Laptop memory question.

I just purchased a used laptop from a neighbor and figured I'd use it for only editing photos since my wife spends too much time on Facebook on the desktop. The screen is horrible so I bought a used monitor to use instead. That's working out good. However, it has just 8 mbs of ram, which is which is double what our desktop has but due to the slow processor, which can't be replaced, it's much slower than the desktop. I could upgrade to 16 mbs of ram but due to the lackluster processor, I'm wondering if it would even make much of a difference. Any computer gurus out there that can give me a good answer?

You can go to Crucial.com and let them scan your system to see what you upgrade options might be. I'd need more information about the system to say if it's worth it or not. Replacing the hard drive with an SSD would likely give you a better boost in performance.

mike_d wrote in post #19296794
You can go to Crucial.com and let them scan your system to see what you upgrade options might be. I'd need more information about the system to say if it's worth it or not. Replacing the hard drive with an SSD would likely give you a better boost in performance.

Through my own research I found out I can upgrade from my 8 to a 16 of ram but was unaware a hard drive could make a difference. However, I'll contact Crucial and see what they think my best route would be. Thanks.

No expert, but I replaced my laptop HD with an SSD and I noticed the difference.
It was slicker. Not major but time to boot was cut dramatically was most noticeable

I picked up free, to me, 10yo desktop to replace 12 yo desktop. Big difference and 16 GB of RAM for sure.
Some small factor HP. They are available for 100+ usd.

Open task manager. If CPU seats at 100% while you are editing, not enough CPU.
If RAM is 100% then not enough RAM.

To be good on editing it is better to have dedicated graphics card. Some laptops do and it is activated if power plugged in.
Or at least make sure you have calibration device. Makes huge difference.
SSD is also makes it faster overall.

mn shutterbug wrote in post #19296766
I just purchased a used laptop from a neighbor and figured I'd use it for only editing photos since my wife spends too much time on Facebook on the desktop. The screen is horrible so I bought a used monitor to use instead. That's working out good. However, it has just 8 mbs of ram, which is which is double what our desktop has but due to the slow processor, which can't be replaced, it's much slower than the desktop. I could upgrade to 16 mbs of ram but due to the lackluster processor, I'm wondering if it would even make much of a difference. Any computer gurus out there that can give me a good answer?

Post the make and model of the laptop and I perhaps can point you to the service manual showing how to open the case and replace RAM and/or hard drive. Replacing the hard drive these days is very easy on most laptops.

As others have suggested, I would replace the hard drive with an SSD as the performance boost is very noticeable. The effect of replacing RAM may not be noticeable at all until you do memory intensive stuff. For instance as I write this I am using 4-1/2 GB of 32 available.

kf095 wrote in post #19296865
Open task manager. If CPU seats at 100% while you are editing, not enough CPU.
If RAM is 100% then not enough RAM.

While performing a command during photo editing, the CPU usage showed about 80% used and ram about 50%. Ram evidently isn't my problem then.

My laptop is a Toshiba Satellite C855D - S5354. Is there any reason this one wouldn't work for me - https://www.bestbuy.co​m …C3mkQAvD_BwE&gc​lsrc=aw.ds

I only paid $10 for the laptop and $20 for the monitor so I don't want to invest anymore than necessary since it's not something I really need. I now see there is another one for just $22 with less storage but more than I need.

I just looked up the CPU in that laptop. It is incredibly slow, scoring 362 on Passmark. For reference, the i7 desktop I built 10 years ago scores over 5300. Even the PC before that from 2007 was double your laptop's score. You got taken at $10 and I'd stop throwing money at it.

mike_d wrote in post #19297035
I just looked up the CPU in that laptop. It is incredibly slow, scoring 362 on Passmark. For reference, the i7 desktop I built 10 years ago scores over 5300. Even the PC before that from 2007 was double your laptop's score. You got taken at $10 and I'd stop throwing money at it.

I realized it was a slow CPU that I was hoping could be replaced but I read somewhere it's soldered in so it can't be. However, I don't think I got taken for a measly $10. It may be slow but still gets the job done. What might take a second on my desktop takes about 3 seconds on this laptop. Not a big deal since I'm not a pro with photos to process every day.

mn shutterbug wrote in post #19297041
I realized it was a slow CPU that I was hoping could be replaced but I read somewhere it's soldered in so it can't be. However, I don't think I got taken for a measly $10. It may be slow but still gets the job done. What might take a second on my desktop takes about 3 seconds on this laptop. Not a big deal since I'm not a pro with photos to process every day.

At $10, I agree you were not 'taken'. Many of us do not need real power in the portability of a laptop. At home my laptop only really is used for email or web surfing; I have a $500 desktop and 27" IPS monitor for photo editing or more taxing software. Frankly, I think I would be willing to use an inexpensive Chromebook even, to do what I do during leisure web surfing; when travelling abroad I often find internet access in hotels is too slow to be able to use cloud-based applications like Office 365. Separately I have a more powerful thin laptop which comes with me for business trips when I do consulting work, because of Office applications loaded and running under Windows...yet more for the compact light weight, rather than for horsepower.

mn shutterbug wrote in post #19297041
I realized it was a slow CPU that I was hoping could be replaced but I read somewhere it's soldered in so it can't be. However, I don't think I got taken for a measly $10. It may be slow but still gets the job done. What might take a second on my desktop takes about 3 seconds on this laptop. Not a big deal since I'm not a pro with photos to process every day.

