You can’t upgrade the RAM on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11, but you can swap the storage if you need to.
New in 2023 is the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11. This fresh ThinkPad product keeps the same design you’re used to but adds newer next-gen Intel processors, as well as software tweaks and sustainability improvements. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the upgradability. Since the RAM is soldered down, you can’t swap or change it out after you purchase your laptop, although, like with other Lenovo devices, you can change the storage.
That isn’t all too surprising since this is a business laptop and because Lenovo is offering the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 with a new 64GB RAM option. The company would much rather have you pay extra and upgrade your RAM at checkout than do it on your own. As for storage, well, you can upgrade at any time, especially if you have the time, patience, and expertise to follow the steps in this guide.
Why you can’t upgrade the RAM on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
The RAM on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is soldered down to the motherboard, which means you can’t remove it. So, if you want a RAM upgrade, you must configure your ThinkPad with extra RAM through Lenovo’s website. A product page for the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 isn’t yet available, so we can’t provide an exact cost for how much a RAM upgrade would cost, although we can make some assumptions based on last year’s model.
The stock option on the 10th-generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon was 8GB of RAM, and a jump to 16GB was an additional $170. Jumping to 32GB RAM, meanwhile, was a full-on $660 upgrade since it was only available on the highest-end Intel Core i7 models.
Upgrading the storage on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
The process of upgrading the storage on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is the same as last year’s 10th-generation model. We don’t advise upgrading the storage on your own, though, as you’ll have to take your ThinkPad apart, which can void the warranty. You’ll also have to back up your files to the cloud or on an external hard drive and prepare installation media. If you replace the SSD, you won’t have an operating system. Here are some general steps for how you can upgrade the storage.
- Place your laptop on a flat surface.
- Turn it upside down with the hinge facing away from you.
- Remove the screws from the bottom of the casing using a Phillips head screwdriver.
- Carefully pry up the bottom casing.
- Disconnect the battery cable.
- Remove the screw for the M.2 SSD.
- Slide out the old SSD.
- Place the new SSD into the slot and align it with the pins on the board.
- Plug the battery cable back in.
- Put back the cover and make sure it clips into place.
- Screw the screws in the bottom casing back into place.
After replacing the SSD, you’ll have to boot off the Windows installation media you created or have on hand. Reinstall Windows 11, and then when complete, restore your files from the backup or the cloud.
That’s all there is to know about replacing the SSD and the RAM in the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11. You can’t change the RAM, but you can change the storage if you want to with the right steps. As always, you’re doing this at your own risk and might void your warranty if you damage the system.
