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- Speed of new SSD

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01-18-2025 04:18 AM
Hi All, I added Kingston KC3000 2TB SSD to my laptop and when checking it's speed with CrystalDiskMark it only goes up to 3500 MB/s (advertised for the ssd is up to 7000 MB/s). I understand that this is just advertised up to speed but I was still expecting it to not be more than half slower than advertised. Is this happening due to hardware issue with my laptop or is there some way for me to improve this speed? Thanks in advance.
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Accepted Solutions
01-21-2025 01:03 AM
Hi @Zvrko,
Welcome to the HP Support Community.
I'd be glad to help you!
It's understandable to feel disappointed when your SSD isn't performing as expected, especially when you've invested in a high-speed drive like the Kingston KC3000. Let's try to get to the root of the issue and explore ways to optimize its performance.
Here are a few questions to help narrow down potential causes:
- Is the SSD installed in an M.2 slot that supports PCIe 4.0, or is it limited to PCIe 3.0? (Some laptops may only have PCIe 3.0 slots, which could cap the speed.)
- Have you updated your BIOS and storage drivers to ensure optimal compatibility and performance?
- Did you enable the correct power settings or performance mode in Windows and the BIOS?
Let's try these steps.
Check PCIe Slot Compatibility:
- Verify in the laptop's user manual or HP’s website if the M.2 slot supports PCIe 4.0. If your laptop only supports PCIe 3.0, speeds will be capped at around 3500 MB/s.
Update Firmware and Drivers:
- Ensure your SSD firmware, chipset drivers, and BIOS are up to date. Visit Kingston's website for firmware updates and HP’s support page for BIOS updates.
Adjust Windows Power Settings:
- Navigate to Control Panel > Power Options and select "High Performance" or "Ultimate Performance" to avoid throttling.
Enable NVMe Driver and Settings:
- Install the latest NVMe driver from Kingston (if available) instead of relying on the default Windows driver. Additionally, check if write caching is enabled under Device Manager > Disk Drives > Policies.
Benchmark in a Controlled Environment:
- Run CrystalDiskMark tests again after closing all background applications and ensuring the laptop is plugged into power with performance mode enabled.
Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance
Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.
Nal_NR-Moderator
I am an HP Employee
01-21-2025 01:03 AM
Hi @Zvrko,
Welcome to the HP Support Community.
I'd be glad to help you!
It's understandable to feel disappointed when your SSD isn't performing as expected, especially when you've invested in a high-speed drive like the Kingston KC3000. Let's try to get to the root of the issue and explore ways to optimize its performance.
Here are a few questions to help narrow down potential causes:
- Is the SSD installed in an M.2 slot that supports PCIe 4.0, or is it limited to PCIe 3.0? (Some laptops may only have PCIe 3.0 slots, which could cap the speed.)
- Have you updated your BIOS and storage drivers to ensure optimal compatibility and performance?
- Did you enable the correct power settings or performance mode in Windows and the BIOS?
Let's try these steps.
Check PCIe Slot Compatibility:
- Verify in the laptop's user manual or HP’s website if the M.2 slot supports PCIe 4.0. If your laptop only supports PCIe 3.0, speeds will be capped at around 3500 MB/s.
Update Firmware and Drivers:
- Ensure your SSD firmware, chipset drivers, and BIOS are up to date. Visit Kingston's website for firmware updates and HP’s support page for BIOS updates.
Adjust Windows Power Settings:
- Navigate to Control Panel > Power Options and select "High Performance" or "Ultimate Performance" to avoid throttling.
Enable NVMe Driver and Settings:
- Install the latest NVMe driver from Kingston (if available) instead of relying on the default Windows driver. Additionally, check if write caching is enabled under Device Manager > Disk Drives > Policies.
Benchmark in a Controlled Environment:
- Run CrystalDiskMark tests again after closing all background applications and ensuring the laptop is plugged into power with performance mode enabled.
Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance
Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.
Nal_NR-Moderator
I am an HP Employee
01-21-2025 06:33 AM - edited 01-21-2025 06:33 AM
Hi @Elohi_NR,
Thanks for your reply. To answer your questions:
1. According to user manual laptop has 2 PCIe 4x4 slots. I copied everything from original ssd (512 GB PCIe® Gen4 NVMe™ M.2 SSD) and put the new SSD in slot 1 and old one in slot 2.
2. BIOS and storage drivers are updated to latest version. Kingstons app says the latest firmware is installed also.
3. I will try to change power options and check the disk drive policies like you recommended and then do the test again.
I will let you know of the test results later as I am not next to laptop now.
Thanks again and have a nice day.
01-21-2025 10:04 AM
Hi @Zvrko,
Sure, keep me posted. Take care.
Give us some reinforcement by clicking the Accepted Solution button, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers and did reply to you!
Nal_NR-Moderator
I am an HP Employee