256GB
Fine for browsing, email, Office and cloud-based work. The practical minimum.
An SSD is the single biggest speed difference you’ll feel in a computer. This guide explains SSD vs hard drive, the sizes (256GB to 2TB), SATA vs NVMe/M.2, what to avoid, and how much storage you actually need — so you buy the right machine the first time.
A solid-state drive (SSD) has no moving parts, so it reads and writes data many times faster than an old mechanical hard drive (HDD). In real terms: your computer boots in seconds, apps open instantly, and files copy in a fraction of the time. It’s the upgrade people notice most — far more than a faster processor for everyday use. That’s why every laptop and desktop we sell comes with an SSD as standard; we never ship a machine with a slow hard drive as its main drive. This guide helps you choose the right size and type, and avoid the common mistakes.
| SSD | Hard Drive (HDD) | |
|---|---|---|
| Boot time | ~10 seconds | 1–2 minutes |
| Durability | No moving parts — shock-resistant | Spinning disk — fragile |
| Noise/heat | Silent, cool | Audible, warmer |
| Everyday feel | Instant & responsive | Sluggish, especially multitasking |
For a deeper comparison see SSD vs HDD. The short version: never buy a computer with an HDD as its primary drive in 2026.
From 256GB to 2TB — match the size to how you use your computer.
Fine for browsing, email, Office and cloud-based work. The practical minimum.
The sweet spot for most people — room for apps, photos and a decent file library.
For large photo/video libraries, big games, or storing lots of work locally.
Creators and power users with large video projects, VMs or big datasets.
SATA SSD — the older SSD standard; still far faster than a hard drive and great for everyday use. NVMe / M.2 SSD — the newer, much faster type used in modern laptops; best for creative work and heavy multitasking. Both are excellent; for most buyers either is a huge upgrade over an HDD.
You don’t need to buy a separate SSD — our laptops and desktops already ship with fast SSD storage, and we can fit a larger one before despatch on request.
LAST UPDATED · JUN 2026 · ALL CLS LAPTOPS & DESKTOPS SHIP WITH AN SSD AS STANDARD