Laptop Upgrade: RAM or SSD?

I have a Dell L502X from 2011. I use it mostly for work related stuff now (programming).

Lately 2 projects with jit compilation running in them, and a browser with a bunch of tabs has been enough to cause delayed responses to simple activities such as switching windows.

The config is i7 2630QM, 6GB RAM (2GB sk hynix + 4GB samsung), and a HDD with 7200RPM.

The memory usage remains between 75 and 90%, the HDD gets often choked up with one or other windows 10 process being the cause of it. The CPU usage remains quite low.

I have a budget of around 6k, maybe stretch it a bit over course of 2 months. Don't want to spend too much on this as I'm trying to save up for a mid-range desktop so I can resume casual gaming.

I'm unsure what should I go with, this somewhat shady deal on amazon, which offers 2x 8GB sticks for 5.5k, or this 250 GB Samsung SSD for 4.7k as my primary disk, and put current HDD in a caddy which should cost around Rs 500. Maybe I could get SSD this month, and next month get just 1 8GB stick to replace the 2GB one?

Also, I'm not entirely sure if this laptop supports SSDs. I read something about the bios not supporting it, but it should after an update. My BIOS version is A12.

RBX said:
I have a Dell L502X from 2011. I use it mostly for work related stuff now (programming).

Lately 2 projects with jit compilation running in them, and a browser with a bunch of tabs has been enough to cause delayed responses to simple activities such as switching windows.

The config is i7 2630QM, 6GB RAM (2GB sk hynix + 4GB samsung), and a HDD with 7200RPM.

The memory usage remains between 75 and 90%, the HDD gets often choked up with one or other windows 10 process being the cause of it. The CPU usage remains quite low.

I have a budget of around 6k, maybe stretch it a bit over course of 2 months. Don't want to spend too much on this as I'm trying to save up for a mid-range desktop so I can resume casual gaming.

I'm unsure what should I go with, this somewhat shady deal on amazon, which offers 2x 8GB sticks for 5.5k, or this 250 GB Samsung SSD for 4.7k as my primary disk, and put current HDD in a caddy which should cost around Rs 500. Maybe I could get SSD this month, and next month get just 1 8GB stick to replace the 2GB one?

Also, I'm not entirely sure if this laptop supports SSDs. I read something about the bios not supporting it, but it should after an update. My BIOS version is A12.

The SSD would have more impact than the RAM. I have the Dell XPS L501x model. Upgrading from HDD to SSD did wonders to my laptop. I don't think your laptop will have an issue supporting SSD.

Thanks for the reply. Do you think the product I linked (Samsung 860 Evo 250GB SATA III) is compatible?

Also, how easy is migration? I think I'd like to just move over the partition containing OS. How does it work, do I first need to replace optical drive with SSD, then switch places, because I also remember reading the boot process doesn't work if I'm using SSD from the slot which earlier mounted optical drive.

RBX said:
Thanks for the reply. Do you think the product I linked (Samsung 860 Evo 250GB SATA III) is compatible?

Looks like it is compatible as per this website New Samsung SSD 860 EVO 250GB SATA III Hard Drive MZ-76E250

RBX said:
Also, how easy is migration? I think I'd like to just move over the partition containing OS. How does it work, do I first need to replace optical drive with SSD, then switch places, because I also remember reading the boot process doesn't work if I'm using SSD from the slot which earlier mounted optical drive.

In my case, i had bought a external HDD case with USB 3.0 for the internal HDD that I was gonna replace the SSD with. I put the SSD in the case and then used a cloning software to clone the OS partition of HDD. After that I just swapped the HDD with SSD . Fortunately everything worked smoothly.

Note : The SATA port for the Optical drive is usually the slower. SATA II if i remember correctly. So i think it will work but will be a bit slow. I don't remember the cloning software used, but it was a free one. I think Samsung provided software for the SSD can do the cloning thing.

W

Samsung ssd comes with samsung magician software which is a must have & it also has os cloning/transfer feature.Just buy this case *www.amazon.in/External-Portable-USB3-0-2139U3-CR-Transparent/dp/B01N07NBLA & install samsung magician & then connect samsung ssd in this case to your laptop.Use samsung magician OS transfer feature to copy OS drive to this samsung drive.Then shutdown laptop,take off ssd from the case & install it in place of hdd.Put hdd in this case now(but do not connect this case+hdd to laptop before verifying laptop boots correctly from samsung ssd first).

P.S. ssd is fine but this case traps heat(as non-conductive cover) so better use hdd while keeping the sliding cover open especially if you live in a hot climate region.