The best choice of solid state ssd external drive. SSD disk for computer. Which one is better

A solid-state drive is a new generation of storage devices whose operation is entirely based on memory chips, and eliminates the presence of mechanical parts. The first generation of SSD, which was based on flash memory technology, was in 1995, and was a huge success in scientific circles. Despite the fact that the stability of such a device left much to be desired and it was too early to consider it as a full-fledged alternative to HDD, a great future was predicted for it.

Since 2010, the computer hardware market has been replenished with SSD drive models with memory capacities from 64 to 512 GB, which marked the beginning of the gradual displacement of traditional hard drives. Compared to the latter, solid-state drives had a number of undeniable advantages:

• disproportionately high speed of writing and reading data, which has a positive effect on performance and performance;
• less noise and high resistance to mechanical damage due to the absence of mechanical parts;
• low energy consumption (in some cases up to 70%).

All this clearly indicates the possibility of a decent upgrade of hardware, especially for gaming needs.

To help you make your choice, we have compiled a rating of the ten best SSD drives from recognized market leaders. The selection of applicants was made according to the criteria of reliability, value for money, as well as based on reviews from users and recognized experts.

The best manufacturing companiesSSD- drives

Samsung. One of the most popular and trusted manufacturers of SSD drives on the global market. It has several lines of drives for computers of different levels. Budget and premium models, different form factors and maximum speeds.

Intel. The recognized leader in the field of computer electronics production did not ignore the development of SSD drives. Numerous experiments (including those from independent laboratories) have established the fact of the highest reliability of drives from this company, and partially justified the fact of their high cost.

Kingston. The entry of this company into the solid-state SSD drive market turned out to be very controversial and deserves a portion of censure. The first samples of memory modules were purchased from Intel and relabeled under the Chinese brand. After a short stint as a packager, Kingston established its own production and became a strong competitor to the flagship firms.

Transcend. A company whose main philosophy was to maintain a balance between the cost of products and their quality. As a manufacturer of SSD drives, it has firmly established itself in the niche of the middle price segment, providing users with, although not the most productive, but the most reliable data storage devices.

Plextor. A company from the Land of the Rising Sun that can withstand the competition of leaders thanks to the low price tag for its products. Despite the use of purely budget hardware in the manufacture of SSD drives (for example, Marvell controllers are combined with Toshiba’s not-so-top flash-memory developments), the latter’s performance is practically not inferior to mid-range models from the same Samsung and Intel.

Best external SSD drives

3 Transcend TS1TESD400K

Large memory capacity (1 TB)
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 31,500 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.6

An interesting model of a storage device, created in the best traditions of Transcend. The first thing that catches your eye is the excellent design of the disc case. But does the internal content of the model correspond to what is visible externally?

The answer to this question lies in the field of the concept “controversial”, and the reason for this is not the filling at all. The main problem with the Transcend TS1TESD400K is the strange USB 3.0 cable included, complaints about which are constantly coming from indignant users. Largely because of this, the SSD drive does not produce the stated write and read speeds (out of 380 and 410 MB/s, only 170 and 250 MB/s are realized, respectively, and in the best case). In addition, very often the data transfer process is interrupted due to the “disconnection” of the wire.

It is noteworthy that such problems can be avoided by the notorious replacement of the complete wire, after which the device (not always, but as a rule) continues to work without complaints.

2 ADATA SD700 256GB

Best Rugged Portable SSD
Country: China
Average price: 4,949 ₽е
Rating (2018): 4.7

The second line of the rating is occupied by a model that will clearly be of interest to photographers, videographers and others whose work involves processing a huge amount of information far from civilization. This is a protected device that can withstand shocks, falls, exposure to water and serious vibrations. Protection is provided by a housing made of durable plastic and a thick rubber rim. However, it is worth considering that there is no official compliance with any protection standards, and therefore you should not hope for a miracle and use the SD700 in extreme conditions. It is not recommended to use an external drive in cold weather - the operating temperature range starts from +5 O C

Inside the black or light green case there can be 256, 512 or 1024 GB of TLC 3D NAND memory. The manufacturer claims read and write speeds of 420-440 Mbit/sec. These figures are confirmed by independent tests and user reviews. Data transfer is carried out via the USB 3.1 interface.

