How Much Does an SSD Upgrade Cost in the UK?

Typical UK prices for swapping a hard drive for an SSD, including the drive, cloning or reinstall labour, and whether the upgrade is worth it for your laptop.

Replacing an old spinning hard drive with a solid-state drive (SSD) is often called the best value upgrade for a sluggish computer. It will not rescue every ailing machine, but for the right one it is a transformation for modest money.

What it typically costs

There are two parts to the bill: the drive and the work.

The drive. Prices change frequently, but a 500GB to 1TB SSD typically costs around £30 to £90, with larger capacities rising from there.

The labour. Fitting and transferring your system and files typically costs around £40 to £100 at a workshop, and somewhat more for a home visit. Totals of roughly £80 to £180 are common for a straightforward laptop.

Factors that change the price:

Cloning versus clean install. Cloning copies everything exactly as it is. A fresh install gives a clean start but means reinstalling programs and restoring files.
Amount of data. Large drives take longer to copy.
Laptop design. Some open with a single panel; others require removing the whole base or battery.
Drive type. Some laptops use a 2.5 inch SATA drive, others a small M.2 stick. Make sure the correct type is bought.

Will it make a real difference?

For a computer that still uses a mechanical hard drive, the improvement is usually obvious: faster start-up, quicker program launches and a more responsive system overall. If your machine already has an SSD, a new one will make little difference, and you should look at memory, software or age instead. See our article on RAM versus SSD upgrades for how to decide.

Is the machine worth upgrading?

An upgrade makes sense when:

The processor is reasonably recent, roughly within the last six or seven years.
The operating system is still supported and receiving updates.
The rest of the machine is in good condition: battery, keyboard, screen.

It is less sensible when the machine cannot run current software, has a dying battery and a cracked case. Our guide on whether an old laptop is worth repairing gives a practical framework.

Doing it yourself

Many people fit an SSD themselves. The broad steps are:

Back up your files and note any software licences.
Buy the right type and size of drive for your model, checking the manual or model number.
Use cloning software with a USB adapter to copy the old drive, or prepare installation media for a clean install.
Power off, disconnect the battery if the manual advises, and swap the drive.
Boot, check everything works and keep the old drive as an extra backup for a while.

The risks are static, stripped screws and brittle clips on older laptops. If you are not confident, a technician is cheap insurance.

Questions for a technician

Is the drive price included, and which capacity and type are you fitting?
Will you clone or reinstall, and what will that mean for my programs?
What happens to the old drive: do I get it back, and will my data be wiped if it is disposed of? (See safe disposal of old devices.)
Is the system activated afterwards and are updates installed?

Finding someone

On Compito you can search by postcode, compare ID-verified local providers and send a request listing the model and what you want done. You receive an offer to accept and pay online and can message the provider to confirm the drive and approach. Browse tech support services to get going.

A worked example

A seven-year-old laptop with a 1TB mechanical drive takes four minutes to become usable after switching on. The owner buys a 500GB SSD for about £40 to £60, and a technician clones the old drive, which is only a third full, for around £50 to £90. The total of about £90 to £150 often gets boot time down to well under a minute. Compare that with £400 or more for a new machine and the appeal is clear, provided the rest of the laptop is sound.

Choosing the right drive

Type	Where you find it	Notes
2.5 inch SATA	Most laptops from roughly the last decade, many desktops	Widely available, good value
M.2 SATA or NVMe	Slimmer, newer laptops and desktops	Check which type and length your board takes
Soldered storage	Many thin laptops	Cannot be upgraded; only an external drive helps

Look up the exact model before buying. Buying the wrong type is the commonest and most annoying mistake.

Common mistakes

Upgrading a machine whose real problem is too little memory, or a failing battery.
Cloning to a drive that is smaller than the amount of data in use.
Throwing away the old drive on the same day, before checking everything came across.
Not allowing for activation. Most systems carry over, but occasionally licences or software need re-entering.
Skipping updates afterwards, as drivers and firmware are sometimes out of date.

Edge cases

Older machines. Some laptops from the late 2000s have slower connectors, so an SSD helps less than hoped, though it still tends to be noticeably faster than the old drive.

Dual-drive laptops. You may be able to keep the old drive for storage and use the SSD for the system.

Drives that are already failing. Cloning from a dying drive can fail partway. Back up first, and tell the technician about any clicking or read errors.

What a sensible quote looks like

It should name the drive size and type, say whether you are cloning or reinstalling, state the labour separately, and say how long it will take. If the price is far below the cost of the drive and labour combined, ask what is being fitted.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my files and programs?

Not with a cloned drive, which copies everything. A clean install means you need to reinstall programs and restore files from backup, so make sure you have one.

How big an SSD do I need?

Check how much space you currently use and add room to grow. For most home users, 500GB to 1TB is comfortable. Photo and video collections may need more or an external drive.

Can I upgrade a desktop in the same way?

Yes, and desktops are usually easier because there is more room and standard connectors.

Find tech support providers near you

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