All Laptop Q&A - Recent Posts https://laptopqa.com/qa/ Laptop Q&A Discussion Board en-US Fri, 29 May 2026 17:57:56 +0000 wpForo 60 Answer to: Is HP 250 G9 RAM Upgradeable? https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/is-hp-250-g9-ram-upgradeable/#post-154 Thu, 04 Sep 2025 14:52:37 +0000 This is a tricky one, because in the service manual for the HP 250 G9 HP claims RAM is "not customer accessible or upgradeable.

https://kaas.hpcloud.hp.com/pdf-public/pdf_5491984_en-US-1.pdf

HOWEVER, in the same service manual there is a procedure with pictures describing RAM upgrades. I'm sure it is technically upgradeable, but they claim it is not "customer upgradeable", because you need tools to disassemble the laptop to perform the upgrade, which I a task for pros, not everyday customers.

They don't claim anywhere that RAM is soldered onto the motherboard.

]]> Dan https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/is-hp-250-g9-ram-upgradeable/#post-154 Is HP 250 G9 RAM Upgradeable? https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/is-hp-250-g9-ram-upgradeable/#post-153 Thu, 04 Sep 2025 13:59:37 +0000 Hello. Can I upgrade RAM from 4GB to 8GB, laptop model HP 250 G9?

]]> Anonymous https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/is-hp-250-g9-ram-upgradeable/#post-153 Answer to: Laptop RTX 5050 vs 5060? https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/laptop-rtx-5050-vs-5060/#post-152 Mon, 25 Aug 2025 10:42:26 +0000 This seems to be a reliable gameplay benchmark and it's in line with the specs of the RTX 5050 & 5060 for laptops:

https://youtu.be/5jGFxQf85nU

Although we don't know the actual TDP of the GPUs in the tested Asus ROG Strix G16 (2025) G615 G615JHR laptops, you can see in the video it tops at around 115 Watts on both. Also, the 5060 variant runs cooler while giving better fps, in some games noticeable more, depending on the game. Is this worth additional $100? It's up to you, but right now I see the tested 5060 Strix is only $50 more on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-ROG-Strix-Gaming-Laptop/dp/B0DZZWMB2L

]]> Dan https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/laptop-rtx-5050-vs-5060/#post-152 Answer to: Are Batteries in Macbook Air 2015 and 2017 Interchangeable? https://laptopqa.com/qa/macbook/are-batteries-in-macbook-air-2015-and-2017-interchangeable/#post-151 Sun, 24 Aug 2025 20:03:41 +0000 Yes, if the 2015 MacBook Air is the 13-inch version, not the 11-inch model which has a different battery. The 13-inch MBA 2015 and 2017 use the same battery and they are interchangeable. You can also use the battery from older 13" MacBook Airs but keep in mind that the 2010 to 2012 models have a slightly lower capacity of 50 WHr versus 54 WHr of the 2013-2017 models.

]]> Dan https://laptopqa.com/qa/macbook/are-batteries-in-macbook-air-2015-and-2017-interchangeable/#post-151 Are Batteries in Macbook Air 2015 and 2017 Interchangeable? https://laptopqa.com/qa/macbook/are-batteries-in-macbook-air-2015-and-2017-interchangeable/#post-150 Sun, 24 Aug 2025 19:05:37 +0000 Hi, can I put the battery from the 2015 MacBook Air into the 2017 MacBook Air?

]]> Joe https://laptopqa.com/qa/macbook/are-batteries-in-macbook-air-2015-and-2017-interchangeable/#post-150 Answer to: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon - How to Find Out Year of Release and Generation? https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-how-to-find-out-year-of-release-and-generation/#post-149 Sun, 24 Aug 2025 13:01:26 +0000 Just like with other Lenovo ThinkPad laptops, If you have one of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon models at your hand, you can check on the bottom plate the generation and model name imprinted on it. It should be also visible in Windows System Information app (in Windows Search type "system information" to find the app).

