Exchange DDR4 memory

[Ashutosh_5]

I recently bought Dell XPS 8930 from Costco, which is exactly like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-XPS-8930-7814BLK-PUS-Tower-Desktop/dp/B077YSVGWQ/ref=sr_1_1
It has 32 GB DDR4 RAM.

at $1199.99 plus taxes and S&H. Comes out to be around $1315 or so.

As the maximum possible memory on this computer is 64GB...I inquired from Costco/Costco Concierges in terms of how many memory sticks are there....is it 4 X 8GB or 2 X 16GB. As the deal was only till 24th Dec, 2017 - i wanted a timely response...Costco took more than 4 days but no response. When followed up later...they told me ask Dell as it's Dell computer. When i was chatting with Dell Technical support - i provided the model # and the link to Dell technical support. They told me it's 2 sticks of 16GB each. Based on that information I bought the computer.
But it came out to be 4 sticks of 8GB each. Ever since then - either following up with Costco or Dell and as usual they are pointing finger to each other. Rather than honoring the words of the Dell technical support(i shared the entire chat with them) - they are not doing anything. I offered Dell to send me 2 sticks of 16GB each and i will return the 4 sticks of 8GB each...i will do the install so it should not be any issues- i take the responsibility. But Dell is not ready and both Dell/Costco is okay to return it within 90 days. Very very frustrating situation.

If i have to exchange my current 4X8 GB DDR to 2 X 16GB - how much it will cost me? Doesn't anybody buy memory except e-bay or selling it as refurbished?

In fact it's easy for them to do so...in fact cheap to so if you refer to this link:
https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-CMR32GX4M2A2666C16-VENGEANCE-PC4-21300-Desktop/dp/B072M9BS33/ref=sr_1_2
2 X 16GB costs $395 while 4X8GB costs $406.

Except wasting time - both Dell and Costco has done nothing.

What is your suggestion? Any recommended place to exchange the RAM the way i want to do? It's so obvious that when somebody buys the Desktop...they are buying to keep in mind future enhancements.

And just to scare customers...they will say if you change the memory configuration from 4X8GB to 2 X 16GB - your warranty will be void.

I could have gone via micro center etc...but the issue is - i had some limited budget. Good part about Costco desktop/laptop is that it's almost 4 yrs of warranty/guaranty.

 

[mazboy]

umm...there is no such thing as refurbished memory. There is new RAM, and used RAM, but no refurbished RAM. Tested, yes, refurbished, no.

It is unlikely that you are going to get satisfaction out of either Dell (they're not responsible: they didn't sell the computer to you) or Costco (yeah, that'll happen...).

Your best bet is to sell the RAM you have as "like new, lightly used, I'm upgrading" on eBay, and buy reputable RAM, as a kit, new, from Crucial, Corsair, Kinston, etc (I used Crucial Ballistic Sport 4x16GB in my Dell XPS8920 and it's great). You can purchase it at the best price you can find, like Amazon.com or Newegg, but buy name brand stuff.

 

[jr9]

Why do you want to swap a 4x8GB kit for a 2x16GB kit so much? They are the same total amount of RAM 32GB and should the same performance or very similar. Are you having an issue with the PC not registering 32GB? Where you planning on updating to 64GB? The model number says it has 32GB so I'm not seeing a problem :?

 

[Ashutosh_5]

umm...there is no such thing as refurbished memory. There is new RAM, and used RAM, but no refurbished RAM. Tested, yes, refurbished, no.

It is unlikely that you are going to get satisfaction out of either Dell (they're not responsible: they didn't sell the computer to you) or Costco (yeah, that'll happen...).

Your best bet is to sell the RAM you have as "like new, lightly used, I'm upgrading" on eBay, and buy reputable RAM, as a kit, new, from Crucial, Corsair, Kinston, etc (I used Crucial Ballistic Sport 4x16GB in my Dell XPS8920 and it's great). You can purchase it at the best price you can find, like Amazon.com or Newegg, but buy name brand stuff.

Yes, that's what i was also thinking about it. Thanks for the response.

 

[Ashutosh_5]

Why do you want to swap a 4x8GB kit for a 2x16GB kit so much? They are the same total amount of RAM 32GB and should the same performance or very similar. Are you having an issue with the PC not registering 32GB? Where you planning on updating to 64GB? The model number says it has 32GB so I'm not seeing a problem :?

Obviously it's the same size and performance....please read the post carefully...i want to expand in future...it's easy if it is 2 X 16GB rather than 4 X 8GB.

