Customers are positive about the RAM, performance boost, ease of installation, and the price of this laptop memory. Many appreciate how easily it upgrades their system's performance and solves memory issues. However, some customers experienced compatibility problems, and a few had concerns about voltage and warranty clarity. The product is generally well-received for its effectiveness and affordability.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 1 Showing 1-20 of 1,253 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Performance
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
PNY 4 GB laptop memory improves performance
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My HP 15" AMD-A6 laptop with DVD drive came with only 4 GB of memory, and was a bit sluggish when running multiple tasks. Adding this PNY 4 GB memory to the second slot (for a total of 8 GB of memory) significantly improves the performance of the computer in all aspects. The $40 spent to upgrade the unit is well worth the price, and the PNY DDR3 soDIMM does not add any heat as installed.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Trusted the PNY brand
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This RAM was put into a desktop PC. Yes, I know. It's laptop RAM.
I build a mini-PC, and this IX Asus motherboard uses SO-DIMMs, which in this case is laptop memory.
The RAM arrived promptly and easily slotted into the motherboard.
I've been running this mini-PC for about six weeks now and have had no issue.
It runs at its specified 1,600 Mhz speed.
I would recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Voltage
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Best Buy recommended the wrong memory
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The reason I have given a rating of only 1 is because Best Buy gave me the wrong memory for my computer. To me, the module sent was worthless and I rated it accordingly. The worst thing is that I purchased the memory online at the same time that I purchased the computer. Moreover, it was linked from and listed on the computer page as the proper memory for the machine. There was also an encouragement to buy my upgrade at the same time as the computer to be sure I got the right memory.
NO! It turns out the computer itself uses low voltage (1.35V), 1600MHz memory modules. The module linked to the computer sales page was standard voltage (1.5V) 1066MHz. Because I believed it was right (from the website info), I did not feel rushed to install it in the machine. When I did, and found out it was the wrong module, it was beyond the return date meaning I was stuck with it.
PLEASE check component specifications carefully before ordering. It may not be right for your machine even if a notation claims it is. I learned the hard way and hope you don't have to.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Performance, Price, Ram
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
PERFECT FIT!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
After researching the RAM Upgrade qualifications, I learned that 4gb's was all I could add. But, searching online for the right product at a convenient location, at the right price, Was My Problem.....Until I looked at BESTBUY! They had this product in stock, at a great price and at a nearby store. I went to the store, picked it up, and have been happy ever since! Installation was a Breeze! And boy, does it make a difference in my computer usage.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ram
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Noticeably Better Recording Latency
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Let me try to explain what my rather specific title is referring to. I’ve been recording music on the computer for about a decade. Six months ago I was finally able to buy a recording program that was powerful enough to record my music properly. For a brief time I felt like a kid in a candy-store. Yet, time and time again, I kept hitting a wall because my computer’s limited memory. I was asking for more than my RAM could deliver. I was over-eager, knowing what I could do with the right musical toolset. I was at a total impasse, before I installed PNY’s - 4GB DDR3 SDRAM Memory Module. For the first time ever, after installing it, I feel as if I could do just about anything that I want on my computer.
What I mean by latency is essentially this; when I would play back a song to preview/edit it, eventually it would get to the point where the audio would start skipping/glitching. I had just added too much data for my computer to process it all properly. It sounded a bit like a scratched cd that was forced to continue playing, only even worse Needless to say it was not the most favorable of conditions to work under, when editing music. I exhausted every option available to me in the audio settings and still came up wanting. I was faced with the choice of either scaling back my music (bear in mind some these songs had haunted me for nearly ten year) or expanding my memory. Needless to say I chose to expand my memory. I glad to say that I am no longer having any memory/latency issues.
Before I purchased I researched the type of RAM that I needed (my laptop uses a PC3-10666 DDR3, 204-pin SoDIMM configuration). It can't be stress enough, please research beforehand. There are different types of RAM configurations and you need to be very specific when buying. A good place to start this research would be looking into your computer’s specifications.
The best analogy that I can think of right now is if you were to try and plug an appliance into an electrical outlet in a foreign country (if the RAM happened to be incompatible that is). Think of RAM chip as the plug and the slot in your computer as the electrical outlet. You have match the chip up according to the correct connection (size and shape; 204-pin SoDIMM in my case) as well as the correct speed (PC3-10666 DDR3; which was the matching clock speed of my computer's stock RAM chip). I’d also strongly suggest reading up a little bit on the subject before attempting to install the RAM.
