There are a ton of users that own laptops from Asus, that being said, the majority of users are wondering if their Asus laptops are upgradeable so that they can make the most of their laptops.
This begs the question, can Asus laptops be upgraded? Which Asus laptop parts are upgradeable? How can one upgrade their Asus laptops?
Can Asus Laptops Be Upgraded?
Yes, several Asus laptops can be upgraded, however, you can only upgrade parts such as the RAM and SSD.
If you’re the type of user who isn’t satisfied with the lack of storage on their Asus laptop, then you’re in luck, because you can upgrade your HDD/SSD, as for the speed of running programs in your laptop, you can have your RAM upgraded as well.
However, do take note that not every single Asus laptop can have their RAM upgraded. There are a few laptop models that have SODIMM slots while others don’t have them at all. The general rule when it comes to confirming whether or not components in a laptop are upgradeable is if they’re soldered into the motherboard or not.
That being said, in general, SSDs, HDDs, and RAMs are the sole components in Asus laptops that can be upgraded since other components such as the CPU and GPU are soldered into the motherboard and would deem impossible to replace.
However, do take note that not every single Asus laptop can have their RAM upgraded. There are a few laptop models that have SODIMM slots while others don’t have them at all. The general rule when it comes to confirming whether or not components in a laptop are upgradeable or not
Although, we’ve seen some opinions from various users that the GPUs on Asus laptops can be replaced, however, the process would be difficult and pricey. According to one user online, to replace a GPU on an Asus laptop, one must change the heat sink of the GPU, the GPU itself, and get a custom BIOS.
A custom BIOS is necessary to locate the other Nvidia cards that are compatible with the configurations of a specific Asus laptop model. By doing this process, not only will you invest time, you’ll also need to have heaps of money to pull out this kind of process. Either way, it’s not a recommended path to take in terms of upgrading your Asus laptop.
There are multiple downsides when it comes to tampering with your Asus laptop in an attempt to upgrade its components on your own. One of said downsides would be voiding the warranty of your laptop. To save yourself from such problems, the best thing to do is to consult Asus’ Customer Support and inquire about possible upgrades of your laptop.
Which Parts On Asus Laptops Are Upgradable?
As aforementioned, the only upgradeable parts on Asus laptops are HDDs, SSDs, and RAMs. We’ll be explaining each component below to help users understand why some parts are upgradeable and some not at all.
RAM (Memory)
Luckily for Asus laptops, some models come with SODIMM slots which means the RAM can be upgraded. The following Asus laptop models that can have RAM upgrades would be Asus TUF 15 (2 SODIMM slots), Asus TUF 17 (2 SODIMM slots), Asus G14, G15, VivoBook Flip 14 TM420IA (one SODIMM slot).
If you’re curious to know where you can purchase RAMs for your laptop, you can browse for them online. There are tons of websites that sell these types of components and usually, they provide options where you can select the model of your laptop and the website will automatically show which RAM is compatible with your laptop.
We’ve searched online and found two websites which would be of help in your search for RAMs for your Asus laptop: Crucial.com and Asus Accessories Spare Parts Company. The latter website provides various RAM capacities that come in 2, 4, 8, and 16GB in either DDR3 or DDR4.
We’ll give a few examples of Asus laptop models that have RAMs you can upgrade:
Asus G513IC
- 8GB DDR4 3200 MHz SO-DIMM
- 16GB DDR4 MHz
Asus A409FJ
- 4GB DDR4 2666 MHz SO-DIMM
Asus H700GV
- 4GB DDR4 3200 MHz
- 8GB DDR4 3200 MHz SO-DIMM
- 16GB DRR4 2666 MHz
- 16GB DDR4 3200 MHz
Asus STRIX503VM
- 4GB DDR4 2133MHz SO-DIMM
- 4GB DDR4 2400MHz SO-DIMM
- 16GB DDR4 2400MHz SO-DIMM
- 8GB DDR4 2400MHz SO-DIMM
Another method wherein you can find out whether or not your laptop’s RAM is upgradeable or not is to check if it’s soldered in the motherboard.
Be careful not to tamper with your soldered RAM since this would lead to various problems. If you’re unsure of what to do, always ensure to ask Asus first and inquire more about upgrades regarding your RAM.
Hard Drive (HDD)
When it comes to upgrading the HDD of an Asus laptop, usually users and even Asus themselves would recommend SSDs. It’s not worth it to upgrade an HDD to another HDD with a bigger capacity since you can’t really consider that as an “upgrade”.
