How to choose an SSD drive. Criteria and advice. What size ssd is needed for Windows

Does my laptop need an SSD?

Nowadays, a solid-state drive is no longer a privilege of expensive laptops, but an almost obligatory component even for models costing 60 thousand rubles. However, if you ask yourself this question, then the most interesting things are yet to come.

As Confucius said: “Once you work on a computer with an SSD, there will be no turning back.” If in the last decade everyone was chasing hundreds and thousands of megahertz, then with the advent of SSD it became obvious that the bottleneck was the drive, not the processor.

If your laptop with a quad-core i7 takes a minute or more to load Windows and launch applications, the problem is definitely with the slow hard drive, and not with the processor. With an SSD, everything starts in a matter of seconds, files are opened and saved instantly. As a result, work becomes much more enjoyable. So let's be honest: the only time you don't need an SSD is if you already have one.

SSDs are expensive, aren't they?

Hard drives are still noticeably cheaper than SSDs based on the price of one megabyte, this is a fact. But in most cases, you don’t need a bulk “solid body”. You can always watch TV series online, store photos in the bottomless storage of Yandex.Disk, Google Drive or Dropbox, listen to music from countless streaming services, domestic or foreign.

So it turns out that often users don’t actually have that much information on their laptop, and the basics can be stored on a fairly inexpensive SSD. True, on a gaming laptop it’s not so simple anymore. Of course, I would like to install all the toys on a solid-state machine so that the maps in Battlefield don’t take such a painfully long time to load. But unfortunately modern games They eat up too much space to be installed on inexpensive solid state machines. But there are options, described in the next paragraph.

Where will I store terabytes of photos from my last vacation in Tenerife?

And even if your laptop is filled to capacity with media files, this is still not a reason to refuse to purchase an SSD. Even a not very large volume is enough for installation operating system, browser and other essential programs. And then you won't recognize your laptop.

Moreover, it is not at all necessary to give up a hard drive with hundreds of gigabytes of goods acquired through back-breaking labor. Firstly, there are many laptops with space for both a fast solid-state drive and a large hard drive. Secondly, even if you have a super-thin ultrabook, this is not a problem - external hard drives have been on sale for a long time. And even hard drives with Wi-Fi for those who don’t like wires. Or again, you can rent a place in the cloud. Although, if you plan to use it as a balcony or garage, that is, to look only once a year or less often and put everything there that you would hate to throw away, then it is better to take an external hard drive.

Can I install an SSD in my laptop?

In most cases, the answer is yes. It is definitely not possible to install a “solid state” only in laptops in which it is already soldered directly on the motherboard. But cases when the laptop already has an SSD are not of much interest to us in this material.

If you have only one slot for storage devices in your laptop, and it is already occupied hard drive, That best option- buy a solid-state drive to replace the hard drive, and for the hard drive, purchase a special container with an adapter to turn this hard drive into a convenient external hard drive. This way you solve the problem with both system speed and storing a large amount of data. And, in fact, you have nothing to lose.

One way or another, you will have to start by finding out how many drives you can install in your laptop and what type they are. There are not many variations, but enough to confuse the inexperienced person. Therefore, it is best to search forums on specific models, where people have already figured out which drives can be installed in a particular laptop model.

Which one to choose?

Form factor

The question of choosing a form factor depends not on you, but on your laptop. Older models only support 2.5-inch drives with a SATA interface. They are not as fast as some modern solid state devices with an M.2 connector. Most often, purchasing them is simply a necessity if the laptop does not have M.2.

However, the performance of a high-quality 2.5-inch solid-state drive is more than enough for everyday needs, and even more so for a person who has never dealt with an SSD before. Moreover, the M.2 connector itself is not an indicator of the drive’s performance, and among SSDs with M.2 there are even slower models.

However, the fastest M.2s are five times faster than standard 2.5-inch ones. But the point here is not even in the name of the connector, but in the data transfer interface. For more fast SSDs indicates the abbreviation PCIe 3.0 (or NVMe), but we will not dwell on such subtleties in detail.

Volume

Anything less than 120 GB is not worth attention at all - nothing will fit there, and you will just experience constant pain. The exception is all sorts of Chromebooks with 32 and 64 GB drives, but often these are not even SSDs, but devices with slow memory and slow controllers that work even slower than hard drives.

