don’t know where you got that idea, but 16gb of ddr3 can be gotten easily for $30, as where 16gb of ddr5 is going to run you $100 minimum (talking retail prices, obv)
I think there is a difference (like you said) between you picking up 2 sticks of remaining DDR3 stock and a console manufacturer sourcing it for their new console.
You're highlighting the slower 2GB but in reality that's not used by games in the first place. They're relegated to the 8GB which is significantly faster.
The Steam Deck has essentially 2x the available memory but it's much slower. The point being "having more RAM" isn't some amazing feat. It really depends on all the involved specs. Even amount/bandwidth isn't enough. GDDR has much higher bandwidth than DDR or LPDDR but it's also higher latency. It's tuned for graphics, not system RAM depending on the work load one can be faster than the other.
If it had 10 GB at the higher speed it would still be hamstrung, but not as badly as it is with 8 GB and 2 GB that’s essentially unusable except for maybe UI overlays.
Oh shit, really? Wasn’t even aware of that lol, I always had the generally recommended amount of RAM in my gaming rig so I never thought that would be a thing.
One thing about the 12GB of RAM: it may be costly now, but it will become cheaper after three, four years into the cycle.
Second, there is also the bandwidth. The Steam Deck has 32x4GB LPDDR5. I believe they wanted 8GB but DLSS and ML (if they add them to the next SoC) require at least 4GB plus. Hence, 32x4GB (96 bits). If the Steam Deck can get away with slightly more, then why not slightly less.
So yes, I can see this device with 12GB of RAM to ensure DLSS and ML work without hitches.
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