Since the invention of SSD drives, HDDs that have been proven over the years have gradually faded into the background. Despite their obsolescence, the latter still have significant advantages, but the superiority of new technologies turns out to be more significant. What are their advantages, and what parameters hide the disadvantages - we find out from the comparison table.

1 Samsung Portable SSD T5 250GB

The most modern. The best portable SSD for modern ultrabooks
Country: South Korea
Average price: 7,110 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.8

Sales statistics in recent years indicate that large desktop PCs are increasingly being replaced by portable laptops equipped with only the minimum required set of ports. Take, for example, the popular MacBooks - on their edges there was only room for USB Type-C ports. External solid-state drives like the Samsung T5 were created to work with such devices. This is an extremely compact (57.3x10.5x74mm) and lightweight (only 51 g) model with a minimalist anodized aluminum body.

Samsung's proprietary V-NAND memory is installed inside. Models available with 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB. The declared read/write speed is good news - 540 MB/s. The drive is equipped with a USB 3.1 Type-C port. The kit includes two cables: Type-C to Type-C and Type-C to Type-A, which allows you to connect the drive to both modern and fairly old devices.

In conclusion, it is worth noting the accompanying software: there are applications for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android. They can be used to encrypt data using the AES 256 algorithm, update firmware, create data backups, etc.

The best SSD drives for a desktop computer

4 Intel SSDPED1D280GAX1

Fastest PCI-E SSD
Country: USA
Average price: RUB 29,864
Rating (2018): 4.6

Intel is one of the pioneers in the field of electronics. The company is best known for processors, but can also boast of some success in the field of storage systems. For example, the fastest SSD drives of the Optane family. Within this category, we will consider a couple of models at once. The first is a PCI-E card. The model is made in the “video card” format. Color – only black. The entire upper surface is covered with a massive heatsink that prevents overheating of the memory chips. The device looks stylish, is well assembled and gives the impression of a top-level device, which it is. The radiator, by the way, is not for beauty - during operation the card can heat up to 50 ° C.

Why does a solid-state drive with a capacity of only 240 GB cost 30 thousand rubles? It's all about flash memory technology. It uses Intel-developed 3D Xpoint memory, which has the best speeds and lowest latencies to date. In tests, the card produces about 2500 MB/s for reading, and 1700 MB/s for writing. Please note - not megabits, but megabytes per second!

3 Intel SSDPE21D480GAM3

The fastest 2.5' SSD drive
Country: USA
Average price: 44,850 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.7

The second representative of the Optane line is made in a completely different form factor - it is a 2.5-inch drive more familiar to most users. But two things immediately attract attention. The first is the case design. On it we can see many “pimples” and ribs that act as a radiator. You remember that these drives get very hot, right? The second is the connection type. The U.2 connector is used. It cannot be found on all motherboards, and therefore the manufacturer included an adapter for the more common M.2 in the kit.

There are practically no differences in technical characteristics - the bronze medalist only better withstands shaking and shock (withstands overloads of up to 1000 G), operates at a higher temperature (up to 85 degrees), and consumes 12.8 W of energy, instead of 14 W for the previous participant. The remaining differences are in ease of use. Firstly, a 2.5 format disk does not take up space on the computer’s motherboard, and given the class of the device, it probably already has a massive, powerful video card. Secondly, the ability to “hot” swap the disk – you can’t do this with a PCI-E card. Thirdly, the cost/volume ratio.

2 Plextor PX-256M9PeY

Budget PCI-E drive
Country: China
Average price: 6,890 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.7

Let's move on from the exotic to more down-to-earth models, the cost of which corresponds to the capabilities of the majority of ordinary users of desktop computers. The device is made in the form factor of a PCI-E card. The design can be called cheerful, because in addition to the black heatsink and a small red insert, the case has RGB lighting. Gamers will definitely be pleased.

Inside there is TLC 3D NAND flash memory that supports NVMe and TRIM. Read and write speeds are stated at 3000 and 1000 MB/s, respectively. And to some extent, these indicators are true - files up to 3 GB will indeed be processed at maximum speed thanks to the fast cache. When working with large amounts of data, the speed will drop to “earthly” 500-520 Mb/s. Also note that the model from Plextor is the only one in the category that does not support encryption.

