SSD and RAM upgrades that make an older computer fast again.
Swap a slow hard drive for an SSD, add memory or get more storage, and keep your files, programs and settings. We check what your computer supports before you spend anything.
- 1–3 days typical
- No fix, no fee
- 90-day warranty
- Free insured mail-in shipping
Signs you need this repair
Sound familiar? The diagnosis is always free.
- Takes minutes to start up or open programs
- Disk stuck at 100 percent in Task Manager
- Storage almost full
- Freezes with lots of browser tabs open
- A hard drive that clicks, grinds or keeps getting slower
- Memory use near the limit in Task Manager
Why an SSD makes such a difference
If your computer still uses a spinning hard drive, that drive is almost certainly its slowest part. An SSD has no moving parts, so it reads and writes far faster. Startup, opening programs, updates and searches all speed up, often dramatically. SSDs are also quieter, use less power and cope with bumps better than hard drives. An SSD won't make a slow processor faster, but on most PCs from the hard drive era, the drive is the bottleneck, not the processor.
To see what you have, open Task Manager, go to Performance and click your disk. Windows shows whether it's an SSD or an HDD.
Which SSD does my computer take?
- 2.5-inch SATA SSDs are the same size as a laptop hard drive. Most older laptops and desktops with a hard drive can take one.
- M.2 SATA and M.2 NVMe SSDs are small stick-shaped drives. NVMe is faster, but the slot must support it. M.2 drives also come in different lengths, such as 2230, 2242 and 2280, and the drive has to match the slot.
- Soldered storage is built into the board on some thin laptops, many Chromebooks, and Apple silicon iMac and Mac mini models. It can't be swapped for a standard off-the-shelf drive.
Many desktops and some gaming laptops have room for a second drive. You can put Windows and programs on a new SSD and keep the old drive for storage. We check your exact model and tell you what fits before quoting.
Adding more RAM
Memory, or RAM, lets your computer keep many programs and browser tabs open at once. If Task Manager shows memory use near the top while you work, more RAM will help. 8GB is tight for current Windows, 16GB is comfortable for most people, and gaming or video work can use more.
On many thin laptops the RAM is soldered to the board and can't be upgraded. Others have one or two slots, and desktops usually have two or four. The type has to match your computer: DDR4 and DDR5 aren't interchangeable. We check all of this before you spend money.
Cloning your drive vs. a fresh start
There are two ways to move to the new drive:
- Clone: we copy everything from your old drive to the new one, so you get your own Windows, programs and files back as they were, only faster. This works when the old drive is healthy and the new one is big enough.
- Fresh install: we install a clean copy of Windows and copy your files across. You reinstall your programs, which takes a little effort on your end, but it clears out years of clutter.
We reinstall using your existing Windows license where possible. Most PCs reactivate automatically on the same hardware, and a license isn't included in the price. If the old drive is failing, we copy your files off it first. A badly damaged drive may need data recovery.
What affects the price of an upgrade
SSD and RAM upgrades start from $99. What moves the price:
- The capacity and type of drive or memory.
- Whether we clone your drive or do a fresh install.
- How hard the computer is to open. Most laptops and desktops are quick. Intel iMacs with a hard drive or Fusion Drive have the display glued on, and some all-in-ones need the screen removed to reach the drive.
We recommend parts that fit your model and budget, and you see the full price before we start. See how pricing works.
Before your upgrade
- Back up your files to an external drive or cloud storage.
- If your PC uses BitLocker or Device Encryption, find your recovery key. It's usually saved in your Microsoft account, and you may need it after drive work.
- If you choose a fresh install, list the programs you need and have their license keys or sign-ins ready.
- Tell us roughly how much storage you use now and how much you want, so we size the new drive right.
Mail it in from anywhere in the US
No repair store near you? Book online and we'll email a free, prepaid, insured shipping label. We diagnose it within 24h of arrival, repair it once you approve the price, and ship it back insured. How mail-in works.
Questions
Will an SSD fix a computer that already has one?
Not by itself. If your PC already has an SSD, slowness usually comes from too little memory, startup clutter, malware, overheating or a nearly full drive. More RAM or a <a href="/computer-repair/virus-removal/">tune-up</a> is often the better fix, and we tell you which.
Can I put an SSD in my Chromebook?
Usually not. Most Chromebooks have storage soldered to the board. A few models use a removable M.2 drive, and we check yours before quoting.
What happens to my old hard drive?
It's yours. We return it unless you ask us to securely wipe it. In a simple USB enclosure, it makes a handy backup drive.
Can you add storage to my gaming laptop?
Many gaming laptops have a second M.2 slot, so we can add a drive for your game library without touching the Windows drive. We check the slot's type and length first.
How long does an SSD upgrade take?
Fitting the drive is quick. Most of the time goes into cloning or into a fresh install with your files copied back, and that depends on how much data you have. Drives full of photos and video take longest.
More Computer repairs
Something else not quite right?
Laptop screen
Cracked, dark, flickering or lines on the display
Laptop battery
Won't hold a charge or swollen battery
Keyboard
Dead, sticky or repeating keys
Won't charge / power jack
Loose or broken charging port, charging faults
Virus removal & tune-up
Pop-ups, slow startup, malware and cleanup
Overheating & fan noise
Deep clean, new thermal paste, fan repair
Broken today? Start your repair in two minutes.
Three quick questions: your model, what's wrong, and how you'll get it to us. See your price, then book a nearby store or mail it in.