Don't remove soldered RAM with hot air unless you know what you're doing.

Yes, the risk is real. One wrong angle, one second too long, and you lift a trace or delaminate the board. Soldered RAM (especially on laptops) has a ton of tiny pads under a big chip. Even with good flux and preheating, it’s easy to overheat one side while the other side stays solid, tearing traces when you try to pry it off.

The real danger isn’t just melting the solder—it’s getting even heat across the whole chip without cooking the surrounding components. If you don’t have controlled preheating and a proper nozzle, you’re basically gambling. And most people don’t have the steady hands or experience to pull it off cleanly the first time.

I’d only attempt it if