1 Samsung MZ-V7E250BW

Best price/performance ratio
Country: South Korea
Average price: 6,150 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.8

The leader of the rating is the long-proven SSD of the 970 Evo line from Samsung. This is the most affordable and most compact model in the category. The drive is installed in the M.2 connector, which means it takes up virtually no space in the case or on the motherboard. This allows you to install an SSD not only in a desktop PC, but also in a laptop. On the other hand, the form factor does not allow the installation of a cooling radiator, which is why temperatures are slightly higher than those of competitors - about 55 degrees.

The situation with speed indicators turned out to be extremely interesting - the 250 GB model lags significantly behind the 500 and 1000 GB modifications. For example, the sequential read speed is 2900 and 3500 MB/s for the younger and older models, respectively. When recording, the figures vary even more: 1000 and 3000 MB/s! Therefore, if performance is important to you, pay attention to a model with a minimum capacity of 500 GB. Finally, we note that the manufacturer provides a 5-year warranty on its products.

The best SSD drives for a laptop

3 Kingston SMS200S3/240G

The most reliable
Country: USA (made in China)
Average price: 4,240 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.7

The third position of Kingston SMS200S3/240G is due solely to the memory capacity of 240 GB, and does not hide any reproaches to the technical part. Built on the SandForce SF-2281 controller, the SSD uses the widespread MLC technology as flash memory - a multi-level information storage model.

As for the performance characteristics, in addition to 240 GB of memory, the speed of writing and reading information should be equal to 530 and 540 MB / s, respectively. The proven SATA is used as the connection interface, the maximum external data transfer speed of which reaches 600 Mb/s.

Particular attention should be paid to the reliability characteristics. The time between failures is a decent 1 million hours – higher values ​​are available for versions of SSD drives for desktop computers or premium ones for laptops. Combined with the cost, we get a high-quality drive model that can revive any weak system.

2 Western Digital WD GREEN PC SSD 240 GB

Best price
Country: USA
Average price: 2,965 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.7

Western Digital is widely known for producing excellent hard drives. The leaders in the SSD drive market are completely different, but WD can also offer good options. One of them is WD Green with a capacity of 240 GB. This is a great option for those who want to speed up their laptop a little or replace a dying HDD with a more modern analogue. The main advantage of the model is its cost. For the silver medalist they ask only 3 thousand rubles.

You can't expect high performance speed for that kind of money. The model uses a connection via SATA, which physically cannot provide speeds above 600 MB/s. Tests show sequential write and read speeds of 460 and 560 MB/s, respectively. Note that users in reviews complain about the low reading speed of 4K sectors. You can also find fault with the lack of TRIM, less time between failures than competitors, and much more. However, we remember the cost and stop paying attention to such trifles. In addition, not all laptops support NVMe, which means a solid-state drive via the good old SATA is a real salvation for them.

1 Samsung MZ-V7P1T0BW

The fastest SSD for laptops
Country: South Korea
Average price: RUB 28,390
Rating (2018): 4.9

In contrast to the previous participant, the top-end SSD M.2 drive is from Samsung. The cost and characteristics of the model directly indicate the scope of application - the drive is designed for the most powerful laptops. It uses proprietary V-NAND memory and a Samsung Phoenix controller. Thanks to the connection via PCI-E (M.2 connector) and NVMe support, the model is capable of delivering speeds of about 2700 MB/s for writing, and 3500 MB/s for reading! At this speed, even 1 TB of disk space can be filled in less than half an hour. Among the nice features, we also note the power consumption of 5.8 W, which is very useful for laptop computers to save battery power.

Solid-state drives can rightfully be called one of the most useful innovations in the computer market - it’s enough to buy an SSD for even an old computer to start working very quickly and responsively.

However, choosing an SSD in 2018 is not so easy - the market is saturated with models of very different types and characteristics. This abundance of options is explained by the fact that it is very easy to produce SSDs, because they are, in fact, the same flash drives, only made a little differently.

Latest SSD Technology

SSD stands for solid-state drive or solid-state drive. This is a small flat box containing an electronic board with microcircuits inside. There are no mechanical, moving parts like in hard drives.

