Dell Xps 15 9570 Ssd Speed

Dell XPS xv (Paradigm credit: Windows Central)

Many high-end laptops come up with very few upgradable features. Just there is one component you usually can better: storage. While even the almost basic solid-state drive (SSD) outperforms any hard-disk drive (HDD), you tin go even more speed and more storage by upgrading.

The Dell XPS 15 (9570) is 1 of my favorite ultra-powerful, not-gaming laptops. Hither is how to brand it fifty-fifty better by tossing in a new SSD.

Why upgrade the SSD in your XPS fifteen?

In that location are two reasons to upgrade your SSD in the XPS 15: more than storage and more speed.

Possibly you idea the 256GB in your XPS fifteen would be enough, but now with lower prices for flash storage, a 1TB SSD would be nice and roomy. And even though your current drive is faster than an old spinning-deejay difficult drive, it can load apps and save large files even quicker.

Yous can selection upward a new 500GB Samsung 970 EVO on Amazon (opens in new tab) for around $150. Dell charges $200 for an SSD upgrade when you purchase the device, and you don't know which SSD make yous become.

Dell XPS 15 SSD upgrade options

In that location are quite a few SSD drives on the market these days, only I'm a fan of Samsung's, for both operation and storage.

Samsung 970 EVO SSD

A significant step up in performance would exist going with the brand-new Samsung 970 EVO with a theoretical 3,500 MB/due south and ii,500 MB/south sequential read and write performance. Sizes range from 250GB ($97 (opens in new tab), 500GB ($150 (opens in new tab), 1TB ($300 (opens in new tab) or a huge 2TB ($530 (opens in new tab).

For the XPS 15 (9570), the 970 EVO is going to be the best balance of size options, functioning, reliability, and warranty for the average power user.

Meet at Amazon (opens in new tab)

Samsung 970 PRO SSD

Pushing the limits to the extreme is the current male monarch of laptop SSDs: the Samsung 970 PRO.

The 970 PRO is similar to the EVO, including the same read speeds (three,500 MB/s), only it'southward the write performance that sees a bound from a theoretical 2,500 MB/s to two,700 MB/s.

Samsung'due south Pro line is also meant for frequent reading and writing to the retentiveness with exceptional reliability. It's certainly a fast SSD, but it's an extra $50 for the 512GB model ($230 (opens in new tab) and $100 more for the 1TB choice ($450 (opens in new tab).

Encounter at Amazon (opens in new tab)

How to upgrade your Dell XPS 15 SSD

This is everything you lot need to know to remove and replace the SSD in your XPS 15, to boost storage and drive speed.

SSD upgrade difficulty rating

We previously rated the XPS 15 SSD upgrades procedure as unproblematic, but that's inverse a bit with the 9570. The actual swapping of the SSD is like shooting fish in a barrel, only removing the bottom cover on the XPS xv (9570) is harder than information technology should exist for two reasons:

Dell used very soft Torx T5 screws that strip easily.
Dell used a calorie-free thread-locker, which makes them harder to remove.

Doing this upgrade on our XPS 15 (9570), we ended up just stripping out all the screws and using a Torx T6 driver, but information technology was tough to remove them. It was arduous, intensive, and if y'all skid, you could scratch the torso of the XPS xv.

Having a Torx screwdriver (opens in new tab) is a proficient start. You'll as well want to be patient. Fifty-fifty if y'all strip out the head of the spiral by using a larger format y'all tin can still force the spiral off. Merely it tin be laborious and stressful.

Difficulty rating: Moderate to hard.

Bankroll up your XPS 15 SSD

Macrium Reflect Free Edition. — Macrium Reflect Gratis Edition.

There are multiple means to upgrade to a new SSD with Windows 10 depending on preference and tools available:

Clean install Windows 10 on the new SSD with the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.
Copy your current SSD to a fill-in bulldoze (250GB or larger to match the fill-in) so copy dorsum to new SSD using third-political party software.
Copy your current SSD direct to new SSD using an external enclosure before swapping.

