Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
The wholly redesign Dell XPS 14 and 16 came out this year as two of the most divisive laptop computer in recent computer storage . No , it was n’t just the capacitive touch buttons or invisible trackpad that caused an uproar — it also moved to solder RAM . This was a big change from the past , where the XPS 15 and 17 were both celebrated for their upgradability .
Of of course , Dell is n’t the first to make the transition . In fact , they ’re one of the last , which is what gain the decisiveness so much tougher to unsay . Where solder RAM was previously limited to just MacBooks andultrabooks , it ’s now affect most high - performancelaptops for gamingas well . Even the fantastic ROG Zephyrus G14 moved to soldered memory this class .
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
So , why do these company keep move in this focussing ? Is there any validity to their claims about unspoilt operation or allowing for a thinner human body ? I spoke with many of the major laptop manufacturer to seek out some answers .
What is soldered RAM and why should you care about it?
First , some background knowledge . The term “ solder RAM ” refers to a character of computer memory that is permanently attached or solder onto a laptop ’s motherboard . gratuitous to say , that make it impossible to upgrade , or even resort .
Laptops in the main either come with all of the Aries the Ram solder onto the motherboard or with traditional Aries sticks that time slot into the board and can be take or supervene upon . The latter is referred to as pocket-sized outline dual in - crease memory modules ( SO - DIMMs ) . However , some laptops these day may feature a mix of the two , with some RAM permanently solder and an empty slot that allows for upgradeability .
It ’s not all bad . Whether we ’re talking about fragile and light productiveness laptops , budget notebooksmade for casual manipulation , or high - oddment gaming beasts , they ’re all seek to economise blank space , prolong battery life , and optimize cooling system . Using soldered read/write memory can be one of those space - saving techniques that enable manufacturers to create even thinner laptop , and all three of the company I spoke to about this affirm that .
While laptop computer manufacturers in the main seem to care soldered RAM , not all terminal - substance abuser are onboard . The reason why partizan across various forums and Reddit community of interests are n’t happy with the rise in solder RAM is that it forthwith affect the note value of the laptop computer that you ’re buying . It makes the laptop ’s memory impossible to upgrade in the future , and the stamping ground get trickier .
For some people , this is n’t a job . Electronics , computers included , have never had shorter life-time than they do now , and laptops are one of the things that get exchange every few years . Most exploiter think of bribe a new laptop before they ever think of desire more Aries . After all , newgraphics cardsand central processing unit come out every single year , enticing consumers to go onwards and put back their be laptops with something fresh and better . However , for power users , the want of upgradeability is progressively becoming a problem .
Why are laptop Almighty subject us to this ? If you ’d ask Reddit , they ’d tell you it ’s plan obsolescence , but is that all there is to it ?
Despite spending over two month working on this article , I still sense like the matter of soldered RAM versus socketed options remains unexplored . Each type exist in its own corner , and now , there ’s a lot of migration between one niche and the other where there was n’t much before . We ’re now see soldered RAM in gaming laptop , whereas antecedently we ’d only see it in productiveness machine .
Is this trend going to bind around ? Most probably , although it ’s hard to promise to what extent . One thing is clear , though — there are tangible benefits to ship’s company using solder RAM , and all the people I spoke to while write this agree that they outweigh the downsides , but how that applies to the end - user is a bit more complicated .
What makes soldered RAM popular?
To discover out what ’s so great about soldered RAM , I spoke to Haval Othman , who is a elderly manager of experience applied science at HP . Othman made it clear that there are situations where he and his team would prefer to apply solder RAM , but it ’s not a go - to solution for everything . “ The main two reason I could retrieve about from all the strategical conclusion - devising to using solder RAM or socket RAM are the thermals , the efficiency , and the mannikin element , ” Othman order .
lease ’s break this down a little moment .
It saves space
If there ’s one matter and one matter only that soldered RAM is indisputably good for , it ’s saving blank space . Othman explain the benefits , saying : “ If battery living , mobility , chassis factor ( thin and clear ) , and power efficiency are my priority among other design choices , then my mind immediately choke to soldered random access memory ; because that ’s where soldered RAM can be beneficial and tycoon - efficient , which will lead to long battery life . Plus , it ’s going to give me more space on the motherboard , so I can project the product thinner and lighter . [ … ] If we want a sparse product , the trade - off is soldering more of the devices onto the board . ”
This tracks . In a laptop computer , there ’s only so much blank space that can be used for components , and that free space grows small by the year to make ultrabooks possible . They ’re an industrywide tendency that was first popularize by Apple , and the rest of the laptop manufacturing world quick caught on . Each class , laptops are released thinner and light , and that means having to squeeze the portion together in fresh , innovative ways .
Apple ’s way of convey around this was to set forth using its own system - on - a - chip ( SoC ) that incorporate the CPU , the GPU , and the memory into a single chip . Other companies have to make do in dissimilar ways , and this is probably one of the biggest reasons behind soldered RAM .
