SSD Upgrade Options for All-In-One PC

[ChrisBraden4]

Hello, I am looking to upgrade from a HDD to an SSD.

Now, my motherboard states it has an M.2 SSD slot available, but when I checked through Mr Memory (link below) website for SSD upgrade options it only gave me 3 options, all of which were 2.5" SSD.

https://www.mrmemory.co.uk/ssd-upgrades/hp/pavilion-all-in-one/24-b277na#!kingston-kc600-2.5-inch-ss...

Does anybody know if an M.2 SSD would definitely work in this All-In-One PC? If so, it would mean I could keep the current HDD running as secondary, and it would make life a lot easier transferring everything over, such as the OS to the new drive.

FYI: The PC is 3 years old, used about 20% space on the 1Tb HDD and it's running on 16GB RAM. I've started working from home, and having a VPN, Microsoft Teams and numerous Chrome tabs open is making the PC a bit slow, and I want it as fast as possible, especially when I get round to video editing.

Kind regards,

Chris

[BeemerBiker]

Yes, you can add SSD to that m.2 and boot from it and use your HD for added storage. 

However, there are other things that can be done that are possibly cheaper and more effective.  I am not familiar with your system and a quick lookup did not provide info I was looking for.

Look in your documentation and also at the installed apps under "intel"

Do you see Intel's "Rapid Storage Technology" listed?  The app name would be "Iastorui.exe"

If installed on your system then you can add a small stick of Intel "Optane" memory.  The "Rapid Storage Technology" works only with 7th gen Intel or later and with M.2 memory.  I read that It can significantly speed up your systems hard drive. 

You have plenty of space left on your hard drive.  Probably no need to get more space.  If anything you could replace the HD with a higher RPM one in the future (after the warranty is gone)

HP has info on Optane here 

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c05591811

I am not using Optane.  Instead I put in a 256gb m.2 and installed PrimoCache.  However, my setup (Area51 R4) is far different from yours. I have multiple disks both internal and external and multiple blurays and NAS. 

Maybe someone here has more experience with Optane and can make a better recommendation.

[edit]  Go to the windows 10 search box and start typing "Intel rapid sto...."  If you got that app then the rest of the name will be filed in for you.