Michael Jackson10
Active Member
140 messages
joined Feb 2023
What, you gonna open an HP support page just for that?
Forget it, you need SO-DIMM 204-pin DDR3. You've already got one 4GB stick in there, leaving one slot free, with a max capacity of 16GB. An Intel Core i7 Processor isn't "critical" for dual-channel memory, so you can mix and match what's available. Since I don't know what your "everyday use" actually entails, I’d say just toss in another 4GB 1333 MHz stick at most, maybe like this , assuming you can find some used parts at a local repair shop to test out on the spot...
The SSD is a bigger question mark. Based on the specs, you've already got some kind of SSD inside, but you're limited by a SATA 2.0 controller. That tops out at 300MB/s, which was plenty for old-school hard drives, whereas today's SATA 3.0 SSDs hit about 500MB/s. But honestly, that's all just theory. For you, the real question is whether your current storage space is enough; speed won't change much. Any SATA SSD will do fine—it won't be a bottleneck. Your main deciding factor should just be price versus capacity. Any drive you buy will max out that controller, maybe even a little too much...
Replacing the keyboard?
Around here, that'll probably run you $40-$$233, provided you can even find the part... and I highly doubt you'll want to DIY this one if you're asking here.
Personally, I think upgrading machines like this only makes sense in the first two or three years. After that, parts get scarce and you end up spending way more than the machine is worth. Is it really smart to sink money into a new keyboard when who knows what else might die next? If something else breaks soon, that money is basically gone, since you can't exactly take that keyboard and use it anywhere else.
Plus, I don't know how your battery is holding up or how much you actually use it "on the go." If this thing has basically become a desktop—meaning it stays plugged in most of the time—isn't it smarter to just grab a cheap USB keyboard for a few bucks? It'll be way more comfortable to work on anyway.
It's actually kind of sad seeing these once-powerful laptops lose their whole purpose: being portable beasts. They still have enough juice for basic daily tasks, they just refuse to completely "die." Components start failing, upgrades aren't worth the cash, and as a desktop replacement, they're clunkier and less useful than a standard PC...
I've got a laptop myself that serves as my "emergency home backup" (my main PC is currently torn apart, so this guy steps in occasionally), and it's from a similar era. For web browsing and Microsoft Office, it's perfectly fine as is. I'm not planning any upgrades, not even for the RAM.
As long as it works, it works. Once something snaps, it's gone...
So, my advice to you: if it isn't slowing you down, just keep using it as it is. If the lack of RAM is actually "suffocating" you, try to score a deal at a repair shop—maybe they have some used sticks, otherwise, look into buying and installing something new. Leave everything else alone. No amount of "upgrading" is going to make it feel modern again... laptops aren't like desktop PCs where you can totally rebuild them over time to stay up-to-date...
