Shaped like a small brick. These are standard for older laptops and desktops. They are easier to install but slower (max ~560 MB/s).

A 256GB drive fills up faster than you might expect. Ensure it fits your lifestyle:

Looks like an NVMe "stick" but uses the slower SATA speed. Check your motherboard manual at Crucial's Advisor Tool to see exactly what you need.

Buying a 256GB SSD is a smart, budget-friendly move for upgrading an old laptop or building a basic office PC. At this capacity, you are primarily looking for a reliable boot drive for your operating system (Windows/macOS) and essential apps. 1. Identify Your Use Case

Modern AAA gaming (games like Cyberpunk 2077 can take 100GB alone) or professional video editing.

Web browsing, office documents (Word/Excel), students, and basic media streaming.

If you have many photos or games, consider a 512GB or 1TB drive instead. The price difference is often as little as $10–$20. 2. Check Compatibility (Form Factor) Before buying, you must know what slot your computer has:

Shaped like a stick of gum. These plug directly into the motherboard and are significantly faster (up to 7,000+ MB/s for Gen 4).