Modifying the ThinkPad 13 Gen 1 to unlock its full PCIe potential
The Thinkpad 13 Gen 1 can be modified to support NVMe SSDs through hardware changes. Initial SSD recognition failed, but modifications achieved 1GB/s throughput; booting issues and further enhancements remain.
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The article discusses the process of modifying a Thinkpad 13 Gen 1 to enhance its PCIe capabilities. The author purchased the laptop, which was listed for parts, and upon initial testing, found that an SSD was not recognized. After reviewing the laptop's schematic, it was discovered that the design included unnecessary components for a SATA-only configuration, despite the presence of PCIe components. The author proceeded to disassemble the laptop and desolder two capacitors, bridging them with magnet wire. Although the initial modification did not yield results, further advice led to bridging additional pads, which ultimately allowed the SSD to be recognized, achieving a throughput of approximately 1GB/s. However, the UEFI firmware did not permit booting from the SSD, suggesting that further updates or installations might be necessary. The article concludes by noting that additional capacitors on the PCIe lanes are unpopulated, indicating potential for further speed enhancements if soldered.
- The Thinkpad 13 Gen 1 can be modified to support NVMe SSDs by altering its hardware configuration.
- Initial attempts to recognize an SSD were unsuccessful until additional modifications were made.
- The laptop achieved a throughput of about 1GB/s after modifications, but booting from the SSD remains an issue.
- Further enhancements could be made by populating additional capacitors on the PCIe lanes.
- The modification process involved technical skills such as desoldering and bridging components.
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6 commentsSSDs were not yet the ubiquitous default, not by far. Many laptops shipped with HDDs or SSHD (solid state hybrid drive) for faster storage. The most common SSD fit in the slot to replace these so they were 2.5" and SATA. Cheap NVMe as a category started to emerge that year but only H2 of it especially with the Intel 600p. Also, most laptops could only run them at x2 because the On Package Interconnect between the CPU and the PCH was set to 2GT/s instead of 4GT/s for better battery life. This made total sense: SATA only could use less than 1GT/s anyways so why bother? The other potential bandwidth hog was Thunderbolt 3 which did appear on Skylake laptops but most laptops used the Intel JHL6240 which only used two PCIe lanes instead of four once again for power consumption reasons and so they thought oversubscribing the 2GT/s link with SATA and Thunderbolt is okay. Even to this day the only semi-common high bandwidth Thunderbolt peripheral is the external SSD.
The next year, in the ThinkPad T470 Lenovo will start selling what OP hacked here: it had a kit which put a M.2 key M slot inside the HDD bay and connected with the appropriate cable.
Also interesting to know that there was a Thinkpad 13 - I'd been ignorant of that model despite purchasing a T460 of the same generation. (Although there's also the classic Thinkpad X13, the newer Thinkpad Z13, and the Thinkbook 13 so I don't feel too bad.) Here's some more information: https://www.mobiletechreview.com/notebooks/Lenovo-ThinkPad-1... (including an unusual looking internal layout what with the looong single heatpipe and empty space in the corner).
I have an x201 and an x220 with SATA SSDs and they're surprisingly fast still
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