I do not believe the RAM is soldered in. The User manual can be found at https://support.dynabo​ok.com …77465&isFromTOC​Link=false and on page 45 it appears all you need is a Phillips screwdriver to access the memory compartment. I do not see any instructions on replacing the hard drive but having said that the manual is a "User Manual". I'll do some more searching on the drive replacement. The current drive is a SATA "spinning platter" drive (probably 320 GB)at 5400 RPM, so it is slow. An SSD will be much faster as far as things like boot time and just general operating. But the computer dates from about 2012 and if you put an 320 GB SSD and and 16 GB or RAM in it, I would suspect it would be marginal for heavy photo applications. So the question, just how into post processing are you?

So other things that slow you down: it only USB 2.0 ports, as somone pointed out the processor which is an AMD E at 1.3 GHz is slow, and the machine only has a capability of 16 GB maximum memory across two slots (DDR3-SDRAM 1066 MHz). For involved post processing, 32 GB would likely be recommended by most of us here.

[Edit] The webpage at https://www.ifixit.com …+Drive+Replacem​ent/108390 seems to indicate that relacement of the hard drive is easy. A 500 GB SATA SSD would probably be about $60.

John from PA wrote in post #19297114
I do not believe the RAM is soldered in. The User manual can be found at https://support.dynabo​ok.com …77465&isFromTOC​Link=false and on page 45 it appears all you need is a Phillips screwdriver to access the memory compartment. I do not see any instructions on replacing the hard drive but having said that the manual is a "User Manual". I'll do some more searching on the drive replacement. The current drive is a SATA "spinning platter" drive (probably 320 GB)at 5400 RPM, so it is slow. An SSD will be much faster as far as things like boot time and just general operating. But the computer dates from about 2012 and if you put an 320 GB SSD and and 16 GB or RAM in it, I would suspect it would be marginal for heavy photo applications. So the question, just how into post processing are you?

So other things that slow you down: it only USB 2.0 ports, as somone pointed out the processor which is an AMD E at 1.3 GHz is slow, and the machine only has a capability of 16 GB maximum memory across two slots (DDR3-SDRAM 1066 MHz). For involved post processing, 32 GB would likely be recommended by most of us here.

[Edit] The webpage at https://www.ifixit.com …+Drive+Replacem​ent/108390 seems to indicate that relacement of the hard drive is easy. A 500 GB SATA SSD would probably be about $60.

It's the CPU that I've read is soldered in, not the ram. I'm still wondering if this SSD would improve things - https://www.bestbuy.co​m …e/5900260.p?sku​Id=5900260. Also, my desktop has just 4 GB of ram and works great for processing photos. Everything is instantaneous. The CPU speed on the desktop is 2.9 GHZ and I was hoping the laptop would be just as snappy. The desktop is probably about the same age. Even with just 4 GB of memory, it uses just 63% when issuing a command in my editing program on a large file.

OP is right, 1.3GHz AMD processor.

But it will NOT be 'as snappy' as your 2.9GHz desktop PC ...it's CPU processing speed is only 45% as fast. In relative performance it is at the bottom of the list with score 406, compared to 10 other CPUs rating as high as 3779 (median about 2400) for Single Thread rating.

But it does fit AMD Socket FT1, which fits

• AMD E-300
  
• AMD E-450
  
• AMD E-240
  
• AMD E-350
  

mn shutterbug wrote in post #19297154
It's the CPU that I've read is soldered in, not the ram. I'm still wondering if this SSD would improve things - https://www.bestbuy.co​m …e/5900260.p?sku​Id=5900260. Also, my desktop has just 4 GB of ram and works great for processing photos. Everything is instantaneous. The CPU speed on the desktop is 2.9 GHZ and I was hoping the laptop would be just as snappy. The desktop is probably about the same age. Even with just 4 GB of memory, it uses just 63% when issuing a command in my editing program on a large file.

A couple of things…

1. In spite of the price of $21 being attractive, I would not replace the orignal drive, likely 320 GB with something on the order of 120 GB.

2. I would also be inclined to suggest you get any SSD, from the manufacturer, be it Crucial, Samsung, PNY or whatever, but not Best Buy. That is because the manufacturer usually offers a “migration” package at minimal cost. The migration package provides a cable to hook up the new drive to a USB port. Included software will mirror your existing drive to the new SSD. This can take a couple of hours, especially in your case since you have USB 2.0 ports. Then you physically open the laptop case, remove the old drive, and install the new. A link I provided earlier seems to indicate it is easy to crack the case and swap drives. When you are done and satisfied everything works OK, you can get an inexpensve SATA external drive case for about $10 and use the old drive for backups.

I work in the business of computer repair and can tell you this process is virtualy near trouble free as a DIY. I did have one machine many years ago that after the migration had an inoperative printer. Simply reinstalling the driver, a 15 second deal, took care of the issue.