We had what an SSD is and why it is needed (and whether it is needed).

Data is stored in flash memory chips - these are the same chips that are used in USB flash drives. But in an SSD, these chips are combined into an array, where data is read and written in parallel to all chips at once. This gives a high final speed of work.

The distribution of data across the chips is handled by the controller - an important part of the SSD, on which indicators such as speed and reliability depend. Controllers are produced by several companies, including Phison, Samsung, JMicron, Marvell, Toshiba and others. It is impossible to name a unequivocally good and unequivocally bad controller manufacturer; here you have to look at a specific model.

Another important indicator is the type of flash memory and its manufacturer. Although there are a huge number of SSD models, they all use flash memory from only a few manufacturers: Micron/Intel, Hynix, Samsung, Toshiba, SanDisk. Currently (2018) there are the following memory types:

• SLC - each memory cell stores only 1 bit, which gives maximum speed and reliability - one cell can be rewritten up to 100 thousand times without the risk of losing data, however, this makes SLC the most expensive type of flash memory, and therefore it is used only in server solutions and as a small cache for mass-produced SSDs;
• MLC is the “golden mean”, where 2 bits of data are stored in each cell, such memory works 2-3 times slower than SLC, and its reliability is 33 times less (only 3 thousand cell rewrites), however, drives with MLC memory much cheaper and more voluminous;
• TLC is the most budget solution, gaining popularity - here each cell stores as many as 3 bits of data, which is why the memory works ~1.5 times slower, and the durability is 3 times less than MLC (1000 rewrite cycles for each cell and the drive can be throw it away), but, as you might guess, the low price and large volume cover all the shortcomings;
• 3D XPoint is a unique development by Intel and Micron, used in Intel Optane drives, and which does not relate to conventional flash memory at all - data is stored here by changing the phase state of certain substances under the influence of electric current, this gives enormous reliability and speed at random operations.

Does it make sense to switch to an SSD now?

If you look at the configurations of new computers and laptops in the middle and high price ranges, then in almost 100% of cases an SSD will be installed. We can say that a more or less productive computer is currently unthinkable without a solid-state drive. There are a number of objective reasons for this.

Firstly, These are speed indicators. The cheapest SSDs provide up to 550 MB/sec sequential read and write speeds, which is almost 2.5 times faster than the fastest hard drives. But the real strength of SSDs is random, fragmented operations, when you need to read or write many files that are in different folders. The hard drive has to move the head to do this, which is why, for example, the system loads slowly or a heavy game plays. SSDs do not have any heads, so during random operations they, on average, a thousand times faster than HDD, if you look at the number of IOPS, and ten times faster, if you look at the resulting speed in Mb/sec.

Here, for example, are the test results for random reading of a five-year-old HDD Seagate Barracuda 7200.12:

And a five-year-old SSD Intel 320:

As you can see, the SSD spends almost 160 times less time on random searches, which is due to the absence of mechanical parts. And this is an SSD from 2012, and modern samples are much more productive. While HDDs have not become much faster in this regard over the same time.

Secondly, this is the absence of noise and (with some reservations) heating. Inside the hard drive, pancakes are constantly spinning, on which data is stored, and the head also moves, emitting a characteristic crackling or crunching sound. An SSD is a completely electronic device, and therefore makes absolutely no sounds. The same applies to heating in the general case - solid state drives consume energy and heat up less than hard drives. The exception is top-end NVMe SSDs, which are inserted into PCI Express slots.

Thirdly, SSDs are very resistant to mechanical stress such as shocks, shocks and falls, unlike hard drives. This is why solid-state drives are so valued by lovers of reliable laptops - the HDD has always been the weakest link, quickly failing due to constant vibrations, knocks and position changes. With the advent of SSDs, laptops have become truly mobile devices.

Fourthly, this is the predictability of the resource. SSDs have a standard indicator such as the resource or degree of wear of flash memory, which can be viewed at any time. Provided there is a good controller, this gives a fairly accurate time frame for the drive to fail. For example, here's what SMART writes about the same five-year-old SSD:

This means that the drive resource is 92%, i.e. Flash memory is worn out by 8%. In the case of a hard drive, there are no such indicators and cannot be due to its mechanical design. An HDD can fail with almost equal probability in a week, six months or 5 years.

