Adding SSD + RAM to HP 316H8UA

[Lousygolfer]

I am considering buying a refurbished 316H8UA with 11th gen. i5, 12gb RAM and 1TB HDD. I am contemplating two upgrades, in memory and an SSD.

1) What is the maximum RAM I can add to this laptop to replace the 4gb and 8gb sticks it comes with and what type/kind should I buy?

2) Can I add an SSD for boot-up and still keep the 1tb HDD for storage? If so, what kind of SSD will work in this laptop? I’m thinking an SSD in 480gb to 512gb seems to be about the sweet spot between reasonable size and price given that they tend to be about $30-$40. Does that seem reasonable if I’m keeping the HDD just for storage?

This laptop will be for basic general use plus a bit of gaming with some old school games like Titan Quest, a bit of photo editing, and a bit of video editing. I can pick one of these up at a very cheap price so I’m thinking of it as a stopgap measure to replace a ridiculously slow 7-year old Core i3 laptop for another one to two years and thereafter I’ll get a higher powered laptop with a dedicated graphics card.

Thanks!

[erico · Accepted solution]

The maximum memory for you notebook is 64GB

Yes a 512 GB SSD is a good sweet spot for a boot drive with plenty of space for programs. That is what my HP Spectre has in it. A brand name 512 GB PCIe or NVMe/SATA M.2 SSD will cost more on the order of $60+

Crucial Memory sells what you are looking for and guarantees compatibility with your notebook. If you buy a different brand, make certain that you include guaranteed compatibility in the criterion for candidate SSD and memory products. It will save you time and grief.

https://www.crucial.com/compatible-upgrade-for/hp---compaq/pavilion-17-cn0053cl

When you install the new SSD,  temporarily disconnect the original HDD.

Also make sure that you change the drive letter on the original HDD after the Windows install on the new one is completed.

[Lousygolfer]

Thanks!

[erico]

You're very welcome!