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I have a Dell Inspiron 620s PC. It has a Core i3 2120 processor which supports 32 GB RAM and an H61 chipset motherboard which supports 16 GB RAM, but then also at the Dell website it says the maximum RAM for my PC is 8 GB. Why, just why?

Peter Mortensen
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Utkarsh Yadav
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    Can you provide details of where Dell indicates this? Also, the motherboard has 2 RAM slots. Might Dell have been saying that it supports 8GB modules (where 2 modules would equal 16GB?) – Brian Jun 27 '23 at 18:09
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    Dell likely only tested compatability with 8 GB modules – Ramhound Jun 27 '23 at 18:10
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    There is a [16 GB RAM kit available on amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Tech-Inspiron-1333MHz-PC3-10600-240-Pin/dp/B087K1S52F?th=1) with one review which states it works on the Inspiron 620 (without the s). – 1NN Jun 27 '23 at 19:47
  • Also, [this kit on CompuRam](https://www.compuram.biz/memory/dell/desktop-workstation/inspiron/series/620-620s/) seems interesting: read the [related article](https://www.compuram.de/blog/en/maximise-the-maximum/). And see the following forum thread: https://www.dell.com/community/Inspiron-Desktops/Inspiron-620-what-ram-can-I-use/td-p/7531221/page/2 – 1NN Jun 27 '23 at 19:48
  • Provide a screenshot of the text in question or a direct link. We cannot guess at what page **you** might have misread. – MonkeyZeus Jun 28 '23 at 13:41
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    _"why just why ????"_ - Ask Dell. – marcelm Jun 28 '23 at 15:22
  • As @marcelm notes, we cannot give an empirical answer to why a given manufacturer says something like this, and you've already found evidence that indicates you should be OK using more RAM. – music2myear Jun 29 '23 at 16:06

2 Answers2

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According to the following post your model can accept 16 GB RAM:
Can I insert one 8gb ram instead of two 4gb rams in my pc Dell Inspiron 620s which has two slots and a limit of 8gb on motherboard.

You may see an example RAM at A-Tech 16GB (2x8GB) RAM for Dell Inspiron 620, 620s.

The explanation given in the above post is that when the manual was written, the available technology allowed only 4GB RAM sticks. By the time 8GB memory became affordable, production of the computer had ceased, so there was no incentive to update the manual for an obsolete product.

Your real limitation comes from the Intel H61 chipset. The Dell manual seems to be obsolete.

Nevertheless, I suggest buying the 2x8GB sticks from a vendor with a good return policy.

harrymc
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I cannot discover a good reasons as to why this is so. Nonetheless, it is so. Multiple third-party sites indicate the maximum RAM is 8GB. You should not add more RAM than this unless you are willing to risk damage.

While you are correct about the H61 motherboard supporting 16GB and the CPU supporting 32GB, the maximum supported by Dell is 8GB.

My best guess is that Dell has restricted capacity in the BIOS. This is probably a marketing choice. But, this is just a best-guess scenario.

(You can always try two 8GB sticks and see if the BIOS and OS will recognize the additional memory. Likely the worse that will happen is that the BIOS will either recognize a lower amount or not recognize it at all. But, there always exists the potential that it can damage the system. So, you should not try adding RAM beyond the manufacturers specifications unless you are willing to completely ruin your system.)

source: https://www.crucial.com/compatible-upgrade-for/dell/inspiron-620s

source: https://www.memorystock.com/memory/DellInspiron620620s.html

source: https://www.dell.com/community/Desktops-General-Read-Only/what-is-the-max-specs-of-a-dell-inspiron-620/td-p/4076582

Source (read Valis response via BIOS restrictions): https://gearspace.com/board/music-computers/783063-how-change-ram-max-bios.html

Brian
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  • it would helpful if you indicate some link to the information you have found on other websites. – 1NN Jun 27 '23 at 18:41
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    It is *extremely* unlikely adding more RAM than officially supported would cause hardware damage. – Daniel B Jun 27 '23 at 18:45
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    @Daniel B, I agree it is extremely unlikely but I have also seen unexpected things brick devices before so I always add that caveat so the user knows there may be risks they need to evaluate. With that said, I would probably give it a try if the RAM wasn't too expense. But my gut says its a BIOS restriction. – Brian Jun 27 '23 at 19:42
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    Its not uncommon for a computer supplier like Dell to artificially limit a computer's memory. While it *does/can* cut costs, its more about filling a market segment without lowering the value of a higher tier computer. – Keltari Jun 27 '23 at 20:02
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    @DanielB What happens is the system either doesn't detect the RAM, or it caps at the maximum that it supports. Of course, hardware modifications can go south, but that really has nothing to do with RAM, but a general risk of opening up the system. – Nelson Jun 28 '23 at 09:43
  • More RAM would usually draw more power. This would have an impact on battery life, especially in sleep mode, but given the age of the computer, the batteries have probably died a long time ago anyway. In theory, it may cause issues because it draws more power than the computer allows for, but that seems quite unlikely to me. Also it's possible that the larger RAM modules released later on actually draw less power than the the original ones. – jcaron Jun 29 '23 at 11:57