You can already live with a 120 GB drive, but only on the condition that you really don’t store a lot of programs and files. Otherwise, it is better to pay attention to the 256 GB models.

Finally, 512 and 1024 GB are desirable figures for many, but the cost of such drives at retail is high, and the surcharge for modifying a laptop with similar ones is even higher. You can even place video games there, or, for example, two operating systems, each with its own set of programs and files, and much more that your imagination is capable of.

More and more users are purchasing SSD drive and for installation on a PC. They are used in parallel with HDD or instead of them. Solid State Drives have many advantages over hard drives. Therefore, you need to know how to choose the right SSD drive for your computer.

What does it represent?

A solid state drive is a non-mechanical storage device. It is intended for installation on PCs, laptops, server equipment and is designed to replace HDDs. An SSD is created based on memory chips that are controlled by a special controller.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages:

• high speed read/write data and performance;
• low heat generation and electricity consumption;
• no noise due to the absence of moving parts;
• small dimensions;
• high resistance to mechanical damage (overload up to 1500g), magnetic fields, temperature changes;
• stability of data reading time regardless of memory fragmentation.

Flaws:

• limited number of rewrite cycles (1,000 – 100,000 times);
• high cost;
• vulnerability to electrical damage;
• risk total loss information without the possibility of its recovery.

Main characteristics

If you are buying an SSD to install on your computer, pay attention to its main characteristics.

At purchasing an SSD First of all, pay attention to the volume and purpose of use. If you are purchasing it just to install the OS, choose a device with 60 GB or more memory.

Modern gamers prefer to install games on SSDs to increase performance. If you are one of them, then you need an option with a memory capacity of 120 GB.

If you purchase an SSD instead of hard drive, proceed from the calculation of how much information is stored on the computer. But in this case, the capacity of the SSD disk should not be less than 250 GB.

Important! Price solid state drive directly depends on the volume. Therefore, if your budget is limited, use an SSD to install the operating system and a HDD to store data.

Most modern models SSD drives are sold in a 2.5-inch form factor and are built into a protective box. Because of this they look like classic hard drives the same size.

Good to know! To install a 2.5-inch SSD drive into a standard 3.5-inch mount inside a PC case, special adapters are used. Some case models provide sockets for a 2.5-inch form factor.

There are 1.8-inch and smaller SSDs on the market that are used in compact devices.

Connection interface

Solid state drives have several connection interface options:

• SATA II;
• SATA III;
• PCIe;
• mSATA;
• PCIe + M.2.

The most common option is to connect using a SATA connector. There are still SATA II models on the market. They are no longer relevant, but even if you purchase such a device, thanks to the backward compatibility of the SATA interface, it will work with motherboard, supporting SATA III.

When using an SSD with a PCIe interface, you may need to install drivers, but the data transfer speed will be higher compared to a SATA connection.

mSATA models are used on compact devices, but work on the same principle as the standard SATA interface.

M.2 or NGFF (Next Generation Form Factor) models are a continuation of the development of the mSATA line. They have smaller dimensions and greater flexibility for configuration by digital equipment manufacturers.

Read/write speed

The higher this value, the more productive the computer. Average speeds:

• reading 450-550 MB/s;
• recording 350-550 Mb/s.

Manufacturers may indicate the maximum read/write speed rather than the actual one. To find out real numbers, look online for reviews and reviews of the model you are interested in.

In addition, pay attention to the access time. This is the time during which the disk finds the information required by the program or OS. The standard indicator is 10-19 ms. But since SSDs have no moving parts, they are significantly faster than hard drives.

Memory type and runtime to failure

There are several types of memory cells used in SSD drives:

• MLC (Multi Level Cell);
• SLC (Single Level Cell);
• TLC (Three Level Cell);
• 3D V-NAND.

MLC is the most common type, which allows you to store two bits of information in one cell. It has a relatively short resource of rewrite cycles (3,000 - 5,000), but lower cost, due to which this type of cell is used for mass production of solid-state drives.