 

[jr9]

Why do you want to swap a 4x8GB kit for a 2x16GB kit so much? They are the same total amount of RAM 32GB and should the same performance or very similar. Are you having an issue with the PC not registering 32GB? Where you planning on updating to 64GB? The model number says it has 32GB so I'm not seeing a problem :?

Obviously it's the same size and performance....please read the post carefully...i want to expand in future...it's easy if it is 2 X 16GB rather than 4 X 8GB.

Your plans to upgrade the RAM in the future were not clearly stated. OEM machines are NOT designed with upgrading in mind either, especially Dell ones that make use of proprietary parts. Dell gave you what you paid for which was 32GB of RAM. There is no way that you are going to get them to send you another RAM kit and there is no "local RAM exchange" unless you want to try your luck at computer stores.

You can sell your RAM on eBay or something and buy a 2x16GB kit but then you are throwing your warranty out the window and spending your time buying and selling parts and installing them.

I would just return if possible it if you can or take the "sell the RAM, buy a 2x16GB and void your warranty on a new PC" route if the motherboard only has 4 slots.

 

[Ashutosh_5]

Why do you want to swap a 4x8GB kit for a 2x16GB kit so much? They are the same total amount of RAM 32GB and should the same performance or very similar. Are you having an issue with the PC not registering 32GB? Where you planning on updating to 64GB? The model number says it has 32GB so I'm not seeing a problem :?

Obviously it's the same size and performance....please read the post carefully...i want to expand in future...it's easy if it is 2 X 16GB rather than 4 X 8GB.

Your plans to upgrade the RAM in the future were not clearly stated. OEM machines are NOT designed with upgrading in mind either, especially Dell ones that make use of proprietary parts. Dell gave you what you paid for which was 32GB of RAM. There is no way that you are going to get them to send you another RAM kit and there is no "local RAM exchange" unless you want to try your luck at computer stores.

You can sell your RAM on eBay or something and buy a 2x16GB kit but then you are throwing your warranty out the window and spending your time buying and selling parts and installing them.

I would just return if possible it if you can or take the "sell the RAM, buy a 2x16GB and void your warranty on a new PC" route if the motherboard only has 4 slots.

Could you please research your answers:
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-T400-T500-and-newer-T/Will-adding-more-memory-void-my-warranty/td-p/837133

before responding to it. Many FTC.gov cases talks about it. If the manufacturer can prove that the changed/exchanged part resulted into the damage(essentially they should prove that it's accidental damage due to negligence to prove their point). This Dell XPS manual has steps to remove and upgrade various parts, adding various other components...do you think that Dell will get away so easily???? And if that voids the warranty then why they included it in their 144 pages booklet?
Though there are some reasonable points for which warranty may be void...let's say the power supply is 460W and the customer places some component which draws too much power(technically in that case - motherboard and processors has the logic to shut down that part)...but let's say some damage happened in the system due to this kind of acts...then definitely Dell can say that it's accidental negligence...

 

[mazboy]

I have a Dell XPS8920 that has been massively modified. NVMe m.2, SATA3 SSD, 2x1TB HDDs, 64GB RAM (and ain't non of it Dell stuff) from a computer that had a single 1TB HDD and 16GB RAM. I still have a Svc Tag number, and they still talk to me. Frankly, I've been pretty impressed with Dell customer service. I've been as high up it as 3 levels from basic "Dramhac from Sevastopol, how can I help you".

 

[jr9]

I was going by what you said in your own post:

"And just to scare customers...they will say if you change the memory configuration from 4X8GB to 2 X 16GB - your warranty will be void."

No idea who told you this but I took it as fact. I'm not saying you can't upgrade Dell computers, I was saying that you if you buy an OEM machine and then try and upgrade it don't expect to not run into problems. I work with OEM machines every day and constantly see people buying cheap PCs and trying to upgrade them and running into walls or expecting things that aren't owed to them by the manufacturer.

Best of luck with your issue, unfollowing.

 

[Ashutosh_5]

I have a Dell XPS8920 that has been massively modified. NVMe m.2, SATA3 SSD, 2x1TB HDDs, 64GB RAM (and ain't non of it Dell stuff) from a computer that had a single 1TB HDD and 16GB RAM. I still have a Svc Tag number, and they still talk to me. Frankly, I've been pretty impressed with Dell customer service. I've been as high up it as 3 levels from basic "Dramhac from Sevastopol, how can I help you".

Thanks a lot for sharing your experiences.