Can someone please make it clear for once and for all for the ProBook 450 G5?!

[Foremoist]

I want to upgrade my ProBook 450 G5 to NVME SSD. The specs only say that it SUPPORTS NVME! GREAT! But NVME has many options. It can be Gen3 x2 or Gen3 x4. And it can also be M key or B key or B+M key.

Which one does the ProBook 450 G5 support? Gen3 x2? Gen3 x4? And which key does it have? M, B or B+M!

Thanks!

[Huffer]

Its not as complex as you fear. An M.2 slot is an M.2 slot and an M or B + M keyed drive will fit in. Its the disk that is "keyed" not the slot. Most NVME M.2 SSDs are in fact "M" keyed. An exception is the Kingston A1000 which together with the Crucial P1 series represents a low-priced entry point for NVME M.2. You can use either an x2 or x4 disk but not sure why you would use an x2. Get a Samsung 970 Evo Plus is my best advice. It is an x4 and is as fast as anything on the market and will work fine with the 450 G5. Rule of thumb: if its a 7th gen Intel Core or higher compatibility of specific NVME M.2 SSD is just not an issue; it will just work. 

Post back with any more questions and please accept as solution if this is the info you needed. 

[Foremoist]

Ok thank you! Then why would HP make the ProBook 450 G5 Gen3 x2 instead of Gen3 x4 if it's an 8th generation Intel and it can clearly support Gen3 x4? What's the reason behind this limitation of such a new CPU?!

[Huffer]

What makes you think it is Gen 3 x2? The laptop is not a generation its the SSD. 

[Foremoist]

It's just that I saw many comments online, including this forum(however without confirmation) saying that even if you plug a Gen3 x4 NVME SSD in this laptop, the speeds you get are of Gen3 x2.

[Huffer]

I also take those with a grain of salt. In every case where I have installed a Samsung 970 Evo onto an HP laptop with a 7th or 8th gen processor it has achieved x4 performance. I cannot say I have tried it on this specific model but I have done it on much less expensive models. Just installed a 970 Evo Plus onto a 14-df0023cl, which is a fairly low end machine with 8th gen i3 and get 3600+ read speed on the NVME M.2 SSD. 

[Foremoist]

Thank you, then I'll buy a regular NVME Gen 3 x4, and update this thread as soon as possible!