Does my laptop(Envy 15-j001tx) support M.2 internal ssd?

[rishabhc43]

I am thinking of installing a ssd. Just want to make sure that if my laptop would support M.2 SSD alongside my internal 1TB HDD. Or do I need to remove my HDD and then replace it with mSATA SSD?

[Huffer]

This is an older laptop. It dates back to before M.2 became "a thing". The slot is for an mSATA mSSD. HP optionally sold it with a 24 gig mSSD. This is not the same as an M.2. The use for it was as an "acceleration cache" disk for the mechanical drive. It cannot be the bootdisk for the computer unless it is the only storage disk so if you remove the hard drive you can use an mSSD as the bootdisk. But mSSD disks of any size are hard to find and expensive. They are no faster and perhaps not quite as fast as a SATA-3 2.5 inch SSD. 

Post back with any more questions because the usual response to his is "huh"?? The Intel Rapid Storage disk cache thing was very short-lived. It has come back a bit in the current Optane system but the difference there is that Optane is an accelerator but uses the PCIe/NVME bus. The mSSD uses PCIe mSATA. Different thing and the Optane is much faster. 

[rishabhc43]

Thanks for the reply. Does this mean that I cannot use any other mSATA SSD along with my HDD. For eg. Samsung 860 EVO 250 GB mSATA. Or Do I have to install SATA 3 2.5 SSD?

What should I go with?

[Huffer]

You can install whatever will fit but as far as what use you can make of it see above. You are in a good position if you haven't purchased anything. Don't buy an mSATA larger than 32 gigs thinking you will use it for anything other than acceleration cache with the hard drive. If you want to speed it up as fast as possible you want a 2.5 inch SATA-3 SSD. Cheaper per gig and just as fast if not faster than an mSATA mSSD.