However, if you still want to pursue the route of upgrading your HDD for another HDD with a higher capacity, then you can still do so. You may visit this website and see what HDDs are compatible with your laptop model.
To give a few examples, we’ll be providing a few laptop models for your reference:
Asus M409BA
- HDD 2.5’’ 500GB SATA 6Gb/s
- HDD 2.5’’ 1TB SATA 6Gb/s
- HDD 2.5’’ 2TB 6Gb/s
Asus Q302LA
- HDD 2.5’’ 500GB SATA 6Gb/s
- HDD 2.5’’ 750GB SATA 6Gb/s
- HDD 2.5’’ 1TB SATA 6Gb/s
- HDD 2.5’’ 2TB 6Gb/s
- HDD 2.5’’ 3TB 6Gb/s
- HDD 2.5’’ 4TB 6Gb/s
Processor
Nowadays, it’s rare to find Asus laptops that don’t have soldered CPUs in them, so it’s going to be an impossible task to upgrade these components. Never tamper with soldered CPUs if you don’t want to risk damaging your laptop and voiding its warranty.
The wisest thing to do at this point would be to upgrade to another Asus laptop with higher specs. However, if you’re determined to desolder your processor and have the skills to pull this kind of task, then by all means do so.
Motherboard
Similar to processors, the majority of laptops, even those manufactured by Asus, can’t have their motherboards upgraded. The process is too tedious and expensive so there’s no point in doing it in the first place. You might as well just purchase a brand new laptop that has higher specs.
Graphics Card
The GPUs from Asus laptops is another component that’s impossible to replace since these are soldered into the motherboard. Most laptops nowadays don’t provide MXM slots so that just confirms the fact that GPUs in laptops aren’t upgrdeable in the first place.
The only way to upgrade this component would be to buy an entirely new Asus laptop. Of course, that would be a better option as opposed to desoldering the GPU on your own.
Are Asus Gaming Laptops Upgradable?
Yes, Asus gaming laptops are upgradeable, do take note though that only the RAM, SSD, and wifi card can be upgraded.
Almost all of Asus’ gaming laptop line have the three aforementioned components that can be upgraded. Components such as the CPU and GPU are soldered into the motherboard so they can’t be upgraded.
If you would like to have the CPU and GPU upgrade you must purchase a brand new laptop. Although users have reported that upgrading their RAM has significantly improved the performance of their Asus gaming laptop, some users aren’t satisfied with merely upgrading their RAM.
Some users further state that their CPU and GPU components aren’t powerful enough to handle demanding applications that are run all at the same time. The way we see it, the only solution for this is to either purchase an entirely new Asus gaming laptop with high specs or build a custom gaming desktop.
A desktop would be the most viable option here that just makes sense since every component inside of a chassis can be upgraded. Components such as the HDD, SSD, CPU, GPU, RAM, fans, and all other components that comprise a gaming desktop can be easily upgraded.
Is The Asus Zenbook Upgradable?
No, the Asus Zenbook line isn’t upgradable since its components are soldered into the motherboard.
Apart from the CPU and GPU, even the storage and memory components of the Asus Zenbook line aren’t upgradeable. However, some of the older Zenbook models can have their RAM upgraded upon purchase.
According to an article by laptopmedia.com, the memory and storage of an Asus Zenbook 14 UX425 may be soldered, but luckily, users can have their notebooks configured with up to 32GB of LPDDR4 memory.
How Can You Upgrade Your Asus Laptop?
You can upgrade your Asus laptop by checking if the components aren’t soldered, once you’ve confirmed that they aren’t soldered, you may proceed to purchase upgradable parts online. Also, the best way to ask for your laptop’s upgradeability is to consult the Asus Customer Support.
Before you decide to purchase components online to replace the ones in your laptop, you must first consult with the Asus Customer Support and have your laptop checked for any upgradeability. This’ll prevent any problems from happening, such as voiding the laptop’s warranty and damaging the internal structure of the laptop.
Moreover, Asus most likely would recommend components to you if you wish to proceed to upgrade your Asus laptop. In the event that Asus doesn’t have any components available for your laptop, you may proceed to this link which shows several lists of Asus laptop models with their compatible components (e.g. RAM, SSD, HDD).
Steps On How To Upgrade The RAM And SSD Of Your ROG STRIX Laptop?
