DOUBLING MY RAM

[THEOSTHEO]

I have the HP Pavilion dm4-1160us notebook. The memory is 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 DIMM) (DDR3-1067) and I want to double it. Someone told that this: SPS-MEM 4GB PC3 12800 1600Mhz, will be good for me.  

1st question: Is this correct?

2nd question: can my notebook handle 1600Mhz or I sould go to 1067 or even higher than 1600Mhz and how much higher?

I appreciate your help.

TheosTheo 

[erico]

Hi Theo,

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@THEOSTHEO wrote:

I have the HP Pavilion dm4-1160us notebook. The memory is 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 DIMM) (DDR3-1067) and I want to double it. Someone told that this: SPS-MEM 4GB PC3 12800 1600Mhz, will be good for me.  

1st question: Is this correct? No. It is not likely to work, unless it is guaranteed compatible with your specific notebook.

2nd question: can my notebook handle 1600Mhz or I sould go to 1067 or even higher than 1600Mhz and how much higher? Your notebook uses only 1600Mhz RAM. Any memory with higher bandwidth will still only work at the default speed of 1600Mhz.

I appreciate your help.

TheosTheo 

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If you want to upgrade the memory without any hassles, then I suggest you use only memory that is guaranteed  to be compatible with your specific notebook. 

See the following web page at Crucial memory with memory tghat is 100% guaranteed to work in your notebook.

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/compatible-upgrade-for/HP---Compaq/pavilion-dm4-1160us

Installing any other memory besides that, with the exception of the uber expensive memory that HP sells, is a gamble.

Personally, I like my upgrades to work as expected the first time they are installed and my notebook powered on.

[THEOSTHEO]

Thx. Funny thing this "someone told me that this: SPS-MEM 4GB PC3 12800 1600Mhz," is the HP - Greece for I am presently in Europe.  I just want to make sure the standards here are the same as in the good old USA and that the speed they suggest can be handled by my notebook.  Theo

[erico]

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@THEOSTHEO wrote:

Thx. Funny thing this "someone told me that this: SPS-MEM 4GB PC3 12800 1600Mhz," is the HP - Greece for I am presently in Europe.  I just want to make sure the standards here are the same as in the good old USA and that the speed they suggest can be handled by my notebook.  Theo

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I am in Europe as well. I live in the Netherlands.

If the module is absolutely identical to the one that is already installed then it should work. Mixing memory modules with different manufacturers chips and format (singe or double-sided) rarely works as expected.

What you can do is use the HP Partsurfer to see which memory modules that HP sells that are compatible with the notebook.  Use the product number of the notebook to search for the parts. That way you don't have to rely on "somebody said" and risk your Euros.

[THEOSTHEO]

Thanks, I'll go to HP partsurfer and see what happens.  Theo

[THEOSTHEO]

Hello Provost, Thx for your help.  For upgrading my laptop memory from 4GB to 8GB, HP-Greece gives me this : 

SPS-MEM 4GB PC3 12800 1600Mhz.

HP-USA gives me this: 641369-001 Description: 4GB, 1600Mhz, PC3L-12800 memory module (SHARED) .

I wonder whether they are the same. Or maybe not.  Is PC3 the same as PC3L?

[erico]

PCL3 means it is low voltage memory. It is the energy efficient variety.

A PC3 module requires a higher voltage to operate.

HP Greece will also give you a part number. What is it?

[THEOSTHEO]

They didn't. All they gave me is this: SPS-MEM 4GB PC3 12800 1600Mhz

[THEOSTHEO]

Also, I communicated with crucial and they say this kit will do for me fine:

CT5306239 Crucial 8GB Kit (2 x 4GB) DDR3L-1600 SODIMM.  What do you think?

[erico · Accepted solution]

If Crucial has guaranteed its compatibility with your notebook, then it will be a good purchase.

Adding a single stick of RAM to the existing memory is not likely to work.

Purchase two modules of identical memory to install.