Acer Nitro 5 AN515-57 Upgrade Guide

Lifecycle and support

A current model: sold new and supported.

Dates not listed haven't been published by the manufacturer or a reliable third party.

RAM (memory)

There are two SO-DIMM slots (260-pin) and, importantly, none of the memory is soldered, so both slots are yours to use. The platform takes DDR4-3200 (PC4-25600) modules running at 1.2 V, CL22, non-ECC and unbuffered. Standard laptop SO-DIMMs only — desktop DIMMs won't fit. If you see Task Manager reporting 8 memory slots, don't worry: the extra ones are unused solder pads, not real slots.

Acer officially caps the total at 32 GB (2x 16 GB). Community owners have run 2x 32 GB (64 GB) successfully, but Acer doesn't validate this and some memory makers list slower-rated 32 GB modules for it — treat 64 GB as 'works for some, no guarantee.'

Laptops ship in 8 GB (1x 8 GB), 12 GB (8+4) or 16 GB (2x 8 GB) configurations, so you may have one slot free or two sticks to replace.

Watch out for two things. First, install a matched pair: a single stick runs single-channel, which costs real gaming performance here. Second, mixing sizes (say 8+16) works in flex mode, and faster-than-3200 modules simply clock down to 3200 MT/s — there's no benefit to paying for speed beyond the platform.

Buying tips: look for 'DDR4-3200 SO-DIMM CL22 1.2V non-ECC' on the listing, buy two identical sticks if you're going to 32 GB, and stick with major brands that publish compatibility lists.

Buying tips

• Matched pair of DDR4-3200 CL22 SO-DIMMs (1.2 V, non-ECC)
• 16 GB total = 2x 8 GB; 32 GB total = 2x 16 GB
• Don't pay extra for speeds above 3200 MT/s — they'll be downclocked

Storage (SSD and hard drive)

You get three drive positions in total: two M.2 2280 slots and one 2.5-inch bay.

M.2 slots: both take 22x80 mm NVMe drives. The boot slot runs at PCIe Gen4 x4. The second slot's speed depends on your graphics card: on GTX 1650, RTX 3050 and RTX 3050 Ti models it's Gen3 x4, while RTX 3060 Max-Q and RTX 3070 Max-Q models get Gen4 x4 in both slots. The second slot also accepts M.2 SATA drives, and RAID 0 across the two M.2 slots is supported. A Gen4 drive will work fine in the slower slot — it just runs at Gen3 speed. Prefer single-sided 2280 drives (chips on one face only); double-sided modules are a tight fit in this chassis. Acer publishes no maximum drive capacity, so if you want a very large drive, check current owner reports for that specific model.

2.5-inch bay: there's one SATA 3 (6 Gb/s) bay for a 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD up to 7 mm thick. Thicker 9.5 mm drives simply won't fit. Owners report that the mounting bracket, cable and screws are included even with SSD-only configurations, but this isn't something Acer prints as a spec — check your box for the kit before buying a 2.5-inch drive.

There's no memory card reader on this model, and the Wi-Fi card sits in a separate M.2 2230 slot if you ever want to upgrade that too.

Buying tips: for everyday speed and game loads, a mainstream single-sided NVMe SSD is the sensible choice. A cheap SATA SSD or hard drive in the 2.5-inch bay makes a good bulk-storage companion to a fast boot drive.

Buying tips

• Single-sided M.2 2280 NVMe SSD (Gen4 for the boot slot)
• Check your GPU before paying for Gen4 speed in slot 2
• 2.5-inch drives must be 7 mm or thinner; confirm the mounting kit is included

How to upgrade

Before you start

• Back up anything important — drive and memory changes can go wrong.
• Shut the laptop down fully and unplug the charger. Don't work on a sleeping machine.
• Ground yourself (touch a metal object or use an anti-static strap) and work on a clean, non-conductive surface.
• Open the case using Acer's owner's manual for your exact SKU — the manual is shared across several Nitro 5 models and covers several generations, so follow the AN515-57 section. LaptopMedia's teardown of this model is a useful companion with photos.
• Fit the part: seat memory sticks at an angle and press the clips down until they click; slide M.2 drives into the connector at a shallow angle and secure them with the mounting screw; mount a 2.5-inch drive in its bracket before connecting the cable. Don't force anything.
• Close the case, reconnect the charger, and power on.
• Enter the BIOS and check that the new memory and drives are detected, then boot into your system and confirm the total in your OS. If a drive isn't seen, reseat it and check the BIOS again.

