Laptop upgrades- ASUS P550C-XH51

[ragnarok94]

Bought this laptop last april
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834231337

Current OEM specs:
5400 rpm 500GB HDD (not sure if 2.5" or 1.8")
4GB (non-removable) RAM and what appears to be an expansion slot (max specs up to 10GB?*)
Win 7 pro 64-bit


so far Im looking at a seagate SSHD 1TB 2.5" drive (would go full SSD but it costs more than the laptop)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B99JUBQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=NJSUJX4XAWJ&coliid=IARV14UORCBWJ&psc=1

and a CRUCIALl SODIMM 204-pin 4gb DDR3-1600 RAM add-on.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009RBN6I6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=NJSUJX4XAWJ&coliid=I6ESHWAL9V4ZZ

any tips or recommendations on a better SSHD for around $100?
also, can anyone find size specs on my current drive/will the drive I selected fit?

*note: this is the CRUCIAL scan, but I don't think it's right
http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/scanview/ADE16A7131D926C3

 

[okcnaline]

Grr... There is no information on this laptop anywhere...! Not eBay, not Newegg!
See if there are any screws in the middle of the bottom.

 

[ragnarok94]

Grr... There is no information on this laptop anywhere...! Not eBay, not Newegg!
See if there are any screws in the middle of the bottom.

so you see my struggle

I popped it open last night, but I didn't have anything to measure with

(update) okay, popped it open again, found a ruler.
it's 2.5" x 4" x 9mm as best i can tell

 

[NeoSpudly]

might be some useful info in here:

http://www.asus.com/us/supportonly/P550CA/HelpDesk_Manual/

 

[ragnarok94]

might be some useful info in here:

http://www.asus.com/us/supportonly/P550CA/HelpDesk_Manual/

looked at it, didn't really say anything about specs so much as installation

thanks tho

 

[okcnaline]

2.5" x 4" x 9mm

Sounds like a 2.5" drive to me. Normally, I don't recommend SSHD, since it provides negligible performance upgrade, but it's up to you.
As for RAM, anymore compartments that could be opened?

 

[ragnarok94]

2.5" x 4" x 9mm

Sounds like a 2.5" drive to me. Normally, I don't recommend SSHD, since it provides negligible performance upgrade, but it's up to you.
As for RAM, anymore compartments that could be opened?

It does have one open access 204-pin expansion slot, although the 4GB it came with appears to be integrated into the motherboard. It shows my max RAM goes up to 10 GB, but I have seen some mentions where you can actually go up to 12 GB, but I think 8GB will do.
My configuration matches what the manual that NeoSpudly linked shows (p.94-95)

as for the SSHD, most articles I've seen show boot times just slightly slower than SSD but almost twice as fast as standard HDD (around 37+ sec. for HDD, 22 for SSHD, 20 for SSD). The Seagate I looked at is also a 7200 rpm drive with 8gb flash NAND. Ill likely go with that unless I find a WD or better brand with similar fast RPM and better NAND. (Im looking at a WD black w/16GB NAND on ebay, but I don't know the RPM, awaiting response from seller).

 

[okcnaline]

Yep, then all seems okay.

 

[ragnarok94]

ended up order a corsair vengeance 4gb RAM chip and a WD black slim sshd 1tb, as well as an enclosure for my old drive

 

[okcnaline]

Nice!
And do yo play Puzzles and Dragons?

 

[ragnarok94]

Nice!
And do yo play Puzzles and Dragons?

Can't say I do

btw, here is the drive I bought

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151749892308

think Ill have any issues with it?

 

[okcnaline]

Don't see a problem.

 

[ragnarok94]

also found this article on SSHD's for some interesting reading
http://www.ryli.net/the-best-fastest-hybrid-hard-drive-sshd-for-pc-ps4/#wd_laptop

 

[ragnarok94]

Its done

Installing RAM

http://postimg.org/gallery/1f450vyfw/
http://s14.postimg.org/g7mtbrk7l/20160216_164651.jpg
RAM installed http://tinyurl.com/CorsairVengeanceSODIMM

Old HDD and new SSHD*
http://postimg.org/gallery/2fb0m1uwe/

*SSHD is not a WD black white label after all...is a "Nanobyte-A" off brand, but has the same specs as specified, so Ill test it for the month.

can't tell a huge difference yet, but according to benchmarks I've got slightly faster read/write speeds

 

[ragnarok94]

well, its july and it still works pretty well. the only complaints i have about the laptop are the parts i cant change (cpu and integrated graphics).