Lenovo Yoga with new SSD, Clean Windows install is SLOOOOOOW!!

I think there is/are hardware issues that I need help determining. I have an older Lenovo Yoga 730 13IKB and have replaced the SSD with a new PNY 5th gen CS2150.

It took my Windows 11 25H2 installation from USB over 45 minutes to finish the clean install to the Win11 Setup Screen (choose language, etc).

Any expert advice diagnosing this unhappy laptop is WELCOME!

BTW, even after running Windows Update, getting all the up-to-date drivers, Device Manager shows everything having drivers, and the BIOS is the most recent per Lenovo's Drivers page for this laptop, the phrase "slower than molasses in January" applies to this Yoga.