SSD Upgrade in Glendale, CA
Typical price · $150-$250
An SSD upgrade at Technoland in Glendale runs $150-$250, including the drive and the labor to clone your existing Windows or macOS install over — you don't reinstall anything. It's the single biggest speed improvement for a computer from before 2018 that still has its original spinning hard drive: boot times drop from minutes to seconds and programs open instantly. Most upgrades are same-day if we have a compatible drive in stock, next-day if we need to order one.
- Diagnosis first: a $75 bench diagnostic identifies the actual fault before any work is quoted, and it applies toward your repair.
- $150-$250 is a starting estimate, not a quote — the firm price comes after the diagnostic, and nothing proceeds until you approve it.
- Typical turnaround is same day - 1 day, depending on parts availability and how severe the fault turns out to be.
- Backed by a 30-day labor warranty, with parts warranty depending on the parts source. Steve has done this work for 38 years.
Scope
What we fix
- A computer that takes minutes to boot or open programs
- A laptop or desktop still running its original hard drive from before 2018
- Wanting to add an SSD as a second drive alongside an existing hard drive
- An old computer you want to keep using instead of replacing
- A Mac with a spinning hard drive (older iMacs and pre-2016 MacBooks)
- Not knowing whether your machine can even take an SSD
Pricing
What it costs
Prices include all fees. 3% discount for cash or check. Diagnostic is $75 and applied toward the repair.
SSD upgrade with data clone (laptop or desktop)
Price$150-$250
TurnaroundSame day - 1 day
SSD added as a second drive (existing drive kept)
Price$125-$200
TurnaroundSame day
NVMe SSD upgrade (compatible desktops and some laptops)
Price$175-$300
TurnaroundSame day - 1 day
All pricing figures listed are starting estimates. A firm quote is provided after our $75 diagnostic inspection, which applies directly toward your total repair cost.
Final cost depends on the condition of your device and the severity of the failure, which we can only assess in person. Nothing proceeds until you approve the quote. Save 3% when you pay with cash or check.
Honest scope
What we don't do
This is about the storage inside a PC or Mac you bring to the shop — it isn't about game consoles. We don't install or upgrade storage in PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch consoles; that's a different repair skillset and different parts than what we stock. We also can't upgrade laptops with soldered storage — most thin laptops from 2018 onward and all M-series MacBooks have the SSD built into the logic board, so there's nothing to swap. And if your CPU is old enough that an SSD alone won't make the machine feel modern, we'll tell you that before you pay, rather than sell you an upgrade that won't help.
Why Technoland
Where we're different
- 01
We tell you whether the upgrade is worth it before you pay — some old machines aren't candidates.
- 02
We clone your existing drive to the new one. Nothing lost, no manual reinstall of Windows or macOS.
- 03
Quality drives (Crucial, Samsung, WD), not unknown-brand parts.
- 04
30-day labor warranty. Parts warranty varies by source.
Steve told me my old laptop wasn't worth fixing, instead of charging me to find out. That's the only kind of repair shop I trust.
— Margarita V., Glendale
FAQ
Frequently asked
Almost always yes, if the machine is older than 2018 and still has its original spinning hard drive. SSDs read data 10-50x faster, which is why boot times drop from minutes to seconds and programs open instantly. It's the single biggest upgrade for an older machine. Diminishing returns if the CPU itself is also very old (pre-2015).
No — cloning is included with every SSD upgrade. We copy your old drive to the new one so your operating system, programs, files, and settings all come over exactly as they were. You won't reinstall Windows, macOS, or any of your software.
Most desktops and most laptops made before 2018 can be upgraded. Thin laptops and all M-series MacBooks from 2018 onward usually have storage soldered to the board, so there's nothing to swap in those. We can tell you in about 5 minutes whether yours is upgradeable — bring it in.
Whichever your machine actually supports. Most laptops and older desktops take a 2.5" SATA SSD. Newer desktops and some newer laptops have an M.2 slot that takes a faster NVMe drive. We check your specific machine and install the right type — an NVMe drive in a machine that only supports SATA speeds wouldn't be worth the extra cost.
No. We upgrade storage in PCs and Macs, not game consoles — that's outside what we stock parts for and what Steve services. If you're looking for console storage expansion, this isn't the right shop.
Where we serve
SSD Upgrade near you
Related repairs
Ready when you are
Walk in or call Steve.
Most repairs quoted within 30 minutes. The $75 diagnostic is credited toward your repair if you go ahead.