Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 is the world's first laptop to sport LPCAMM2 memory — more compact, higher performance, lower power

ThinkPad P1 Gen 7
(Image credit: Lenovo)

Lenovo's new ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 Workstation laptop is officially the world's first laptop to feature Micron's bleeding edge LPCAMM2 memory modules. LPCAMM2 is a new memory type based on CAMM2 that's 64% smaller than DDR5 SO-DIMMs, and 58% more power efficient thanks to the use of LPDDR5X memory. It also makes it possible to upgrade your laptop's memory, unlike traditional LPDDR5X solutions.

The ThinkPad P1 is Lenovo's latest iteration of its ThinkPad branded prosumer laptops. The Gen 7 variant is the only model in the P1 lineup sporting Micron's LPCAMM2 memory, with a maximum supported capacity of 64GB. While that's somewhat inferior to SO-DIMM options that can reach higher capacities, with LPCAMM2 the Gen 7 version is the only ThinkPad laptop that has access to LPDDR5X modules operating at 7467 MT/s. The official CAMM2 standard can handle up to 128GB, so the Gen 7's maximum memory capacity could change in the future.

The ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 uses a 16-inch chassis with a 16:10 aspect ratio OLED display, powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H Meteor Lake CPU. Graphical horsepower comes in the form of Intel integrated graphics and discrete Nvidia GPU options, the latter of which ranges up to the RTX 3000 Ada prosumer laptop GPU.

Micron's LPCAMM2 supports the all-new CAMM2 JEDEC memory standard for laptop and desktop computers. As previously mentioned, the new standard uses a radically different form factor compared to traditional SO-DIMM memory. This serves two purposes. One is that it enables CAMM2-based memory types to use substantially less real estate. The second is that you can replace the LPCAMM2 module with a higher capacity option, unlike traditional LPDDR5X solutions.

LPCAMM2 utilizes LPDDR5X memory rated at 7,500 MT/s, providing 1.3X more bandwidth than standard JEDEC DDR5 SO-DIMM memory. A single module uses the entire 128-bit memory bus width of the CPU memory controller, meaning a single LPCAMM2 functions as a dual-channel solution. That means only one module is required to reach maximum memory performance.

The new memory format originated from the proprietary CAMM standard that Dell invented. JEDEC later adopted it under the name CAMM2, making it a worldwide memory standard. Since then, Samsung and Micron have built their own CAMM2 concoctions under varying names like LPCAMM2. ('Normal' CAMM2 solutions don't use lower power LPDDR5X memory.)

It's not surprising that big notebook makers like Lenovo are adopting the new CAMM2 standard. CAMM2's substantially smaller profile, higher bandwidth, and upgrade potential make it the perfect successor to the SO-DIMM and LPDDR solutions that have dominated the compact computing market for decades.

Aaron Klotz
Contributing Writer

Aaron Klotz is a contributing writer for Tom’s Hardware, covering news related to computer hardware such as CPUs, and graphics cards.

  • Notton
    ifixit has a teardown already.
    I like that it has a replaceable contact pin carrier. You can bend those leaf pins all you want and not worry about costly repairs.

    K3zB9EFntmA
    Reply
  • thestryker
    I'm happy to be wrong about CAMM modules not coming to systems this year, even if it is just workstations. Hopefully this means we'll see broader uptake as new designs are completed the size savings combined with bandwidth improvements ought to be great.

    Micron's press release on it: https://investors.micron.com/news-releases/news-release-details/micron-delivers-crucial-lpcamm2-lpddr5x-memory-new-ai-ready
    Reply
  • RobBrownNZ
    thestryker said:
    Micron's press release on it: https://investors.micron.com/news-releases/news-release-details/micron-delivers-crucial-lpcamm2-lpddr5x-memory-new-ai-ready
    "ideal high-performance memory solution for handling AI PC and complex workloads"
    I love how even a memory connector has to have an AI angle these days...
    Reply
  • TheJoker2020
    I sure hope that when the AMD Strix Halo products release, at least some of them will be using LPCAMM2 modules rather than being soldered on memory. That would make for excellent mobile workstations as the RAM could be bumped up to huge amounts, and of course that includes the available RAM for the graphics as well.

    Plus of course for bare-bones Mini PC's where space would still be a premium when you double the RAM bus width from 128-bit to 256-bit.

    NOTE: LPCAMM2 modules are 128-bit, so one of these modules would replace 2x typical DDR5 SO-DIMM's, so AMD Strix Halo would still require two LPCAMM2 modules and because they sit flat on the motherboard and can not be overlapped the motherboard space would still be a premium and it will still be a tight fit.!
    Reply
  • TheJoker2020
    RobBrownNZ said:
    "ideal high-performance memory solution for handling AI PC and complex workloads"
    I love how even a memory connector has to have an AI angle these days...
    It's just typical marketing buzzword usage, and when "AI" (machine learning is it's real, non-marketing name) stops having any "buzz" they will come up with something else, with any luck it will be less irritating than "AI".
    Reply
  • thestryker
    TheJoker2020 said:
    NOTE: LPCAMM2 modules are 128-bit, so one of these modules would replace 2x typical DDR5 SO-DIMM's, so AMD Strix Halo would still require two LPCAMM2 modules and because they sit flat on the motherboard and can not be overlapped the motherboard space would still be a premium and it will still be a tight fit.!
    This is not actually a requirement they can be 64 or 128, but the ones referred to here are 128. When they're in 64-bit form they can stack on top of one another which would in theory allow for higher capacity in less space.

    edit: I have a pic of the spec somewhere, but don't think I'd uploaded it so have to find it...

    edit2: found it
    Reply
  • Evil_Overlord
    ...and despite being 64% smaller and easier to install/remove, they will still locate the LPCAMM2 in the most inconvenient place.
    Reply
  • slightnitpick
    TheJoker2020 said:
    NOTE: LPCAMM2 modules are 128-bit, so one of these modules would replace 2x typical DDR5 SO-DIMM's, so AMD Strix Halo would still require two LPCAMM2 modules and because they sit flat on the motherboard and can not be overlapped the motherboard space would still be a premium and it will still be a tight fit.!
    They're so low profile is it possible someone, someday, would make a motherboard that allowed memory to be placed on the other side?
    Reply
  • TheJoker2020
    thestryker said:
    This is not actually a requirement they can be 64 or 128, but the ones referred to here are 128. When they're in 64-bit form they can stack on top of one another which would in theory allow for higher capacity in less space.

    edit: I have a pic of the spec somewhere, but don't think I'd uploaded it so have to find it...

    edit2: found it
    Thanks, this is useful information (y)
    Reply
  • TheJoker2020
    slightnitpick said:
    They're so low profile is it possible someone, someday, would make a motherboard that allowed memory to be placed on the other side?
    There would be a few problems doing this, but it would certainly be possible. Upgradability would be a serious problem and the system would have to be designed with this in mind from the outset so that the end user has access to both sides of the motherboard, which in the case of laptops, tablets etc this would mean designing in a cutout on the keyboard side as well as the bottom side, and would mean that the laptop or tablet would be that little bit thicker. And when it comes to a Mini PC (NUC size or similar), this would mean that the end user would most likely need to remove the heatsink/fan. And for either of these designs, if the LPCAMM2 modules were opposite each other then this would increase motherboard complexity as all of those traces would be side by side and that would most likely increase costs, so whilst this is certainly possible, I cannot foresee this happening, but that will certainly be answered when more of these things start to roll out, and especially when something like Strix Halo comes out and if laptops / Mini PC's are released with LPCAMM2. This is certainly an interesting and exciting new technology.
    Reply