That's not how RAM works.

No. An external RAM stick connected via USB-C or Thunderbolt does not function as system memory. The external port can’t give the CPU direct access to that RAM the way internal memory does.

The physical RAM in a laptop sits on the memory bus, directly wired to the CPU. USB, Thunderbolt, and other external connections go through controllers, drivers, and layers of translation. Even Thunderbolt’s high speed can’t simulate a memory bus — latency and architecture make it impossible.

What you can do is use an external SSD for virtual memory (paging/swap file). That’s not the same as adding RAM. It gives the OS more space to shuffle data, but it’s much slower. Your laptop will still hit its physical RAM ceiling first, and performance will suffer if you’re constantly swapping.

If you’re soldered at 8GB or 16GB and need more, the real answer is to buy a laptop with user-upgradeable RAM or higher base memory. External “RAM adapters” are a scam or a misunderstanding.

Buy the right laptop for your needs instead of trying to hack around a hardware limitation.