Storage, RAM expansion inquiry Aspire 5 A515-46-R2HP

Cats3
Cats3 Member Posts: 8 New User
edited July 2021 in Aspire Laptops
Which Acer Aspire 5 laptops with either Ryzen 3 or Ryzen 5 AMD processors have:
M.2 PCIe SSD storage slots
&
SATA lll expandable HDD 2.5" storage slots

As well as a 2nd RAM slot?

Or do all Acer Aspire 5 A515 do?

I am getting conflicting answers from Acer reps and I cannot find this info on their website.

Thank you..... 

Thread was edited to add model name to the title


Best Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    That's because most of the A515's are Intel platforms. The A515-44 & 43 series are Ryzen 3, 5 or 7. Only the 43 Ryzen 7 has two replaceable RAM sockets up to 32GB max with two 16GB modules. The 44 Ryzen 3 & 5 models have one soldered 4 or 8GB and one replaceable up to 20 or 24GB max with one 16GB module. They all seem to have an m.2 socket that support either a SATA3 or NVME cards and an empty 2.5" SATA3 HDD or SSD bay and socket.

    Jack E/NJ

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    >>>I took a chance that my research was accurate regarding the m.2 being utilized for the 512GB SSD and that it would have a SATA lll HDD/SSD expansion bay. I was getting conflicting answers from Acer.>>>

    The specsheets aren't too clear on the 46 version so maybe that's why you got conflicting answers. It's mainboard does seem to me like a stripped  down version of the 44. For example, the 44 version has a mainboard connector for the keyboard backlight option whereas the 46 version doesn't. Other odds and ends are missing from the 46. So I'd guess the 46 might've been a bit cheaper to produce than the 44.

    Jack E/NJ

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    Yes. As noted earlier, the 44 series has either one soldered 4GB or one soldered 8GB. So 20GB max for your machine by replacing the 4GB replaceable with a 16GB replaceable.

    If you're in the US or Canada, you can request a 2.5" HDD/SSD mounting kit at this link. This includes a metal frame, screws, and ribbon cable. However, I recommend against using the frame. Instead, I use  a bit of anti-stat foam to immobilize and protect the drive as it's already crowded enough inside the case without adding more metal and screws. That means the only thing needed for your 44 is the cable part number 50.HGLN7.003
     

    Jack E/NJ

Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    That's because most of the A515's are Intel platforms. The A515-44 & 43 series are Ryzen 3, 5 or 7. Only the 43 Ryzen 7 has two replaceable RAM sockets up to 32GB max with two 16GB modules. The 44 Ryzen 3 & 5 models have one soldered 4 or 8GB and one replaceable up to 20 or 24GB max with one 16GB module. They all seem to have an m.2 socket that support either a SATA3 or NVME cards and an empty 2.5" SATA3 HDD or SSD bay and socket.

    Jack E/NJ

  • Cats3
    Cats3 Member Posts: 8 New User
    edited July 2021
    Thank you for that information. 
    I ordered the Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R2HP earlier today prior to seeing your confirmation post. 

    I took a chance that my research was accurate regarding the m.2 being utilized for the 512GB SSD and that it would have a SATA lll HDD/SSD expansion bay. 
    I was getting conflicting answers from Acer.

    In fact they told me a couple of days ago when I first ordered the above model that the SATA lll expansion bay was already being utilized for the 512GB and that there wasn't any m.2 slot and therefore no storage expansion. So I canceled the order. 

    I believe the opposite is true with many of the laptops I inquired about. That the models came equipped with m.2 NVMe SSD storage and that there is a SATA lll expansion bay for HDD or SSD. 

    They said that the only laptops with m.2 availability and SATA lll bays were the Nitro & Predator series.
    And not the Aspire 5 models 

    But my research yielded that wasn't accurate. 

    I'm looking forward to receiving my A515-44-R4M5. 

    And thank you for posting. 
    Much appreciated. 


