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If you're thinking of improving your laptop's performance, there are surefire ways to do it without becoming a computer wizard. Replacing an older mechanical drive with a faster SSD is an essential upgrade. We've seen many older laptops with non-removable batteries speed up (slow down) when using the battery because the battery no longer holds a proper charge, although this is a bit trickier and requires you to disassemble the whole unit. But before you dig in, a novice-friendly option to speed up your system is to upgrade your RAM. 

   This tutorial will focus on how to upgrade your laptop's RAM capacity, and the best part is that the process isn't as technical as the average person might think. At this point, the obvious question is whether you really need more RAM (system memory). Generally, for Windows / Mac computers, anything less than 8 GB of RAM is not enough, and upgrading will bring performance gains. 8 GB is enough for most basic tasks, but adding RAM gives a nice jump for multitasking, and 16 GB is enough for general computing. If you need more memory than that, you probably don't need to read the how-to, and you already know your stuff. 
    Find your RAM type and possible upgrade paths To find out how much RAM you are currently using, check Windows Task Manager, which reports RAM usage when you run the programs you usually use every day. That would be a good indication that RAM is the performance bottleneck. Now let's make sure your laptop supports RAM upgrades because some laptops have RAM soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded. 

   Find out how many RAM expansion slots are available on your laptop and how many are free. Windows Task Manager will show it in the Memory tab, or you can use an app like Speech which will detail all your hardware. Armed with this information, you can determine the best RAM upgrade path, whether you simply need to add more RAM or replace your current modules.

 You can find the exact RAM specs for a laptop on the manufacturer's product page, but at this point, we usually like to take a shortcut and just use Crucial's wizard (using the upgrade picker). 3-step level) that will help you find your laptop brand and model and determine the exact type of memory you can upgrade to. It is also important to consider the RAM configuration. Most laptops support dual-channel memory, which improves memory throughput and performance, but it requires installed RAM modules to operate at the same speed and timing. Most modern processors could benefit from faster RAM, but cost-cutting measures prevent laptop manufacturers from installing the fastest RAM modules. Using a tool like CPU-Z can give you information about the speed of your current RAM modules, which could benefit from an upgrade. 

RAM Upgrade Step by Step Now that you know you're ready for a RAM upgrade, let's actually start, step by step ... 


1. As before, visit the page from the manufacturer of your laptop model (or use the website) and confirm the type of RAM you need. 

2. Once you know what type of RAM you need (capacity, specs, and a number of modules), buy it from any retailer of your choice: Amazon, Newegg, or Crucial. 

3. With the new RAM, locate the expansion slot on the laptop. Many modern laptops that offer RAM upgrades provide easy physical access, often requiring only a screwdriver to access the slot. Flip the laptop over and look for the RAM markings that indicate where the RAM is. 

4. Push the strap securing the RAM to the side to release the RAM module, then remove the RAM from the bracket. 

5. Place the new RAM module into the socket while locating the alignment holes. 

6. Once the RAM is in the slot, press down on the outer edge to secure the RAM in the strap and you are good to go. 

7. Check that the RAM is properly seated in the slot and that there are no screws or other objects left in the drive. Put the laptop lid back on and it's time to charge. Now comes the best part. If all goes well, your laptop should boot as usual, maybe even a little faster. You can confirm that the upgrade was successful by checking the system properties or by checking the amount of RAM reported by the system in Task Manager. 

8. Don't panic if things go wrong the first time. Simply hold down the power button until the system shuts down. 

9. If your laptop does not start or if you hear beeps when you turn on your laptop, the new memory may not be properly inserted into the slot. Remove the memory module and reinsert it to see if it works. If not, try another RAM key, or better yet, try an old RAM key to make sure your new RAM is not faulty. Hope your RAM upgrade is successful and you will start to see healthy performance improvements and faster running of applications after the change.