The SLC type stores only one bit of data per cell. These chips are different for a long time life (up to 100,000 rewrite cycles), high data transfer speed, and minimal access time. But due to the high cost and small data storage volumes, they are used for server and industrial solutions.

The TLC type stores three bits of data. The main advantage is low production cost. Among the disadvantages: the number of rewrite cycles is 1,000 - 5,000 repetitions, and the read/write speed is significantly lower than the first two types of chips.

Healthy! Recently, manufacturers have managed to increase the lifetime of TLC discs to 3,000 rewrite cycles.

3D V-NAND models use 32-layer flash memory instead of standard MLC or TLC chips. The microchip has a three-dimensional structure, due to which the volume of recorded data per unit area is much higher. At the same time, the reliability of information storage increases by 2-10 times.

The reliability of the solid-state drive depends on the manufacturer. Famous companies produce high-quality devices with subsequent technical and hardware support. Their factories have high requirements, which ensures excellent quality manufactured products.

Modern manufacturers of SSD drives: Samsung, OCZ (a division of Toshiba), Kingston, Crucial, Corsair, Plextor, GOODRAM, Silicon Power,Transcend.

TRIM function

Most important additional function for a solid-state drive, this is TRIM (garbage collection). It is as follows.

Information on the SSD is first written to free cells. If the disk writes data to a cell that was previously used, it first clears it (unlike an HDD, where data is written over existing information). If the model does not support TRIM, it clears the cell just before writing new information, causing the operation to slow down.

If the SSD supports TRIM, it receives a command from the OS to delete data in the cell and clears it not before overwriting, but during the “idle” of the disk. This is done in the background. This maintains the write speed at the level specified by the manufacturer.

Important! The TRIM function must be supported by the operating system.

Hidden area

This area is not accessible to the user and is used to replace failed cells. In high-quality solid-state drives it is up to 30% of the device volume. But some manufacturers, in order to reduce the cost of an SSD drive, reduce it to 10%, thereby increasing the amount of storage available to the user.

The flip side of this trick is that the hidden region is used by the TRIM function. If its volume is small, it will not be enough for background data transfer, which is why when the SSD “load” level is 80-90%, the writing speed will drop sharply.

Model overview

Below is a list of several popular models.

A solid state drive is not much different in appearance from an HDD.

The abbreviation SSD stands for Solid State Drive. You can translate it into Russian as a solid-state drive. Its main advantage is the absence of moving internal parts, that is, all operations are performed by electronic units.

In fact, the first solid state drive appeared in 1978. But in those days, the benefits of its use were very doubtful, and production was costly. SSDs were introduced to the general public around 2007-2008. They were modest in memory size and could have around 128 GB. Nowadays, there are already models of solid-state drives with a capacity of 1 TB and read/write speeds of 2600/1600 MB/s. And not so long ago, the Russian company GS Group began producing SSDs.

In a special publication on our portal, we will talk in detail about what RAM is in a computer. You will find out the characteristics RAM How to find out the amount of RAM and types of RAM on your computer.

Difference between SSD and HDD

The most important difference is in the design. An SSD has no moving parts, which means there is nothing inside it to wear out. And as a result - the absence of noise. Due to the fact that all the elements inside the SSD are soldered and secured, such a drive is much more resistant to shocks and vibrations.

On a HDD, files are read by passing the magnetic head over the surface of the disk. The reading and writing speed in this case depends on the disk rotation speed. In an SSD, there is no magnetic disk as such, and reading occurs by checking the memory cells for the presence of charge in them, which is undoubtedly faster.

The same applies to random access to data. For example, to read several simultaneously different files HDD and its magnetic head will have to “rush” between different sections of the disk to ensure timely loading of data. An SSD can simultaneously find and load several files at once.

Well, another significant advantage is low energy consumption.

Well, now it’s worth remembering the shortcomings. The most important of them, because of which many users were initially afraid to switch to SSDs, is the limited number of rewrite cycles. In other words, the more often data on a disk is overwritten, the sooner it will fail. Moreover, this happened at the most unexpected moments for the user. But the technology is improving, mechanisms are being added to control the number of cell rewrites, which allow new data to be added to less “worn-out” ones. Memory types are also being upgraded, which will further extend the life of the device.

