I'm fairly tech savvy but haven't ever delved too deep into hardware replacements other than adding an old hard drive to an existing computer. I have an older Lenovo desktop that currently has 4gigs of RAM. It seems to run super slow and I am wondering how much of a difference it would make if I added more RAM? Computer is used mostly for web browsing, email, and not much else. Windows 10 home OS.

I believe I have 4 slots built into the machine, I think 2 are in use currently. Is this a plug and play operation where I can get some cards that match my current hardware specs but just with increased memory? Pardon if any terms above are not 100% correct, not a full on nerd I suppose!

TLDR; How hard is it to add ram to a desktop and will it make a noticeable difference in performance?

RAM is very easy, only thing to look for is compatibility with your motherboard. If you can find your board on pcpartpicker.com it will show compatible RAM. Do you have Windows 64 bit or 32?

It should help with performance, another easy upgrade would be a SSD hard drive if you don't already have one.

Post the model number of your PC and I'll find you some RAM that you can buy. Installing it is easy. It'll only go in one way and you can find a youtube video if you are uncomfortable. I would agree 4GB of ram probably isn't enough nowadays.

I second installing a SSD if you don't have one. It'll make a big difference.

This is what I'm working with currently

8gb Kit $36

16gb kit $59

I would probably go for the 8gb kit and spend $60 on a SSD. That'll probably make it feel drastically faster and get you several more years of use out of that system.

500gb SSD $59

There will be software with the SSD to clone your current drive to the new one. Then it's as easy as unplugging the old and plugging in the new.

Only other thing might be the power cable for the new drive. I'm assuming it will be the same connection as the old.

https://www.crucial.com/

Definitely do the SSD.

Well y'all talked me into upgrading the RAM and switching to an SSD. Ordered from Crucial on December 6 and beginning to think I'll never get the order!

Here's the current route my package has taken:

Started with UPS in Brownsville, TX 12-9

Then to Meridian, ID> Salt Lake City, UT> Carrollton, TX> Houston(Post office is 1 mile from my house)

Now USPS has sent it to Oklahoma City. Left there this morning headed to ...? I'm no logistics master but something seems funny here!

Tis the season.

Having made the upgrade on a computer from HDD to SSD myself back in the day, and then helping numerous friends/family do it. You will not believe the difference you will experience just from doing that.

rilloaggie said:

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Well y'all talked me into upgrading the RAM and switching to an SSD. Ordered from Crucial on December 6 and beginning to think I'll never get the order!

Here's the current route my package has taken:

Started with UPS in Brownsville, TX 12-9

Then to Meridian, ID> Salt Lake City, UT> Carrollton, TX> Houston(Post office is 1 mile from my house)

Now USPS has sent it to Oklahoma City. Left there this morning headed to ...? I'm no logistics master but something seems funny here!

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Is this going UPS or USPS?

I am amazed sometimes at how stupid USPS can be.

Started with UPS, then handed off to USPS. I'm fairly confident it's just bouncing between drivers and being used as a coaster or something at this point.

That is a well traveled package.

The package has returned to the same post office it was at on December 16th, and is listed as out for delivery!

This post gave me the impetus needed to upgrade my first gen alienware m11x to a 500gb ssd and 4gb of ram. I know, man was not meant to wield such power. Anyways, my delivery experience has been the same as the previous poster.

Package started in Brownsville and only needed to come up 150 miles to Corpus. It has now visited Idaho, Utah, and Carrollton before reaching Corpus Christi. It was scheduled to be delivered Friday and was a no show. UPS tracking still shows out for delivery and is estimated by end of day last Friday. It is more well traveled than I am.

I took my wife's old Dell and upgraded to 16 gigs of ram and a new SSD from crucial. I'm not the most tech-savy, but followed a video online of how to change it out. First, cloned the drive (had to borrow a cord from a friend), then, changed out the hd and ram. Easy peasy. So much faster... it's like I have a new computer.

Mine finally came in after it's long journey. Took probably 15 minutes to swap in the new RAM and SSD. Computer is blazing fast compared to how it was running. Thanks for the rec to go ahead and add the SSD, Texags!