How to upgrade the SSD in your Lenovo IdeaPad 730S

The Lenovo IdeaPad 730S is an impressive thirteen-inch notebook that does a lot correct without adding a ton of half-baked features. One of its best features is strong performance cheers to 8th Gen Whiskey Lake Intel processors (CPU), 16GB of RAM, and up to a 256GB Samsung PM981 solid-state drive (SSD). If that isn't enough space for all your data, you tin upgrade the M.ii PCIe SSD yourself with relative ease. Here's everything you demand to know to get the job done.

Hardware and software to become the job washed

Amazon: Samsung 970 EVO (From $78)
Amazon: DMLIANKE aluminum SSD enclosure ($21)
Macrium: Macrium Reflect 7 (Free+)
Amazon: Rosewill anti-static wristband ($6)
Amazon: ORIA PC toolkit ($28)
Lenovo: IdeaPad 730S (From $900)

How to upgrade the SSD in your Lenovo IdeaPad 730S

Annotation: Before commencement any upgrades on a PC, it's a skillful idea to back upward your information in the unlikely upshot something should go wrong. Y'all'll also want to ensure you're non working in a static-filled environment, as it can crusade harm to a PC'southward internal hardware. Consider investing in an anti-static wristband to avoid unnecessary damage.

Lenovo's IdeaPad 730S delivers a xiii.three-inch brandish in an aluminum unibody blueprint that's slim and calorie-free. It's great for anyone who doesn't need a touch display or a convertible build, and it comes with 8th Gen Intel Core CPUs, upwards to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, and up to a 256GB NVMe PCIe SSD in the M.ii class gene. Though most configurations ship with a Samsung PM981 drive that delivers solid operation, it'south not a ton of space in the modernistic information climate. Luckily, you lot can remove the back console of the laptop and replace the SSD with one of your choosing, as long as it'south in the 1000.two form factor and is compatible with the PCIe NVMe standard.

Since the IdeaPad 730S only has room for one piece of storage, your best bet is to clone the existing SSD — including Windows 10, apps, and any of your personal data — over to the new drive using an external enclosure. We've had success using Macrium Reflect, and nosotros've fifty-fifty written a complete guide on the cloning procedure. Alternatively, you can practice a make clean install of Windows x, but you lot'll be starting essentially from scratch.

Once y'all have your new SSD cloned with your one-time SSD's data (or you've decided on an culling route), you tin proceed with the following steps. Be sure to ability off your laptop before removing the back panel.

Unscrew the nine fasteners on the back panel of the laptop using a T6 Torx driver.
Pry open the bottom panel using a thumb or pry tool. Beginning with a corner and carefully work your way around so as to not harm the panel.
Unscrew the single fastener holding the One thousand.2 PCIe NVMe SSD in place. Use a Philips-head screwdriver.
Pull the erstwhile M.2 SSD away from the mount. It should slide out with relative ease.
Insert the new M.2 SSD into the slot, keeping the flat side down.
Screw in the fastener at the cease of the new Chiliad.ii SSD section, being conscientious not to utilise also much forcefulness. This secures the SSD in identify.
Replace the lesser console of the IdeaPad 730S past applying pressure around the edges. You should hear the panel snap back into place when information technology's seated properly.
Screw in the nine fasteners on the back console.

You can now ability on your laptop with your fingers crossed. If you lot cloned the original drive over to a new SSD using an external enclosure, yous shouldn't need to adjust anything; the laptop should boot normally, admitting now with more or faster storage.

Our top hardware and software picks

Best K.ii PCIe SSD

Samsung 970 EVO

Upwardly to 2TB of high-performance storage

Grab a 970 EVO at 250GB all the way upwardly to 2TB in size, and savor read speeds upward to 3,500 MB/s. This is a lot of speed and a lot of space, and it comes with a 5-twelvemonth warranty.

Equally far as M.2 PCIe NVMe SSDs get, Samsung's 970 EVO is acme of the pile for performance, reliability, and warranty.

Upkeep M.two PCIe SSD

Crucial P1

Upwardly to 1TB of affordable storage.

The Samsung 970 EVO hits about $250 for 1TB, which might be too much. Crucial's P1 bulldoze tin be had instead for about $164 for 1TB, delivering read speeds up to two,000 MB/s. It also comes with a 5-year warranty.

If you'd rather not spend as much coin on a Samsung 970 EVO, Crucial makes reliable storage that doesn't quite hit the same speeds.

Sleek xiii-inch notebook

Lenovo IdeaPad 730S

Powerful operation in a calorie-free chassis

If you don't need a convertible laptop with a touch brandish and active pen support, the IdeaPad 730S should be considered. It's compact, it has a great brandish, and it offers stiff functioning to get through a day's work.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 730S is a stiff performer, merely its storage maxes out at 256GB when buying from the manufacturer. Luckily, y'all tin can upgrade the SSD yourself.

Additional Equipment

Upgrading a laptop will go much smoother if you accept the right tools and software for the job. We've had much success cloning with Macrium Reflect 7, the external SSD enclosure is highly rated and relatively affordable, and the Rosewill anti-static wristband tin aid ensure no harm comes to your PC's internal hardware.

DMLIANKE Thousand.ii SSD enclosure ($23 at Amazon)

If you're cloning your onetime M.2 SSD over to the upgrade M.2 SSD, you'll no doubtfulness want to invest in this external enclosure. It fits PCIe and SATA Thousand.2 SSDs so it can exist reused for other upgrades in the future.

Macrium Reflect 7 (Free+ at Macrium)

We've had success cloning drives with Macrium Reflect 7, and accept even written a complete guide on how to use it properly. A costless edition is available, but yous tin can purchase a full edition with a agglomeration more features for those who truly accept backups seriously.

ORIA PC toolkit ($34 at Amazon)

Having the proper gear to work on your PC will always brand the job much easier. Here yous get a plethora of tools contained in a portable case.

Rosewill anti-static wristband ($six at Amazon)

Static electricity can damage sensitive PC parts, so remove the risk with an anti-static wristband. Spike it effectually your wrist and prune it onto your PC for peace of mind.

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