Soldered RAM replacement has a low success rate.

Technically yes, you can do it with a hot air station, but the success rate for a first-timer is probably under 20% — and that’s being generous.

The problem isn’t just removing the old chips. It’s getting the new ones aligned perfectly, applying the right amount of flux and heat, and not cooking the surrounding components. Laptop motherboards have multiple layers of copper and ground planes that suck heat away. You need preheating from underneath, a proper stencil for fresh solder balls, and steady hands.

Even experienced repair shops quote ~70% success on BGA RAM swaps, and that’s with industrial rework stations and years of practice. On a thin laptop board, one slip and you’ve lifted a pad or cracked a trace.

If you’re set on trying, practice on a dead board first. Otherwise, buy a laptop with the RAM you need from the start.

Future You will thank you for skipping the headache.