Soldered RAM is a trap.

Yes, pay extra for the slot. Future you will thank you.

Laptops with soldered RAM are intentionally disposable. Two years from now when 8GB feels like a bottleneck, you can’t just pop in a new stick. You’re stuck buying a whole new machine or living with slow performance. That extra $50–$100 now buys you at least one more upgrade cycle, sometimes two.

Sure, soldered RAM is slightly faster and saves battery. But the performance gap is negligible for 99% of users. The real cost is flexibility. If you plan to keep this laptop more than 18 months, the upgradeable option pays for itself.

Buy the slot. You’re not saving money by paying for locked-in mediocrity.