Deskwise Picks compatibility library

ThinkCentre Tiny Upgrade Planner: M720q, M920q and M920x

Compare exact Tiny chassis, memory evidence, NVMe sockets, SATA installation parts and PCIe conflicts. Build a complete upgrade checklist rather than a parts-only shopping list.

Prepared by the Deskwise Picks editorial desk · evidence checked October 19, 2026 · official specifications and transparent calculations; no hands-on testing

The practical answer

M720q and M920q have one storage M.2 socket; M920x has two. All three cited platform documents use two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots and validate 32GB, with qualifications rather than an absolute future-capacity limit. A PCIe card competes with the 2.5-inch drive space. Match the physical machine, installed parts and power configuration before buying.

Your equipment, your constraints

Build the upgrade checklist

Use the exact model and your intended setup. Missing evidence remains visible; changing an answer clears the previous result.

Choose your equipment and submit to see the result. No model is recommended before these checks.

The reference behind the result

Official-spec evidence checked October 19, 2026. These tables stay readable without running the interactive checker. Supported counts and dimensions do not establish every assembled configuration.

Three Tiny chassis — compare storage sockets, not the marketing family
Model	NVMe storage sockets	Memory evidence	Conflict
ThinkCentre M720q Tiny	1	2 SO-DIMM slots; 32GB factory validation, not an absolute ceiling	The PCIe card and 2.5-inch drive cannot occupy the same space. The WLAN M.2 socket is not a second NVMe storage socket.
ThinkCentre M920q Tiny	1	2 SO-DIMM slots; 32GB factory validation, not an absolute ceiling	The PCIe card and 2.5-inch drive are mutually exclusive. Q370 does not turn the WLAN socket into a second storage socket.
ThinkCentre M920x Tiny	2	2 SO-DIMM slots; 32GB factory validation, not an absolute ceiling	The qualified PCIe card occupies the 2.5-inch drive area and optional-port space. Storage and graphics options are not all simultaneous.

Choose between the three models for the complete job

Compare the exact Tiny chassis; installed options vary
Decision	ThinkCentre M720q Tiny	ThinkCentre M920q Tiny	ThinkCentre M920x Tiny
Platform	B360	Q370	Q370
Memory layout	2 DDR4 SO-DIMM slots; DDR4-2666 platform specification	2 DDR4 SO-DIMM slots; DDR4-2666, subject to CPU downclocking	2 DDR4 SO-DIMM slots; the cited PSREF notes installed 2666 memory running at 2400 for its processor configurations
Power supply evidence	65W / 90W / 135W configurations; some listings include no adapter	65W / 90W / 135W configurations; some listings include no adapter	135W adapter in the cited platform specification
Original Ethernet	Intel I219-V, 1GbE	Intel I219-LM, 1GbE	Intel I219-LM, 1GbE
Second NVMe	No supported second storage socket	No supported second storage socket	Two documented storage sockets; inspect free socket and retainer
SATA + internal PCIe	The PCIe card and 2.5-inch drive cannot occupy the same space. The WLAN M.2 socket is not a second NVMe storage socket.	The PCIe card and 2.5-inch drive are mutually exclusive. Q370 does not turn the WLAN socket into a second storage socket.	The qualified PCIe card occupies the 2.5-inch drive area and optional-port space. Storage and graphics options are not all simultaneous.
Best reason to keep / choose	Keep for a job satisfied by current RAM and one NVMe; SATA only when the bay is free	Choose verified management/platform needs; do not pay for an assumed second NVMe	Choose a verified two-NVMe job; check optional-port and graphics conflicts
Unresolved until unit inspection	Machine type, actual board and modules, carrier/cable FRU, riser/bracket, adapter label and seller configuration	Machine type, actual board and modules, carrier/cable FRU, riser/bracket, adapter label and seller configuration	Machine type, actual board and modules, carrier/cable FRU, riser/bracket, adapter label and seller configuration

