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My HP 15-AB292NR Laptop - i7-6700HQ - upgrading to an SSD - an absolute must!

Upgrading My HP i7-6700HQ Laptop with an SSD

I am upgrading my HP i7-6700HQ model 15-AB292NR (purchased in 2016) with a new SSD (solid-state drive), a 1TB Crucial BX500 3D NAND SATA 2.5 drive purchased for $100 from Amazon.

Specs of the HP 15t Model 15-AB292NR

  • Processor: Intel i7-6700HQ
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • HDD: 1 TB
  • GPU: Intel Graphics 530
  • Screen: 15.6" IPS
  • DVD Writer: Yes
  • Wireless: 802.11AC
  • Operating System: Windows 10 Home
  • Battery Model: ki04 (KI04)

The “HQ” in the processor name stands for High Quality and Quad-Core. It is a step below the unlocked K version but is otherwise fairly decent.

Why Upgrade the i7?

The HP i7 has been my main Windows OS machine as I still need it for certain functions, and recently I've been using it daily while stuck at home.

Normally, I spend most of my time on my Linux laptop (HP i3-4010u), which has always been faster than even an i7 running Windows 10. Since I need to spend more time on Windows 10, upgrading to an SSD will help improve performance.

Does an SSD Improve Speed?

While an SSD does not directly improve the CPU speed, it significantly reduces load times. The CPU and RAM primarily determine the speed of a PC. The SSD helps to reduce wait times for loading applications, which is often perceived as speed.

A typical bottleneck occurs when the HDD is busy handling a queue of requests from the CPU. An SSD can dramatically reduce this queue time—what took one minute to load can take around 20 seconds with an SSD. For many users, this difference creates a perception of improved performance.

Upgrade Windows

If you decide to upgrade the hard drive (or perform a factory restore), it is essential to upgrade Windows 10. The default installation is build 1511, which reached its end of life (EOL) in 2017. The more current build is 1909 (November 2019).

You may encounter problems during the upgrade process, but you can resolve these by downloading the Microsoft Update Assistant.

Final Thoughts

The installation was straightforward, and I relied on a YouTube video for guidance. Overall, I am satisfied with the SSD upgrade. The system feels a bit snappier, and certain features, such as full virus scans or initial boot times, are noticeably quicker.

I initially debated opting for a smaller 500 GB SSD for half the price ($50) and using the savings to upgrade to 8 GB of RAM. However, the 1 TB drive is a better long-term choice, allowing me to stay below the 70% maximum utilization. Most recommendations suggest keeping at least 30% free space on an SSD to avoid speed degradation, which means I will have at least 600-700 GB of capacity.

I also purchased an external HDD case to convert the original 1 TB HDD into an external hard drive for a good deal at $10. After a few weeks, I plan to format the old HDD and use it for backup storage.

Update: Disable Defrag

I recently discovered that Windows 10 has a default setting that defragments the HDD every week. Defragmentation is generally unnecessary for an SSD and can actually shorten its lifespan.

If you have an SSD, consider disabling the automatic defragmentation. While defragging makes sense for older mechanical HDDs by reducing mechanical latency, it is irrelevant for SSDs that have no moving parts.

Update: May 14, 2023

The SSD upgrade has breathed new life into my now seven-year-old HP laptop. It is a must-have upgrade for any laptop still running traditional magnetic drives. There is little reason to stick with old magnetic drives, as SSDs are now even more affordable.

Planned Retirement Oct 2025

As Windows 10 End Of Life is slated for Oct 2025.  I plan to retire this laptop.  I'll decide then whether to make it my new Linux rig (to replace my existing HP i3) or keep it as a Window 10 test box.

I prefer getting a Macbook at that point and no longer require a modern Windows machine.




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