How much performance boost do you get, upgrading from 12 GB to 20 GB of RAM.

Acer Aspire 5, i5

[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

William_mk2

@KanagawaTomasu

You can also increase the performance software wise.

Here are some of the steps to speed up your computer.  

Try windows + r -  on the run window - type msconfig  - click ok  
click on services
check - hide all microsoft services 
click on disable all
click on startup 
disable all the startup items 
click on apply - ok  - restart the computer.     Loading process will be very fast now..

Note: You can always enable the services and startup items later or set it to normal startup from selective startup later on the General tab  

Try windows + r - on the run window - type appwiz.cpl  - click ok  
it will show you the list of programs
remove all the unwanted third party programs. 
Please don’t remove any drivers.  
If you are not sure , please don’t remove it.  

Try windows + r - on the run window type temp - click ok -  it will show you the bunch of files -  try ctrl + a - select all files - press the shift key and click on delete files 

Try windows + r - on the run window type  %temp%  - click ok  - It will show you the bunch of files -  try ctrl + a - select all files - press the shift key and click on delete files 

If you are not able to remove some files - click on skip and then click click on continue.. 

Try windows + r  - on the run window - type cleanmgr - click ok
click on all the boxes except recycle bin and thumnail
Delete the items which are checked 

Try windows x - on the menu - chose command prompt admin or power shell admin 
click on yes 
on the blue or black window  type sfc /scannow 
It will be running till 100 %

Try to do a chrome reset 
open chrome
click on three dots on top right corner 
click on settings
Scroll down - go to advanced
click on restore setting to default
you will see reset settings - cancel
click on reset settings 
Open chrome 
it will work faster now

If it is still not working then we have to do a refresh and reset

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started 

or 

on start - type here to search - type reset this pc - click on reset this pc on the top  - click on get started 

It will show you keep my files and remove everything
chose keep my files 
chose the account - type the password - click on local reinstall - click on reset 
It will be in progress.. 
login to computer and start using the computer. 
If it is still not working 

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started 
chose remove everything 
click on local reinstall - just remove my files - click on reset
It will be in progress

Note:

If you do refresh ( keep my files ) -  all your personal files like pictures, music , documents , videos  will still be intact.   Only the applications will be lost

If you do reset  ( remove everything )  - you are doing a factory default.   It will become like a day one computer.    It will wipe out everything and take your computer to day one like a new computer. 

You can also do the recovery in an alternative way..

There are two alt keys on the keyboard.  If you look at the bottom row of keyboard you can see the one on the left side of space bar and the other on the right side of space bar.  The alt key on the right side will be looking like alt, alt gr or alt car.  Turn off the computer.  Hold the alt key on the left and tap f10 continuously.   It will go to repair mode. It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot.   If it is not going to repair mode, turn off the computer.  Turn on the computer.  Hold the right alt key ( alt gr or alt car or alt )  and then tap f10 continuously.  It will go to chose an option continue and troubleshoot..

It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot
Go to troubleshoot  -  click on reset this pc
click on keep my files  ( only applications will be lost )   chose your account and type your password   - click on local reinstall  - click on reset
It will be in progress 

If the keep my files option is not working 

Go to troubleshoot  -  click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – just remove my files – click on reset 
It will reinstall windows. 

If the just remove my files is not working..

Go to troubleshoot  -  click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – Fully clean the drive – click on reset 
It will reinstall windows. 

Note: You can also go to chose an option , continue , troubleshoot by holding the alt key + tapping f10  or alt gr + tapping f10 on the keyboard while turning on the computer.    Once you see the troubleshoot option, you can stop tapping the f10 and stop holding the alt key.    Then you can try the keep my files and remove everything ( just remove by files and fully clean the drive ) by following the steps which was mentioned above. 

brummyfan2

Hi,

Not much but depends on what you do, if you exceed memory usage above 12GB you will benefit by upgrading to 20GB, otherwise, you won't notice the difference, check the RAM usage in Task Manager.

KanagawaTomasu

Say Thanks, BrummyFan2,

I will click on over to task manager and see what I can find out.

