How much space does soldering on RAM save?

[Laco]

I have read quite a few laptop reviews saying that soldering on components save a great deal of space - hence allowing for thinner laptops (Air / new retina Pro). Clearly it saves some space because you do not need the clasps to hold in the RAM but is it that much of a space saver?

 

[GGJstudios]

I have read quite a few laptop reviews saying that soldering on components save a great deal of space - hence allowing for thinner laptops (Air / new retina Pro). Clearly it saves some space because you do not need the clasps to hold in the RAM but is it that much of a space saver?

It also means you don't have to have any mechanism for user access to the RAM compartment. While the RAM alone may not save a great deal of space, when you combine that with Flash memory, built-in batteries, Thunderbolt ports instead of FW and Ethernet, and a retina display that's built into the unibody, it all adds up to significant space savings.

 

[Marrakas]

It's more about allowing apple to charge premium prices for their own RAM rather than saving space if you ask me.

 

[GGJstudios]

It's more about allowing apple to charge premium prices for their own RAM rather than saving space if you ask me.

The base 15" MBP with retina display is cheaper than the base 15" non-retina model configured the same way. So where is this "premium" you speak of? Yes, Apple RAM in the past was overpriced, but it doesn't appear to be as much the case for the new MPB-RD.