Selection number one, the clean install, can be tricky if you lot do not accept all the hardware drivers for your device handy, so contact your manufacturer before you begin. Another good tip is take quick admission to another PC in example yous need to become a file or expect up information during this process.

For pick number two, I employ the third-party solution Macrium Reflect Free Edition. There is a pay version of Reflect if you plan to use it for regular backups, just for a one-fourth dimension SSD bandy, you can use the free ane.

Restoring a Macrium Reflect image to a new SSD — Restoring a Macrium Reflect prototype to a new SSD

Yous just run the software on your current SSD and back up your PC to an external USB drive. Later on swapping out the SSD, boot the XPS 15 to the USB bulldoze and restore the epitome.

For the tertiary option, Samsung makes free Data Migration software (opens in new tab) for utilize with its SSD drives. While Samsung'southward pick is costless, you demand a fashion to connect the new SSD to the laptop to directly copy its contents. For a laptop SSD, this ways you demand to buy an enclosure with a USB connexion (opens in new tab) (you can then repurpose your old SSD as a new external drive).

You demand Torx and Philips screwdrivers and a minor pry tool to help remove the bottom encompass on the XPS 15.

You lot may have your own tools, merely I picked upwards the Kingsdun 14 in 1 Precision Screwdriver Repair Tool Kit on Amazon (opens in new tab). Ignore the "for Apple" marketing, as this kit has all bits you lot'll need for this job, including a Torx T5 screwdriver. It was a mere $14 and includes every tool you will need to piece of work on electronics like a laptop, and it will besides likely come in handy in the future.

Come across at Amazon (opens in new tab)

You will as well want a clean and well-lit workspace, and somewhere prophylactic to put the screws from the bottom of the XPS 15. An anti-static wrist strap is non necessary, just information technology's beneficial. And it costs simply $6.

See at Amazon (opens in new tab)

If you want to purchase some screws in anticipating of having to supplant them (not a bad thought at all) this $10 kit (opens in new tab) has the right M2*iii screws (black) that volition fit. They're also regular Philips screws, which will be more convenient after if you need to remove the cover again.

Finally, if yous are bankroll upwardly your old SSD using option 3 via an SSD enclosure with a USB connection (opens in new tab) make sure to go i of those too.

Opening the Dell XPS fifteen (9570)

Before you lot begin, power down (non sleep or hibernate) your laptop and unplug information technology from the ability adapter.

To open the XPS 15 (9570), y'all should follow these steps.

XPS 15 screws — All 12 of the screws belongings the XPS 15 together

Identify the XPS 15 face down. (I recommend using a cloth to prevent any scratches.)
Remove the x Torx head screws from the bottom edges.
Remove the 2 Philips head screws from beneath the XPS characterization in the center (elevator the cover).
Pry the cover off gently using a pry tool.

The cover should click and come off without much forcefulness later all 12 of the screws are removed.

Changing the SSD on the XPS 15

With the display swivel oriented away from you lot, you lot'll discover the SSD below the exhaust fans and to the left on the XPS 15.

Remove the placement screw at the base of the SSD.

Gently peel off the gum-like insulation material. (Don't throw information technology away, as we'll exist reusing it.)
Gently lift the old SSD at a twenty-degree bending and slide information technology out.
Insert the new SSD firmly into the slot at the same twenty-caste angle.
Lay down the new SSD and replace the placement screw.

Reapply the insulation. (This will help misemploy whatever heat the SSD generates.)

Reassemble and boot your XPS 15

Position the laptop's base panel in place.
Replace the 12 screws effectually the edge of the base of operations and under the XPS label plate.
Turn over and open the laptop.
Install the sometime SSD in your external drive enclosure.
Plug the old SSD into any USB port on the XPS xv.
Press the power button in the top right corner to boot the laptop.
Immediately printing and hold F12 until the Kicking Menu appears.
Use the arrow keys to select the USB drive and boot from the old Windows ten install.
Employ your selection of software to copy the contents of the USB SSD to the newly installed SSD.

Remember, if all else fails, y'all can merely put back your old SSD.

