Lenovo Workstation & PC Memory Guide: ThinkStation, ThinkPad, ThinkCentre, ThinkBook, IdeaPad, Legion and LOQ

Lenovo sells the same ThinkPad, ThinkCentre and ThinkStation badge across machines that take completely different memory: a ThinkPad E14 uses two laptop SODIMMs, a ThinkCentre M70s uses desktop UDIMMs, and a ThinkStation P7 uses registered ECC RDIMMs. NEMIX RAM lists 15 ThinkStation workstation listings and 80 laptop and desktop listings (ThinkPad, ThinkBook, IdeaPad, IdeaCentre, ThinkCentre, Legion and LOQ), each with the right DDR5 module type and speed for that system. This guide explains how to read a Lenovo model name, which memory each family takes, how many slots to expect, and why some Lenovo laptops cannot be upgraded at all.

In this guide: Reading a Lenovo model · SODIMM, UDIMM or RDIMM? · ThinkStation workstations · Laptops · Desktops, Tiny, SFF and all-in-ones · Soldered and LPCAMM2 memory · Speed and clock-down · Population tips · FAQ

Reading a Lenovo model name

The name on the lid or the front bezel decides which listing you need. These are the parts that matter for memory:

• The brand line is the market. ThinkPad, ThinkCentre and ThinkStation are Lenovo's business lines. ThinkBook is its small-business laptop line, IdeaPad and IdeaCentre are the consumer lines, and Legion and LOQ are the gaming lines.
• The letter after the number is the form factor on ThinkCentre. Across the models we list, q is a Tiny, s a Small Form Factor, t a Tower and a an all-in-one (M70q, M70s, M70t, M70a). Tiny and all-in-one machines take laptop SODIMMs; most SFF and Tower machines take desktop UDIMMs.
• The "i" or "a" suffix is the processor maker on IdeaPad, IdeaCentre and Legion. A Legion 5i or IdeaPad Slim 5i has an Intel processor and a Legion 5a or IdeaPad Slim 5a an AMD processor, so the two can be different models with different memory.
• Gen is the generation. A ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 and an E14 Gen 8 are not the same machine, and Intel and AMD versions of the same Gen are separate listings.
• The machine type is the four-character code on the system label, for example 83F5 for a Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 or 21RQ for a ThinkPad P16 Gen 3. Windows System Information lists the system model, which begins with the machine type. Most listings show the machine types they fit.

Type the model into the search bar at the top of the page, generation and processor maker included, and the matching listing comes up.

SODIMM, UDIMM or RDIMM: which Lenovo takes which

Every Lenovo workstation and PC listing in this guide is DDR5, and each uses one of three module types. DDR5 modules will not fit DDR4 slots, so a system built around DDR4 needs a DDR4 listing, not these.

ECC memory adds error correction and works only in a system whose processor and board support it. Registered RDIMMs work only in registered-memory workstations; unbuffered modules and registered modules cannot be mixed or swapped.

ThinkStation: from SODIMM to 16-slot RDIMM workstations

ThinkStation is where Lenovo memory gets complicated, because one badge covers every module type. The ThinkStation memory collection has 15 listings across 9 models:

Three points decide the right listing:

• The processor sets the speed of the RDIMM workstations. The PX takes DDR5-4800 with 4th Gen Xeon Scalable and DDR5-5600 with 5th Gen; the P8 takes DDR5-4800 with Threadripper PRO 7000 WX and DDR5-6400 with the 9000 WX; the P7 runs DDR5-4800 and the Xeon 6 based P5 Gen 2 DDR5-6400, which Lenovo notes can run at 5200 MT/s on some processors. Pick the listing for your processor generation.
• The P2, P3 and P4 towers take unbuffered memory, ECC or non-ECC. Both are offered, so match what is installed: ECC if the system shipped with ECC UDIMMs, non-ECC otherwise. On the P2 and P3 Tower, Lenovo runs one or two modules at 5600 MT/s, four 8GB or 16GB modules at 4800 and four 32GB modules at 4400.
• Lenovo also offers faster module types that NEMIX RAM does not carry. The P3 Tower and P4 can be ordered with DDR5-6400 CUDIMMs, and the P3 Ultra and P3 Tiny with DDR5-6400 CSODIMMs. The listings above are the standard UDIMM and SODIMM options; check the listing page for your model before you order.

Lenovo laptops: ThinkPad, ThinkBook, IdeaPad, Legion and LOQ

Every laptop listing takes DDR5 SODIMM modules, sold as single modules and as matched 2-module kits in 16GB and 32GB sizes (a 4-module kit on the four-slot models). Where the listing states the slot count, most laptops have 2 SO-DIMM slots; the four-slot laptops are the ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 and T16g Gen 3. The 50 laptop models in the Lenovo laptop and desktop collection are below, grouped by family.

ThinkPad mobile workstations (P series)

ThinkPad T, L and E series

ThinkBook

IdeaPad

Legion and LOQ gaming laptops

Desktops: Tiny, SFF, Tower and all-in-one

Desktop memory follows the chassis, not the brand. The 30 desktop models below split into four shapes, and the shape tells you the module: Tiny, Mini and all-in-one machines use laptop SODIMMs, most SFF and Tower ThinkCentre machines use full-size UDIMMs. The exceptions are the ThinkCentre Neo 55s Gen 6 (AMD) SFF, the IdeaCentre Tower Gen 10, the LOQ Tower and the Legion Tower 5i Gen 10 30L (Intel HX), which take SODIMMs; read the Memory column for your model.