Regarding the SSD resource, there is a myth that hard drives are much more reliable than solid-state drives - the supposedly small number of rewrites of memory cells leads to the fact that SSDs break almost every few months. Of course this is not true. Even TLC memory, despite its seemingly terribly low number of rewrites, is more than reliable in home use and can last up to 10 years.

One popular portal, the results of which eloquently indicate that the reliability of most solid state devices is several times greater than the resource declared by the manufacturer. In short, there is no need to worry about the durability of a solid-state drive. But for this you need to choose a more or less high-quality SSD, because here you can get a drive with a weak controller that will quickly break.

Criteria by which we will select the leaders of 2018

The price range here is as wide as the variety of models - you can buy an SSD for either 2,000 rubles or 500,000 rubles. The main difference between them is capacity and speed. Unfortunately, SSDs are still much more expensive than hard drives per unit of volume. Therefore, you have to look for a compromise - as a rule, you buy a 120-250 GB SSD for the computer for the system and programs, and a 2-4 TB HDD for everything else.

In general, now there is no point in buying SSDs with a capacity of less than 120 GB - the cheapest SSDs measuring 32-64 GB are only 600-800 rubles cheaper than budget 120 GB ones, and the difference in performance and reliability is very noticeable. After all, SSDs are designed in such a way that the larger the volume, the faster and more durable they are. But it is worth noting that this dependence is nonlinear - somewhere around 500 GB, the increase in speed and reliability becomes very gentle. That is, the difference between the performance of the 120 GB and 500 GB models is much stronger than between the 500 GB and 2 TB models.

Budget SSD models

Budget solid-state drives include models costing up to 3,500-4,000 rubles with TLC memory of a “hit” capacity of 120-128 GB, which are connected to a regular SATA port, like hard drives. This size is quite enough for an operating system, a set of applications, and even several not too large games. Work files, music, movies, of course, will have to be stored on larger drives - the same HDDs.

Already in this class of drives you can count on 350-550 MB/sec of sequential reading and writing, which is practically the ceiling for the SATA bus. Budgeting manifests itself in random and mixed loads - as a rule, such models are very leisurely in comparison with more expensive models. Although, of course, even this is much better than the fastest hard drives.

It is useful to install such SSDs on old or cheap computers that usually have a hard drive. This gives a significant increase in speed and responsiveness, thanks to which even weak or outdated hardware can be used quite comfortably for several more years. But for modern, powerful configurations, it is better to buy more expensive SSDs so that they are in harmony with the rest of the components.

Good representatives of the class (especially reliable models are highlighted in bold):

• GOODRAM CX300
• Kingston A400
• Kingston SSDNow UV400
• Smartbuy Ignition PLUS
• Smartbuy Revival 2
• Smartbuy Splash 2
• Transcend SSD370
• Western Digital Green

Mid-range SSD

This price range is from 4,000 to 8,500 rubles, which includes drives with a capacity of up to 480 GB, using both TLC and MLC memory. But what’s most interesting is that NVMe solid-state drives are already appearing here, which are inserted into the M.2 slot and produce 2-3 Gb/sec sequential reading and 1-2 Gb/sec write. That is, for quite reasonable money you can achieve the highest performance in disk operations, which is suitable for powerful desktops and workstations.

These NVMe SSDs include:

• A-DATA XPG SX7000
• Apacer Z280
• OCZ RD400
• Patriot Scorch
• Plextor M9PeGN
• SmartBuy M7
• Transcend MTE850
• Western Digital Black

The downside of such affordability is unstable speed under mixed and random loads, as well as a relatively short resource. However, for several years of normal desktop loads, these SSDs are quite suitable.

As for the usual SATA devices, here you can already count on consistently high speeds (up to 580 Mb/sec) and greater durability. Solid state devices based on 3D TLC memory, such as Samsung EVO, deserve special attention.

Mid-segment SSDs are great for office computers, gaming machines and high-performance workstations. If you choose a roomy 480 GB model, then the need for a separate HDD may completely disappear - this volume is more than enough for a work desktop or laptop.

