Soldered RAM latency is better, not worse.

The shorter traces mean lower electrical resistance and less signal degradation. Soldered modules are physically closer to the memory controller, which slightly reduces latency compared to socketed RAM on a DIMM slot halfway across the motherboard.

The real-world difference is tiny — we’re talking nanoseconds — so you won’t feel it in normal use. But if you’re benchmarking or doing latency-sensitive work, soldered RAM wins on pure timing.

That said, the bigger tradeoff is repairability and upgradeability. You’re trading a few nanoseconds for a permanently soldered memory configuration. For most people, that tradeoff isn’t worth it just for slightly better latency.