The Huawei MateBook D is an excellent laptop with high-performance hardware. There aren't a ton of improvements you can make, nor do you really have to, but there are certain areas where you can get a bit more performance. One of them is
upgrade your SSD for more storage and faster data transfer speeds using an NVMe drive instead of the standard supplied SATA drive.
Products used in this guide
The Ryzen version: Huawei MateBook D (€597 on Amazon) Upgraded SSD: Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500GB (€110 on Amazon) The right tools: ORIA precision screwdriver kit (€16 on Amazon)
How to update the SSD on the Huawei MateBook D 14
Before you do anything with your laptop's storage drive,
make sure you back up everything that's important. You can clone the SSD to the new one before using it with something like Macrium Reflect, but we generally recommend starting over with a completely clean install of Windows 10.
Our guide will explain how to perform a new installation, but you'll want to create a Windows 10 USB key before you swap out your SSD or another computer. Enter the Microsoft Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to get started.
Here's how to do the exchange.
1. Turn off your MateBook D. 2. Turn it over.
(Image credit: Windows Central) 3. Take a Torx T5 screwdriver and remove the nine visible screws located on the bottom of the laptop. 4. Using a credit card or plastic pry tool, remove the base from the laptop.
(Image credit: Windows Central) 5. Remove the single Phillips screw that secures the SSD.
(Image credit: Windows Central) 6. When the SSD appears, remove it from the m.2 connector. 7. Insert the new SSD into the slot, then push gently until it clicks into place.
(Image credit: Windows Central) 8. Reuse the screw from step 5 to secure the new SSD. 9. Replace the bottom cover and reinsert the nine screws you removed in step 3. The hardware job is now complete and it's time to reinstall Windows.
How to install all your drivers
(Image credit: Windows Central)
Once it's up and running again, all you need to do is make sure all the latest drivers are installed.. Windows Update takes care of most cases, but in some cases you may want to go elsewhere. The first is Huawei's support page where you'll find the company's PC Manager app installer, which is actually surprisingly good, especially if you're also using a Huawei smartphone. Then go to the AMD support page and get the latest Adrenaline Pack for Ryzen 5 2500U.
- Download the AMD Autodiscover Tool to find the drivers for you.
- Manually choose the product for which you are searching for drivers in the selection fields.
If you go for the second option, you will find the drivers you want:
- Go to processors with graphics and click on AMD Ryzen Processors.
- Select the Ryzen 3, Ryzen 5, or Ryzen 7 depending on your laptop.
- Then find the specific model, for example the Ryzen 5 2500U.
(Image credit: Windows Central) You are then presented with the required downloads and can choose between two, any of which can be "optional."
A good tip is to always go with what has the latest date on it. Just click download and an .exe file will be saved on your PC to open and install. The installation program will do all the work for you, just follow the instructions on the screen. After downloading all the latest news available on your laptop from different locations, you are good to go!
Easily upgrade your storage
The stock 256GB SSD isn't bad, but it's pretty easy to fill. And since the MateBook D supports NVMe drives, if you add more storage, you can also add more, faster.
Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500 GB Samsung Fast Storage Samsung SSDs are easy to recommend. They combine performance, attractive price, reliability and excellent warranty.
Upgrading isn't difficult, and even if it's your first time opening a laptop, it's not a long and complicated process.. As long as you have the right screwdriver and an hour or two of free time, it's really simple.
Other items we use
The update is on the SSD, but this is what we have used throughout this guide.