Another discouraging factor is SSD price-disk. But this is a temporary phenomenon, as the cost is gradually decreasing. For example, today an average quality 500 GB disk can be bought for about 9,000 rubles. An HDD of this volume can be purchased for 2,000–3,000 rubles, with a disk rotation speed of 7200 rpm.

Well, the last thing worth knowing about SSDs is the impossibility of recovering files after deletion. Although some manufacturers provide their devices with mechanisms that allow this to be done. Perhaps in the future we will see an SSD with all the capabilities of an HDD, but without its disadvantages.

Main technical characteristics of SSD drives for PCs

The main parameters by which it is customary to choose an SSD are: volume, form factor, connection type and read/write speeds. But, besides them, there are other, less popular options. Let's look into all the intricacies of the characteristics and find out which SSD to choose when purchasing.

Volume

It makes no sense to explain specifically about the capacity of a hard drive in our digital age. In short, it characterizes the maximum amount of data that can be written to it. It is measured in gigabytes and, more recently, in terabytes. 1TB = 1000 GB.

Disk board

This is interesting: in fact, there is a little confusion with terabytes, as with other units - gigabytes and megabytes. The fact is that almost all applications and OS use 1024 GB as a terabyte. But in the SI unit measurement system, the prefix “tera” means 1012, that is, exactly 1,000,000,000,000. Almost all hard drive manufacturers adhere to the “correct” metric: 1 TB = 1000 GB. But the operating system can calculate and display the volume in its own way, based on 1TB = 1024 GB.

All in all, main criterion choice - the more, the better.

Form factor

There are 4 main form factors present on the market: 1.8“, 2.5“, 3.5“ and several varieties of M.2. The first two standards are usually used as a laptop SSD hard drive. The rest are more common on desktop versions of PCs. If everything is clear with inches, then M.2 is worth understanding in more detail.

Form factor 2.5"

M.2 is a relatively new specification of connectors and boards. Mainly used to connect SSD, but other devices are also present such as USB, Wi-Fi modules and so on. In most cases, there are SSDs with M and B keys. This is easy to determine - there will be three separate buses on the board: two small and one large in the middle. Also, boards are divided into 2242, 2260, 2280. This is nothing more than the size. The first two digits indicate the width, the rest - the length.

Form factor M.2 and its varieties

ATTENTION!

Before installing an SSD drive on your computer, you should make sure that the module does not interfere with other components of the motherboard and cooling.

Connection interface

The connection interface is very closely related to the form factor. The two most popular connection types today are SATA and PCIe. The first option has increased compatibility, as it is present on almost all motherboards, including laptops.

SATA interface cable

PCIe variants are mostly found in desktop systems. Although it should be noted that the M.2 standard is gradually beginning to be adopted by mobile platforms.

Read/write speed

With speeds in the SSD environment, everything is very complicated. Naturally, the read and write speed is much higher than that of an HDD. However, many manufacturers like to significantly inflate these parameters for marketing purposes. Therefore, when choosing, it is better to focus on reviews of authoritative resources and publications, as well as reviews from customers who have already tried the device.

Memory type and runtime to failure

There are three types of SSD memory: SLC, MLC and TLC. Intel Company announced at the beginning of 2017 new look memory, but the device is still too expensive and it is not yet known how long it will take for it to reach the average user. So these three known types are used.

SLC stands for Single Level Cell, that is, a single-level cell. The most productive type with the longest service life. However, while their price is relatively high, such SSDs are used mainly in server solutions.

MLC− multi-level cell. You could say that this is intermediate level between SLC and TLC. Average resource, average productivity, average price.

TLC− the most inexpensive type of memory, weakest in terms of performance and service life. It was this technology that was used to operate conventional flash drives.

TRIM function

This function was needed after the development of the first solid-state drives. The point is that regular HDDs and SSDs perform deletion and formatting differently. In short, to repeat the technique of these operations on an SSD, like an HDD, the speed and resource of solid-state drives would become uncompetitive.

The TRIM function is used to clear cells before overwriting them. This saves access time for the SSD. Support for its systems began with Windows 7, Linux 2.6.33 and MacOS. Android, starting with version 4.3, has its own analogue of the TRIM function.

