New Laptop Memory Is Here! LPCAMM2 Changes Everything!

Product reviewed

LPCAMM2 laptop memory standard (Low-Power Compression-Attached Memory Module), demonstrated on the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 workstation with Micron as the first supplier.

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Key features mentioned

• Uses LPDDR chips (low power), but mounts them on a PCB-style module rather than requiring extreme proximity to the CPU.
• Uses short traces / placement near the CPU to help maintain signal integrity (addressing a key LPDDR routing issue).
• Designed to be repairable and upgradeable via module replacement, rather than permanent soldering.
• Includes a replaceable compression connector underneath the module that’s keyed for correct orientation.

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Where it’s shown (example device)

• Lenovo ThinkPad P1 is described as the first laptop you can buy using LPCAMM2.
• Lenovo + Micron collaborated with iFixit due to their repairability focus. iFixit states it helped get more repairable products to market.

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User experience / repair & upgrade process (ThinkPad P1)

Module replacement steps

• Remove six screws and take off the bottom cover.
• Disconnect the battery.
• Unscrew/loosen three captive Phillips screws in any order.
• Lift out the LPCAMM2 module.
• Install the module using the keyed compression connector.
• Re-tighten the screws in the correct order (described as “easy as 1, 2, 3”).

Overall feel

• The module is described as small, thin, and not complicated to remove and replace.

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Pros (as stated in the video)

• More repairable/upgradeable than many current laptop memory designs—replacement is likened to “like conventional RAM.”
• More performant than older SODIMM, positioned as better than traditional socketed RAM in this context.
• More efficient than SODIMM, described as vastly more efficient and space-saving.
• Potential thermal benefits: “should even help with thermals as well.”
• Better than Apple’s Unified Memory in repairability (even if Apple integration may be tighter).

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Cons / concerns mentioned

• Industry-wide concern: Although LPCAMM2 is intended to be upgradeable via the module, Micron notes a broader worry for “module-like but solder/embedded” approaches:
  • If RAM upgrades aren’t possible, users may need to buy a new system when requirements change.
  • Micron criticizes soldered-down memory for creating “planned obsolescence” as expectations evolve.
• Naming/marketing: The video suggests LPCAMM2 may need a more exciting moniker to sell its benefits—framed as more of a critique than a technical issue.

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Comparisons made

SODIMM RAM (traditional socketed laptop style)

• Pros: repairable/replacement-friendly.
• Cons: described as bulky, power-hungry, and based on a 25-year-old standard that isn’t staying competitive.

LPDDR (soldered close to the CPU)

• Pros: small and efficient.
• Cons: must be soldered extremely close to the CPU to preserve signal integrity, and is described as not repairable/upgradeable.

Apple Unified Memory

• LPCAMM2 is said to be preferred over Apple’s because Apple places chips directly on/near the CPU package for integration.
• The video claims Apple’s approach is “least repairable.”

Outcome stance

• The hosts prefer “repairable, upgradeable” memory even if other designs offer tighter integration.

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Numerical / rating information

• No explicit numeric ratings or scores were provided for LPCAMM2 itself.

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Additional user-related commentary (Apple example)

• The video references press criticism that some entry-level MacBook Pro configurations ship with 8GB, arguing that upgradability would be important.
• With LPCAMM2, they claim it’s possible to upgrade later, unlike implied limitations of non-upgradable configurations.

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Overall verdict / recommendation

LPCAMM2 is presented as a future-facing laptop memory design that combines low-power efficiency with real repairability and upgradeability. The demo suggests it’s practical to replace. The core recommendation is to favor LPCAMM2-style modular repairability over permanently soldered memory approaches (including Apple’s least repairable unified approach).

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Unique points by speaker / contributors

• Hosts / iFixit-style presentation:

  • Explained why SODIMM and LPDDR got “painted into a corner.”
  • Demonstrated the ThinkPad P1, emphasizing ease of replacement and the replaceable compression connector.
  • Compared favorably vs SODIMM, soldered LPDDR, and Apple Unified Memory (repairability).
  • Suggested marketing rename ideas and joked about future naming.

• Micron (James Van Patten, quoted):

  • Criticizes the consumer downside of soldered-down/obsolescence when workloads evolve (e.g., needing more RAM after a year).
  • Emphasizes the need to promote and build acceptance for the “right path.”