Get 2x8. That way you have 2 open slots for more RAM if you decide to add more in the future. DDR4 2666 will work and be compatible. Click on the site below for more information on RAM.

http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Alienware/aurora-r7

@Anonymous

Are the same HyperX 2933 modules used in the aurora r8? - looking to upgrade and am looking at 16gb dimms with a part number on them of

XRMWRN 2Rx8 XMP4 - 2933 - UB1 - 11

Are these okay? - bottom line is similar to the ram my r8 shipped with, top line is the same.....

Area-51 R4/R5/R6, Aurora R7/R8
N205T XMP 16GB, 3200MHz, HyperX Fury DDR4, 288 pin, 2Gx64, Dual Rank, Unbuffered, 1.25v, Non-ECC
Kingston XN205T-MIE

Area-51 R3/R4/R5/R6/R7, Aurora R6/R7/R8
RMWRN XMP 16GB, 2933MHz, DDR4, 2Gx64, 8K, 288 pin, 2Rx8, Dual Rank, Unbuffered, 1.35v, Non-ECC
Kingston XRMWRN-HYA
Kingston XRMWRN-MIE

Area-51 R3/R4/R5/R6/R7, Aurora R7/R8
J69DF XMP 8GB, 2933MHz, DDR4, 1Gx64, 8K, 288 pin, 1Rx8, Single Rank, Unbuffered, 1.35v, Non-ECC
Kingston XJ69DF-HYA
Kingston XJ69DF-MIE

Thanks for that, Chris.

I spoke to Alienware Tech via live chat earlier today regarding mixing OEM modules and retail HyperX modules and as per your post earlier, it is not advised. This kinda puts me in a very awkward position. I can’t buy a single aftermarket 16gb module to match due to Dell’s customisation of HyperX timings etc.

I was told by the advisor that the best thing for me to do, if I wanted to increase my system memory, would be to take out the OEM ram and replace with aftermarket with spec as close as possible to that of the OEM HyperX.

That’s all well and good, but I PAID extra for the HyperX configuration and NOWHERE does it state that upgrading would be such a headache. Should there not have been some kind of warning about this because I imagine a LOT of people buy with a small amount of ram from Dell with a view of upgrading later.

I asked for a price for a single DIMM RMWRN to match my existing one (which I paid a lot more than lowest configuration option) and was greeted with an exhorbitant price of £360.00 gbp for the priveledge of buying it from Dell.

I mean c’mon......talk about daylight robbery, coupled with the fact that I cant match this Dell ram with anything other than buying it FROM Dell......

That’s extremely underhanded from Dell, especially when there is NO WARNING that a buyer won’t be able to just ADD memory later.

Okay, update for me.

I managed to buy a 16gb DIMM of Dell HyperX 2933 from someone who’d pulled it from their R7!!! - I’ve installed it just now (slots 2 & 4 - slot 2 populated with existing DIMM) and all appears fine. System recognised memory changes upon boot, System info showing 32gb.

Rebooted, into BIOS, enabled XMP2 and restarted. Again, all fine. 

Noted something in CPUz that the DIMM’s have different voltages - everything else is the same, just the voltage for each DIMM is different. I don’t know if it is supposed to be like that??

Both DIMM’s are definitely Dell OEM, only difference is that (from ChrisM below) one is XRMWRN-HYA, the other is XRMWRN-MIE

Area-51 R3/R4/R5/R6/R7, Aurora R6/R7/R8
RMWRN XMP 16GB, 2933MHz, DDR4, 2Gx64, 8K, 288 pin, 2Rx8, Dual Rank, Unbuffered, 1.35v, Non-ECC
Kingston XRMWRN-HYA
Kingston XRMWRN-MIE

Thoughts please???

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@steviejones133 wrote:

1. (slots 2 & 4 - slot 2 populated with existing DIMM) and all appears fine.

2. Noted something in CPUz that the DIMM’s have different voltages - everything else is the same, just the voltage for each DIMM is different. I don’t know if it is supposed to be like that??

Both DIMM’s are definitely Dell OEM, only difference is that (from ChrisM below) one is XRMWRN-HYA, the other is XRMWRN-MIE

Thoughts please???

 

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1. Right. Proper slots marked XMM1 and XMM2 ... read as Slots 2 & 4 in CPUZ for some reason. That is fine.

2. Both are "XRMWRN" so should still be considered a "matched set".

Looks like they updated the burnt-in SPD on the MIE revision .

It's strange but I would not worry. However, while I can OC, I don't (speed kills) .  :Smile:

Yeah, just a bit concerned, when looking around for the part number ChrisM posted, I didn’t think there would be ANY difference. Quite shocked to see different voltages in CPUz as I had thought everything would be identical. 

How nice of Dell to complicate things yet again even more when buying identical part numbers.......