If you're on a tight budget, you can grab a model with 10th Gen Intel Core i3-10110U processor (CPU) with two cores and a clock speed up to 4.10GHz, as well as 4GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. However, current configuration options are limited to 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. You will need a few tools like hex and Philips screwdrivers and a small pry to help remove the bottom cover on the XPS 15.As far as RAM and storage go, Dell's product page mentions configurable hardware up to 16GB of LPDDR3-2133MHz RAM and a 2TB M.2 PCIe NVMe solid-state drive (SSD). You are looking at about a 20-minute job if you take your time. The process is just taking off the bottom cover of the laptop, pushing the latch pins for the RAM to the side and swapping it with the new RAM. This upgrade is very simple and even easier than changing the Wi-Fi card. Another way of putting that is the XPS 15 (95) already ships with fast RAM, so it is the amount we are looking to improve upon. I do not advise buying less RAM that is clocked faster. If you have to pick one, go for more RAM.

If you want to see a dramatic improvement in performance for everyday tasks, stay tuned for my SSD upgrade guide for the XPS 15.įinally, remember it is always preferable to increase RAM amount over RAM speed. Yes, your XPS 15 will feel peppier after this upgrade, but it won't be a massive difference. Something like CAS Latency is also relevant. We're talking maybe in the realm of 2-5% difference in throughput for things like the GPU under heavy load. Speaking of, let's be clear: any 'speed' difference with RAM will likely make little impact on an actual day to day basis. You could, of course, find even cheaper RAM clocked at 2133MHz, but if you're opening your machine and replacing the RAM why not spend the few extra bucks to get a slight bump in performance? If you are upgrading from an 8GB XPS 15 to 16GB, you can find the same G.SKILL RAM with less memory at half the cost:Įither one of those will give you more memory at a slightly higher speed. Kingston's HyperX Impact RAM is also impressive and may cost even less. This RAM is the same as my extreme version just clocked at 2400MHz and cheaper by around $25. Assuming Dell does not enable 2800MHz speeds for RAM here is what you should buy for the high-end:

8gb vs 16gb ram dell xps