Question about : 14-cf0008ca

[ModularDesign]

I have several question about this Model : 14-cf0008ca

Here is the link to the laptop : https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/hp-14-laptop-natural-silver-intel-core-i5-8250u-16gb-optane-1tb...?

(1) Does this model have two slots for RAM ? The model I am looking at comes with 8GB of RAM....Can I install another 8GB in the other slot ? so that i have 16GB in total ?

(2)  Does this laptop come with a M.2 slot that supports PCIe NVMe SSDs ?

(3)  Does this model have a SATA3 2.5" slot ? 

(4) Is it easy to open the bottom cover to replace parts ? 

(5) Is the battery smart ? Does it have a chip on the battery that monitors/regulates charging ? like the one on DELL laptops ? so that I wouldn't worry about damaging  the battery by constantly having the AC(power supply) connected to the laptop for like weeks or months ?

Many thanks

[EddyK]

Hello @ModularDesign,

"(1) Does this model have two slots for RAM ? The model I am looking at comes with 8GB of RAM....Can I install another 8GB in the other slot ? so that i have 16GB in total ?"

A: Yes, this has two RAM slots and supports DDR4 2400 dual channel. However, it's been accepted that DDR4 systems can take up to a max of 32GB so you can theoretically have 16GB * 2.

"(2)  Does this laptop come with a M.2 slot that supports PCIe NVMe SSDs ?"

A: Yes, your computer's Maintenance and Service Guide does mention the option of a dual storage configuration. It says it can take either a 256 GB PCIe NVMe SSD or a 128 GB SATA TLC SSD. It can go higher but you have to be careful with the brand. I've seen other Experts recommend the Samsung PM961.

*Note, you will most likely need these two parts for the SSD so before purchasing one, confirm that the board and the bracket are needed:

SSD bracket     L24488-001

SSD board         L24487-001

"(3)  Does this model have a SATA3 2.5" slot ? "

A: The laptop comes with a 2.5" HDD which is using the SATA 3 connection...

"(4) Is it easy to open the bottom cover to replace parts ? "

A: It should be fairly easy. All the steps you need are in the manual above but you just gotta remove the 2 rubber feet, remove 6 screws/the bottom cover and you should have almost all the parts in one view.

"(5) Is the battery smart ? Does it have a chip on the battery that monitors/regulates charging ? like the one on DELL laptops ? so that I wouldn't worry about damaging  the battery by constantly having the AC(power supply) connected to the laptop for like weeks or months ?"

A: Almost all modern devices have this type of circuit self-regulation so no worries - this isn't Dell exclusive.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

Hope this helps,

Eddy

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[ModularDesign]

"A: Yes, your computer's Maintenance and Service Guide does mention the option of a dual storage configuration. It says it can take either a 256 GB PCIe NVMe SSD or a 128 GB SATA TLC SSD. It can go higher but you have to be careful with the brand. I've seen other Experts recommend the Samsung PM961.

*Note, you will most likely need these two parts for the SSD so before purchasing one, confirm that the board and the bracket are needed:

SSD bracket     L24488-001

SSD board         L24487-001"

so a 256GB NVMe SSD would work but you are saying it has to be samsung ? Will other brands work as long as they are less than or equal to 256GB ?

Is the 2.5" SATA port on this laptop SATA3 or SATA2 ? 

I want to have 500GB 2.5" SATA3 SSD + 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD ... Will I be able to do this ?

Also, aren't M.2 SSDs screwed to the board ? Why would I need an SSD bracket ?

Many Thanks

[EddyK · Accepted solution]

Hello @ModularDesign,

No, higher capacity SSDs will definitely work but some users have reported incompatibilities on the forums. The only reason why HP lists 1TB + 256GB is because that is only what HP has tested.

If you want, you have a 512GB option from HP: 

512 GB L25984-001

Normally Crucial would also have options but the problem is that these laptops are very new so they currently don't have information - neither does HP actually have these parts.

The hard drive is most likely SATA 3. I would find it outragrous if a tech manufacturer is still using SATA 2.

I don't really think you need to swap out the existing HDD for an SSD - it's more or less useless. What I recommend is installing the M.2 SSD and fresh installing Windows 10 using the Media Creation Tool. Then use the HDD for storage. 

My bad; the bracket and the board are most likely required for the Pentium/Celeron laptops - not your laptop. But what I would first do is open up the laptop and ensure that the slot is open. Configure your laptop with Windows 10 on the HDD, use it for a while, and install the Media Creation Tool on a USB. Wait till HP offers the SSDs you want (or just get something like the PM961 or M.2 850 EVO). Then install the SSD, run the Windows 10 installation and configure the HDD for storage.

If I was able to answer your question, I would appreciate it if you accepted this as the solution. 😉

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hope this helps,

Eddy

Hit the Accept as Solution if I solved your problem.
Hit the thumbs up to show appreciation!