However with a bit of knowledge it’s a relatively easy task to complete. Depending on how your computer is set up and with a little research on how to access the RAM slot(s) in your computer, (the computer manufacture’s Maintenance and Teardown guides are very helpful in this regard) and assuming that there is an open slot, realistically it could take around ten to fifteen minutes to install RAM; including the time it takes to boot the computer back up.
With my laptop (HP Pavilion G6) I had to unscrew one screw, take off a plate, slide a latch, slip the chip in, secure the latch back in place, screw the panel back on, and then boot my computer up. My computer recognized the chip and updated accordingly all on its own. It was only a hair harder than plug-and-play technology, but with limited prep-work beforehand, it was almost as simple.
The only issue I’d mention is that my computer seems to take a bit longer to wake up from Sleep Mode/Hibernate. Strange enough, it seems to boot faster when turned on after being completely Shut-down. This may just be due to something that I have set up incorrectly and may have nothing to do with the PNY Chip itself. It’s not been a large enough problem where I’ve felt the need to fix it. It seems to take around 15-20 seconds longer to wake up from Sleep Mode. I can see programs running, but it takes a little while before they become responsive. However it’s entirely possible that my computer is taking the same amount of time to boot and I’m just able to look at the desktop, opposed to before when it stayed on the windows load screen during that time while booting.
After it catches up, my computer runs just as fast, if not faster, than it did on the very first day when I took it out of the box (2010). I tend to run a lot of programs simultaneously. It is not unheard of for me to have 30+ tabs open in Chrome, while jumping between MS Word, (with 3-5 files open) while using media player in the background, all without any of the applications slowing down. This is actually an exact description of the state that my computer is in while I am writing this review.
The PNY Chip can handle a lot of strain. It has been able to cope with everything that I’ve throw at it and I have no reason to doubt that it’s capable of handling even more. The difference is night and day. I’m able to do things now that had taxed my computer to its limits and I don’t even have to think twice about it. I’ve used my laptop for music/photo/video editing, gaming, and I’m about to start programming on it as well.
I was lucky and found this chip on sale. I have a pretty limited budget, but I can say that this is hands down one of the best purchases that I have ever made. I bought it for just under $40, but in retrospect even if I had paid full price, I would have still felt content with my purchase. I’m used to pushing the computers I’ve owned to their limit and becoming perpetually frustrated when they can’t keep up with what I would like for them to do. I've had this chip installed for around three months and I have yet to outpace my computer.
I bought this PNY chip because of a very specific need, but I would wager that it could help any other healthy/compatible computer perform more efficiently as well. Forgive the lengthy review. I fretted for far too long over making this purchase (and also the prospect of having to install it). I wasted time that could have been much better spent. I’ve been wholly impressed with PNY’s - 4GB DDR3 SDRAM Memory Module.
Even writing at this exaggerated length I fear I cannot fully express how much this product has changed how I am able to use my computer (and it has been all for the best I assure you). For me it was a small price to pay for the freedom of not having to compromise creatively. A fair trade if you ask me. PNY is now one of the companies on my ‘trusted list’, so to speak. If this chip happens to be the right size/speed that you need for your computer, then I would recommend it without any reservations (the lifetime warranty is one of the main reasons that I feel confident enough to be so definitive about that statement).
I’d also like to mention the difference may seem subtle at first; frankly I was a bit underwhelmed until I tested my RAM using very same files that had 'broken' the system before, without any problems at all, after install the RAM. The effect can be truly profound when and where it really counts and the results are nothing short of astounding. The limits of what I can do rest only with me and not the technology. It is quite refreshing really. All things said if this is the right size/speed of RAM for your needs, then the price is well-worth what you will receive in return.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Performance, Price, Ram
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Good RAM on the cheap
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Wow, have times changed. RAM used to be so much more expensive. It's hard to know the good stuff from the rest. I just bought a new MacBook Pro and wanted to upgrade the memory in my old MacBook Pro (as instructed through iFixit.com. I could've bought the memory anywhere online, but I found this great deal at Best Buy. It was such a low price, I thought about paying more to get it elsewhere online, and even another brand. but, since I know Best Buy would stand behind the purchase and I could return it if it didn't seem to perform to expectations, I bought at Best Buy. I had no problems at all. Great value. Highly recommend.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ram, Speed
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Made my 6 year old laptop feel new again
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My wife's Macbook Pro had it's 6th birthday and she was frustrated with how slow it was being. Come to find out it was constantly using 1.99 GB of its 2 GB of RAM when it was sitting idle. So trying to do anything on it was painfully slow. We bought 2 of these 4 GB and got her up to 8 GB of RAM.
