Mini PC NVMe SSD upgrade guide: slots, sizes and the 2.5" bay

Updated 2026-09-25

Storage is where these small machines differ most, and where listings are most often wrong.

Storage slots by model

Storage slots
Model	Year	M.2 NVMe	Drives (NVMe + 2.5")	PCIe
Dell OptiPlex 3050 Micro	2017	1	1 + 1	None
Dell OptiPlex 7050 Micro	2017	1	1 + 1	None
Dell OptiPlex 3060 Micro (verify)	2018	1	1 + 1	None
Dell OptiPlex 7060 Micro	2018	1	1 + 1	None
Dell OptiPlex 3070 Micro	2019	1	1 + 1	None
Dell OptiPlex 7070 Micro	2019	1	1 + 1	None
Dell OptiPlex 3080 Micro	2020	1	1 + 1	None
Dell OptiPlex 7080 Micro	2020	2	2 + 1	PCIe (dGPU option)
HP EliteDesk 800 G2 Mini (verify)	2016	1	1 + 1	None
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Mini (verify)	2017	1	1 + 1	None
HP ProDesk 600 G3 Mini (verify)	2017	1	1 + 1	None
HP EliteDesk 705 G4 Mini	2018	1	1 + 1	None
HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Mini	2018	2	2 + 1	None
HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Mini (verify)	2019	2	2 + 1	None
HP EliteDesk 800 G6 Mini (verify)	2020	2	2 + 1	None
HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini	2021	2	2 + 1	None
HP Elite Mini 800 G9	2022	2	2 + 1	None
Lenovo ThinkCentre M710q Tiny (verify)	2017	1	1 + 1	None
Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny	2018	1	1 + 1	PCIe x8 via riser
Lenovo ThinkCentre M920q Tiny	2018	1	1 + 1	PCIe x8 via riser
Lenovo ThinkCentre M920x Tiny	2018	2	2 + 1	PCIe (dGPU option)
Lenovo ThinkCentre M75q-1 Tiny	2019	1	1 + 1	None
Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q Gen 1 Tiny	2020	1	1 + 1	None
Lenovo ThinkCentre M75q Gen 2 Tiny	2020	1	1 + 1	None
Lenovo ThinkCentre M90q Gen 1 Tiny	2020	2	2 + 1	PCIe x8 via riser

M.2 2280 NVMe is the size these storage slots take. Shorter 2230/2242 drives need an adapter or a screw position that may not exist.
The small M.2 2230 slot is usually for Wi-Fi (E-key), not storage. It does not count as an SSD slot.
2.5" SATA needs the model's caddy and SATA cable, which are often missing from units sold with only an M.2 SSD.

The Lenovo M920q has board footprints for a second M.2 slot, but it is populated only on the M920x. See M920q vs M920x.
On Lenovo Tiny models, installing a PCIe riser uses the space of the 2.5" bay.
On the HP 800 G8/G9 Mini, units configured with M.2-only storage ship without the SATA drive bracket (per HP's QuickSpecs).