Continue with the NAS, router, NIC and switch path →

Sources and limits

Lenovo M720Q hardware maintenance manual
Printed pp. 26–30: drive, cable, PCIe adapter; pp. 50–53: memory and M.2 locking clip; match cover machine type · checked October 19, 2026
Kingston memory selector: M720Q Tiny
System-specific compatible module list; KCP426SD8/16 specifications; component-vendor validation, not a Lenovo FRU · checked October 19, 2026
Lenovo M920Q hardware maintenance manual
Printed pp. 26–30: drive, cable, PCIe adapter; pp. 50–53: memory and M.2 locking clip; match cover machine type · checked October 19, 2026
Kingston memory selector: M920Q Tiny
System-specific compatible module list; KCP426SD8/16 specifications; component-vendor validation, not a Lenovo FRU · checked October 19, 2026
Lenovo M920X hardware maintenance manual
Printed pp. 26–30: drive, cable, PCIe adapter; pp. 50–53: memory and M.2 locking clip; match cover machine type · checked October 19, 2026
Kingston memory selector: M920X Tiny
System-specific compatible module list; KCP426SD8/16 specifications; component-vendor validation, not a Lenovo FRU · checked October 19, 2026
Lenovo Parts Lookup
Identify by machine type / serial; match FRU and substitute list before ordering; enter serial only on Lenovo, not Madabase · checked October 19, 2026
Crucial MX500 product flyer
2.5-inch 7mm SATA model CT1000MX500SSD1; product specification only, not machine qualification · checked October 19, 2026
Samsung 970 EVO Plus datasheet
Product specifications and model codes: 1TB MZ-V7S1T0B/AM, M.2 2280, PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe · checked October 19, 2026
Lenovo PSREF: ThinkCentre M720 Tiny
Memory; Storage; Power Supply; Mechanical notes; Onboard Ethernet · checked October 19, 2026
Lenovo PSREF: ThinkCentre M920 Tiny
Memory; Storage; Power Supply; Mechanical notes; Onboard Ethernet · checked October 19, 2026
Lenovo PSREF: ThinkCentre M920x Tiny
Memory footnotes; Storage; RAID special-bid condition; Mechanical conflict note · checked October 19, 2026

We have not physically tested these combinations. An official limit, a suggested acceptance test and an independently measured result are different evidence types. Unknown configurations remain unknown. Merchant identity, price and stock must be checked separately.

Decisions the specifications alone do not settle

Compare the machine you will receive

Tiny, Micro, Mini, SFF and Tower are not interchangeable hardware descriptions. Start with the complete Lenovo model and machine type, then ask for actual internal photos and the included adapter. Check occupied memory and storage sockets rather than counting everything the platform could have shipped with. The M920x's second storage socket can matter more for a two-NVMe plan than a small CPU difference. Do not generate a long list of theoretical CPU upgrades when the firmware, cooling and power configuration are unknown.

Choose the route before buying the missing kit

For SATA expansion, confirm the model-matched carrier, cable and retaining hardware as well as the drive. For another NVMe drive, verify a real vacant storage socket and accepted length. For an internal NIC, confirm riser, card approval, rear bracket and clearance as one assembly; it may remove the SATA route. Exact FRU numbers remain unverified in this first library and must be matched to the machine type through the official parts/maintenance records. We deliberately do not label a generic marketplace cable as a verified kit.

Use a complete-cost comparison

Compare the actual unit price plus missing RAM, SSD, adapter, carrier/cable and any network accessory. Add shipping and seller return conditions when evaluating the offer. A bare computer can be less attractive than a complete machine after those parts are included. An upgrade that fills an existing need may be worthwhile; replacing a working system solely because another chipset is available is not a conclusion this database makes. Prices and availability are not stored as stable compatibility facts.

Know what the library cannot certify

The official 32GB validation is not a tested 64GB limit. The original 1GbE NIC is not a multi-gig endpoint because it connects to a faster switch. A PCIe slot does not establish support for every NIC or GPU. A successful boot does not establish power consumption, noise, operating-system support or long-term reliability. Those require their own evidence. Check the actual unit and exact parts before ordering; a family name alone cannot establish an upgrade kit.

Common questions

Can I install a second SSD in the Wi-Fi M.2 socket?

Do not count the WLAN socket as another supported NVMe storage socket. The first two models have one documented storage socket; M920x has two. Adapters or modifications need separate evidence.

Does 32GB in PSREF mean larger RAM cannot work?

No. Lenovo describes a validation based on its offered modules and notes later technology may support more. That also does not prove a particular 64GB kit works. Keep factory validation and separately demonstrated configurations distinct.

Where are the affiliate upgrade-kit buttons?

A kit is not eligible until the exact component, machine variant, merchant listing and attribution are verified. The model guides provide the required-parts checklist without substituting an unrelated product.