Acer Aspire R7-571 RAM memory upgrade

gianthogweed
gianthogweed Member Posts: 2 New User
in 2016 Archives

I have an Acer Aspire R7-571. On the specs sheet it says that the RAM memory can be extented up to 12 GB of RAM. Can I still put 16 Meg RAM? Would it help to have more or would it be a problem? Right now I Have 2 x 4 GB. Thanks

Best Answer

  • PenguinJim
    PenguinJim Member Posts: 72 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    Answer ✓

    First, you shouldn't need more than 8GB total unless you're doing something REMARKABLY memory-intensive. My high-end desktop has 8GB, and it would be cheap and easy for me to change that to 16GB, but it's simply not worth it. 8GB is fine for 98% of people, whether your uses include office work, Internet browsing, or even high-end gaming.

     

    If you DO really need more than 8GB, I think you'll be limited to 12GB. On the R7, 4GB tends to be soldered onto the motherboard. You can replace your other 4GB SODIMM with an 8GB SODIMM for 12GB total.

     

    You can always get a torx screwdriver and open it up for a look.

     

    But you should be fine with 8.

     

    If you're looking for a performance boost, according to that spec sheet you've linked, the R7-571 in your country didn't include any SSD. You should have an empty MSATA port that you can use with an MSATA SSD. Moving your Windows from the 1TB HDD to a MSATA SSD will make it far more responsive.

Answers

  • PenguinJim
    PenguinJim Member Posts: 72 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    Answer ✓

    First, you shouldn't need more than 8GB total unless you're doing something REMARKABLY memory-intensive. My high-end desktop has 8GB, and it would be cheap and easy for me to change that to 16GB, but it's simply not worth it. 8GB is fine for 98% of people, whether your uses include office work, Internet browsing, or even high-end gaming.

     

    If you DO really need more than 8GB, I think you'll be limited to 12GB. On the R7, 4GB tends to be soldered onto the motherboard. You can replace your other 4GB SODIMM with an 8GB SODIMM for 12GB total.

     

    You can always get a torx screwdriver and open it up for a look.

     

    But you should be fine with 8.

     

    If you're looking for a performance boost, according to that spec sheet you've linked, the R7-571 in your country didn't include any SSD. You should have an empty MSATA port that you can use with an MSATA SSD. Moving your Windows from the 1TB HDD to a MSATA SSD will make it far more responsive.

  • gianthogweed
    gianthogweed Member Posts: 2 New User

    Thank you!

  • Dakorillon
    Dakorillon Member Posts: 2 New User

    I saw you answer to this one, and have a further question. They have the new 16GB Ram modules, would they work with the R7-571? I do 3d work on my laptop, and would love better response and fewer crashes (I have the standard 6GB at the moment).  http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007609%20600006178%204814%20600567142&IsNodeId=1&name=Laptop%20Memory&isdeptsrh=1  This is what I'm looking at.  Or do you think that the 8GB module would be enough?  Thank you.

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    Only if you are using Windows-64 bit, 32 bit is generally limited to 8GB.

     

    That said, the only real use of that much memory is if you are running multiple virtual machines.

     

    The biggest performance difference I saw in my R3 was not the 8GB upgrade (just has one SODIMM slot so max is 8) but replacing the 500GB WD HDD with a 250GB Samsung EVO SSD (WD is now a backup drive. 6X improvement in disk read speed. (from 82MB/s to 480).

     

    Cost of all was a touch over a Benjamin.

  • PenguinJim
    PenguinJim Member Posts: 72 Enthusiast WiFi Icon

    Going from 6GB to 12GB *should* produce an occasionally-noticeable improvement, possibly worth the investment if you're going to keep using the laptop for a few more years. It looks like you can grab an 8GB SODIMM from Newegg for ~$55, although shopping around might bring that under $50. That's not GREAT value for the speed improvements I think you'd see, but it's not BAD value, either! Smiley Wink

     

    An extra $100+ to go from 6GB to 20B instead of 6GB to 12GB? Yikes. I don't think that would help at all. Maybe a RAM drive...? But then, an SSD would offer far better value, IMO.

     

    "The biggest performance difference I saw in my R3 was not the 8GB upgrade (just has one SODIMM slot so max is 8) but replacing the 500GB WD HDD with a 250GB Samsung EVO SSD (WD is now a backup drive. 6X improvement in disk read speed. (from 82MB/s to 480)."

     

    Yup, and with the R7 there's the extra mSATA slot, so one could keep the HDD for storage and add in* an mSATA SSD for Windows and applications. I spy a $92 256GB mSATA SSD at Newegg - that SSD + an 8GB SODIMM for under $150 would seem to offer far more value than the $160 16GB SODIMM.

     

    *It is possible there is a tiny (24GB?) mSATA SSD in that slot already, used for caching the hard drive, so you'd have to pull that out. My R7-571G just had a 750GB HDD, no caching SSD.

     

    Edit: Silly me! I'd forgotten about this R7 RAM upgrade video! Friday is not the best time for me..!

  • Captain_WD
    Captain_WD Member Posts: 39 New User

    Hey,

     

    just a quick note: The 32-bit OS can actually work with up to 4GB of memory. If you have more you need a 64-bit OS in order to be able to address it all.

     

    Regarding the HDD being a backup, I'd make sure it is in perfectly good health before trusting your backup data. A good way to test that is to run the manufacturer's tool on the drive and see if the drive passes both the quick and the extended tests. For the WD drive that would be WD Data Lifeguard Diagnostic tool.

    Feel free to ask if you happen to have questions Smiley Happy

     

    Captain_WD.

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    BTW it is also a good idea to go to the Intel ARK (i7-6500 for example ), search for your CPU model number (box at upper right), and check for whether it is 64 bit capable and the Max Memory Size.

  • Dakorillon
    Dakorillon Member Posts: 2 New User

    I already have 64-bit OS (Win10), and I intend to keep using this laptop for a long while. But, as I said, I"m doing 3d rendering with it and it bogs down heavily with only the original 6GB Ram on board. If I'm looking for an extra drive, should I go as big as will fit? Or just something big enough for the OS? I ordered the 8GB Ram from New Egg and waiting for it to come in, the video will come in handy!

     

    Thank you for the replies and for the future answers!

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    Then I'd open Task Manager (right click in tray) and monitor the memory usage when using heavilly. If you start to see a lot of swapping going on you need more RAM. OTOH if you see a lot of disk activity you might consider a faster disk. If the CPU is maxed then look at what processes are dominating.

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