THIS IS INTERESTING:

If suddenly your system does not support TRIM function, then there are several special utilities who perform her duties manually.

Drive clipboard

The buffer or cache on the HDD accelerated the writing and reading speed due to the accumulation of a certain amount of information in a separate area. This made it possible not to “tug” the hard drive one more time. In an SSD, this approach does not make sense, since writing and reading are already instantaneous. However, in solid-state drives, the cache is often used as a storage device for service information. It does not particularly affect performance, and is rarely indicated by developers in the specifications or information about the device.

What is the difference between expensive and cheap SSDs?

The main parameters that influence the cost of a solid-state drive are the type of memory, type of controller and its capacity. Memory types have already been discussed in the article just above. Controllers depend entirely on the manufacturer. From the top segment we can highlight brands such as Intel, Samsung, Marvell. The class below is followed by Jmicron or Silicon Motion.

Among the latest expensive new products, we can highlight products from Intel with the 3D Xpoint memory type. True, such an SSD disk for a 500 GB computer is sold at a price of about 40,000 rubles. The declared read/write speed on such a device can reach 2000/2500 MB/s.

Which is better for a laptop - HDD or SSD

The technological development of SSDs is still at such a level that using it in a system as the main hard drive is not considered acceptable. This is due to the fact that they fail too quickly compared to HDDs.

Therefore, the best solution for a solid-state hard drive for a laptop is to use it in conjunction with an HDD. You can install the operating system on the SSD, and programs, games, documents and other files on the HDD. If you are planning to buy an SSD drive for an M.2 format laptop, then you should first make sure that this laptop supports this type of connector.

M.2 solid state drive in a laptop

Which laptop SSD is better to choose? You can choose a budget version of the disk with a small capacity (for example, 60 GB), TLC memory type and, if possible, use M.2. This volume should be enough for most operating systems. All programs and games will be installed on an additional HDD, which will increase the service life of the device. If the SSD fails, all data will be saved to the HDD.

What is the best SSD drive for a computer? Review of several models and rating of SSD drives

The market for SSD devices is very diverse. Unlike processors, there are no leading players here. Production solid state drives Both large and well-known corporations and little-known companies are engaged in this activity. However, often a small company can release an interesting, inexpensive and reliable device.

Plextor PX-128S3C - inexpensive SSD drive for PC and laptop

Budget solution for desktop computer or laptop. It has a 2.5" form factor, which gives it versatility. The type of memory used is TLC, which is typical for inexpensive devices. The stated write/read characteristics are 500/550 MB/s. The test results showed only a slight deviation of these values.

Plextor PX-128S3C

The total memory is 128 GB, cache is 256 MB. According to the developers, the disk will be able to withstand about 35 TB of overwritten data and 1,500,000 hours of operation.

Samsung MZ-75E1T0BW

This SSD is different in that it uses a more modern type of 3D V-NAND memory - an improved version of TLC. It allows you to significantly increase the total volume, which is 1 TB in this SSD.

The controller used is our own - Samsung MEX. Used in many similar devices and has established itself as a reliable and fast module.

Samsung MZ-75E1T0BW

Form factor − 2.5“. This means that the device can be used in both a desktop PC and a laptop. The declared read/write speed is 520/540 MB/s. Own cache is 1024 MB. The operating time declared by the manufacturer is 1,500,000 hours.

Western Digital Green PC SSD 240 GB

Western Digital has been manufacturing storage devices for a long time. Naturally, they couldn’t ignore the SSD format. This model has a capacity of 240 GB, which means it can be used not only as a disk for the operating system, but also as the main data storage. The 2.5" form factor allows you to connect it to both a desktop PC and a laptop. Memory type: budget TLC. According to the developers, the peak speed can be 465 MB/s for writing and 540 MB/s for reading. However, tests show that the write speed can actually be about 200 MB/s.

Western Digital Green PC SSD 240 GB

As for the resource, about 1,750,000 operating hours are stated.

Samsung MZ-N5E250BW

Another representative from a famous brand. It differs from the one already presented in that it is made in the M.2 form factor with a size of 2280 MB, that is, suitable for stationary versions PC. But many modern laptops are now also equipped with this slot, so you can use this drive here too. Before purchasing, you should make sure that there is a bus on the motherboard.