If you don't have any other way to find out the year of release or generation, like when you don't have the laptop, what can help is to find its processor series. I have compiled the table below, so you can find the X1 Carbon generation based on the processor used. But, note that select X1 Carbon laptops from different generations have the same CPUs. You can differ them by their generation-specific features listed in the table.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Generation & Model Names

Year of Release

Processors Used (Intel Core)

Generation-Specific Differences*

1st Gen X1 Carbon (3443, 3444, 3446, 3448, 3460, 3462, 3463)

2012

i5-3317U, i5-3427U

 

2nd Gen X1 Carbon (20A7, 20A8)

2014

i5-4200U, i5-4210U, i5-4300U, i7-4600U

 

3rd Gen X1 Carbon (20BS, 20BT)

2015

i5-5200U, i5-5300U, i7-5500U, i7-5600U

 

4th Gen X1 Carbon (20FB, 20FC)

2016

i5-6200U, i5-6300U, i7-6500U, i7-6600U

With Ethernet LAN port

5th Gen X1 Carbon (20HR, 20HQ, 20K4, 20K3)

2017

i5-6200U, i5-6300U, i7-6500U, i7-6600U, i5-7200U, i5-7300U, i7-7500U, i7-7600U

Without Ethernet LAN port

6th Gen X1 Carbon (20KH, 20KG)

2018

i5-7300U, i5-8250U, i5-8350U, i7-8550U, i7-8650U

 

7th Gen X1 Carbon (20QD, 20QE, 20R1, 20R2)

2019

i5-8265U, i5-8365U, i5-10210U, i7-8565U, i7-8665U, i7-10510U, i7-10710U

Wi-Fi 5 802.11ac

8th 1st Gen X1 Carbon (20U9, 20UA)

2020

i5-10210U, i5-10310U, i7-10510U, i7-10610U, i7-10710U, i7-10810U

Wi-Fi 6 802.11ax

9th Gen X1 Carbon (20XW, 20XX)

2021

i5-1135G7, i5-1145G7, i7-1165G7, i7-1185G7

 

10th Gen X1 Carbon (21CB, 21CC)

2022

i5-1235U, i5-1240P, i5-1245U, i5-1250P, i7-1255U, i7-1260P, i7-1265U, i7-1270P, i7-1280P

 

11th Gen X1 Carbon (21HM, 21HN)

2023

i5-1335U, i5-1340P, i5-1345U, i7-1355U, i7-1360P, i7-1365U, i7-1370P,

 

12th Gen X1 Carbon (21KC, 21KD)

2023

Ultra 5 125H, Ultra 5 125U, Ultra 5 135U, Ultra 7 155H, Ultra 7 155U, Ultra 7 165H, Ultra 7 165U

 

13th Gen X1 Carbon (21NS, 21NT, 21NX, 21NY)

2024

Ultra 5 225H, Ultra 5 225U, Ultra 5 226V, Ultra 5 235H, Ultra 5 235U, Ultra 7 255H, Ultra 7 255U, Ultra 7 256V, Ultra 7 258V, Ultra 7 265H, Ultra 7 265U, Ultra 7 266V, Ultra 7 268V

 
]]> Dan https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-how-to-find-out-year-of-release-and-generation/#post-149 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon - How to Find Out Year of Release and Generation? https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-how-to-find-out-year-of-release-and-generation/#post-148 Sun, 24 Aug 2025 12:53:51 +0000 The common question is how to find out what generation is a laptop from the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon series and what's its year of release. Read the answer below or contribute with your own answer.

]]> Dan https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-how-to-find-out-year-of-release-and-generation/#post-148 Answer to: Does Surface Laptop 7 Supports Active Digitizer Pen? https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/does-surface-laptop-7-supports-active-digitizer-pen/#post-147 Sat, 23 Aug 2025 19:12:31 +0000 Unfortunately, the Surface Laptop 7, including the 13, 13.8 and 15 inch version, doesn't feature support for active digitizer pen input. It only supports finger input. You can also use the ordinary capacitive pens without pressure sensitivity and other benefits of the active digitizer.

As you can see on this official link, active digitizer pen input is missing from the specs sheets of the Surface Laptop 7: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/devices/surface-laptop#tech-specs-uid66f1

The confusing part is that the older Surface Laptop 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 versions do support active digitizer pens, so its lack on the Surface 7 is a downgrade.

 

]]> Dan https://laptopqa.com/qa/laptop-pc/does-surface-laptop-7-supports-active-digitizer-pen/#post-147