SSD is a solid-state drive that quickly became in demand on the computer equipment market. Having a lot of advantages, the drive has some disadvantages associated with durability. Next, we will consider how to extend the life of an SSD.
Benefits of having an SSD
To begin with, it is worth considering the positive aspects of having a solid state drive.
First, users value this type of data warehouse for reliability. SSDs, unlike hard drives, can withstand virtually any physical impact. But mechanical hard drives can be damaged by any shock, which will lead to complete inoperability.
Secondly, the lack of defragmentation. To increase the life of the hard disk, you must periodically perform an operation such as defragmentation. It is necessary in order to organize the data on the disk, thereby speeding up its work. To extend the life of the SSD, such an operation is not needed, because there are no mechanical parts on it and everything works on microcircuits.
Thirdly, compactness. SSDs come in a variety of form factors that affect its location in the system unit. For example, the M2 and SATAm formats are mounted directly on the motherboard, without using any adapters. Modern motherboards can have several of these connectors. As for the standard sizes of SSDs, they are also small and can be mounted anywhere, even with adhesive tape to the body of the system unit.
The fourth plus is the ability to work in any conditions. Due to the lack of mechanical parts, the service life of the SSD is extended due to factors that prevent overheating. It is for this reason that many use these types of drives in monoblocks or industrial computers.
disadvantages
The durability of SSDs directly depends on the method of operation. The fact is that each drive has a lifetime limit of about five years. The exact lifetime of the SSD will depend directly on the purpose for which it is needed.
The limited number of overwrites is the first drawback. The manufacturer gives a guarantee for five years, after which it ceases to be valid and you have to rely on luck. That is, the disk may stop working after a day, or it may work for another year.
Another disadvantage is the cost. In comparison, you can look at the cost of an SSD and the price of a hard drive. Having the same amount of memory, they will vary greatly in price. At the moment, the maximum memory capacity of SSDs reaches two terabytes, but the cost of such pleasure is about 60 thousand rubles.
Teamwork
Since the number of overwrites affects the life of an SSD in Windows 10, it is logical to use it to store small files that are constantly used during operation. For example, install the operating system. This position will provide an instant start of the computer, downloading any data, and you can install some kind of game.
A hard drive is suitable for storing large data, as it is convenient for him to work with them. Fine structure files form a lot of empty cells when they are moved, so the defragmentation procedure is often required on hard drives.
Thus, it turns out that a solid-state drive is better for storing the operating system and games, and for a movie, music, and the like - a hard drive.
Another important point is the degree to which the SSD is full. When half the memory is full or more, the disk is much slower.
Programs for SSD
To find out how much time a solid state drive needs to work, you need to get the appropriate programs. Such utilities work on operating systems no older than 2010. Timely diagnostics will help determine the exact time of decommissioning, which will allow you to save data in a different place on time and make a replacement on time. After all, it will not be possible to extract data from a damaged SSD, as is done with hard drives.
SSD Life
This program allows you to find out the status and service life of the SSD-drive in Windows 10, 8, 7. The portable version of the utility is widely distributed on the Web and does not have paid content. It does not require installation on a computer, and testing is done only once. All results are presented in percent.
As for the paid version of the program, it is installed on the computer and also tests the performance of the solid-state drive. Its only difference from the portable version is the work in the background. When the program is started, it runs in a cyclic order, that is, every four hours it automatically checks the drive for errors and saves the results of the previous test. All data is displayed in the program, and the user can at any time see the result of the previous and current testing in order to be able to compare indicators.
Crystal disc info
The most popular drive monitoring program that even shows the life of an SSD drive even in Windows 7. This utility is able to display the performance of any drives, whether it is an SSD or a hard drive, an internal or removable disk.
The program is absolutely free - both a portable version and a full one. The advantages of a portable program is that it can be stored on a USB flash drive and used on any computer. During its operation, the following is displayed:
- The current temperature.
- The used interface.
- The number of bad sectors.
- The name of the disk.
- Volume letter.
- The number of inclusions.
- Spent hours.
The standard sample program, which requires installation, displays the same indicators, only at the same time it constantly diagnoses drives. In case of error or malfunction, the program will notify the user about it.