Steps

1. Before you start
   Back up anything important — drive and memory changes can go wrong.
2. Power down
   Shut the laptop down fully and unplug the charger. Don't work on a sleeping machine.
3. Ground yourself
   Touch a metal object or use an anti-static strap, and work on a clean, non-conductive surface.
4. Open the case
   Use Acer's owner's manual for your exact SKU — the manual is shared across several Nitro 5 models and generations, so follow the AN515-57 section. LaptopMedia's teardown of this model is a useful companion with photos.
5. Install the part
   Seat memory sticks at an angle and press the clips down until they click; slide M.2 drives into the connector at a shallow angle and secure them with the mounting screw; mount a 2.5-inch drive in its bracket before connecting the cable. Don't force anything.
6. Close and power on
   Close the case, reconnect the charger, and power on.
7. Check the BIOS
   Enter the BIOS and confirm the new memory and drives appear, then boot into your system and verify the totals. If a drive isn't detected, reseat it and check again.

Good to know

• Acer's manual is shared across several Nitro 5 generations - verify your exact sub-model (GPU and SKU code) before buying.
• Maximum SSD capacity isn't published by Acer; very large drives are unconfirmed.
• The 2.5-inch mounting kit being included with SSD-only models is an owner report, not an Acer spec.
• Thunderbolt 4 availability varies by configuration.

Frequently asked questions

How much RAM can the Acer Nitro 5 AN515-57 take?

Acer officially supports up to 32 GB (2x 16 GB DDR4-3200). Owners have successfully run 64 GB (2x 32 GB), but that's community-verified only and Acer doesn't endorse it.

Does the AN515-57 support DDR4-3200 RAM?

Yes. The 11th-Gen Intel models run DDR4-3200 SO-DIMMs (CL22, 1.2 V, non-ECC). Faster modules work but simply clock down to 3200 MT/s.

How many SSDs fit in the Nitro 5 AN515-57?

Two M.2 2280 NVMe drives (the second slot also takes M.2 SATA), plus one 2.5-inch SATA drive up to 7 mm thick — three drives in total. RAID 0 across the two M.2 slots is supported.

Can I upgrade the CPU in the AN515-57?

No. The Core i5-11400H / i7-11800H processors are soldered to the motherboard. There's no socket and no supported processor upgrade.

Is the second M.2 slot Gen3 or Gen4?

It depends on your graphics card. GTX 1650, RTX 3050 and RTX 3050 Ti models get Gen3 x4 in slot 2; RTX 3060 Max-Q and RTX 3070 Max-Q models get Gen4 x4 in both slots. The boot slot is Gen4 x4 either way.

Does the AN515-57 have Thunderbolt 4 and a card reader?

Thunderbolt 4 over USB-C appears on some configurations (typically i7 models) but not all, so verify your exact SKU before planning an eGPU. There is no memory card reader on this model.

Official documents and references

• PDF Acer Nitro 5 User Manual (PDF) - official
  Covers several Nitro 5 generations - follow the AN515-57 section for disassembly.
• Acer UK product specification page (AN515-57)
  Official specs: memory limits, soldered CPU, no card reader.
• LaptopMedia teardown and upgrade options (AN515-57)
  Photo guide to the M.2 and 2.5-inch slots.
• Kingston memory configurator for the Nitro 5 AN515-56/57
  Compatible module types and standard configurations.
• Acer Community: M.2 and SATA slots on the AN515-57
  GPU-dependent slot 2 speeds and the 2.5-inch mounting kit question.
• Acer Community: RAM upgrade experiences (64 GB reports)
  Unofficial 2x 32 GB results.