Buy 256gb Ssd -

Shaped like a small brick. These are standard for older laptops and desktops. They are easier to install but slower (max ~560 MB/s).

A 256GB drive fills up faster than you might expect. Ensure it fits your lifestyle: buy 256gb ssd

Shaped like a stick of gum. These plug directly into the motherboard and are significantly faster (up to 7,000+ MB/s for Gen 4). Shaped like a small brick

Modern AAA gaming (games like Cyberpunk 2077 can take 100GB alone) or professional video editing. office documents (Word/Excel)

Looks like an NVMe "stick" but uses the slower SATA speed. Check your motherboard manual at Crucial's Advisor Tool to see exactly what you need.

Web browsing, office documents (Word/Excel), students, and basic media streaming.