Soldering the retentivity down onto the motherboard means that it can be attached almost anywhere within the laptop alternatively of being slotted into a specific part of it . It in effect nominate the laptop thinner by cutting back on the space that the RAM mental faculty take up . The quad keep open by soldering memory can be used for other things , such as a braggart battery .
It’s cheaper and easier to produce — or is it?
Not only are solder mental faculty much thinner , but hearsay has it that they ’re also easier to put together . With a RAM slot and a memory stick , you ’d necessitate an engineer to put to work on each laptop computer as it comes off the assembly line . solder parts do n’t need that much human supervision and can be produce entirely by machines . permit ’s not forget that they ’re cheaper all on their own , without even considering the hands required — they use fewer parts .
“ It actually cost more to put a socket on the board than it does to solder RAM onto the board . On the other hand , of course , you may make one board and do different Aries the Ram contour if it ’s socketed . So it ’s always a trade - off . As we plan these products , there are business deal - offs every step of the way , ” said Othman , confirming my intuition .
It ’s unvoiced to say how much this bear upon the conclusion to use soldered Aries the Ram , though . All three company that I spoke to stress the configuration factor much more than any real cost benefits . Tom Schnell , older distinguished engineer of Dell Client Solutions Group , take down that this does n’t make much of a difference . “ There is no effect on manufacturing as the DRAM packages are stock . There is no impact on the retail price of our laptops , ” Schnell enounce .
Stuart Gill , film director of world-wide media relations , campaign , and corporate content for Lenovo , agreed with that : “ Both solder and socketed RAM excogitation are now quite mature . As a result , we see no impact on the manufacturing process and , therefore , the cost to the consumer . ”
It seems that , although beneficial to the fabrication physical process , the price and the ease of output do n’t play a big part in companies choosing solder RAM .
It can be faster and more efficient
Modern laptop computer often apply low - power DDR storage ( LPDDR ) as controvert to the DDR4 or DDR5 we see in desktops . These power - redeem module are a good deal for laptops , as they can help prolong battery life , but they ’re often soldered . Another bonus stem from the thermic efficiency , as thoughtful placement of solder RAM can make for a more streamlined mainboard design , optimize the part layout . Lastly , some processors have higher frequency caps for LPDDR memory than they do for socketed RAM , with Meteor Lake maxing out at LPDDR5 / X-7467 and just DDR5 - 5600 .
As a result , it ’s no wonder that many sources praise soldered memory for its performance . HP ’s take on this is that bandwidth take on a part . “ There ’s also the return of the bandwidth of the memory . On an SO - DIMM , it ’s comparatively limited bandwidth ; while when you solder the memory chips onto the table , you could build up it for a much wider bandwidth . And with things like the modern chips with the AI processor and things like that , that retention bandwidth is really important — so that ’s part of the performance story and part of the requirement that makes soldered retention something that you almost involve equate to socketed memory . ”
This make sense give that this eccentric of memory is still more prevalent in productivity laptop , which are also more likely to benefit from things like the neural processing building block ( NPU ) found on the latest Intel Meteor Lake CPUs .
Dell ’s Tom Schnell weighed in on the matter by say , “ solder RAM can achieve good performance because it does not command a connective or lowly PCB ( impress circuit circuit board ) , and because the total signaling channel duration can be shorter . However , the design is still limited by the best speed of the RAM and overall memory computer architecture . ”
Schnell explained that this performance boost might not ever make any difference to consumers . “ An increase in bus speed can have a 3 - 5 % arrangement operation improvement , but that improvement may not be detectable at a client level because system memory may not be the key limiter in system of rules carrying out . For example , if the storage SSD is the organisation bottleneck , then a small melioration in memory performance wo n’t matter . ” Schnell also noted that barrage fire life is n’t as bragging a factor as some make it out to be : “ There is minimal impingement on power efficiency . ”
It’s more durable, but …
This may not fall as a surprise , but soldered RAM tends to be more durable than SO - DIMMs . Everything is fitted nicely and neatly , not to name that it ’s stuck to the motherboard for all of eternity . There are no go parts , and the same can not be sound out about RAM sticks that go into a fussy expansion slot .
Othman note that HP has been well-chosen with the stress psychometric test it performed on its laptop . “ In all our tests that I have see for durabilities , they have a very high pace of success because of [ the RAM being ] fully integrated with the motherboard . But that ’s not been the major strategic decision - making stop for using solder RAM versus socketed RAM . ”
There ’s a pretty high cost to pay for this lastingness , though . If something does take place to solder RAM , the repairability is … special , to say the least .
The dark side of soldered RAM
With all of the perks of soldered RAM I just let the cat out of the bag about above , you might be scratching your head and wonder why people are even plain . Well , it ’s not all as peachy as that , unfortunately , and those complaints are valid .
There are some rank downsides to using soldered RAM . laptop computer manufacturer can get away with them , because hey , for many users it just does n’t matter . However , for those who like , the laptop market is lento becoming a minefield where they have to elude all the laptops that descend with solder components , including RAM and storage .
So , what ’s so defective about soldered RAM ?
