Low-power DDR memories, called LPDDR, were not created for use in PCs, but in mobile phones. Where limited space and low consumption make sense. However, when we talk about laptops, this type of RAM has been in use for quite some time. Because not buy a laptop with soldered memory?
One of the most observed commercial phenomena in recent years is the appearance of ever thinner laptops. This involves certain decisions regarding industrial design and its specifications. The first of these and the most obvious is the question of energy consumption and the temperature reached by these computers. This means the use of processors at lower frequencies and therefore less powerful.
The other point concerns the components inside the computer, trying to reduce the height as much as possible, which leads to the use of soldered RAM or LPDDR. That is, memory that is not placed on the SO-DIMMs, but rather its chips ends up being soldered to the board. At another level, this can apply in the case of storage. Let’s not forget that many low-power computers not only have the RAM, but also its storage soldered to the board.
What are the disadvantages of a soldered memory laptop?
We have to start from the idea that there are certain factors, shapes or industrial designs that are not possible with conventional RAM modules. Which means making some sacrifices in terms of performance and scalability. So on some types of laptops yes, it is justified to use soldered memory
The problem arises when we are talking about a more capable laptop. And that’s because Intel and AMD use the same integrated memory controller for an entire family of processors. So some smart manufacturers trick themselves into taking soldered RAM or LPDDR memory and using it in their laptop. Is this causing performance issues maybe? Initially no, but it is a failure in the medium or long term. The reason? There will come a time when you will need more RAM and therefore cannot expand it.
Our recommendation is that unless you’re looking for a laptop where portability and low weight are most important, run away from those who have a tight memory. So on any gaming laptop if you see LPDDR memory in specifications be sure that you will meet one of lower quality than the rest. When it comes to storage, well, the two are the same, but in one designed for gaming or content creation, things change. The reason is none other than these are thick enough to use M.2 slotsso that the life of your PC does not depend on how long it has been stored and that you can replace it when it stops working.