Cheers!

William_mk2

@KanagawaTomasu

You can also increase the performance software wise.

Here are some of the steps to speed up your computer.  

Try windows + r -  on the run window - type msconfig  - click ok  
click on services
check - hide all microsoft services 
click on disable all
click on startup 
disable all the startup items 
click on apply - ok  - restart the computer.     Loading process will be very fast now..

Note: You can always enable the services and startup items later or set it to normal startup from selective startup later on the General tab  

Try windows + r - on the run window - type appwiz.cpl  - click ok  
it will show you the list of programs
remove all the unwanted third party programs. 
Please don’t remove any drivers.  
If you are not sure , please don’t remove it.  

Try windows + r - on the run window type temp - click ok -  it will show you the bunch of files -  try ctrl + a - select all files - press the shift key and click on delete files 

Try windows + r - on the run window type  %temp%  - click ok  - It will show you the bunch of files -  try ctrl + a - select all files - press the shift key and click on delete files 

If you are not able to remove some files - click on skip and then click click on continue.. 

Try windows + r  - on the run window - type cleanmgr - click ok
click on all the boxes except recycle bin and thumnail
Delete the items which are checked 

Try windows x - on the menu - chose command prompt admin or power shell admin 
click on yes 
on the blue or black window  type sfc /scannow 
It will be running till 100 %

Try to do a chrome reset 
open chrome
click on three dots on top right corner 
click on settings
Scroll down - go to advanced
click on restore setting to default
you will see reset settings - cancel
click on reset settings 
Open chrome 
it will work faster now

If it is still not working then we have to do a refresh and reset

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started 

or 

on start - type here to search - type reset this pc - click on reset this pc on the top  - click on get started 

It will show you keep my files and remove everything
chose keep my files 
chose the account - type the password - click on local reinstall - click on reset 
It will be in progress.. 
login to computer and start using the computer. 
If it is still not working 

click on start - settings - update and security - recovery - reset this pc - get started 
chose remove everything 
click on local reinstall - just remove my files - click on reset
It will be in progress

Note:

If you do refresh ( keep my files ) -  all your personal files like pictures, music , documents , videos  will still be intact.   Only the applications will be lost

If you do reset  ( remove everything )  - you are doing a factory default.   It will become like a day one computer.    It will wipe out everything and take your computer to day one like a new computer. 

You can also do the recovery in an alternative way..

There are two alt keys on the keyboard.  If you look at the bottom row of keyboard you can see the one on the left side of space bar and the other on the right side of space bar.  The alt key on the right side will be looking like alt, alt gr or alt car.  Turn off the computer.  Hold the alt key on the left and tap f10 continuously.   It will go to repair mode. It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot.   If it is not going to repair mode, turn off the computer.  Turn on the computer.  Hold the right alt key ( alt gr or alt car or alt )  and then tap f10 continuously.  It will go to chose an option continue and troubleshoot..

It will show you chose an option, continue, troubleshoot
Go to troubleshoot  -  click on reset this pc
click on keep my files  ( only applications will be lost )   chose your account and type your password   - click on local reinstall  - click on reset
It will be in progress 

If the keep my files option is not working 

Go to troubleshoot  -  click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – just remove my files – click on reset 
It will reinstall windows. 

If the just remove my files is not working..

Go to troubleshoot  -  click on reset this pc – click on remove everything – click on local reinstall – Fully clean the drive – click on reset 
It will reinstall windows. 

Note: You can also go to chose an option , continue , troubleshoot by holding the alt key + tapping f10  or alt gr + tapping f10 on the keyboard while turning on the computer.    Once you see the troubleshoot option, you can stop tapping the f10 and stop holding the alt key.    Then you can try the keep my files and remove everything ( just remove by files and fully clean the drive ) by following the steps which was mentioned above. 

brummyfan2

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1192724#Comment_1192724

No problem 🙂

KanagawaTomasu

BrummyFan2,

Thanks for the details about software start-up. Task Manager showed that my RAM use runs around 41%.

