Replaced old 500GB 5400RPM 5V SATA 3gb/s inside HP 14-b109mw laptop running Windows 8. This new 128GB arrived preformatted w/partition. After setup in UEFi/bios, I ghosted Linux Mint 22.1 Cinnamon via USB flash/Rufus ISO....bloatware free.
Reduced cold boot from 3 mins to 34sec. Like an almost new laptop. Apps read substantially faster. Lower voltage (1.45V typical), runs cooler, lower fan use, silent vs spinning HDD (results after 17 days of use). See attached photos of both old %26 new replacement.
My latency now comes from the whopping 4GB RAM %26 2.4GB Wi-Fi card, both impossible to upgrade without bricking the logic board %26 fan. Still good for my use: lite spreadsheets, Libre Office, Firefox browsing, streaming HBO Max, Nextdoor.
Walmart delivery was astounding, good tracking, communication, follow through.