Need help on SSD selection

[Nikhil150]

I am using 15s-du2036tx, this model of HP notebook. I want to install SSD. But don't know which and how to choose? I don't know whether gen3 or gen4 SSD will be compatible with my motherboard. Need help on this.  And what's the capacity of SSD that will be sufficient to improve the speed of the laptop? 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You can install a large a capacity NVMe SSD you want as long as the drive is single sided so that it fits in the M.2 SSD slot.

The slot is PCIe Gen 3.0.

A Gen 4.0 SSD will work fine, but it will not run at its maximum advertised read/write speeds from the Gen 3 slot--the maximum would be limited to 4,000 MBPS.

The capacity of the SSD you buy will have no relationship to the speed.

The capacity is the amount of storage you need for the amount of files and programs you intend to install on the drive.

I recommend you get a Gen 4 SSD because they will be easier to find and probably cost less than a Gen 3 drive.

Below is the link to the service manual for the original model series:

Maintenance and Service Guide HP 15 Laptop PC

[Nikhil150]

But for my laptop's motherboard, will gen4 SSD work? (I don't know whether my motherboard is compatible with Gen4 or Gen3 SSD).

I got your point. Instead of storage capacity, I should focus on generation and speed, right?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Yes, a Gen 4 SSD will work just fine.

It is fully backward compatible with a Gen 3 slot.

The only thing it won't do is run at its maximum advertised read/write speeds from your PC's Gen 3 slot.

This table shows the maximum transfer speed each PCIe slot generation can support:

PCIe Speeds and Limitations | Crucial.com

Yes, you should focus on the SSD generation and transfer speed--especially if you want to move the drive to a newer notebook or desktop PC in the future that has a PCie Gen 4 SSD slot.

For storage capacity buy what you need.

For example if your PC has a 1 TB hard drive and that is plenty of storage for your needs, then buy a 1 TB NVMe SSD.

[Nikhil150]

Thanks. The table you shared looks helpful. How can I find my laptop's PCIe revision and lane?
Need help on that.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

Since notebook processors are integral parts of the motherboard, you look up the processor specs on the Intel site and it provides the PCIe generation:

Under the expansion option specs:

Intel® Core™ i5-1035G1 Processor

As far as number of PCIe lanes, you may be able to get info by installing the free HWINFO app:

Free Download HWiNFO Sofware | Installer & Portable for Windows, DOS

I use the portable version.