MSI GF63 SSD Upgrade Quick Guide [2 Options]
This article takes care of the entire MSIGF63 SSD upgrade, especially for thin series, and includes the best recommended SSDs, pre-upgrade checklist, etc. You don’t need to reinstall Windows.
MSI GF63 series exclusively features "Thin" models for slimmer, lighter gaming laptops without sacrificing performance, prioritize portability to make it easier to carry around and use on the go, and comes with improved cooling system.
However, like any other computer, if you're experiencing a drop in performance or low disk space, the best and fastest way to go about it is to perform an MSI GF63 SSD upgrade. It doesn't matter if you don't know, we'll show you the full upgrade guide next.
Can You Perform an MSI GF63 SSD Upgrade?
Yes, most MSI GF63 Thin models are upgradeable, including the9SC, 10SCXR, 11SC-693, 12UCX-814US, and 12VE-437US. It depends on the disk interface (SATA vs. NVMe) and available slots.
- ❗❗❗Key Takeaways:
- - Most GF63 laptops support dual storage (M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 2280 + 2.5" 7mm thick SATA), with newer models favoring NVMe.
- - NVMe SSDs (PCIe Gen3/Gen4) offer 3-7x faster speeds than SATA.
- - High-end NVMe SSDs (e.g., 990 Pro) may need a thermal pad or heatsink to prevent throttling.
- - Older models (pre-2020) may need BIOS updates for larger SSDs.
Below is a breakdown for each model, along with best SSD recommendations for performance and compatibility:
Model |
Best NVMe SSD |
Best SATA SSD |
GF63 Thin 9SC |
Samsung 970 EVO Plus |
Crucial MX500 |
GF63 Thin 10SCXR |
WD Blue SN570 |
Samsung 870 EVO |
GF63 Thin 11SC-693 |
Kingston KC3000 |
SanDisk Ultra 3D |
GF63 Thin 12UCX |
Samsung 990 Pro |
-(No SATA bay) |
GF63 Thin 12VE |
Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus |
-(No SATA bay) |
👇For NVMe SSDs:
SSD Model |
Interface |
Speed (Read/Write) |
Capacity |
Ideal For |
Samsung 990 PRO |
PCIe Gen4x4 (M.2) |
Up to7450/ 6900MB/s |
1TB-4TB |
Heavy users or professionals |
WD Black SN770 |
PCIe Gen4x4 (M.2) |
Up to 5150 / 4850 MB/s |
500GB -2TB |
Heavy users or professionals |
Samsung 970 EVO Plus |
PCIe Gen3 x4 (M.2) |
Up to 3500 / 3300 MB/s |
500GB -2TB |
Power users, content creators |
WD Blue SN570 |
PCIe Gen3 x4 (M.2) |
Up to 3500 / 3000 MB/s |
250GB-2TB |
Everyday users (light gaming) |
Crucial P3 NVMe |
PCIe Gen3 x4 (M.2) |
Up to 3500 / 3000 MB/s |
500GB -2TB |
Everyday users (light gaming) |
SK hynix Gold P31 |
PCIe Gen3 x4 (M.2) |
Up to 3500 / 3200 MB/s |
500GB -2TB |
Power users, content creators |
👇For SATA SSDs:
SSD Model |
Interface |
Speed (Read/Write) |
Capacity |
Ideal For |
WD Blue 3D NAND SATA |
2.5" SATA III |
Up to 560 / 530 MB/s |
500GB - 1TB |
Everyday users (light gaming) |
Samsung 870 EVO |
2.5" SATA III |
Up to 560 / 530MB/s |
250-4TB |
Everyday users (light gaming) |
Crucial MX500 |
2.5" SATA III |
Up to 560 / 510 MB/s |
250-4TB |
Everyday users (light gaming) |
SanDisk Ultra 3D |
2.5" SATA III |
Up to 560 / 510 MB/s |
250-4TB |
Everyday users (light gaming) |
Pre-Upgrade Checklist
#1: Some necessary tools: phillips #0 screwdriver, anti-static wrist strap, USB-to-SATA or M.2 adapter (for cloning)
#2: Upgrade BIOS version: High-end SSDs such as Samsung 990 Pro require Gen4 support, otherwise, the performance will drop. You can check and upgrade BIOS version in MSI Dragon Center.