The only caveat is the temperature readings. The fact is that not all SSDs have SMART technology, which means that the utility will not be able to recognize the current temperature of the disk.
Disc check up
Free portable utility that also monitors all drive parameters. The only difference from previous programs is the presence of sensors that measure read / write speeds.
SSD Ready
The status of the SSD can be checked with this program. It is designed to work only with SSDs, so it will not function with hard drives. This utility runs in the background and requires installation on a computer.
You can install the program on almost any operating system. Thanks to her, you can find out how long the SSD has.
Hard Disc Sentinel
Another popular program for checking hard and solid-state drives. It is able to diagnose the current state of the drive, as well as track the decline in performance. Based on the data obtained, the program makes calculations for further performance, and then displays the result of the verification on the screen.
The main feature of the program are advanced diagnostic settings that allow you to test even removable media.
Best Solid State Drives
When it comes to switching from a hard drive to an SSD, many are lost when choosing a manufacturer. The South Korean company Samsung, which supplies the market with various equipment, began production of this type of product. However, work with multi-level memory came to the liking of other manufacturers, who soon competed with the eminent brand. Next, the reliability rating of SSDs will be presented.
1. Kingston 128 Gb SSD
This manufacturer holds fast in the technology market and provides users with a wide range of different products. Of all the 128 gigabyte SSDs, Kingston was the best at testing.
Among the advantages include:
- The durability of the SSD.
- Minimum weight.
- Compact size.
- Complete set.
- Affordable price.
- High read rates
Despite its advantages, this sample has its drawbacks, among which are the relatively low write speed and small volume.
2. Samsung 240 Gb SSD
For more memory found its leader - this is Samsung. With its unique EVO line, this manufacturer has made a real breakthrough, as a result of which many users turn their attention to this brand.
With its relatively high parameters, this solid-state drive provides the results that other manufacturers demonstrate for drives with less memory. All thanks to the Samsung MGX controller.
Advantages of this SSD:
- Weight is only 45 grams.
- The unique controller, due to which the service life is increased.
- High read / write speed.
- Price range.
- Dimensions suitable for slot 2.5.
- Data encryption and anti-jamming.
The only drawback is the lack of equipment.
3. SSD Adata 480 Gb
Adata is the leader among SSDs up to 500 gigabytes in size. The main advantage, of course, is the volume. The capacity of this disk allows you to place on it not only the operating system, but also several games.
You can also note the speed of reading and writing, which is not inferior in performance to other manufacturers. Thanks to the high parameters, the levels in the games will load at an incredible speed, and the computer will start much faster than with a regular hard drive.
Positive sides:
- High speed performance.
- Service life reaches one and a half million hours.
- Small size and light weight.
- Large capacity.
- Relatively low price.
Disadvantages:
- A little-known manufacturer in this area.
- Scanty equipment.
4. Samsung 1 Tb SSD
And again, Samsung relies on reliability among 1 terabyte SSDs. The respected EVO line was the first to introduce a solid-state drive of such a large volume. After all, with such a disc, you can completely abandon the hard drive, since it can fit not only games with the operating system, but also movies with music.
If we take into account the ratio "memory capacity / price", the cost of this equipment is low. However, for the same means you can buy a middle class laptop. As for the parameters, they are in no way inferior to disks whose memory capacity is much lower.
Advantages of this SSD:
- High reliability (data encryption and protection against virus attacks).
- The form factor and weight do not deviate from the norm.
- Large amount of memory.
- High read / write speed.
- Warranty from the manufacturer for five years.
Disadvantages:
- High cost for SSD.
- Average grade.
Recommendations for selection and operation
Many people choose these drives because they are durable, resistant to temperature changes, have a high data transfer rate and so on.
It is better to stop the choice on a well-known brand, which has valued its reputation for years, confirming it with quality products. Many little-known brands can offer inexpensive options with a large amount of memory. You should beware here, because the disk most likely does not have the proper parameters.
After purchasing it, you need to assign the volume letter to the disk, otherwise the computer simply will not see it. Therefore, it is not necessary after the purchase, when the disk is not detected in the computer, take it under warranty to the service.