[2021/01/05: added Micron 1TB and 512GB M.2 2230 drives to compatibility list]
Now you can upgrade your Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro X, Laptop Go, or Surface Pro 7+ for Business to a 1TB SSD for ~$220! Save yourself over $500 compared to Microsoft’s list price for 1TB models.
The trick is to get your hands on a speedy M.2 NVMe 2230 SSD module. As of March 2020, the recently launched Toshiba Kioxia BG4 is the fastest available SSD in this form factor. While it does not have a DRAM cache on-board like desktop-class SSDs, it implements NVMe v1.2 host memory buffering which results in great performance at its price point. Unfortunately, it is only available in bulk orders to OEMs and is not readily available to consumers in most regions
But…
The Tuff Nano external 1TB drive by Caldigit (alternate link) has this SSD inside and is $220 as of March 2020 – far less than the $500-700 USD premium Microsoft charges on its high-end models and less than competing SSDs from Micron, Samsung, and Western Digital/Sandisk. (See below for a full list of compatible M.2. 2230 SSDs.)
The process:
Disclaimer: This will likely void the warranty of both the Tuff Nano and your Surface Device.
- Backup your data. Do it now!
- Surface Laptop 3 customers may want to get a few OEM spare parts but this is not necessary if you’re careful
- Purchase a Caldigit Tuff Nano 1TB (alternate link) or one of the other SSDs listed below
- Download the Microsoft Surface recovery image for your system and follow the directions to prepare a bootable USB recovery stick.
- Advanced users can try the Macrium Reflect tool to clone the original SSD directly to the external SSD while connected to the USB-C port prior to swapping drives or generate a recovery image directly from their running Surface. This eliminates the need to re-install all your software but adds some prep time.
- Open up the Tuff Nano
- remove outer rubber sleeve, then pry up both end caps
- remove two screws on each open end
- slide the PCB out, then loosen one screw to free the SSD
- [Photos by Neil]
- Recommended: remove the thermal pad from the SSD as this can present fitment challenges when installing in your Surface. If it is difficult to remove, try blowing a hair dryer at it for 10 seconds to warm it up first.
- Open the Surface Laptop 3 or Pro X and swap the SSD per the original manufacturers directions:
- Guide for Surface Laptop 3 13″/15″
- Video for Surface Laptop 3
- Guide for Surface Pro X
- Video for Surface Pro X
- Don’t angle the SSD more than you have to while removing it – doing so may damage the SSD or the socket on the mainboard. Lift just enough so that you can grab ahold of the edge and slide it out of the socket.
- Recommended: For best fitment, remove the black case from the original Microsoft SSD and transfer it to the new SSD. If you’re careful you can re-use the old thermal compound. But it is better to clean the old stuff off and apply fresh thermal compound which you can get from any PC repair shop or Amazon. For this application, the brand doesn’t matter. $20 high-performance goop won’t make your SSD faster or last longer.
- Switch on the system
- Apply the previously prepared recovery image per Microsoft documentation if needed.
Once you have confirmed that the new SSD is working, you can install the old SSD from your Surface into the Tuff Nano case and use it as a portable backup drive. When installing into the Tuff Nano, it is best to re-use the Tuff Nano thermal pad that was previously removed.
Happy upgrading!
Full list of M.2. 2230 SSD modules
2TB models?
- 2TB models are only available in the larger 2242 form factor as of 2020/01/05.
1TB M.2 2230 models:
- Kioxia KBG40ZNS1T02 (Depending on region, the bare drive part number W98K4 (#400-BFVW) may be available from Dell. Customers in the EU can order from CentralPoint or various firms listed at Geizhals.)
- Micron MTFDHBK1T0TDPY (expensive – intended for automotive/industrial use)
- Samsung PM991 MZVLQ1T0HALB (available from Dell)
- Western Digital SN530 SDBPTPZ-1T00 (used in some Xbox Series X skus)
512GB M.2 2230 models:
- Kioxia BG4 512GB (ebay retailers; Dell part number 08C3CP
- Kioxia BG2/BG3 512GB (ebay; Caldigit Tuff Nano 512GB has the Kioxia BG3)
- Micron MTFDHBK512TDP
- Samsung PM991 MZ9LQ512HALU
- SK-Hynix BC511 HFM512GDGTNI (also available from Dell)
- SK-Hynix BC501 HFM512GDGTNG (slower than BC511; used in some Surface models)
- Western Digital SN530 SDBPTPZ-512G (faster than SN520)
- Western Digital/Sandisk SN520 SDAPTUW-512G
In my opinion, it is not worthwhile upgrading from 128GB -> 256GB given how little you save compared to a 512GB drive. So I haven’t bothered to research and list 256GB models here.
Laptops and other devices that ship with M.2. 2230 NVMe drives:
- Acer Swift 7 S7-371
- Dell Inspiron 14 5490 (also fits 2280)
- Dell Latitude 13 5300 (also fits 2280)
- Tons of 2020 Dell models per this compatible systems list here
- Xbox Series X
Know more? Let me know in the comments.
