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X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

X1 / X1-Carbon (X1C) / X1-Extreme (X1E) Series/Generations
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RealBlackStuff
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X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#1 Post by RealBlackStuff » Fri Feb 19, 2021 6:47 am

I just received a new 8GB RAM-module for the X1 Type 1294 (made in 2012).
This is the original first X1, precursor to Carbon/Extreme/Yoga.
This X1 runs fine on 1.5V DDR3/PC3 memory, but they sent me 1.35V DDR3L-1333/PC3L-10600s.
Before I open it, does anyone know if this will work OK in there, or if it will run hot, or if it will NOT work?
AFAIK DDR3L only works from 3rd gen CPU onward, the X1 has 2nd gen i5-2520M CPU.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
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RealBlackStuff
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Re: X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#2 Post by RealBlackStuff » Sat Feb 20, 2021 6:56 am

36 views, amazed that nobody reacted.
Anyway, I just tried a DDR3L-1600 module from my T440p in that X1, and it worked!
Thus I unpacked the new DDR3L-1333, put it in, and that works as well!
So Intel's info on the web about Gen2 (=Sandy Bridge) CPUs is wrong, 1.35V DDR3L works there also.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

axur-delmeria
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Re: X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#3 Post by axur-delmeria » Sun Feb 21, 2021 1:06 am

I have an 8GB DDR3L-1600 stick in my X220 working with no issues. What I do know is that the X220 runs it at standard DDR3 voltage of 1.5v rather than 1.35v.

There's one guy online that modded his X220 to supply 1.45v to the RAM slots because 1.5v caused his DDR3L sticks to overheat and glitch occasionally.
Planned Purchase: T480s i5-8350 FHD Touch
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons :lol:
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E :cry:

Natakranta
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Re: X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#4 Post by Natakranta » Wed Mar 10, 2021 7:29 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote:
Sat Feb 20, 2021 6:56 am
36 views, amazed that nobody reacted.
Anyway, I just tried a DDR3L-1600 module from my T440p in that X1, and it worked!
Thus I unpacked the new DDR3L-1333, put it in, and that works as well!
So Intel's info on the web about Gen2 (=Sandy Bridge) CPUs is wrong, 1.35V DDR3L works there also.
Good to know DDR3L-1600Mhz works in it, I should get one.
Do you know if Intel AC 7260 WiFi card is whitelisted? Or some other AC WiFi card that works with it?
If not, do you know of any BIOS mod to remove WiFi card whitelist on X1?

axur-delmeria
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Re: X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#5 Post by axur-delmeria » Wed Mar 10, 2021 11:02 pm

Natakranta wrote:
Wed Mar 10, 2021 7:29 pm
Good to know DDR3L-1600Mhz works in it, I should get one.
Do you know if Intel AC 7260 WiFi card is whitelisted? Or some other AC WiFi card that works with it?
If not, do you know of any BIOS mod to remove WiFi card whitelist on X1?
The 7260 is not whitelisted in the BIOS It didn't even exist at the time the X1 was released.
No idea regarding the existence of an unlocked BIOS.
Planned Purchase: T480s i5-8350 FHD Touch
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons :lol:
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E :cry:

RealBlackStuff
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Re: X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#6 Post by RealBlackStuff » Thu Mar 11, 2021 1:10 am

As mentioned above, I'm also not aware of any X1 whitelist or unlocked BIOS.
Lovely day for a Guinness! (The Real Black Stuff)
Lenovo: X240, X250, T440p, T480, M900 Tiny.

