You probably can, but check the fine print.

Yes, adding a single 16GB SODIMM to a laptop with 16GB soldered will give you 32GB total—assuming the slot supports it. Most modern laptops with soldered RAM plus one SODIMM slot are designed for this exact upgrade path.

The catch: not all laptops handle mixed RAM sizes gracefully. Some limit the SODIMM slot to 8GB or require matching capacities for dual-channel performance. A quick Google of your specific model plus “max RAM supported” or “soldered + SODIMM configuration” will tell you for sure.

One more thing—some manufacturers intentionally lock the BIOS to only allow certain configurations. If your laptop is from a brand that likes to “validate” upgrades, you might be stuck. But in most cases, that 16GB stick will slot right in and work fine.

Worst case: it doesn’t boot, you return the RAM. Best case: 32GB for the price of a single stick.