Samsung MZ-N5E250BW

The volume of the device is 250 GB, the memory type is 3D V-NAND. Self-produced controller - Samsung MGX. Write/read speed: 500/540 MB/s. Buffer memory - 512 MB.

SmartBuy Ignition 4 240 Gb

A little-known brand that is gradually gaining popularity. The amount of disk space is 240 GB. The form factor is suitable for laptops and PCs - 2.5“. I wonder what this budget option uses more powerful and reliable MLC memory.

SmartBuy Ignition 4 240 Gb

How to connect an SSD to a computer - basic nuances

There are no special differences from connecting a standard HDD. However, there are a couple of nuances that are best taken care of before installing the device.

Firstly, if the SSD form factor is 2.5", then you will need to buy a special adapter - 3.5", which will allow you to securely mount the drive in the PC case. It connects to the motherboard via SATA cable. Secondly, after installing the device you will need to go to Computer BIOS and make sure that the AHCI drive mode is enabled.

One of the adapter options 2.5“ to 3.5“

There is no need to insert a separate adapter into your laptop, since almost all of them support the 2.5“ standard. The connectors are firmly fixed, so you just need to “insert” the disk and close it with the lid.

The SSD drive does not appear on my computer - the main reasons

It often happens that an SSD drive is detected in the BIOS, but does not want to appear in Windows. In most cases, this means there is no volume on the device. Therefore we need to create it.

Disk Management in Windows 7

For Windows 7 you will have to go to the diskmgmt.msc utility. You can find it by searching in the Start menu. The Disk Management window will open. The required SSD will appear as unallocated space. You need to right-click on it and select “Create Volume”.

Enabling SATA and AHCI in BIOS

It happens less often that the disk is not detected in the BIOS. In this case, you should start by checking the status of the SATA controller. It must be turned on. More significant problems may arise due to incompatibility of the motherboard, a defective disk, or for a number of other reasons.

What is the most profitable way to buy an SSD drive for a computer and how to buy an SSD drive for a laptop - overview table

We have collected several interesting models in one table, which reflects the characteristics, compatibility with PCs and laptops, prices and features of the SSD.

If you have experience managing and working with SSD drives, then feel free to share it in the comments.

The market for equipment and components is replete with various options, among which it is very easy to get lost. Recently, SSD drives have become increasingly popular, despite their price category. In a number of parameters they outperform, and their diversity allows you to choose the best option.

1. Decide on the main reason why you need to purchase the disk.
2. Initially, it would be useful to select several options for SSD drives, and then make a comparison. You should rely not only on the price issue, but also on the basic characteristics.
3. The price of a drive depends on its capacity. It is believed that the larger the size of the SSD disk, the higher the speed of its operation. In a situation where it is simply not possible to buy an expensive device for storing and recording information, it is better to give preference to SSD drives in the range of 64-240 gigabytes. They are quite affordable, and will please you with both capacity and speed.
4. To choose the right SSD drive for your computer, you should consider the “native” parameters. Its performance will vary depending on the technical specifications. Because of this, installing a flash drive on older PCs may not be a practical solution.
5. When choosing a drive, it is better to give preference to those options whose interface is SATA III or PCI-E. This option may be especially relevant for an SSD drive for a laptop; the information transfer speed will be very decent.
6. In some cases, it is better to purchase two different SSD drives, but each with a small maximum capacity. Installation on different devices of the necessary programs, as well as saving various information will simplify the work. And it will reduce the risk of instant loss of all data if the drive fails.
7. When choosing a storage drive, based primarily on its capacity, you need to remember one more nuance. Many SSD drives noticeably reduce their initial performance when free space remains less than 70-75%.

SSD drive selection options

The manufacturer of the device also plays an important role. On modern market There is a huge selection, but you need to give preference to proven brands. Leading companies that have proven themselves include:

• Samsung, it is believed that their drives are the fastest;
• Intel, very reliable and quite durable devices, but are among the most expensive;
• Kingston, popular and relatively budget SSD drives;
• Plextor, are not on sale as much long term, but at the same time they differ in the quality and speed of work;
• Crucial, this company, being a subsidiary of Micron, offers budget products based on controllers from Marvell.