Luckily, Asus understands the needs of its users and their need to upgrade their laptops as time passes. That being said, ROG STRIX laptops are user-upgradeable which means the RAM or storage can be upgraded to their liking.
Of course, before you start disassembling your laptop, you must first prepare the necessary tools for this process.
Materials you’ll need:
- 0 phillips screwdriver
- Thin piece of plastic (e.g. guitar pick)
- The components you’ll need for upgrading your laptop memory or storage. Ensure that this is compatible with the model of your Asus laptop.
Procedure:
- Gather your tools for opening your laptop and have your replacement components ready.
- Place the laptop face down on a soft surface to ensure that it doesn’t get damaged. Using the philip screwdriver, undo all the screws on the bottom of the case.
Take note that not all the screws are of the same length so we recommend putting them in a parts tray or a tray that’s wide enough to keep the screws apart and to prevent losing them.
- You may encounter a screw that can’t be removed, don’t panic because this is part of the laptop’s design. This screw is called the pop-open screw and it’s designed that way for users to easily access the interior of the laptop.
Once it’s loose enough, you may proceed to open the bottom panel of the laptop’s case (the screw will still be attached to it).
- If you’re unable to pull off the bottom case after loosening the final screw the next thing you should do is to grab the thin piece of plastic that you have and undo the clips of the bottom panel. Use an upward and inward motion until you hear clicking noises, this’ll indicate that the clips have been undone.
Proceed to slide the thin piece of plastic all around the case, once you’re done with that, don’t open the bottom panel just yet.
- Slowly open the bottom panel and be careful not to break the two ribbons you’ll see inside. These ribbon cables are responsible for the RGB downlighting of the laptop, so do proceed with caution!
- To pull out the ribbon cables, trace them to their connectors on the motherboard and use the thin piece of plastic to lift up the mechanism that holds them in place. Once that’s done, you may gently pull the ribbon cables from their sockets.
- Before you proceed to replace the components of your laptop, make sure to disconnect the battery first. Do this step by tracing the cords of the battery to their socket in the motherboard. Then, slide the metal plate back and pull the battery connector upwards to take it out of its socket.
- If you’re adding a storage upgrade, you’re in luck since this step is easy. Most Asus ROG laptops have a second SSD slot below the first slot, so all you have to do is unscrew the M.2 screw, slide the SSD in it diagonally, and then press it down and screw the M.2 screw back in place.
- If you’re adding memory, or RAM, all you have to do is locate the area under the two sheets of heat shields located in the center of the motherboard. Pull the sticker back (not all the way) to reveal the current RAM of the laptop.
There are two metal levers on the side of the RAM stick, pull these outwards to take out the RAM from its slot.
- Once the old RAM stick is out, you may proceed to grab your new RAM stick and slide it onto the RAM slot in a diagonal manner. Press down the sides of the stick until it snaps into place. Re-apply the heat shields and this step is done.
- Before you proceed to close the bottom panel of the laptop, make sure that there isn’t any debris in its interior. If there are, make sure to dust them off, then, you may attach the battery and ribbon cables in their rightful sockets.
Close the bottom panel and ensure that the clips snap into place and the screws are all tightened in their places.
- The final step would be booting up your ROG laptop. Check if your RAM was installed properly by accessing the Armory Crate. The software will report the memory of your laptop.
Let’s say your RAM upgrade is 64GB and the software is only showing 32GB, this is an indication that your RAM may not have been inserted properly.
As for the SSD, you can check this via Windows Explorer, however, you’ll most likely have to initialize and format it. You may begin this process by clicking on the Start menu, search Disk Management, and open the application.
Find your new storage driver and select it from the list, right-click it, and press the Initialize button. Then, right-click it again to set up a New Simple Volume. Once this process is done, you’ll see your new storage driver in Windows Explorer.
If you’re encountering problems in regards to booting up your laptop, you may consult the Asus Customer Support to help you set up your ROG laptop. It’s likely that they’ll be the ones to install the necessary upgrades for you as well (applicable in some countries). Always reach out to them if you need any assistance with your laptop.
Resources:
https://www.asus.com/support/FAQ/1043136/
https://www.asus-accessories.com/laptop/storage/hdd-25-inches-storage/modele/q302la
Susan is a professional writer. She has been a writer for eight years and has always been so fulfilled with her work! She desires to share helpful, reliable, and unbiased information and tips about tech and gadgets. She hopes to offer informative content that can answer users’ questions and help them fix their problems.