What LPCAMM2 is, and what it isn't
LPCAMM2 is a module format, not a new type of memory. It is a flat module that presses onto a contact grid on the motherboard and is held down with screws. Instead of an angled stick clicking into a socket, the module sits flat. The short, clean electrical path is what lets LPDDR5X run at speeds that SO-DIMMs struggle to reach.
The DRAM chips are still LPDDR, and they sit on the removable module rather than on the laptop's board. That distinction matters for pricing, as covered below.
Micron's own engineering blog explains the design pitch.
- Micron says LPCAMM2 takes up to 64% less space than a dual-stacked SODIMM arrangement. That figure counts the motherboard, socket and memory together. It does not mean every laptop saves 64% of its internal volume.
- Micron also claims up to 61% lower active power per 64-bit bus than SODIMM at the same DDR5 speed. That is a vendor comparison under specific conditions. Treat "up to" as the operative words, not a promise for your battery life.
- One module fills both memory channels. Micron describes it as a single module designed to fill both memory channels (128 bits total). A laptop therefore doesn't need two sticks to get dual-channel operation.
- Micron says LPDDR5X tops out at 9,600 MT/s.
Real-world speeds: the platform sets the ceiling
The first widely cited LPCAMM2 laptop was Lenovo's ThinkPad P1 Gen 7. Lenovo's spec sheet reportedly lists up to 64GB in a single module and speeds of up to 7,467 MT/s on LPDDR5X-7500 modules. Modules rated for 7,500 MT/s run slightly below that, because the processor's memory controller sets the limit.
Framework's Laptop 13 Pro shows the same point. Framework's spec page says memory runs at 6,800 MT/s on the Core Ultra 5 325, and it corrected an earlier claim of 7,467 MT/s. The Core Ultra X7 358H runs at 7,467 MT/s. Two laptops with the same module format get different speeds depending on the chip inside.
Upgradeable in practice, not just on paper
Framework gives the clearest picture of what "removable" means day to day.
- The Laptop 13 Pro (Intel Core Ultra Series 3) supports one slot of LPCAMM2 memory up to 96GB.
- Framework sells 16GB, 32GB and 64GB modules and says you can bring compatible LPCAMM2 memory of your own.
- Framework's replacement guide has you lift the input cover, then loosen the captive T5 Torx screws on the memory cover in reverse order, 3 to 1. You then lift the module straight off its alignment pegs. The guide warns you to avoid touching the interposer beneath the module.
The 96GB support figure is a model-specific platform limit. It does not mean a 96GB module is easy to buy, or that other LPCAMM2 laptops accept one.
The price problem: LPCAMM2 doesn't escape the memory crunch
The MakeUseOf piece that prompted this story is right about the broad point. LPCAMM2 uses LPDDR chips, so it rides the same AI-driven price wave as everything else.
Framework's July 2026 update, as reported in its blog, shows how rough the ride has been. VideoCardz reports Framework's LPCAMM2 supplier prices were more than double the cost of its previous inventory. Framework had enough 64GB modules to cover Laptop 13 Pro preorders through Batch 4 and Mainboard orders through Batch 7. Later 64GB orders were switched to a 32GB module at the original 32GB price. Later 32GB DIY and Mainboard orders were changed to 16GB at the original 16GB price.
The July figures are not the current state of play, though. Framework's own pricing post says that in September it secured a limited quantity of Micron 32GB and 64GB LPCAMM2 modules at lower cost. On September 29 it said it had received additional shipments at the same pricing. It extended the reduction to all remaining Laptop 13 Pro preorders and cut memory pricing for new preorders as well. Framework added that quantities are limited and prices will rise again if it can't source more stock at that cost. It also said the lower costs remain above the original pre-order launch baseline.
Prices on that platform have moved up, down and up-and-down again within a few months. Check the live configurator before assuming any number.
About Crucial and "the main supplier"
MakeUseOf says Micron closed its consumer brand, Crucial, in December 2025, and that this was the main supplier of LPCAMM2 modules. The first half is supported by Micron's announcement, which I could not retrieve directly for this piece. It is also context rather than proof that LPCAMM2 production ended. Micron was still the supplier behind Framework's September stock, per Framework's own post. The "main supplier" claim I could not independently verify. The safer reading is that one consumer-facing retail route has narrowed. Whether modules are scarce depends on which laptop maker and which module you mean.
Should you buy one?
Here is the practical version.
- If you replace laptops every two or three years, LPCAMM2 changes little. You'll pay today's memory prices either way, and you may never open the bottom panel.
- If you keep a laptop five years or more, the case improves. Soldered RAM locks in the capacity you chose at checkout and turns a memory fault into a motherboard problem. With LPCAMM2, both become a module swap, provided the laptop maker supports the module you need.
- Check the exact model's specifications. Look for the maximum capacity, the supported module types and the speed on your processor option. A removable module is not a universal drop-in part.
- Buy the capacity you need now. With prices unstable, paying for speculative future capacity is a bad bet. The module can be swapped later.
MakeUseOf's author also notes that a quick Framework Laptop 13 build with 32GB of LPCAMM2 tipped past $2,000. That is one writer's configuration, taken before the September price cuts, but it fits the point that these aren't budget machines.
The bottom line
LPCAMM2 delivers what it promises on the engineering side. You get soldered-class speeds, lower power draw by Micron's measure, and a module you can unscrew. What it can't do is repeal the memory market. Treat repairability as a real benefit, not a guarantee of future savings, and read the spec sheet before you buy.