If your RAM is soldered, you're probably stuck.

It depends on whether your laptop has an open memory slot or not.

Some laptops solder half the RAM and leave a slot free. For example, 8GB soldered + an empty SODIMM slot. Pop in an 8GB stick and you’re at 16GB. Easy.

But if every byte is soldered—common in thin-and-lights, MacBooks, Surface Laptops, and many ultrabooks—you’re out of luck. No upgrade possible. Period.

Check your model’s specs or pop the bottom panel to see. If there’s no slot, your only option is to live with it or replace the laptop. External solutions like ReadyBoost or faster SSDs won’t give you more RAM.

Next time, buy a laptop with upgradeable memory if you want flexibility. Soldered RAM saves space, but it’s a gamble.