What storage upgrades work in the Skytech Archangel 2020
The Skytech Archangel 2020 accepts a 2.5-inch SATA SSD or a standard 3.5-inch hard drive in the secondary drive bay, and it has an M.2 slot on the motherboard for NVMe storage. Most units ship with a single 500GB or 1TB drive, so you have room to add capacity without replacing what you have. The exact motherboard model varies by build year and configuration, but all 2020 Archangel models support at least one additional drive.
Before you buy, check which drive slot is already occupied. If your PC came with a 2.5-inch SSD in the main slot, you can add a 3.5-inch hard drive to the secondary bay or install an M.2 NVMe drive if the motherboard has a free slot. If it came with a 3.5-inch hard drive, you can add a 2.5-inch SSD to the secondary bay. The motherboard manual will tell you whether the M.2 slot shares bandwidth with a SATA port — on some boards, using M.2 disables one SATA connection.
Key Takeaways
- The Skytech Archangel 2020 has room for a second drive in the secondary bay and an M.2 slot on the motherboard, so you can add storage without removing the original drive.
- A 2.5-inch SATA SSD is the easiest upgrade for most users because it requires no special tools and costs less than NVMe.
- NVMe M.2 drives are faster but only matter for large file transfers and game loading; for gaming alone, a SATA SSD performs nearly the same.
- You will need to open the case, locate the empty slot, and find the drive with one or two screws — the whole job takes under 10 minutes.
- Check your motherboard manual before buying to confirm which M.2 slot is available and whether it shares bandwidth with SATA ports.
SATA SSD vs. NVMe: which one to buy
A 2.5-inch SATA SSD is the safest choice for most users. It costs between $40 and $80 for 500GB to 1TB, fits in the secondary drive bay without any adapter, and works when ready after you install it. Games load slightly faster than they do from a hard drive, but the difference is usually under 10 seconds. Windows boots faster, and file transfers are noticeably quicker. SATA drives max out at around 550 MB/s read speed, which is plenty for gaming and everyday use.
An NVMe M.2 drive is faster on paper — speeds reach 3,500 to 7,000 MB/s depending on the drive — but that speed matters only when you are moving large files or installing games larger than 100GB. In gaming, you will not notice the difference. NVMe drives cost $50 to $120 for the same capacity as SATA, so you are paying more for speed you will not use. The only reason to choose NVMe is if your motherboard has a free M.2 slot and you plan to move large video files or work with large datasets.
Check your motherboard manual before buying an NVMe drive. Some Archangel 2020 boards disable one or two SATA ports when you use the M.2 slot, which means you cannot use both the secondary SATA bay and M.2 at the same time. If your manual says this, stick with a 2.5-inch SATA SSD for the secondary bay.
Opening the case and locating the drive bay
Shut down the PC completely and unplug the power cable. Wait 30 seconds, then press the power button once to discharge any remaining power. Locate the two thumbscrews on the right side panel of the case (the side facing away from you when the front is facing forward). Turn both counterclockwise by hand until they are loose, then slide the panel toward the back of the case and lift it off.
Look inside the case. You will see the motherboard mounted flat against the right side panel. The secondary drive bay is usually a metal bracket mounted horizontally below or to the side of the power supply. It has two or four screw holes and a SATA power and data connector already attached. If you do not see an empty bay, your unit may have shipped with only one drive slot, or the secondary bay is occupied. Check the motherboard manual to confirm the layout for your specific model.
Installing a 2.5-inch SATA SSD
Align the new SSD with the screw holes in the secondary drive bay. The SATA connectors (the two notched slots on the edge of the drive) should face toward the power supply. Slide the drive into the bay until the connectors seat fully into the cables already attached to the bracket. You should hear or feel a small click.
find the drive with the two screws provided with the bracket or with your new drive. Tighten them by hand — do not use a power drill or overtighten, as this can damage the drive. The drive should not move or rattle when you gently shake the case. Plug the SATA power connector into the drive if it is not already connected. The data connector should already be in place.