PS: the old Boardroom website is still available on the Wayback Machine
.

mikemex
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Re: X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#7 Post by mikemex » Sat Aug 21, 2021 10:46 pm

RealBlackStuff wrote:
Sat Feb 20, 2021 6:56 am
So Intel's info on the web about Gen2 (=Sandy Bridge) CPUs is wrong, 1.35V DDR3L works there also.
I just put 12GB (I always install memory in equal pairs, but I only have one 8GB module at the moment) of 12800 (1600 MHz) DDR3L RAM on my newly acquired T420s. CPU-Z reports memory frequency at 800 MHz. So it runs higher than 1333 MHz without any modification (stock BIOS).
axur-delmeria wrote:
Sun Feb 21, 2021 1:06 am
What I do know is that the X220 runs it at standard DDR3 voltage of 1.5v rather than 1.35v.
How do you know? I recently acquired a 32GB kit (used) for my W530 and they sent me 3 DDR3L modules and one regular DDR3. When I install them together the RAM runs super hot; meaning that it runs all modules at 1.5v.

The same modules run very cool on my X220 (both are DDR3L), leading me to believe that the X220 runs them at 1.35v instead of 1.5v.
X301: SU9600 | 8GB | 1TB | WXGA+
X1C5: 7600U | 16GB | 1TB | FHD
X1C9: 1145G7 | 16GB | 1TB | WUXGA | WWAN
X1Y8: 1365U | 32GB | 1TB | WUXGA
P14s G1 AMD: 4750U | 32GB | 1TB | PG FHD Touch
T14 G2: 1145G7 | 32GB | 1TB | FHD

axur-delmeria
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Re: X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#8 Post by axur-delmeria » Sun Aug 22, 2021 3:05 am

mikemex wrote:
Sat Aug 21, 2021 10:46 pm
How do you know? I recently acquired a 32GB kit (used) for my W530 and they sent me 3 DDR3L modules and one regular DDR3. When I install them together the RAM runs super hot; meaning that it runs all modules at 1.5v.
1. Because someone actually modded his X220 to reduce the DDR3 voltage to 1.45v.

2. It runs at 1.5v because there is a regular-voltage DDR3 module installed. The cooler RAM on the X220 may be due to the BIOS limiting the RAM speed to 1333.
Planned Purchase: T480s i5-8350 FHD Touch
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons :lol:
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E :cry:

mikemex
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Re: X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#9 Post by mikemex » Sun Aug 22, 2021 1:26 pm

axur-delmeria wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 3:05 am
mikemex wrote:
Sat Aug 21, 2021 10:46 pm
How do you know? I recently acquired a 32GB kit (used) for my W530 and they sent me 3 DDR3L modules and one regular DDR3. When I install them together the RAM runs super hot; meaning that it runs all modules at 1.5v.
1. Because someone actually modded his X220 to reduce the DDR3 voltage to 1.45v.

2. It runs at 1.5v because there is a regular-voltage DDR3 module installed. The cooler RAM on the X220 may be due to the BIOS limiting the RAM speed to 1333.
I just double checked and you're right: unlike the T420s, the X220 does not run 1600 memory at 1600, but 1333. Not sure how to check the voltage, but I do suspect that the T420s also supports 1.35v, while the X220 does not (at 1600 the DDR3L modules do not get hot in the T420s).

It's a good call for me, actually. I mean, 12800 modules on a X220 seems like a waste. I'll take them out and just put regular DDR3 RAM in there. Will save the DDR3L modules for a machine that actually uses it.
X301: SU9600 | 8GB | 1TB | WXGA+
X1C5: 7600U | 16GB | 1TB | FHD
X1C9: 1145G7 | 16GB | 1TB | WUXGA | WWAN
X1Y8: 1365U | 32GB | 1TB | WUXGA
P14s G1 AMD: 4750U | 32GB | 1TB | PG FHD Touch
T14 G2: 1145G7 | 32GB | 1TB | FHD

thelash
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Re: X1 (very first gen, NOT Carbon/Extreme/Yoga) RAM

#10 Post by thelash » Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:39 pm

I flashed a modded bios (http://x220.mcdonnelltech.com/resources/) in my X220 three or four years ago that allowed it to run ram at up to 1866 mhz. I installed 2x8gb DDR3L 1600 which it has run without problems since then. I have tried this same set of ram sticks in a T410s I had for a while with similar results. It appears that 1.35v ram is backwards compatible with 1.5v systems. You should be fine with your X1 as it is of similar vintage.
T430 ips, T440p.

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