SSD to become mandatory for Windows PCs

Hard disk drive. © iStock.

According to a report from Tom’s Hardware, Microsoft plans to require PC makers to integrate SSD boot drives in all Windows PCs starting in 2023 or 2024, drawing the curtain on HDDs for PC brands that still use them. John Chen, analyst at Trendfocus, claims that Microsoft first attempted to make the change in 2022, but enough manufacturer pushback stalled the effort. Microsoft and PC makers are still negotiating the timeline and possible exceptions to the new rule. A Dell representative who spoke to Ars Technica pointed out that nearly all of its systems are already equipped with SSDs, but couldn’t confirm or deny the analyst’s claims. In fact, only the most budget desktops still use hard drives as primary storage. While Microsoft’s requirement makes sense from a performance standpoint, it will have a significant impact on the price of an entry-level PC. Manufacturers will probably opt to lower the SDD’s capacity to keep prices under control: a 256GB SSD could eventually replace a 1TB HDD. No word yet on what measures Microsoft would use with OEMs who don’t comply, and the company isn’t commenting on the matter.

⇨ Ars Technica, Andrew Cunningham, “Report says Microsoft will require SSDs for new PCs soon, but is it a big deal?.”

⇨ Tom’s Hardware, Paul Alcorn, “Microsoft trying to kill HDD boot drives by 2023: Report.”

2022-06-08