Upgrading your laptop SSD is one of the fastest ways to improve boot times, app loading, and overall responsiveness. This Canada-focused guide covers what to look for, how to avoid compatibility issues, and placeholder picks you can update later.
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Table of Contents
Our Top Picks (Placeholder)
| Category | Pick |
|---|---|
| Best Overall SSD Upgrade | Samsung 990 PRO 2TB |
| Best Budget SSD Upgrade | ACASIS 40Gbps M.2 NVMe Enclosure |
| Best High-Performance SSD | Samsung 860 PRO 1TB |
| Best Value for Capacity | Samsung 990 PRO 1TB |
Best Overall SSD Upgrade
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB
Short verdict: A top-tier PCIe 4.0 SSD with excellent speed, thermals, and reliability.
- Capacity: 2TB
- Interface: PCIe Gen4 NVMe
- Read/Write: Up to 7,450 / 6,900 MB/s
- Form factor: M.2
- Best for: High-performance laptop upgrades
Top highlights
- Brand
- Samsung
- Digital storage
- 2 TB
- Interface
- NVMe
- Connectivity
- PCIe
- Special feature
- Compact
- Form factor
- 2.5 Inches
- Description
- Solid State Drive
- Compatible devices
- Gaming Console, Laptop
- Installation type
- Internal Hard Drive
- Colour
- Multicolor
Best Budget SSD Upgrade
ACASIS 40Gbps M.2 NVMe Enclosure (TBU 405 Pro)
Short verdict: A fast, tool-free Thunderbolt enclosure for turning an SSD into portable storage.
- Interface: Thunderbolt / USB 4 (40Gbps)
- Compatible SSD sizes: 2280 / 2260 / 2242 / 2230
- Cooling: Built-in fan + aluminum shell
- Best for: External SSD upgrades and fast backups
Top highlights
- Hardware interface
- Solid State Drive, Thunderbolt
- Brand
- FREEGENE
- Colour
- Black
- Hardware platform
- Universal
- Material
- Aluminum
- Item weight
- 0.3 Kilograms
- Memory storage capacity
- 8 TB
- Compatible devices
- M.2 SSDs (2280/2260/2242/2230), M1 Pro/Max Mac, iPad Pro
- Form factor
- 22 Millimeters
- Max supported devices
- 1
Best High-Performance SSD
Samsung 860 PRO 1TB (2.5-inch SATA)
Short verdict: A premium SATA SSD for older laptops that need reliable speed and endurance.
- Capacity: 1TB
- Interface: SATA
- Form factor: 2.5-inch
- Best for: SATA upgrades and legacy systems
Top highlights
- Brand
- Samsung
- Digital storage
- 1 TB
- Interface
- ATA-4
- Connectivity
- SATA
- Special feature
- Compact
- Form factor
- 2.5 Inches
- Description
- Solid State Drive
- Compatible devices
- Servers and arrays that accept 2.5-inch 7mm SATA drives
- Installation type
- Internal Hard Drive
- Colour
- Black
Best Value for Capacity
Samsung 990 PRO 1TB
Short verdict: A fast PCIe 4.0 SSD with excellent value at 1TB.
- Capacity: 1TB
- Interface: PCIe Gen4 NVMe
- Read/Write: Up to 7,450 / 6,900 MB/s
- Form factor: M.2
- Best for: Budget performance upgrades
Top highlights
- Brand
- Samsung
- Digital storage
- 1 TB
- Interface
- Solid State
- Connectivity
- PCIe
- Special feature
- Compact
- Description
- Solid State Drive
- Compatible devices
- Gaming Console, Laptop
- Installation type
- Internal Hard Drive
- Colour
- Multicolor
- Hard disk size
- 1 TB
Compatibility Checklist
- Form factor: Most laptops use M.2 2280 NVMe, but some older models use 2.5-inch SATA.
- Interface: NVMe (PCIe) is faster than SATA but requires compatible slots.
- Capacity: 500GB is a good baseline; 1TB+ is ideal for large libraries.
- Thermals: Thin laptops may need lower-power drives.
Buying Guide
Focus on real-world performance (read/write), warranty length, and endurance ratings (TBW). For most users, a reliable mid-range NVMe SSD is the best upgrade.
FAQ
Can I upgrade any laptop SSD?
Most Windows laptops can be upgraded, but some ultrabooks have soldered storage. Always check your model.
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