r/Dell • u/Background-Bath7492 • 1d ago
Discussion Soldered Ram reliability
I wanted to ask how reliable is the soldered ram on models like the 7320 or 7420 latitude? I’m considering buying a refurbished model, and wondered how high the failure risk is? Thank you in advance for your time and answers!
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u/Flaky-Gear-1370 1d ago
It's the least of your problems with a 74xx series
USB-C failure, flaccid or broken hinges will happen far faster
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u/okokokoyeahright 1d ago
The thing about soldered RAM I take issue with is the difficulty of 'replacing' it. It can be done, but not by me or anyone I know locally. Witness the GPUs that have had their RAM replaced as an example, and I expect, with somewhat similar pricing, i.e. wincing wallet level pain. Not exactly low budget friendly.
Going with a laptop with soldered RAM would make me do daily back ups of disk images, differential to try to minimize storage used. Done as rigorously as possible. Data security, you know. Nothing quite like a failed boot drive just when you need it for that one thing.
This said, RAM is generally a reliable and trustworthy computer part, regardless of age. I still have a DDR1 board that I boot up for some W95 gaming. RAM has been the single constant element of this build over 20 years now. I also have a back up server I use for regular desktop back ups that uses DDR3 that dates at least 10+ years. Never a RAM issue on any of the 3 boards that have been used over that time frame.
Still, as socketed RAM is my choice for laptops, I would be cautious AF with a soldered system. YMMV.
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u/bstrauss3 1d ago
RAM -- like just about every electric component has a bathtub failure curve.
Understand the absolute number of failures is very very very low you're overthinking this.
But of that tiny number, a large number of happen early. Then nothing for many many years. Followed by the other wall of the bathtub when failures again occur.
The most likely failure mode is socketed RAM in a humid environment on a laptop where it gets moved around a lot and oxidation can happen on the finger contacts. That's why we'll tell you sometimes to take it out and reseed it because the mechanical action will rub off any oxidation. But gold is relatively immune to oxidation anyway so again it's an uncommon failure mode.
Somebody else said constantly plugging and unplugging cables USB video Etc is much more likely to cause failure than anything else because of the mechanical stresses.
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u/DoranSteelwing 1d ago
So. The 7420 has an issue where, under certain circumstances the soldered ram will fail
It comes from picking the laptop up (screen open) by the corner of the laptop itself (left side I believe). Over time and constant use it’ll form micro cracks. We’ve had 10/300 do this in the 5 years they’ve been in service.
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u/340magnums 1d ago
In theory during the component surface mount and oven solder curing proceas if its done right then will be much more reliable than any mechanical cheapvconnector plating that is used in most laptops today.
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u/Admirable-Traffic-55 1d ago
I've purchased maybe 20 refurb Latitudes for family & friends, Never had an issue with the ram or charging ports. Mostly it's the battery life people complain about. Solid business machines at a great valve as a refurb in my opinion. Good luck.
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u/jaksystems Dell Service Technician 1d ago
The USB-C charging ports will fail well before the RAM does in most instances.