Spectre x360 Convertible 13 AE0XX SSD upgrade

[ChristerS]

I need to upgrade the SSD of my Spectre 360 Convertible 13-AE0XX from 512gb to 2tb.  Which SSDs are compatible or are recommended?

[Huffer]

Here is the Service Manual:

Manual

See p. 33. A 2 TB was theoretically available from the factory so we know a 2 TB PCIe/NVME M.2 will work. 

Start on p. 29 for back cover removal and find this:

M.2 slot circled in red

Since yours seems to be an 8th gen Intel Core model (you do not provide the specific model number) M.2 compatibility is not as much of an issue as previous models and you can use a Samsung 970 Evo 2 TB:

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-970-EVO-2TB-MZ-V7E2T0BW/dp/B07C8Y31G1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=15435209...

An expensive piece of "kit" as our UK friends say. 

Post back with any further questions and please accept as solution if its the info you needed. 

[ChristerS]

Huffer, many thanks for your reply.  Your are right that cost is high.  I found the Samsung 860 EVO 2.TB M.2 SATA (MZ-N6E2T0BW) at a substantially lower cost.  The question is if this is compatible.  The connectors are different.

[Huffer]

Connectors look different but still fit in the M.2 slot and it will work. Still very fast but only maybe 1/5 as fast as an NVME hence cheaper. It will probably meet your needs however. 

[ChristerS]

Many thanks again.  "1/5 as fast" is 80% slower.  Sounds like a lot from one generation to another.   Did I understand you wrongly.

[Huffer]

Its not a generational thing its different technology. The 860 Evo is a SATA based M.2 storage device. The data is routed to the PCIe bus and then into a SATA bus. Top read speed will be about 550 Mbps which is maybe 4 times as fast as a hard drive. NVME directly accesses the PCie bus and on my laptop using a 970 Evo M.2 read speed is about 3400 Mbps. When it boots up you can't see the little spinning wheel spin it goes straight to the desktop. SATA SSD might spin the wheel once or twice then get to the desktop. Still very fast just not insanely fast. 

[ChristerS]

OK, nice to hear from an expert.  Thanks.