The ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 will the first device to use the new LPCAMM2 memorythe biggest RAM update in 25 years finally coming from Lenovo and Micron.

The ThinkPad P series are laptops optimized to work as professional mobile workstations. This year’s lineup includes four new models with Intel Meteor Lake processors and support for the dedicated NVIDIA RTX professional graphics chip.

The model we are dealing with is ThinkPad P1 7th generation, a version with a 16-inch screen, an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and professional NVIDIA RTX 1000/2000/3000 graphics. It supports the most advanced connectivity standards, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 or Thunderbolt 4, can equip up to 8 TB of storage with a double SSD connector and supports Windows 11 Pro or Linux operating systems.

New LPCAMM2 memory

A high-level mobile workstation, there is no doubt where its advantages in the AI ​​section have a priority place in its promotion. But it is also the first computer to use LPCAMM2 memory. It goes o.a new form factor which was approved by the Solid State Technology Association JEDEC at the beginning of the year and which could end up replacing current random access memory solutions, essential components of every personal computer.

As you know, these memories are implemented soldered on the motherboard or based on pin modules, although manufacturers like Apple have taken a different route and included them in the same SoC CPU, a trend that other manufacturers seem to follow and which has advantages, but a big disadvantage is , that it cannot be updated.

In laptops, LPDDR is the most used format because it outperforms DDR (used in desktop computers) in terms of speed, footprint and power consumption. But they can’t be replaced/upgraded either. The solution can come from these LPCAMM2, an ideal RAM solution for laptops that could possibly be used in desktops and servers with the CAMM2 standard as well.

LPCAMM2 memory takes advantage of a modern standard like LPDDR5X, but in a modular way, and also takes up 64% less space than dual SO-DIMM, module-based distributed memory. This form factor allows up to 16 DRAM components to be stacked in a single package, reducing the memory architecture improves performance by up to 50% and energy efficiency by up to 70%.

Not everything is perks. The new shape requires new generation motherboards and those already installed are not suitable. Another shortcoming is that so far only versions up to 64 GB are available. More than enough for the global notebook market, but may fall short on workstations. For example, while Lenovo generally supports up to 96 GB of memory in its new ThinkPads, the model using LPCAMM2 only offers 64 GB.

In any case, these are shortcomings that can be easily overcome if memory manufacturers and computer manufacturers decide on this new format.