Close the case by sliding the right panel back into place and tightening the two thumbscrews. Plug in the power cable and turn on the PC. Windows will detect the new drive automatically. Open Disk Management (right-click the Start button, select Disk Management) and initialize the drive if prompted, then create a new partition and format it as NTFS. The drive will then appear in File Explorer and be ready to use.
Installing an NVMe M.2 drive
Locate the M.2 slot on the motherboard. It is a long, narrow horizontal slot, usually near the bottom right of the board. Check your motherboard manual to confirm which slot to use if there is more than one. Some boards have two M.2 slots, and the manual will specify which one supports NVMe and whether using it disables any SATA ports.
Remove the small screw at the end of the M.2 slot (the end farthest from the notch in the middle of the slot). Insert the NVMe drive at a 30-degree angle into the slot, with the notch on the drive aligned with the key in the slot. Press down gently and then screw the drive down. Do not force it — the drive should slide in smoothly. Tighten the screw by hand only.
Close the case and power on the PC. Windows will detect the drive automatically. Open Disk Management, initialize the drive, create a partition, and format it as NTFS. The drive will appear in File Explorer within a few seconds.
Transferring games and files to the new drive
Once the new drive is initialized and formatted, you can move games and files to it. For games installed through Steam, open Steam Settings, go to Storage, and add the new drive as a library folder. Future game downloads will use the new drive by default. To move existing games, right-click the game in your library, select Properties, then Local Files, and choose Move Install Folder. Select the new drive and Steam will handle the transfer.
For files stored on your original drive, open File Explorer, select the files or folders you want to move, right-click, and choose Cut. Navigate to the new drive and paste them. This is faster than copying because the files are moved rather than duplicated. Do not move Windows system files or program installation folders — only move games, documents, photos, and other personal files.
Checking storage in Windows after installation
Open File Explorer and look at the left sidebar. You should see both your original drive and the new drive listed. Right-click each one and select Properties to see the total capacity and how much space is used. If the new drive does not appear, open Disk Management again and check that it is initialized and has a partition assigned. If it shows as unallocated, right-click it and select New straightforward Volume, then follow the wizard to create a partition and assign a drive letter.
If the new drive appears in Disk Management but not in File Explorer, the partition may not have a drive letter assigned. Right-click the partition in Disk Management, select Properties, and assign a letter from the dropdown menu. The drive will then appear in File Explorer when ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to reinstall Windows to add a second drive?
No. Windows will detect the new drive automatically when you power on the PC. You only need to initialize it in Disk Management and create a partition. Your existing Windows installation and programs will continue to work without any changes.
Can I use both the secondary SATA bay and the M.2 slot at the same time?
It depends on your motherboard. Check the manual for your specific model — some boards disable one or two SATA ports when the M.2 slot is in use. If yours does, you will have to choose between adding a SATA drive to the secondary bay or using the M.2 slot, but not both.
What size drive should I buy?
For gaming, 500GB to 1TB is standard. A 500GB drive holds about 5 to 10 games depending on their size. A 1TB drive holds 10 to 20. If you store large video files or work with large datasets, buy 2TB or larger. For gaming alone, 1TB is the sweet spot between cost and capacity.
Will adding a second drive make my PC faster?
Adding a second drive will not make your PC faster overall, but it will speed up specific tasks. Game loading times will drop by a few seconds if you move games to an SSD. File transfers between drives will be faster. Windows boot time will not change unless you move the Windows installation itself, which is not recommended for a second drive.
What if the secondary drive bay is already occupied?
If the secondary bay already has a drive in it, you can replace that drive with a larger one, or use the M.2 slot on the motherboard instead. Replacing the secondary drive means removing the old one first — unplug its SATA connectors, remove the screws, and slide it out. Then install the new drive in its place.