How to switch to AHCI (and why)

Dell ships the XPS 15 (9570) SSD in a RAID configuration for the controller. But Samsung SSDs piece of work better under Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI). More accurately, if you would like to install Samsung'south SSD NVMe driver and Magician software (opens in new tab) you need to exist in AHCI mode set through the XPS xv's BIOS. AHCI delivers a few more options to the SSD when using Samsung'due south software like TRIM (improved data maintenence), firmware updates, healt tests, and more. So it's a good thought to install it.

The problem, though, is you cannot just switch to AHCI in the BIOS then boot direct to Windows x – the OS volition not load the driver because it's already in apply.

To become around this, you lot need to follow these steps:

Enable Windows 10 Safe Way for adjacent reboot.
Reboot the PC and enter the BIOS before Windows 10 Condom Mode loads.
Turn RAID off and enable AHCI in the BIOS.
Kicking into Windows 10 in Condom Mode and let it load the right driver.
Disable boot into Prophylactic Mode and reboot into regular Windows 10.

Once those steps are completed, you can install the Samsung SSD commuter and Magician software.

To ready the PC to get into Safe Style, follow these steps:

Type cmd into the Start search bar to get to Command Prompt.
Correct-click on cmd to run as Administrator.
Type into the Control Prompt bcdedit /gear up {current} safeboot minimal and striking Enter.

Restart the computer, but earlier Windows ten loads, hitting F12 when you lot encounter the Dell logo and choose BIOS Setup from the menu.

Navigate to System Configuration > SATA Functioning and enable AHCI.

Save and exit the BIOS settings and permit Windows ten boot into Rubber Mode. Merely doing this lets Windows x switch over its drivers from SATA to AHCI, but we've set Windows 10 to only boot into Safe Mode, and then nosotros need to un-do that. Here'due south how:

Type cmd into the Get-go search bar to get to Command Prompt.
Correct-click on cmd to run as Administrator.
Type into the Command Prompt bcdedit /deletevalue {electric current} safeboot and striking Enter.

Restart Windows 10 and the regular, non-Rubber Mode Windows 10 should boot.

Your SSD is now running in AHCI style, and you can become ahead and install Samsung'southward drivers and software (opens in new tab)

Dell XPS 15 SSD upgrade results

The benefit of updating to a faster (and larger) SSD is apparent when you run some benchmarks. You lot can also "feel" the difference in everyday usage, whether loading a giant video game, transferring large files, rendering a video for output, or fifty-fifty but booting Windows.

Here is a direct before and later on comparison of the SSD the XPS fifteen ships with and the Samsung SSDs, using benchmarks from CrystalDiskMark (higher numbers are better).

Device	Size	Read	Write
Toshiba XG5 (former)	256GB	ii,771 MB/south	383 MB/s
Samsung 970 EVO	256GB	3,525 MB/s	1,508 MB/s
Samsung 970 PRO	512GB	3,533 MB/s	2,327 MB/s

For those curious about 4K (Q32) random speeds in CrystalDiskmark, nosotros also ran some related benchmarks.

Device	Size	Read	Write
Toshiba XG5 (Onetime)	256GB	260 MB/due south	333 MB/s
Samsung 970 EVO	256GB	342 MB/s	314 MB/south
Samsung 970 PRO	512GB	250 MB/s	212 MB/southward

The nearly pregnant improvement is the sequential write speed. That's of import for many "pro" users out in that location who need to render video or do heavy lifting. If y'all are just consuming media or playing games, you lot still get a noticeable bump only it's non as impressive.

Overall, swapping an SSD on a new laptop can be a complicated experience, but the rewards may exist worth information technology. If, however, you are a computer hardare novice and do not feel comfortable with this process, try to simply buy the appropiate configuration at your time of purchase.

Daniel Rubino is the Executive Editor of Windows Central, caput reviewer, podcast co-host, and annotator. He has been covering Microsoft here since 2007, dorsum when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, Microsoft Surface, laptops, adjacent-gen calculating, and arguing with people on the internet.