Why does HP install different RAM in the Elitebook than what is advertised?

[Sven781]

Hello,

I recently purchased an HP 840 G9. Unfortunately the cancellation period has just expired. I wanted to upgrade the RAM now. I noticed that, contrary to all product descriptions and advertisements etc., no DDR5 was installed but only DDR4. I couldn't find any indication anywhere on the HP homepage, on the product page or in the HP product descriptions that DDR4 was installed in any configuration in the 840 G9. I then have to ask myself whether TB4/USB4 is even available as HP advertises it????  Does anyone have an official HP document that somehow mentions being installed in an 840 G9 DDR4? The 840 G9 is from the 2nd quarter of 2023. All instructions and product descriptions are from 2022. Did HP just change the RAM, CPU and board to 3200Mhz? I have had many HP products, but I have never come across anything like this. HP telephone support says: "It's not that tragic whether it's just DDR4 or DDR5, you don't even notice it when you're working."
I'm very speechless about it and quite annoyed as it was simply changed here without adjusting it on the product page at HP.

[TzortzisG]

Hello Sven781.

You're correct in everything you said. These systems have DDR5 memory. This is what HP has stated through its various documents, brochures, manuals, spec sheets, etc, etc. To be honest, I thought you might be (somehow) mistaken that the memory is not really DDR5, but as it turns out you are -unfortunately- 100% correct. By pasting your system's model number on HP's Partsurfer page, we can see that there are actually quite a few 840 G9 models that have DDR4 memory installed! On the other hand, the spec sheet, datasheets 1 and 2, the manual, and even Crucial's page......have absolutely nothing to say about the use of any kind of RAM that isn't DDR5.

It's my personal opinion that talking to HP Support will not get you where you want to go. Please read this post with links about the European Union laws that protect the consumer: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Boot-and-Lockup/My-laptop-doesn-t-find-my-USB-Stick-when-I-tr...