Resources:
- Laptop 3 OEM spare parts
- Confirmation from Caldigit that the Tuff nano 1TB has the Kioxia BG4 M.2 2230 SSD inside
- Microsoft official service guide for Surface Laptop 3 SSD swaps
- Video guide for Laptop 3 SSD swap
- Reddit thread – Another reddit thread
- Anandtech review of the Kioxia BG4 SSD
- LTT review of Kioxia BG4
- OnMSFT guide for laptop 3
- IFixit Guide for Pro X
- IFixit overview for Pro X and Laptop 3
- Neil’s guide
- https://youtu.be/sPUYfBJaJ14?t=296
- https://www.fudzilla.com/reviews/50771-microsoft-surface-pro-x-to-1tb-by-yourself
- https://www.notebookcheck.net/WDC-PC-SN530-SDBPNPZ-1T00-SSD-Benchmarks.476624.0.html
- https://www.notebookcheck.net/WDC-PC-SN530-SDBPNPZ-512G-SSD-Benchmarks.462294.0.html
- https://www.notebookcheck.net/Samsung-SSD-PM991-MZALQ512HALU-Benchmarked.458648.0.html
- WindowsCentral ProX guide (great photos and recovery drive step-by-step!)
Thanks to \u\SmashedTX and \u\Wiidesire for inspiring this article and especially to Neil for the updated photos.
Has anyone succeeded in upgrading the firmware on the 1TB BG4 using the Dell utility from 0101?
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Hi are you referring to this update to improve heat resiliency?https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=rv9hd
If so, these firmware updates only work when the SSD is the primary boot device and attached directly to an M.2 slot AFAIK. I don’t believe they function the same when a USB interface is in between like in the Caldigit.
And these updates may not function when certain flags are unset on the host controller (determined by the UEFI firmware). IIRC, most Surface devices are not setup to allow these types of updates, so you need to pop the SSD out and put it into a laptop that can run the updates.
If the heat issue crops up on Surface, MS will likely issue their own firmware update for the models that shipped with BG4. I believe MS updates use a different mechanism than Dell.
Relevant thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/eqlzgs/toshiba_kioxia_bg4_ssd_firmware_update/
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Hi Danchar,
Excellent post! Just purchased an SPX and hoping to upgrade the to the Kioxia BG4 1TB but a bit weary on the recent firmware update that is being discussed.
Is it highly recommended to update the firmware on the drive? Have you heard or has anyone experienced any issues using a drive that is not using the updated firmware?
Appreciate any help.
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I wouldn’t worry about it. I believe MS is now using BG4 drives in several 512GB and 1TB models so if this ever becomes an issue on Surface, I expect MS will issue firmware updates too.
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Hi Dan,
I read several reddit posts, and then saw your post after I had taken on the task myself. Your post is very similar to what I wrote too. I did borrow your advise about using Macrium Reflect tool and mentioned it in my blog too. I’ve included a step through process of what I did incase you or your viewers would like to have a look: https://neilonetech.blogspot.com/2020/05/upgrade-your-surface-laptop-3-ssd-to.html
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Very nice guide and lovely photos! Thanks for sharing!
I hope you don’t mind, but I’d added a couple of your photos here (with credit) posted inline so as to not use up your bandwidth.
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Purchased a Caldigit Nano 1TB however once taking off the rubber cover there aren’t any screws visible???
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Hi you need to pry the two rubber end-caps off to reveal the screws. Please see: https://dancharblog.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/img_20200507_1136001.jpg
Sorry this photo wasn’t part of the post – I’ve added it now.
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Just to confirm, even if you have an i5 process in the surface laptop 3, a 1tb drive upgrade is still compatible right? There’s no issue with only the i7 drives being able to use 1tb and i5 stuck with 512. I can’t see why. I don’t need processor speed, just fast storage space, so hopefully I can get the 1tb with this refurb and be set.
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Yes, Core i5, Core i7, AMD Ryzen 5, and AMD Ryzen 7 processor based machines will all work. Best bet is getting the 128GB/8GB or 16GB/256GB model then upgrading to 1TB 🙂
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I got my 1TB in. Thanks for this post which helped me realize 1TB was possible. But after watching this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPUYfBJaJ14 I went ahead and transferred the tuft nano thermal foam to the oem surface SSD and put it back in the tuft nano case, then cleaned out the oem enclosure and got some XTM50 from best buy. I put on a thick layer (that stuff isn’t watery at all, almost spongelike, really nice to work with) and sealed it all back up. Typing on my new 1TB system now. Glad to have found this page and that vid. It’s a much better solution than the bulging Z and Shift key on the keyboard that I briefly had when I left the tuft nano thermal foam pad on. Now the keyboard it exactly like it was before, and the hot 1TB drive has excellent thermal paste passing heat to the aluminum enclosure to help it pass heat. Everything looks brand new except the inevitable small marks to the plastic pieces that hold hide the tiny T5 torx screws (got them in a nice $8 kit on amazon with 160 pieces; can’t believe how good of a deal it was; has apple, torx, min screwdrivers, tweezers, plastic pics, all in a hard case). I wish I could buy new plastic feet for the surface even though I barely marked mine, and I think some replacement double-sided tape or some other gentle adhesive may be in order. I could see those falling out in a few years. Cheers.
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Great work! I’ll definitely add the link to the video and clarify the instructions to indicate it is best to transfer over the black case rather than re-use the thermal pad – especially on the Laptop 3. I believe the fitment on the Pro X is a little more forgiving here…
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