Q: I'm about to buy a Alienware m15x laptop. To up it to 2GB it costs $150. To up it to 4GB it costs $300. I hear that it is cheaper to buy RAM separate and install it yourself. Can anyone link me to step-by-step instructions on how to install more RAM in an Alienware m15x? Also can anyone link me to a good website for RAM that is better than Crucial.com?
A: To install it is dead easy: flip the laptop, locate the cap that's protecting the memory bay, unscrew the screws and remove it, insert the memory stick, put back the cap. What type is more problematic, it depends on what you have in already: how many sticks, what type, what brand, how many open memory sockets you still have. Find that yourself by looking at the specs or, best, at the memory sticks you have in already. Then go to http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=381&name=Laptop-Memory (or any similar site) and search for them. You could put in almost any type but you will lose the dual channel setup. Remember that ONLY 64 bit OS"s will be able to use more than 3 GB.