You may have come to this page because you either want to speed up your DDR laptop's memory, or you're trying to upgrade your laptop, but you're stuck on what to do. Okay, do you know? You definitely need to have an open page that can help you!
A good place to start is with an introduction to DDR laptop memory.
DDR laptop memory type
DDR stands for Dual Data Rate and is an increased (faster) form of SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory). Almost all laptops sold today, as well as those sold since 2002, use a special (old or new) version of DDR laptop memory. Put it in plain English. DDR memory is faster than standard SDRAM because it can transmit data on both sides of a clock cycle, falling and spiraling, hence its name "double". There's no reason to remember that, but keep in mind: if you ever see a mention of DDR SDRAM somewhere, make sure it's the same as vanilla DDR.
What DDR laptop memory do I need?
When upgrading your laptop's memory, you need to determine the type of DDR memory to use, and so your laptop supports it. Without doing so, the upgrade failure is for a very simple reason: not all versions of DDR are compatible and use a different type of slot connector that increases the number of pins (and many other technical aspects). It is different.
When it comes to memory gaps, we need to insert a memory module. Unlike desktops, laptops use a smaller form of memory slot that consumes less space. As a result, the memory modules used in laptops are also smaller. You may have heard the term Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) in the past, especially if you've upgraded your desktop computer (now is a great time to corrupt memory!). Laptops use SO-DIMMs - all you have to do is add a "mini circuit" to the DIMM. This name is not very important, except for what it practically means, i.e. you cannot install a DIMM in the SO-DIMM slot, and vice versa. DIMMs are longer than DIMMs and are not designed for use with laptops. Before we continue, we should also point out that you can write a SO-DIMM as a SODIMM - that's it!
So just to recall, we know different types of DDR that are not mixed with different versions of DDR, and at the same time laptops cannot use any DIMMs that can be used at home and / or in the office (If you have any of them). Next, we need to figure out what kind of DDR memory we need and specifically what will work on our laptop.
A good indication of which type is right for you is the age of the laptop. It is very likely that laptops manufactured between 2001 and 2003 were based on DDR. Laptops manufactured between 2004 and 2007 would have DDR2, and finally, laptops manufactured after 2008 would have DDR3 (although some use DDR2). Using this information, you will know whether to buy DDR SODIMM, DDR2 SODIMM or maybe DDR3 SODIMM.
The second aspect you need to consider is the laptop memory controller. An easy way to find out (and tell us what type of DDR is right for us) is to run some diagnostic software on our devices. In fact, there are dozens and dozens of alternative ways to deal with it. We recommend downloading and running CPU-Z, it's completely free - download CPU-Z here. This simple and useful application will tell us what memory our laptop uses and therefore supports, among other things (remember what we said about DDR types?). Click the "Memory" tab and the "SPD" tab. You will find the names DDR, DDR2 or DDR3 followed by various odd numbers such as memory frequency and different time. You will also get a name that corresponds to the subtype of DDR laptop memory used by your laptop - it will be something like PC2-5300, PC3200, PC3-8500, etc., you just need to group both (e.g. RDR2 PC2-5300 and DDR PC2100 and DDR3 PC8-8500) and you know what to buy and then install.
How to install ddr laptop memory
The good news is that no matter what DDR laptop memory your laptop uses, the installation is very similar. The only main difference (except for both installations in a compatible memory slot) is that in the case of DDR2 and DDR3 laptops, it is good practice to install memory in pairs (ie, two units at a time). Doing so enables the so-called dual-channel mode on the laptop, which increases performance (increases memory transfer speed). If you have such a laptop, remember to only order 2 units, not one.
Most laptops have access to the lower memory compartment. For this reason, most of you will want to turn your laptop upside down. Needless to say, it must be closed first! In other cases.