HP 15-ba506ur Memory Extension

[TornaD-oz]

Dear Community,

I have recently bought 15-ba506ur and am looking into extending its memory with another unit of 8 GB RAM with 1600 MHz. There seems to be a huge lack of any support for this model, both on the product page and the support centre and I can't find any way to contact HP directly, neither in my area nor online. So my questions are:

1) Is there a vacant memory slot in my notebook, and if there is, what type of RAM can I use to extend the memory?

2) There is no DVD drive included in the notebook, so is there an option to connect and add an SSD drive to a slot where DVD drive should be? Is there even a SATA port there?

All the help I can get is hugely appreciated, because this model is so low-end that HP seems to consider its support negligible, despite it being a decent "average user" machine.

[Tuna_Fish_Nr5]

ToraD-oz -

1st:  Good luck + welcome to the modern tech world.  This is why Apple has its position where it is.

2nd:  Check the User Guide for your model.  On the "basic page" for your model, note the list of Blue Buttons along the margin about halfway down (starting with "Troubleshooting," "SW and Drivers," etc. at about item 5.   Don't expect much in terms of full specifications.  Maybe think of them as "semi-specifications."

3rd:  Just my recent experience here:  attend to details:   I was investigating RAM upgrade-ability for my fresh-bought HP laptop.  It turns out the 6GB that HP stocked (socked?) my laptop with is 1 generation down and 13% slower than what the User Guide specifies.  DDR3 1850MHz vs DDR4 at 2133MHz.  

If your unit was made with the same thinking, but you go buy what the User Guide specifies, then you'll have mismatched RAM.

Good luck!

[TornaD-oz · Accepted solution]

Hi, Tuna_Fish_Nr5!

For the lack of better judgement I've decided to disassemble my unit and investigate. The RAM used inside is a Samsung M471B5173EBO-YKO, which is a DDR3 (not DDR3L, as stated on the product page!) that runs on 1600 MHz with 1,35 V.

So, yes, if I've followed the User Guide specifications, I wouldn't even be able to insert the RAM into the MotherBoard!

As what concerns the SSD implementation:

There is more than enough space to fit in an SSD, but there isn't a SATA module to connect it to on the MotherBoard.

On another topic, the cooling system is a joke, how anyone writing the marketing materials consider this enough for running games eludes me.

[Tuna_Fish_Nr5]

Actually, @TornaD-oz,

When you say,

• I wouldn't even be able to insert the RAM into the MotherBoard...

Do you mean physically (like due to clearances,) or "electo-mechanically" (as in the module won't match the socket?)

As I understand, DDR3 & DDR3L are pinwise compatable and "functionally replaceable" in all combinations except a DDR3L-designed CPU (1.35V) can't drive DDR3 memory.

Net:  you should be good to go.

'semicolon' however 'comma' 'ellipses'

Your unit is supposed to be running on a 1.35V bus (for DDR3L), so having the DDR3 there makes it operate at higher voltage:

• 1.5V instead of 1.35 draws more (11%) current
• higher current draw means you recharge battery sooner
• ... and more often
• you replace the battery sooner.

Now, as

Power = (current ^ 2) * resistance

your power consumption (at least on your memory & its customers on the bus) is 23.4% higher with DDR3 than it would be with DDR3L.   (Overall delta in laptop power consumption depends on what proportion these components contribute to the platform's total power budget.)

Thank you, HP!

I understand their manufacturing lines can substitute functionally equivalent (or better) parts if a specific component is not readily available.   In my particular case, they installed 1866 MHz RAM in a system spec'd for 1600MHz RAM.  That's a fine substitution, as there is change to system performance.

I have nothing to do with HP (or manufacturing nowadays,) but I would say that replacing a spec'd DDR3 module with DDR3L is fine, as it has no system effect.  On the other hand, I do not think replacing a spec'd DDR3L module with DDR3L is OK, especially  as it substantially changes the system (power) performance.

I don't know the total power impact, but I'd consider a conversation with the warranty & returns folks about reconciling the matter.
Good luck!

p.s.  Nice pix!

[TornaD-oz]

Hi, Tuna_Fish_Nr5!

I live in Russia, where HP warranty is virtually non-existent, so I'm stuck with figuring the right RAM extension.

Thanks for the tip about DDR3 & DDR3L interchangeability, I have a feeling some of my friends have a spare module that I can test. I have a deep gratitude to HP now for "engineering" the reduce in the expected battery life in nearly a quarter, which overall pushes me into thinking that I should have chosen a different brand of product.

Thanks again, greatly, for your help!

[Tuna_Fish_Nr5]

@TornaD-oz,

Bummer; I understand.

As I've gone through my on RAM documentation odyssey, I've been feeling bad for Bill Hewlett's & Dave Packard's good names.

I grew up with HP products being very high tech and very high quality -- not superior quality, but superlative quality.

Nowadays the company can't even keep its product specs straight.

In the case of my particular laptop, I was told that the product specs supercede the product maintenance/service manual where conflicts exist.

Then I found the product specs were wrong:  it said PC3L/1600MHz.

My APU works with PC4/1866MHz.

The prior AMD in-family APU to use that type of RAM is 2 "models" down from my A10, so I expect HP's specs for laptops with the A9 are wrong too...

Then there's the issue where the maintenance/service manual indicates replacement memory speed for A10 motherboards should be 2133MHz.

Meanwhile, AMD swears the A10 bus maxes out at 1866MHz.

Good luck to us all!