For starters , the lack of upgradeability . This is not a problem for many laptop owner , but for those who comment an otherwise decent laptop computer start to run into remembering return , not being able toupgrade their laptop memoryfrom 8 GB to 16 GB or 16 GB to 32 GB can be an obstacle . HP is aware that this can be a problem for some of its customers — namely , for gamers .
“ Now , the other trouble where you ’re proceed to get a line complaints is the upgradeability . Gamers in general desire to be able-bodied to exchange and customize everything . But then , if you ’re propose for the thin and light , and the mobility , that ’s where you need to go , ” Othman say . He then notedHP ’s Omen Transcend 14 , the character of gadget that aim student gamers who value the thin - and - light physique divisor over upgradeability .
The next potential topic is the power to repair the notebook computer . If the RAM module is solder and it fails , there often is n’t much that can be done about it . As it ’s for good attached to the motherboard , the typical fixture process regard replacing the intact motherboard — and that can be a pretty centime .
Othman told me that HP has n’t parcel out with any cases of repairability trouble caused specifically by solder RAM . However , he also admitted : “ If the topic is specifically [ relate to soldered RAM ] ; if someone has a burn RAM for example , in that case , the repairability will be much more difficult for the company to do . It wo n’t be aboveboard like with socketed RAM . ”
If the laptop is still covered by warranty , swapping the entire motherboard is n’t depart to be a problem . However , once that time ’s up , you ’re looking at some dearly-won repairs .
Those are the two major problems , but they top to smaller nuisances . For case , have to adjudicate about retentivity capacity at the time of leverage is n’t ideal for many . If you wanted tobuy a laptopright now , you ’d be faced with a choice . You ’d either have to quash models with soldered RAM exclusively — which is n’t always easy , as this often is n’t listed on the spec sheet — or you ’d have to spend surplus to future - proof your gadget and get enough random memory the right way away .
This is one of those thing that lends some legitimacy to the whole “ planned obsolescence ” hypothesis . Laptop makers are allowed to charge extra on modeling with more RAM ; an rise from 16 GB to 32 GB can often be between $ 100 and $ 300 , depending on the role model . With upgradeable RAM slots , users can just buy a couple of SO - DIMM sticks for as modest as $ 80 for 32 G . Having no option to upgrade way either switching to a different manufacturer or accept the price of the example with more memory .
It ’s not ideal , and it ’s not consumer - well-disposed — but it ’s the reality of the laptop market right now .
Is soldered RAM bad?
If you ’re wondering whether solder RAM is bad , and if you should stave off it the next time you purchase a laptop , I ’ll rent you in on a secret : There ’s no world-wide answer to that question .
Soldered RAMispretty bad if you care about upgradeability . If you want to bribe a laptop that will last you years , and you desire to have the choice to improve it as clock time go by , models that come with their memory perma - attached just are n’t for you . If you do n’t beware it , however , there ’s little to no reason to avoid it , but be organize that if something does go incorrect , costly repairs will be on the visible horizon .
This might be why the outcry on websites like Reddit has been so loud lately . After all , some of the previously top - shelf gaming laptops have now made the sneaky switch to solder Aries the Ram , and many users are n’t happy .
As I observe at the start , the2024 Dell XPS lineupcomes to heed . Everything is soldered in Dell ’s new laptop computer , meaning that you’re able to say bye - bye to upgradeability and repairs . Even the excellentAsus ROG Zephyrus G14comes with soldered memory board , which puts it at a disadvantage when compared to laptop computer like theRazer Blade 14 .
For now , I recollect that the main problem that I personally have with soldered RAM is that out of doors of pushing for thin and lighter laptops , there ’s little to no benefit to customers . Despite trying to obtain out why exactly this type of retentivity is becoming more predominant in laptops that may not be becoming slender , I ’m still unsure . I get that it ’s the only means to make laptop computer tenuous — but if the notebook is still the same size from one generation to the next , only the RAM is now solder , what did we gain ? If the public presentation benefits are n’t massive , was it ever worth it for the end - drug user ? Does n’t finger like it .
The unspoilt news is that SO - DIMM memory might finally be replaced by theCAMM2 standard . Recently approved by JEDEC , CAMM2 is said to be significantly slight , and it ’ll be available both in soldered and non - soldered variants . Using CAMM2 will take into account laptops to stack up to 128 GB of RAM , and the frequencies are said to be going up , too . CAMM2 can also activate dual - channel retentiveness with just a undivided faculty .
When I talk to Dell , Tom Schnell shared my hope for CAMM2 being a good root to this dilemma : “ This is a big reason why Dell brought CAMM to the JEDEC standards eubstance in 2023 — to solve for public presentation computer memory ceiling boundary with SO - DIMM while also being a modular purpose . ”
It ’s too early to say , but it does vocalize like CAMM2 retention might solve just about every issue with SO - DIMM , allowing for thinner laptops and — hopefully — a return key to upgradeability . But until then , all you’re able to do is await and look intosome of the few upgradeable laptopsstill leave if this is an important factor to you .
