Which hard drive to upgrade with

[dtex13]

Hello -

  I have a  OMEN by HP 25L GT15-0304 with a 512 ssd installed.   i am wanting to add additional hd space and looking for some advice.    

[Alden4]

Hi @dtex13,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

To upgrade your OMEN by HP 25L GT15-0304 desktop and add more storage, you can choose between two main types of drives.

SATA HDD or SSD

• Best for: Large capacity at a lower cost, ideal for storing files, games, and media.
• Recommended capacity: 2TB to 6TB.
• Interface: Standard SATA III (6 Gbps).
• Examples:
  • HDD: Seagate BarraCuda or WD Blue (affordable and reliable).
  • SSD: Samsung 870 EVO or Crucial MX500 (faster access times than HDDs).

Pros:

• Cheaper for high capacity.
• Easy to install in the 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drive bays.

Cons:

• Slower compared to NVMe SSDs.

NVMe M.2 SSD

• Best for: High-speed performance, faster load times for games and applications.
• Recommended capacity: 1TB to 4TB.
• Interface: NVMe PCIe Gen3 or Gen4 (check your motherboard compatibility).
• Examples:
  • PCIe Gen3: Samsung 970 EVO Plus, WD Black SN750.
  • PCIe Gen4: Samsung 980 Pro, WD Black SN850.

Pros:

• Compact design (no cables needed).
• Lightning-fast read/write speeds.
• Great for running applications, games, and the operating system.

Cons:

• More expensive per GB compared to SATA options.

Steps to Upgrade:

Check Compatibility:

• Your OMEN 25L desktop likely has:
  • 1 M.2 slot for an NVMe SSD (check if it's already in use by your 512GB SSD).
  • SATA ports for 2.5" or 3.5" drives.
• Consult the user manual or open the case to confirm available slots and connections.

[Alden4]

Determine Your Needs:

• For bulk storage, go with a large SATA HDD/SSD.
• For speed, choose an NVMe M.2 SSD.

Recommended Setup:

• Option 1: Add a 2TB or 4TB SATA HDD for mass storage.
• Option 2: Add a 1TB or 2TB NVMe M.2 SSD for games and programs and keep the 512GB SSD for the OS.

Install and Format:

• Physically install the drive into the appropriate slot or bay.
• Boot into Windows, go to Disk Management, and initialize/format the new drive.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4

HP Support