#3: Backup data just in case: For data safety, it’s wise to backup important files to external hard drive or cloud storage. This way, there is no need to worry about losing files in the process.
#4: Add a heatsink for high-end NVMe SSDs, e.g., Samsung 990 Pro. It can throttle but sacrifices speed without heatsink as most laptops (including the MSI GF63) don’t include.
#5. Pick a Reliable SSD Cloning Software
AOMEI Cloner is a reliable SSD cloning software that can clone hard drive or SSD in Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, and servers without reinstalling. The cloned SSD still remains bootable. You can also clone OS only to SSD (for a smaller one).
❤❤❤ Why Choose AOMEI Cloner?
- 👑Bootable clone - clone HDDs/SSDs and MBR/GPT system disks without boot issues (even if smaller).
- Intelligent clone (default) - only clones the used sectors of a drive, making it easier to clone large HDD to smaller SSD without capacity issues.
- Edit partitions - resize partition size on the destination disk, especially those with different disk partition styles(one MBR, one GPT).
- SSD alignment - align HDDs and SSDs with 4k technology and improve their lifespan.
- SSD compatibility - compatible Samsung, WD, SanDisk, Crucial, etc., whether they are using NVMe, PCIe, M.2, SATA, or mSATA interface.
How to Upgrade SSD in MSI GF63 without Reinstalling
Before upgrading SSD in MSI GF3, you need to connect the new SSD using USB-to-SATA or M.2 adapter externally and be sure it’s recognized. If there are two slots available, usually one M.2 SSD and one SATA SSD, you can choose to install the new SSD into the disk slot.
Step 1. Open AOMEI Cloner after installing, click Clone > Disk Clone subsequently.
Step 2. In the Select Disk window, select the old hard drive you want to clone and click Next.
Step 3. In the Destination Disk window, select the new SSD drive (all data will be overwritten) and click Next. Click OK to continue.
Step 4(Important). Be sure to check the SSD Alignment feature to align HDD and SSD for better performance. Try the Edit Partitions feature in the following two situations. They both help a lot to avoid different cloning issues, such as SSD low performance, unallocated space left, boot issues, etc., after cloning.
- The target SSD drive is larger. Select “Add unused space to all partitions or “Manually adjust partition size. The former is recommended as it is adjusted automatically without human intervention and minimizes errors.
- Both drives have different partition styles (one MBR, one GPT). Check the option “Convert the destination disk from MBR to GPT or vice versa to make them identical.
Step 5. Be sure your settings and click Start Clone to cloneSSD in MSI GF63. By default, this software will enable the intelligent clone feature to clones only used sectors of a drive. It can avoid the cloned SSD won't boot issue to the greatest extent possible (if it's smaller).
After cloning, you need to swap both SSD drives and test if it’s bootable. Don’t format the old drive until you confirm the cloned SSD is bootable.
- Power off THE MSI GF63 completely and remove the back panel to access the SSD slots.
- Unscrew the screws securing the original drive or the slave slot. Please put them together for convenience.
- Gently remove the original drive and install the new SSD in it, usually at a 30° or 45°angle. (If it’s Samsung 990 Pro or other high-end NVMe SSD, you are advisable to add a heatsink before installing the new SSD). For slave slot, please directly install the new SSD.
- Reinstall the back panel and try to boot from the new SSD.
What Do You Get after SSD Upgrade?
- 1. Faster boot times
- 2. Quicker application loading
- 3. Improved overall system responsiveness
- 4. Enhanced gaming performance
- 5. Others, e.g., quieter, more durable, less power consumption, etc.
Conclusion
It’s time to perform MSI GF63 SSD upgrade if your computer is slower or requires more capacity, and you’ll have a brand-new experience in loading time, file transfer speed, system responsiveness, etc.
The key points are to get a compatible SSD and find a reliable SSD cloning software - AOMEI Cloner to migrate everything from one SSD to another with secure boot. You don’t need to reinstall Windows and programs.