Soldered RAM is not slower

No. Same technology, same speed.

Soldered RAM uses the exact same memory chips and interfaces (LPDDR4/5, DDR4/5) as socketed modules. The speed rating is determined by the chip itself, not how it’s attached to the motherboard.

The confusion comes from ultrabooks. Thin laptops often use lower-power LPDDR RAM, which tends to have tighter timings and lower clock speeds to save battery. That’s a design choice, not a soldering penalty. A soldered LPDDR5-6400 chip is faster than a socketed DDR4-3200 stick.

You can’t upgrade soldered RAM, so you’re locked in at purchase. But “locked in” doesn’t mean “slower.”

If you need future flexibility, get socketed. If you want peak performance today in a small package, soldered is fine.