  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    >>>I took a chance that my research was accurate regarding the m.2 being utilized for the 512GB SSD and that it would have a SATA lll HDD/SSD expansion bay. I was getting conflicting answers from Acer.>>>

    The specsheets aren't too clear on the 46 version so maybe that's why you got conflicting answers. It's mainboard does seem to me like a stripped  down version of the 44. For example, the 44 version has a mainboard connector for the keyboard backlight option whereas the 46 version doesn't. Other odds and ends are missing from the 46. So I'd guess the 46 might've been a bit cheaper to produce than the 44.

    Jack E/NJ

  • Cats3
    Cats3 Member Posts: 8 New User
    I mentioned 46 & 44 models in the same post in error. 

    To clarify, I inquired about, ordered, then canceled model #
    Acer Aspire 5 A515-44-R2HP after getting conflicting information from Acer. 

    Then after more research, I ordered the same model again once I saw it had a 2nd RAM slot and a SATA lll bay, coming equipped with 8GB RAM soldered and 512GB m.2 NVMe SSD. 

    I'm looking forward to receiving model
    Acer Aspire 5 A515-44-R2HP. 

    Thanks again for your assistance..... 

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    >>>I ordered the Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R2HP earlier today prior to seeing your confirmation post. >>>
    >>>To clarify, I inquired about, ordered, then canceled model #Acer Aspire 5 A515-44-R2HP >>>
    >>>I'm looking forward to receiving model Acer Aspire 5 A515-44-R2HP>>>

    Sorry. I'm more confused now. Did you cancel the order for the 44l or the 46 series? As I mentioned in my first post, only the 43 series seems to have two replaceable RAM sockets up to 32GB max with two 16GB modules. I also find it unusual to see the same R2HP extension for both the 44 and 46 series?


    Jack E/NJ

  • Cats3
    Cats3 Member Posts: 8 New User
    edited July 2021
    To clarify,
    I canceled the order for the 44 series then I ordered it again with the info I gathered.
    Acer Aspire 5 A515-44-R2HP
    Equipped with:
    8GB RAM, 1 additional slot available.
    512GB storage m.2 NVMe SSD 
    with SATA lll bay availability. 

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    OK. Now I get it.  :)   Jack E/NJ 

    Jack E/NJ

  • Cats3
    Cats3 Member Posts: 8 New User
    👍
    Thanks again for your help..... 
  • Cats3
    Cats3 Member Posts: 8 New User
    edited July 2021
    Just received my Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R2HP.

    Regarding RAM & SATA lll expansion:
    RAM 
    I have 8GB RAM. 
    The configuration appears to be:
    4GB soldered 
    4GB card as there's only 1 card and it says 4GB on it. 
    And if so, do I just replace the 4GB card with another card up to an additional 12Gb for a total RAM of 16GB? 
    (what is the capacity?) 
    And if so, are there any downsides to having 4GB soldered  + 12GB stick, as compared to 8GB + 8GB? 
    SATA lll expansion bay:
    (the laptop came installed with 512GB m.2 SSD NVMe storage) 
    I see the ribbon connector, but I don't see any SATA lll caddy/holder for the 2.5" HDD/SSD storage drive. expansion. 
    When I purchase this caddy, will any caddy do or is there a specific model for this laptop? 
    What is the maximum SATA lll storage capacity I can use? 
    I look forward to hearing from you. 

    Thank you,
    Richie 

  • Cats3
    Cats3 Member Posts: 8 New User
    edited July 2021
    I just received my laptop. 
    It has a 4GB RAM stick so I presume the other 4GB is soldered.
    What is the RAM capacity?

    Will any SATA lll caddy work as it didn't come with one.


  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓
    Yes. As noted earlier, the 44 series has either one soldered 4GB or one soldered 8GB. So 20GB max for your machine by replacing the 4GB replaceable with a 16GB replaceable.

    If you're in the US or Canada, you can request a 2.5" HDD/SSD mounting kit at this link. This includes a metal frame, screws, and ribbon cable. However, I recommend against using the frame. Instead, I use  a bit of anti-stat foam to immobilize and protect the drive as it's already crowded enough inside the case without adding more metal and screws. That means the only thing needed for your 44 is the cable part number 50.HGLN7.003
     

    Jack E/NJ

  • Cats3
    Cats3 Member Posts: 8 New User
    Thanks again. Much appreciated 👍
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,868 Trailblazer
    Good luck with it.    :)    Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