Envy x360 upgrade options

[MMoodyB]

Hi all,

i recently bought an 15" Envy x360 and im trying to confirm what my upgrade options are, but i havent been able to find the service / maintenance manual for my model - 15-aq160sa.

From looking at similar models, it seems like I can upgrade it to 2x8GB 2133mhz ddr4, and add an m.2 ssd along with the 1TB hd it currently has, but I'd like to confirm this if i can.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

Pages 35 and 38 of the Manual:

Manual

It will take a pair of DDR4-2133 8 gig modules and there is an M.2 slot in addition to the 2.5 inch hard drive bay. 

Uses SATA-3 B + M type M.2 modules, not NVME (PCIe). 

These upgrades would be not authorized for the end user under the warranty but as long as no damage is done you should be OK. Can't speak for HP however. 

If this is "the Answer" please click "Accept as Solution" to help others find it. 

[MMoodyB]

That's exactly the reply i was hoping for.

Thanks

[Ro69]

I'm also looking to upgrade this exact model of laptop with an m.2 ssd.

Previously replies suggest this model can only 'officially' support a 128gb ssd:-

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/Can-I-add-an-extra-SSD-to-my-H...

However, I'd like to hear from anyone thats put a bigger m.2 SSD that worked correctly for this model laptop. (A link to buy it would be ideal!)

Or failing that, just the EXACT ssd you successfully installed, regardless of size.

Thankyou so much.

Hopefully these answers will stop me buying one thats not compatible.

[Huffer]

The 128 gig limit theory is simly wrong and I love the HP Reps and glad they come in here and answer but sometimes I gotta question the advice. Certainly I am also not immune to error. However, in this case I can say I have installed M.2 SSDs in this model series of laptop. 

On this model the M.2 slot is directly above the battery as you have the back off of it. 

The 256 gig drive listed in the Manual is actually a PCIe/NVME type and HP has it in stock:

https://parts.hp.com/hpparts/Search_Results.aspx?mscssid=8D93BDA42EC5470793801A7FDCB754DD&SearchIn=P...

The prices on these at the HP Parts Store are insane. The model I installed in this 15-aq100 series laptop was a Samsung PM951. This is now two years later something of a quaint legacy device and if I were doing it today I would install a Samsung 970 Evo or Evo Plus:

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-500GB-Internal-Solid-State/dp/B07MFBLN7K/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Evo+970+...

The biggest I have installed is a 500 gig but I am as sure as I can be that a 1 TB would work, too. 

And final word of advice: open the laptop and check for the presence of the slot BEFORE you invest in an M.2 SSD just to be sure. 

[Ro69]

Ok, so as described by Huffer, the m.2 slot is indeed above and to the right of the battery, when you have the back off and the battery on the edge nearest you.

The M.2 socket is labelled as SATA. Is there any point putting an NVMe drive in there ?

Infact, would it even work ?

Looking at it physically, it only has one cut out on the connector, which looks more like a NVME slot, NOT a SATA slot (which for m.2 has 2 cut outs), and the link to the 'officially' support m.2 drive for this model looks like its NVMe - This is the product name:-

"GNRC SSD256GB 2280M2PCIe3x4SS NVMeTLC MM"

So I assume NVMe is ok ???

[Huffer]

All M.2 slots have 2 chambers and look more like they would work with an "M" keyed M.2 SSD rather than a "B + M". 

Most but not all NVME M.2 SSDs are "M" keyed and most SATA M.2 SSDs are "B + M". Both of the different key type disks will fit just fine into an M.2 port/slot. The actual width of the plugin part of the M.2 is the same whether it is B or B + M and they just fit. 

B + M on left M on right

You cannot tell what will be compatible by just looking at the slot. I would say yes NVME will work but I am concerned about the "SATA" label on the slot. The Manual seems to suggest you could use an NVME as you have seen. Can you post a picture of the slot?

[Ro69]

Here's a top down view of the slot. The screw to hold the end of the SSD is off the picture to the right hand side.

I've circled where the SATA wording is, which is immediately below the m.2 socket:-

The wording in the manual for my specific model says:-

128-MB, M2.2280, SATA-3, solid-state drive for use only on computer models with model number m6-
aq1XX 

or

256-MB, M2.2280, solid-state drive supporting TLC for use on all computer models

(My model being aq160sa).

EDIT:- Looking back over this thread, I can only actually assume that NVMe must work, because huffer mentioned using a PM951 SSD originally, and that is PCIe NVMe type SSD.

[Huffer]

Yes but that was another laptop in this same series not your specific model. That SATA language on the baord has me thinking you had best get a SATA M.2 not an NVME. I do not recall that being on the one I worked on. 

[Ro69]

As a final update to this thread, I ended up getting this:-

https://uk.crucial.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&catalogId=10153&storeId=10...

A 500gb m.2 SATA based SSD, and it works perfectly.