It was like a new MacBook Pro! It is so speedy now it handles everything she throws at it.
The install was really fast and easy, it took less than 10 minutes.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Performance, Ram, Speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Just what I needed, and no shipping charges
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I wanted to max out the RAM on my Dell Ultrabook. After checking prices at online sites I checked Best Buy's website to see what they had. Lo and behold, I found these PNY sodimms, and they were the same price as anywhere else. The ability to check stock at the local stores is invaluable. A quick trip and I was in business. I bought two of them so the RAM speeds would match. So far they work well, I've had no issues.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Ram, Speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent upgrade for an old laptop PC.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I was just about ready to trash my 10 year old Sony Viao because it couldn't handle multitasking with the size of the new operating systems and some programs. But, my go to repair guy suggested that I keep my diehard laptop cuz it has such a good motherboard. So I doubled the ram. It's now faster, better than my husband's 2 yr old laptop.
Easy install. Plug n play. No special skills required.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Performance, Ram
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Just what I needed
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I got sick and tired of my computer running with so much lag, I could barely stand to use it. Ended up discovering a big part of the problem was the new Firefox upgrade, but my computer still needed a RAM boost. This was super-easy to install and made a huge difference! I can now use my computer without wanting to throw it across the room!!
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Performance, Price
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
It's simple. The memory works.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The memory worked great. Its affordable and was relatively simple to install. I upgraded two of my laptops using this memory. My laptops are working so much better now. And if you're not quite sure how to install it, there's tons of "How To" videos on YouTube.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Performance, Price
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Pny - 4gb Ddr3 Sdram Memory Module
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Learning to change your own memory on a laptop is the easiest way improve the overall performance. No issues and the switch out of memory was less than a minute. Great item that was priced just right.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Performance, Ram, Speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Fast
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Along with replacing my HDD with a new SSD I added some ram, old Dell is acting like a new one now. Good decision, boots up and runs as fast as a tablet now, even with photo editing.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Price, Ram
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Good performance
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I got it in a very good price and had no problem installing it. I didn't notice a great improvement in turning on speed, but I can have several programs open without problem.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Performance, Ram
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Speed up a Slow Laptop
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The fastest way to speed up a laptop is to first clean all the unneeded files off of it. After you have done this, upgrade the memory - especially if the kids are playing games on it. Doubling the memory will aid in not only running the games faster, but also in all the things you do on a daily basis with it. You could also get a faster video card, but on a laptop these are not only more costly to replace, but very difficult. This was a great buy as they were on sale. Worked great and we are happy now with the functional response we received from the addition.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Performance, Ram
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Adequate- reliable.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
So what is there to say? Once you get past all the specifics of the ram that is acceptable for installing as an upgrade for your particular computer the rest is simple. Straightforward installation process. As far as reliability I've had no problems or memoir faults with this chip- and doubt I will. All dam has become very stable and reliable and usually outlives the motherboard of most laptops.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ram, Speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Accomplished what I needed it to.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I was using a speech recognition program on my laptop for work and the original laptop had only 2 GB of RAM out of the box. I constantly had crashes and freezes with the program, which had a recommended minimum RAM requirement of 4 GB of RAM. I added a PNY 4GB SDRAM card (for a total of 6 GB of RAM) and have not had any trouble with it since. The whole laptop is running as fast as ever, even with heavy use and a nearly full hard drive.
Definitely better than spending the money on a new laptop.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ram, Speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Easy to install
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Bought this to upgrade the memory on my secretary's all-in-one. The clerk at the store was helpful in selecting the right memory card for my computer. If you watch a video on you tube or look up instructions on your manufacturer's website, it is easy to upgrade. The most difficult part is figuring out how to take the back cover off the computer. If I can do it in 10-15 minutes, anyone can. Cheap way to get your computer to work much faster.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Price, Speed
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Laptop Speed Up
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Compatible, priced right, and easy to install. Just the speedup my laptop was looking for.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Ease of use, Performance, Price
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Good price very affordable, easy to set up and install it keeps my computer running faster than before