3 Things to Know About Soldered RAM

Soldered RAM cannot be upgraded If the RAM is soldered to the motherboard, you cannot add or swap it. 16GB stays 16GB permanently.

Thin laptops often solder RAM to save space Ultrabooks and MacBooks typically solder everything to the motherboard. Standard laptops use replaceable SO-DIMM slots instead.

Check the service manual before buying Look up your laptop model on the manufacturer’s site. “Soldered” or “onboard” means no upgrade. “Upgradeable” or “SO-DIMM slots” means you can swap the sticks, but you must match the DDR type and speed.