Tag: dell

Can I Use a Power Supply with a Higher Wattage Rating on my Laptop?

Laptop Adapters

Swapping power supplies

It can be kind of complicated and confusing if you’re not familiar with how a power supply (and to some degree, electricity itself) works.

The short rules boil down to this:

  • The output connector must match.
  • The polarity of the output connector must match.
  • The output voltage must be the same.

In addition,

  • The output amperage must be greater than or equal to that required by the laptop.

or:

  • The output wattage must be greater than or equal to that required by the laptop.

Source: Can I Use a Power Supply with a Higher Wattage Rating on my Laptop? – Ask Leo!

How much RAM do you need, should you upgrade it, and will it speed up your PC? | ExtremeTech

How much RAM do you need?

How much RAM you need in a system depends on what you intend to do with it, how long you intend to keep it, and whether or not you can upgrade your memory post-purchase. This last point is important, as many high-end laptops have eliminated user-upgradeable RAM in order to reduce system thickness by roughly six nanometers.

Adding additional RAM to any laptop generally increases power consumption by a measurable (if small) amount, but this shouldn’t be an issue for most users. It’s also better to have a bit too much RAM than too little, as whatever you gain in power savings you’ll promptly lose to increased disk paging.

Apple’s MacBook Air offers 4GB of RAM, but most of the systems from Dell, HP, and other OEMs start at 8GB, and I think that’s the better sweet spot. That’s not to say you can’t get by on 4GB — you absolutely can — but 8GB gives you a bit more breathing room.

Check out the full article ↓↓

via How much RAM do you need, should you upgrade it, and will it speed up your PC? | ExtremeTech.