Is a 1TB Samsung 960 EVO M.2 PCI-E NVME SSD compatible to replace the current HDD in my Dell XPS 15 9560 Core i7-7700HQ?

[SYAS2016]

Hey!

So I bought a Dell XPS 15 9560 Core i7-7700HQ 32GB 1TB (full specs here: https/www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/dell-xps-15-9560-core-i7-7700hq-32gb-1tb-15.6-inch-windows-10-professional-pk9p6/version.asp)

I want to swap out the current 1TB HDD for a 1TB Samsung 960 EVO M.2 PCI-E NVME SSD, for which I have found three places to buy this from:

1. Aria PC (for £371): https/www.aria.co.uk/SuperSpecials/Other+products/1TB+Samsung+960+EVO+M.2+PCI-E+NVME+SSD+?productId=66941

2. CCL Computers (for £391): https/www.cclonline.com/category/718/Storage/Solid-State-Drives-SSDs-/search/samsung-960-1tb/

3. Laptops Direct (for £502) [NOTE: This is the PRO version, not the EVO, I'm still in two minds over which to get]: https/www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/samsung-960-pro-1tb-nvme-m.2-ssd-mz-v6p1t0bw/version.asp


Before purchasing the intended SSD above, I just wanted to make sure that swapping out the current HDD and replacing it with the intended SSD above is actually possible!? I don't mean in terms of me personally doing it, I'm not nearly technically savvy enough to do this, I will give it to my local computer shop to do it for a small price, but I want to know whether or not this Samsung SSD is indeed swap-able (if that's a word!) with the current HDD, in terms of it being compatible with my Dell XPS? I suppose an even more key question is, can I even remove the current storage in my Dell XPS or is it "locked in" or "soldered on" for good, meaning it can't be removed in the first place?

Assuming it is possible, I then note that my laptop has DDR4 RAM, while this Samsung SSD has DDR3. Will this be an issue? The full specs of the Samsung SDD I want to purchase are below (but also in the Aria PC link above):

• 
  Capacity: 1TB
  Edition: 960 EVO
  Form Factor: M.2 (22x80)
  Height: 3.6mm
  Interface: M.2 (2280) PCIe 3.0 x4
  Host Controller Interface: NVMe 1.2
  Controller: Samsung Polaris
  Flash Memory Type: 3-bit MLC V-NAND
  Max. Read: 3200 MB/s
  Max. Write: 1900 MB/s
  DRAM Cache Memory: 1GB
  DRAM Cache Memory Type: DDR3
  Max. Random Read 4K: 380,000 IOPS
  Max. Random Write 4K: 360,000 IOPS
  Connectivity: 1 x M.2 PCIe

If someone could let me know whether or not my proposed intention of swapping the HDD with this SSD is possible, that would be great! I've searched around for the 1TB Samsung 960 EVO and I can't find a better price than the £371 from Aria PC, but of course please let me know if I could get this same storage size in a Samsung 960 EVO cheaper elsewhere! I might actually go with the PRO one from Laptops Direct, but still deciding, as I can finance that purchase and pay monthly, which is affordable for me as I can spread the cost out over several years!

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Rdslw]

ram on SSD will not do anything with system ram. ITS CACHE for your data, nothing more. Should work out of the box. Installation is fairly simple maybe this will help:
by older model (9550) m.2 will not block HDD so you can use both.
https/youtu.be/PUSBm1KZZp8?t=277

you don't have to take out HDD to install 960. It have it's own connector and
keeping HDD to save precious SSD disc space is good option

 

[SYAS2016]

ram on SSD will not do anything with system ram. ITS CACHE for your data, nothing more. Should work out of the box. Installation is fairly simple maybe this will help:
by older model (9550) m.2 will not block HDD so you can use both.
https/youtu.be/PUSBm1KZZp8?t=277

keeping HDD to save precious SSD disc space is good option

Hey Rdslw! Thanks for the quick response, however, I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying that if I get an older version of the SSD, that I can keep my 1TB HDD in my Dell XPS as well as put in a 1TB SSD (albeit the SSD is an older version)...? Is that what you are saying? If that is what you are saying, which is the best 'older-version' SSD that I should buy? I didn't think it would be possible for me to have two drives in there!!

 

[Rdslw]

samsung 960 uses m.2 and HDD drives are sata. They don't use same space nor connector
hdd looks like this:
https/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71nK57McdyL._SX355_.jpg
and samsung 960 pro/evo
https/www.notebookcheck.pl/fileadmin/Notebooks/News/_nc3/samsung960proevo.jpg

they are connected differently and you can use both at same time. BY older model I meant LAPTOP older model not ssd
Sometimes in laptop you can user SATA OR m.2 because they physically take the same space. But your laptop does not have this problem.

 

[SYAS2016]

samsung 960 uses m.2 and HDD drives are sata. They don't use same space nor connector
hdd looks like this:
https/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71nK57McdyL._SX355_.jpg
and samsung 960 pro/evo
https/www.notebookcheck.pl/fileadmin/Notebooks/News/_nc3/samsung960proevo.jpg

they are connected differently and you can use both at same time. BY older model I meant LAPTOP older model not ssd
Sometimes in laptop you can user SATA OR m.2 because they physically take the same space. But your laptop does not have this problem.

Ah ok I see now! Well that's great, I thought I had to replace the HDD with the SSD, but if I can just add SSD to already existing HDD, then that's even better! Just to be clear, you are saying that this is possible with the laptop I have already bought: https/www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/dell-xps-15-9560-core-i7-7700hq-32gb-1tb-15.6-inch-windows-10-professional-pk9p6/version.asp?tduid=080f71bf739dc8ddca943749e51fc332&utm_source=VigLink+UK_1736887&utm_medium=tradedoubler

Why should I get an older laptop if you are saying that the laptop I've already bought will be able to have both HDD and SSD?

 

[Rdslw]

samsung 960 uses m.2 and HDD drives are sata. They don't use same space nor connector
hdd looks like this:
https/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71nK57McdyL._SX355_.jpg
and samsung 960 pro/evo
https/www.notebookcheck.pl/fileadmin/Notebooks/News/_nc3/samsung960proevo.jpg

they are connected differently and you can use both at same time. BY older model I meant LAPTOP older model not ssd
Sometimes in laptop you can user SATA OR m.2 because they physically take the same space. But your laptop does not have this problem.

Ah ok I see now! Well that's great, I thought I had to replace the HDD with the SSD, but if I can just add SSD to already existing HDD, then that's even better! Just to be clear, you are saying that this is possible with the laptop I have already bought: https/www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/dell-xps-15-9560-core-i7-7700hq-32gb-1tb-15.6-inch-windows-10-professional-pk9p6/version.asp?tduid=080f71bf739dc8ddca943749e51fc332&utm_source=VigLink+UK_1736887&utm_medium=tradedoubler

Why should I get an older laptop if you are saying that the laptop I've already bought will be able to have both HDD and SSD?

I just found a video of older one definitely working, 9550, but I just checked
https/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIADDT68F0343&cm_re=dell_xps_15_9560-_-9SIADDT68F0343-_-Product
Newegg sells this one with hdd + ssd so for sure it will work with your's.
Regards