Sources from within the OEM computer industry have reported that Microsoft may be planning to end HDD boot drive support by as early as next year!

Microsoft has apparently set a deadline for the switch from HDD to SSD boot drives When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Need a new external backup drive or more internal storage for a laptop or desktop? This guide can help you make the best choice.

You don't need some super-fast, next-gen PCIe 5.0-based SSD but even a basic 2.5-inch SATA SSD is world's better than a mechanical HDD. Microsoft knows this, we know this, OEMs know this.

Boot your PC with the USB drive as the primary storage, select the SSD when prompted, and follow the instructions on-screen. Is it OK to use SSD and HDD together?

As the video (below) demonstrates, the SSD was able to finish booting and connect to a wireless network while the HDD model was still spinning its gear on the grey boot screen.

Quick video on replacing notebook HDD with an SSD HD Tune Pro performance testing - HDD vs. SSD Boot Time performance testing - HDD vs. SSD Power consumption testing - HDD vs. SSD Final Thoughts ...

Overall, users should consider upgrading to an SSD if they have a PC with aging hardware for gaming in 2022. Note: This article reflects the author's views. Was this article helpful?