Upgrade your ThinkPad P1 Gen1 with a modern enhancement.
Upgrade your ThinkPad P1 Gen1 with a modern enhancement.
Hello, I’m looking to improve my ThinkPad P1 Gen 1. There are available slots for another M.2 and an extra RAM stick. I’m unsure which components to choose. Preferably I want storage between 500GB and 1TB. Should I match the RAM? Which 8GB stick should I purchase? It seems unlikely I’ll need more than 16 total in the system. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
You don't have to match the RAM size. A good standard stick will suffice. Any NVMe drive should fit as well.
From searching the DIMM details, it appears you have 8GB of Samsung 2133MHz RAM. It’s advisable to match the speed and use the same manufacturer for best compatibility, which often improves stability. Any NVMe SSD should fit in the top slot you mentioned, so no concerns there. Note that adding more drives doesn’t expand storage like RAM does—it creates a separate volume, similar to a USB drive, but it will be fully functional with a little extra file management. Feel free to ask for further clarification!
I chose the WD Black SN750 M.2 because of its good mix of performance and longevity. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07M64Q...EEQB&psc=1 Regarding RAM, @FakeNSA you asked how they discovered the 2133mhs speed. It’s proving difficult to locate a similar option. Reached out to Lenovo and they recommended: "Lenovo 8GB DDR4 2933MHz ECC SoDIMM Memory" for $178, which seems overpriced compared to expectations... also doesn’t align with the 2133mhs specification. https://www.lenovo.com/ca/en/accessories...4X71B07146
I checked the FRU number and realized it might have been entered incorrectly. By examining Lenovo’s site more closely, visiting the parts section and entering your serial, I found the suggested RAM type. Interestingly, using "P1 Type 20MD, 20ME" returns 2666mhz as the recommended speed. You can search directly on the left side of that page for your model details. If you share the exact speed, I can help verify pricing options and see if ECC memory is available at a better rate. The SSD should work well for your needs.
Thanks! The site is really useful. It turns out I had enough RAM already, so I’ll focus on storage instead. I’m planning to upgrade to 32GB when needed. Appreciate the advice!