Tiny and Mini

Small form factor

Tower

All-in-one

When a Lenovo cannot be upgraded: soldered memory and LPCAMM2

Many thin Lenovo laptops solder the memory to the board, so there is no module to replace. The Yoga line and the ThinkPad X1, X9 and X13 families are common examples, along with a number of IdeaPad Slim models. Some newer ThinkPads use LPCAMM2, a flat memory module in a different format from a SODIMM that is not interchangeable with one. NEMIX RAM lists SODIMM, UDIMM and RDIMM models only, so a soldered or LPCAMM2 system will not have a listing in this catalog.

The quick test: if your exact model appears in the tables above, it takes the module shown. If it does not, search the full name and generation, and send us your machine type and we will tell you whether the memory is replaceable before you buy anything.

Speed: DDR5-5600 listings and platforms rated lower

Of the 95 listings, 83 are DDR5-5600, 8 are DDR5-4800 (the ThinkPad P1 Gen 5, LOQ 15IRX10 and 17IRX10, and the 24-inch and 27-inch IdeaCentre AIO Gen 9 AMD, plus the ThinkStation PX 4th Gen and P7 and P8 Threadripper PRO 7000 WX), 2 are DDR5-5200 (Legion Pro 5 Gen 10 with the Ryzen 9 8945HX, and Legion 9i Gen 10) and 2 are DDR5-6400 (ThinkStation P5 Gen 2 and P8 Threadripper PRO 9000 WX).

Some Lenovo platforms are rated below the module speed. On 7 listings, including the IdeaCentre AIO i Gen 9, ThinkCentre Neo 50a Gen 5 and M75q Gen 5, Lenovo rates the platform at DDR5-5200, and DDR5-5600 modules clock down to the rated speed automatically. The four-slot ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 is slower again: Lenovo runs that platform at DDR5-4400 with two modules and DDR5-4000 with all four slots filled, and the ThinkCentre M70s Gen 6 lists DDR5-4400 and DDR5-4800 data rates for some four-module configurations. Faster modules simply run at the speed the platform supports.

Population tips for Lenovo laptops, desktops and workstations

• Fill both channels with identical modules. A matched 2-module kit in a two-slot laptop or Tiny gives dual-channel bandwidth, which matters for integrated graphics.
• Use one module size and type per system. Identical capacity, rank and speed gives the best speed and stability, and it keeps you clear of the lower speeds Lenovo lists for some four-module configurations.
• Match ECC to the system. On the ThinkStation P2, P3 and P4 towers, buy ECC UDIMMs only for a system that shipped with ECC, and fill every slot with the same type.
• Workstation RDIMMs go in matched sets. The P5, P7 and P8 have 8 slots and the PX has 8 per processor; populate in matched sets across the memory channels, and fill every channel for full bandwidth.
• Check CSODIMM and CUDIMM systems first. Some Lenovo platforms offer DDR5-6400 CSODIMMs, including the ThinkStation P3 Ultra and P3 Tiny. NEMIX RAM does not currently carry CSODIMM or CUDIMM; the Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 and ThinkPad P14s Gen 6 Intel listings fit standard DDR5-5600 SODIMMs in the same slots.

Frequently asked questions

Will DDR5-5600 memory work in a Lenovo that is rated for DDR5-5200 or 4800?

Yes. The higher-rated module clocks down to the speed the platform supports, so nothing is lost; the listing for your model names the speed Lenovo rates the platform at where it differs from the module.

Can I upgrade the memory in my ThinkPad, Yoga or IdeaPad?

Only if the memory is a replaceable SODIMM. Many thin models, including the Yoga line and the ThinkPad X1, X9 and X13 families, solder the memory to the board, and some newer ThinkPads use LPCAMM2. If your exact model is in the tables above, it takes the module shown.

Should I buy ECC or non-ECC memory for my ThinkStation?

Match what the system shipped with. The P2, P3 and P4 towers accept ECC or non-ECC unbuffered memory, so there is a listing for each, and the P5, P7, P8 and PX take ECC RDIMM only. ECC works only when the processor and board support it.

Should I buy a single module or a kit?

For a two-slot laptop or Tiny, a matched 2-module kit fills both channels with identical modules, which is the best configuration. Buy a single module only to add to a system that already has an identical module installed. Four-slot systems take a 4-module kit.

How do I find my Lenovo machine type?

It is the four-character code on the system label under the laptop or on the side of the desktop, for example 83F5 or 21RQ, and Windows System Information lists the system model beginning with it. Most listings show the machine types they fit, and you can send ours the code to confirm.

Do you supply memory for a Lenovo fleet refresh?

Yes. Purchase orders, net terms and volume pricing are available for businesses, schools, government buyers and resellers. Send us the models or machine types and the target capacity and we will quote the matching modules.

Buying Lenovo memory from NEMIX RAM

NEMIX RAM is a US-based memory specialist, in business since 1993. Every module is researched, matched, and compatibility-tested by NEMIX RAM, is JEDEC-compliant, and is backed by a lifetime warranty. Purchase orders, net terms and volume pricing are available for businesses, schools, government buyers and resellers. Request a quote for a laptop or desktop refresh, or send us your Lenovo machine type and we will confirm the right module before you order.

Running Lenovo servers too? See the Lenovo ThinkSystem server memory guide.

Start here: Lenovo memory guide page · ThinkStation memory · Lenovo laptop and desktop memory

Lenovo, ThinkStation, ThinkPad, ThinkCentre, ThinkBook, IdeaPad, IdeaCentre, Legion, LOQ and the other product names are the property of Lenovo; NEMIX RAM is not affiliated with or endorsed by Lenovo.