LPCAMM2 RAM Modules Is Officially Here, With Laptops To Match

LPCAMM2 RAM Modules Is Officially Here, With Laptops To Match

Modern-day ultrathin laptops all have a common problem in upgradability: they can’t be upgraded with more RAM capacity. Stringent space constraints meant large SO-DIMM modules simply couldn’t fit without significantly taking away motherboard space or increasing thickness, so laptops of this class have gone the way of soldered modules for many years now.

Even taking away the equation of size constraints, SO-DIMM modules simply eat more power – not something you want on a laptop expected to last more than several hours. A bigger module means a longer path for the signals to communicate between the CPU and the modules, which translates to higher power usage (and lower speeds). This is also why you can see soldered modules situated very close to the processor.

However, that changed with the Compression Attached Memory Module, or CAMM for short, when it was introduced by Dell in early 2023. The standard has since been adopted by JEDEC, and further developed into an even smaller module in the form of LPCAMM2 – and we’ve seen DRAM manufacturers like Micron, Samsung, and ADATA already preparing their offerings to launch this year. Micron is the first to release its new LPCAMM2 modules today (via its Crucial sub-brand), alongside the new Lenovo ThinkPad P1 (Gen 7) featuring compatible memory slots.

Lenovo ThinkPad P1 (Gen 7). Image: iFixit

iFixit has published a video guide (plus a written guide) demonstrating the replacement and installation process of the LPCAMM2 modules, and we can see the new low-power modules are significantly smaller than a typical SO-DIMM module. It has also published an explainer on how LPCAMM2 modules work, and it’s worth a read.

As shown in the guide, while it’s not quite as tool-less as the older memory slot – where you simply slot the module at an angle and press downwards until the latch clicks – all you need is a screwdriver to unscrew three screws holding the left, center, and right side of the module in place. (The socket contacts seem to be theoretically replaceable as well, at least for this laptop.)

This is certainly a first good step in re-introducing the upgradable memory standard to the masses – just ask the MacBook users permanently stuck with 8GB RAM that Apple believes is “equivalent to having 16GB of RAM in a Windows PC,” unless they bought a new laptop entirely.

Pokdepinion: Here’s hoping the next generation of laptops will adopt this standard. About time we get something replaceable!