(of 12 GB) I suppose that's reasonable. Not exciting per se. . . . 😂

My perspective is; If I get the chance, I will plug in a 16 GB DIMM. If not, it is working reasonably well, as is. This Aspire 5 (i5) works pretty well for NOT being an expensive laptop. When I got this laptop, I snapped in an 8 GB Dimm that I already had and installed a Crucial SSD while I had the back of the laptop open.

I will look through all these start-up commands and check them out. Thanks again.

brummyfan2

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1192737#Comment_1192737

Yes, 41% usage is not bad because you still have 69% unused RAM, so I don't think you will benefit by increasing the amount of RAM but trying what @William_mk2 mentioned might be useful to increase the performance of the laptop.

KanagawaTomasu

Thanks to Wm-mk2.

And thanks to JmesJony.

BrummyFan2, as well.(But I mentioned that already.)

I appreciate all the pointers and recommendations.

So far I have reset the "power" settings to performance mode in 2 different places.

After that I have my work cut out for me.

Cheers!

Here is what it looks like at this point.

Intel 512 GB Gen 3, M2

Crucial 1TB SSD

12 GB DDR4-3200

(4 on board, 8 showing)

PS. You can sure learn a lot about what is inside your PC with CPU-Z, before you even open it up to look.

KanagawaTomasu

Jabujakan,

Your point is well taken.

The odd thing in this laptop is that it has 4 GB of RAM soldered on the motherboard. So additions do not add up to the expected amounts. Add 8 GB, get 12. Add 16 GB, (1 dimm) get 20. That's all she wrote. Can't add anymore, according to Acer.

One variation of the Aspire has 8 GB on the board and an empty RAM slot. That would make upgrading much easier. Just add another 8 GB dimm for 16 GB of dual channel RAM.

But your point is well made even if the amounts are different.

By the way, I have 32 GB of RAM in my Predator. That's an entirely different story.

Cheers!

KanagawaTomasu

Sorry, what did you get? Were you about to say where you got it? You got this variation of the Aspire? Which one?

Whatever it was, I missed it.

Cheers!

KanagawaTomasu

I had an "after-thought" about this topic;

Adding more RAM will not make this laptop "faster." It will allow you to do MORE things before it slows down for lack of RAM and switches to using "System Cache" on the drive.

I think some of the commenters had that in mind, but I am just now catching on.

Cheers!

Thanks again, everyone.

KanagawaTomasu

Follow up question: Same subject,

If I am shopping for a 16 GB so-dimm to max out the RAM my Acer Aspire 5, i-5, would Dual Rank RAM be a bonus or a detriment to RAM function?

For example:

the RAM in my Acer Predator is Dual Channel and Dual Rank.

BUT: the RAM in my Aspire is only PARTIAL Dual Channel and is ALL Single Rank.

So would installing a 16 GB Dual Rank so-dimm improve overall performance or just complicate things?

KanagawaTomasu

To clarify the above:

My Acer Predator Helios 300 has 32 GB of RAM:

2 -16 GB, Dual Rank, Sodimms running in Dual Channel.

My Acer Aspire 5 (i-5) has 1-4 GB, Single Rank, sodimm (on the board)

and 1-8 GB, Single Rank sodimm in the only Slot.

The two sodimms run in "Partial" Dual Channel. (not the correct technical term) But both sodimms are Single Rank.

The question is: Would adding a Dual Rank 16 GB sodimm be of any great advantage?

What say you?

Cheers!

KanagawaTomasu

I finally installed a 16 GB (Single Rank) So-dimm of Crucial DDR4-3200 in my Aspire 5, (Core i-5).

With 12 GB of RAM, Performance Monitor showed 40% of RAM used at idle.

With 20 GB of RAM, Performance Monitor now shows 25% of RAM used at idle.

Is my laptop now "blazing fast?" No, but I can open quite a few tabs and it does not slow down at all.

Thanks again, everyone.

Cheers!

KanagawaTomasu

16 GB of Crucial RAM.

1 TB Crucial SATA SSD. Not much left to upgrade now. Cheers!

brummyfan2

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1217115#Comment_1217115

You are welcome 🙂