RAM is cheap. A 16GB kit of DDR4 SODIMM costs $25–$40. Adding it to a laptop that's struggling with multiple tabs or light video work costs you an hour and transforms the experience. The only caveat: not all laptops have upgradeable RAM.
Step one: check if your RAM is soldered. Apple Silicon MacBooks and many thin-and-light Windows laptops have RAM soldered to the motherboard — it cannot be upgraded. Check your laptop's model on Crucial.com's compatibility tool or on iFixit. If it says 'soldered,' stop here.
Step two: find the right spec. Your laptop has a RAM speed (DDR4-3200 or DDR5-4800, for example) and a maximum capacity. Don't mix RAM speeds — either replace both sticks with a matching pair, or add a stick that matches the speed and timing of the existing one. Crucial and Kingston make reliable sticks and their websites will tell you exactly what's compatible with your model.
The installation itself: remove the bottom panel (usually Phillips screws), locate the RAM slots (they look like a thin slot angled at about 30 degrees), insert the stick at the same angle, press it flat, and it clicks in. The whole process takes five minutes if the bottom panel cooperates.
After installation: power on and check Task Manager → Performance → Memory to confirm the system sees the new total. If it only shows the old amount, the stick may not be fully seated — reseat it.