1. Frome factor. When buying an SSD for a laptop, you should choose models from 2.5” and below. SSD disk for computer – 3.5 inches. For tablet computers– ultra-thin models (M5M).
2. Controller. It is better to choose an SSD with a controller from Marvell, Intel, MDX, SandForce.
3. Memory type. There are 3 types: SLC, MLC, TLC. The SLC type is the most successful choice, although it is more expensive than the other two. However, with it the service life of the drive will be 10-12 times longer.
4. IOPS. Responsible for the number of operations per second, this indicator affects the speed of the solid-state drive. The higher it is, the better SSD drive, but the price can also be steep.
5. Energy consumption data. If you are purchasing an SSD drive for a laptop or netbook, you should take one with a significantly lower value compared to other models.

SSD or HDD: which is better, what to give preference to

HDD represents a familiar hard drive, called a “hard” or hard drive. Its work is based on recording information on magnetic disks. This version of the device is used in personal computers, laptops and other similar equipment.

SSD is a “new generation” hard drive. It is a solid-state drive, it is based on microcircuits NAND flash memory, due to this, it is often called a “flash drive”. Applicable for various devices, but most often this drive is preferred in laptops, smartphones and netbooks.

NAND memory interface on at the moment represented by the following models:

• Toggle DDR 2.0/ONFi 3.0 – 500 MB/s;
• ONFi 2X – 200 MB/s;
• Toggle DDR 1.0 – 166 MB/s;
• ONFi 1.0 – 50 MB/s.

It is difficult to answer unequivocally the question of which storage option is the best. Both devices have their pros and cons, including technical characteristics. Even based on the individual properties of the SSD disk and hard drive, we can conclude about the strengths and weaknesses one device or another.

Based on the data in the table, it can be seen that, depending on the base, the advantages will be on the side of a traditional hard drive or on the side of an SSD drive. Additional important nuance within the framework of SSD drives is the fact that it is impossible to format this device, unlike a hard drive.

Additional advantages of an SSD drive

1. Almost completely silent.
2. Strength and impact resistance.
3. Does not respond to vibrations.
4. Does not heat up during operation.
5. The risk of failure is small, in contrast to the propensity for HDD failures.
6. Light weight.
7. Work is carried out simultaneously using several channels of information transmission.
8. A device with an installed solid-state drive will work without interruption in a multitasking situation (open browser, downloading information, running a computer game, checking for viruses, and so on).

Brief overview of the best SSD drive models

Capacious and relatively budget model, which is quite popular among buyers. A distinctive feature that is noted in many reviews about the device is that the data processing speed is 70 MB/s higher than the numbers indicated in the certificate. Owners of the drive note that starting the OS and opening “heavy” programs does not take more than 10 seconds. But, unfortunately, this particular model of SSD drive is difficult to work with information in full, without compression.

Controller: SandForce.

Write and read speed: up to 450 MB/s.

From factor: 2.5 inches.

Memory type: MLC.

Price range from 6,000 rubles to 9,000 rubles.

An affordable drive that features a large cache and V-NAND memory. The minimum warranty period for the device is 3 years. The device has TurboWrite capability. In line SSD data-disk models are available, the volume of which reaches one terabyte. In size and appearance, it is a very small, thin device, weighing no more than 66 g.

Controller: Samsung (MGX/MEX).

Interface: SATA III.

Reading speed: 540 MB/s.

Write speed: 520 MB/s.

Price range from 7,500 rubles to 10,500 rubles.

Suitable for experienced users, as well as for devices that experience heavy loads during operation. According to reviews, it is the SanDisk Extreme PRO SSD drive that does not lose its original data input and output speed throughout the entire time of use. The device operates based on the SATA III interface. However this SSD drive not intended for use on servers.

From factor: 2,5’’.

Memory type: MLC.

Reading speed: 550 MB/s.

Write speed: 520 MB/s.

Price range from 9,000 rubles to 11,600 rubles.

Choosing a solid state drive is a responsible and difficult process. However, relying on important criteria and clearly understanding the final goal for which the purchase is being made, choosing the best option will be much easier.