Compared to hard drives, Solid State Drives (or SSDs) have now become more popular among PC enthusiasts for two simple reasons – superior speed and reliability. If you're still using a hard drive and looking for an upgrade or building a new desktop PC, choosing an SSD will give your computer a real performance boost. You will notice a significant difference in app loading times, file copying and more. So let's not waste time and go through the step-by-step process of installing an SSD on your desktop PC. Installing an SSD isn't that difficult, but the nerves can be too much for new PC builders. That said, don't worry, as we explain how to choose a compatible SSD, find the right slot, and install the storage device on your desktop.

In this article, we will help you distinguish between the different SSD slots on a motherboard, as they support different SSDs based on the pin connectors. Your SSD will not work until it is connected to the correct slot on the motherboard. To know more about SATA and M.2 slots on your motherboard, check out the linked article. With that out of the way, let's learn how to install M.2 and 2.5-inch SATA SSDs in your PC.

Every modern motherboard supports NVMe SSDs up to a certain generation. Most motherboards on the market today support NVMe Gen 4 SSDs. These slots are backwards compatible with Gen 3 as well. You can configure M.2 slots in your BIOS, and we recommend doing this before proceeding with the SSD installation wizard. If you are planning to buy a budget SSD, we have listed the best options for you here.

Additionally, there are SATA SSDs that either come in a 2.5-inch or M.2 form factor. The location to plug in an M.2 SATA SSD is not the same as NVMe M.2 SSD slots. Refer to your motherboard manual to confirm which M.2 slots you have available. Some motherboards now come with NVMe Gen 5 SSD support, supporting Intel's 13th generation Raptor Lake processors (read Core i9-13900K review) and Ryzen 7000 series processors. But these new SSDs are rolling out right now and are quite expensive.