Upgrade to 64 GB: Why 32 GB Isn’t Enough for AMD Strix Halo

Key Takeaways

1. Increasing RAM Standards: The standard minimum RAM for laptops has shifted from 8 GB to 16 GB, with 32 GB becoming common, but may soon be insufficient for many users.

2. Demand from Local LLMs: The rise of local language models (LLMs) is driving a rapid increase in demand for more RAM in laptops.

3. Upgradeable RAM Advantage: Laptops with upgradeable RAM using two SO-DIMM slots can support up to 96 GB, providing a significant advantage for users with high memory needs.

4. Integrated GPU RAM Dependency: Laptops with powerful integrated GPUs require more system RAM, as they use it as VRAM, making 32 GB insufficient for demanding applications.

5. Recommendation for Buyers: Buyers of the HP ZBook Ultra G1a 14 should consider models with at least 64 GB of RAM, as 32 GB may soon be inadequate for upcoming applications and hardware.

Not long ago, Apple was offering MacBooks with only 8 GB of soldered RAM. Nowadays, 16 GB has become the standard minimum for most laptops, while 32 GB is now a common choice, a far cry from being a luxury just a few years back. However, things are changing quickly, and even 32 GB may soon be insufficient for certain users. With the growth of local LLMs, the demand for more RAM is rising rapidly. Laptops that allow for RAM upgrades hold an advantage, as they can utilize two SO-DIMM slots, which can support up to 96 GB of memory.

New Demands for Memory

Another situation where 32 GB of RAM is proving inadequate is in laptops that feature strong integrated GPUs which depend on the system’s main memory rather than having dedicated VRAM. A prime example of this is the HP ZBook Ultra G1a 14, a device we evaluated recently.

Powerful Hardware in a Compact Design

This small 14-inch workstation laptop from HP is powered by the AMD Ryzen AI Max Pro 390, a twelve-core Zen5 CPU that includes a robust integrated GPU known as the AMD Radeon RX 8050S. During our evaluation, the GPU showed it could match older mid-range mobile GPUs from Nvidia, such as the Nvidia RTX 3000 Ada, in terms of raw performance.

Sadly, the specific HP ZBook Ultra model we looked at only featured 32 GB of RAM, which is soldered and cannot be upgraded. Since the integrated GPU relies on system RAM to act as VRAM, HP allows users to adjust the VRAM settings in the BIOS. By default, it’s set to 8 GB—this isn’t sufficient for many demanding applications, including games, which occasionally failed to run. With just 32 GB, there’s no way to increase the VRAM. The only alternative would be to set it to 16 GB, which would leave only 16 GB of memory available for other tasks.

Conclusion on RAM Needs

For a device like the HP ZBook Ultra G1a 14, having only 32 GB of RAM is insufficient. We suggest that buyers should consider this HP laptop only if it comes with at least 64 GB of RAM. If more laptops featuring Strix Halo or similarly powerful integrated GPUs are released, the 32 GB RAM threshold might soon be seen as outdated.

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