Greatly concerned about storage and cost

[Silmefaron]

So I just ordered last night the HP Spectre x360 2018 15” model with vega graphics for $1616 including tax. This is it: https://store.hp.com/us/en/Configur...Id=&catEntryId=3074457345618962320&quantity=1:

And today HP (ironically I called and asked if there would be an option for this soon and they said no) released the option of a 512GB model for the laptop. The colleges I’m looking in to recommend up to 1TB of storage on the laptop plus 1TB external storage, but I honestly only think I would need 512GB (depending on games I might want to install). I’m using this for Inventor and Solidworks etc.

I would get the 512GB and return the 1TB one, but I don’t know if I’m able to upgrade the 512GB to a larger one in the future (couldn’t find any specs/info online). And I’m not sure if 1TB is worth $250 more, although I feel safer having the 1TB drive if it’s not upgradable on that model.

If anyone has any insight/suggestions or knows about upgradeability I would really appreciate it because I’m freaking out considering how much I just spent. Thanks so much.

 

[why_wolf]

It appears to be possible to replace the SSD, but difficult. http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c05357610
https://www.laptopmain.com/hp-spectre-x360-disassembly-and-ram-ssd-upgrade-options/

 

[Silmefaron]

It looks sorta difficult but do-able. I don’t think I would have much trouble with it.... at that rate and considering what the colleges said and everything else, do you think that I should stick with the 1TB one for $250 more or buy the 512GB one?

 

[why_wolf]

Well 512 plus a nice external drive (you can get multi terabyte ones for cheap) should have you covered just fine. The only way I could see 512 being a problem is if you are an video, engineering maybe programing student. Those kind of files can expand at a rapid rate, especially video but for those not even 1 Tb would really be enough in the long term.


Personally since this is a laptop and the school out right told you 1 Tb I'd eat the cost and get the 1 Tb. Upgrading to a large drive is a pain in this laptop, not to mention transferring the files from the old drive to the new drive would add an extra pain to the process. Better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.

You are right in that the $250 is steep and above market pricing to move from 512 to 1 Tb.

 

[Silmefaron]

Thanks for the quick responses!! Yeah I’m an engineering/programming student. (Major/minor respectively). I would be upgrading the drive right away to a 1TB one because of that steep price change I could easily afford it and pawn the 512GB one. Though you are right about the pain upgrading. And windows could prove to be an issue with drivers (etc.)

 

[Silmefaron]

I guess the only other thing I’d be worried about, do you think I should stick with the 1TB one they shipped, or get the 512GB and upgrade to a 1TB (because of speeds)?

Because I doubt that the drive it comes with is a Samsung 970 Evo or Pro, which would be best.

 

[why_wolf]

Yeah probably not a Samsung, though at this point in the game the difference between Samsung and the other vendors is small to the point that you really can't notice it as a user. I think the only people who might would be people on workstations doing constant render jobs that move tens of Gb in a row.