• BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    3 months ago

    Those look pretty cool.

    But I’m confused about the marketing around the cpu/ram, etc. Does that really matter for a soldering iron? (Serious question, not being snarky).

    I get they’re using that tech to make it adjustible/smart, but it’s a soldering iron, not a pocket computer.

    Is there some way those specs genuinely matter? Or is it just to say “we’re using the latest tech to provide controls”?

    • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      edit-2
      3 months ago

      Smart soldering irons have been around a while, so yes. It is now like a PC and specs matter a little.

      One advantage smart irons have is being able to give you a readout of the exact temp of the tip of your soldering iron, something a traditional iron cannot do.

      It also needs chips and sensors to do things like auto-off when it is set down.

      So the quality and speed of chips affects performance.

      • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        0
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        3 months ago

        Sounds like marketing foo.

        I have a 10+ year old Weller station with digital temp adjustment, and I don’t recall it having a cpu and ram.

        • XTL@sopuli.xyz
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          3 months ago

          don’t recall it having a cpu

          So, what’s updating the display? Power supply imps?

        • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          3 months ago

          digital temp adjustment

          Digital temp adjustment is different than a sensor that tells you the exact temp at the tip.

          Pretty sure any 10+ year old unit is just setting a temp, not telling you the actual temp through a measurement.