The first is a SATA SSD, which comes in a 2.5-inch form factor and connects to your motherboard with the same cables and ports as a SATA HDD. The second (and newer) is the M.2 SSD.

There are few ways to make a laptop faster that are as easy and cost-effective as replacing your existing hard drive with a solid state drive (SSD).

SSD vs. HDD FAQs Can I use both an SSD and an HDD in the same computer? Yes, you can absolutely use both an SSD and an HDD in the same computer, and it's actually a pretty common setup.