With games getting bigger and countless photos and videos taking up space, it's inevitable that you'll start running out of storage space on your computer. You can get an external hard drive, but it's hard to beat the speed and convenience of installing or replacing the storage inside your desktop or laptop.
There are multiple kinds of internal storage devices that are broadly called "hard drives." This includes the big traditional style, which are still called hard drives, as well as the smaller, faster solid-state drives (SSDs) that include the newer M.2 and NVMe versions.
Each type has pros and cons, but one is likely best for your storage upgrade.
What can you install?
With most computers, you're limited by the motherboard in what you can install. Most desktops will have the ability to add additional SSDs and hard drives, and some desktops and laptops have space for M.2s and NVMe. Keep in mind it's often more difficult, if not impossible, to replace the storage in a laptop. It varies widely what's possible without special tools and knowledge.
Before you grab your screwdriver to crack open your computer case, try this first. On Windows PCs, press the Windows and R keys on your keyboard, then type "msinfo32" (minus the quotation marks). Look for Baseboard Manufacturer and Baseboard Product. This is your motherboard. You can search for this online and see what type of connections are available. Some might be in use already.
Important note: No matter what drive you install, you'll need to initialize it before Windows can use it.
Macs, in general, have less upgrade potential than your average Windows PC. Some models might have space for an additional drive, but no recent MacBook has an upgradable SSD -- at least, not according to Apple. To find out more about your specific computer, Apple Support has a handy page to figure out your model if you've forgotten.
How much storage space do you need? I'd recommend at least a terabyte, as even that can fill up quickly with videos and a few games. Always get at least one size bigger than you think you need if you can afford it. You'll eventually use the space.
Hard drive: Big and cheap
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