Desktop RAM is easy. Laptop RAM is fiddly.

Much easier on a desktop. You open the case, find the slots, push down the clips, line up the notch, and click the stick in. Takes two minutes.

Laptops are a different game. You have to flip the machine, remove a bottom panel (sometimes prying it off), deal with tiny screws that strip easily, and maybe disconnect a battery or ribbon cable. The RAM slots are often stacked or hard to reach. It’s doable, but you need patience and a good toolkit.

If you’ve never done either, start with a desktop. Laptop RAM upgrades are perfectly possible—just expect to spend 15 minutes instead of 2, and maybe watch a teardown video first.

Future you will thank present you for buying a magnetic screw tray.