• ADATA Ultimate SU900
• GOODRAM Iridium Pro
• Intel 545s
• Kingston HyperX Savage
• OCZ TR200
• Samsung 850/860 EVO
• Samsung 850 PRO
• Western Digital Blue

Top SSDs

At a price of up to 21,000-22,000 rubles, you can buy a SATA SSD with a capacity of up to 1 TB, or 500-512 GB in NVMe version, providing speeds of several GB/sec and high reliability of data storage. That is, here you can choose - capacity comparable to HDD and standard 550 MB/sec, or 2 times smaller size combined with outstanding performance. At the same time, NVMe solid state devices can use both M.2 connectors and PCI Express slots, like video cards.

It is clear that SATA drives with a capacity of 960 GB or 1 TB can already completely replace a traditional hard drive, while providing tens or even hundreds of times higher performance. However, SATA bandwidth is not enough to handle very heavy content. When working with high-definition photos or videos, it will be useful to purchase an NVMe drive. Moreover, professional solutions like Samsung PRO with corresponding properties are available for such a price.

Good representatives of the class (especially reliable models are highlighted in bold), in addition to the models from the previous paragraph:

• Intel 600p
• Kingston HyperX Predator
• Kingston KC400
• Plextor M9Pe
• Samsung 860/960 PRO

Premium segment

This includes all solid-state drives with a price above 22,000 rubles. These are SSDs for professional and corporate purposes, the volume of which starts from 960 GB/1 TB, and up to tens of terabytes. Many of them are designed in the form of a board that is inserted into a PCI Express x4 or x8 slot and has a massive cooling radiator. This is not just a decoration that should convince the buyer of the seriousness of the device. Such SSDs with read speeds of up to 6 GB/sec (Hitachi/HGST models) get very hot, and can even reach throttling due to overheating.

Of course, in this segment there are quite traditional SATA drives of large capacity and reasonable cost, and solid state drives for M.2 with fairly high speeds. But I would like to focus on something very special: Intel Optane drives with innovative 3D XPoint memory.

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, 3D XPoint is a completely different type of memory that uses phase transitions of matter, and has nothing to do with the usual SLC/MLC/TLC. The solid state based on it, Intel Optane 900P, is also made in the form of a PCI Express card. At first glance, its characteristics are no different from other NVMe drives - the same 2-2.5 GB/sec read and write. The power of 3D XPoint is manifested in 2 factors: a colossal resource - 5-8 peta write bytes (5-8 thousand TB), and, compared to any other SSD.

Intel Optane can rightfully be called the SSD of the future or truly full-fledged SSDs that are free of the last remnants of the typical problem of hard drives - severe performance drawdowns on random and mixed operations.

Good representatives of the class (especially reliable models are highlighted in bold), in addition to the models from the previous paragraph:

• Corsair Neutron
• Intel Optane 900P
• Intel Pxxxx and Sxxxx series
• Micron xxxx Pro
• Seagate Nitro
• Transcend JetDrive

Choosing an SSD: final points

• Even budget SSDs are fast and reliable enough for home use.
• Relatively inexpensively you can take NVMe models and get several Gb/sec speeds.
• To work with heavy content, it makes sense to buy a professional-grade NVMe SSD.
• If you need an almost eternal drive with enormous performance, then Intel Optane.
• For 25-40 thousand rubles you can get an SSD with a capacity of several TB and completely forget about hard drives.

Also on the site:

The best SSDs of late 2018 - early 2019 updated: March 1, 2019 by: alex ferman

Currently on sale you can find solid state drives up to two terabytes, but for financial reasons, for most PC owners it makes more sense to use a small SSD drive from 120 GB for the operating system and programs. It is better to allocate a capacious hard drive of 1 TB or more for file storage.

Connection: SATA or PCIe

Popular SSD drives with a SATA interface can replace a 2.5-inch HDD in a laptop. Of course, they can also be installed in a desktop PC by connecting them to the power supply and motherboard using a SATA cable. The case we recommend, for example, boasts a compartment that is located behind the motherboard.

The new M.2 form factor was originally developed as a solution for compact ultrabooks. It involves placing memory chips and controllers on a board measuring no more than 80x22 mm.

If your motherboard has an M.2 slot (like the one we recommend), you'll save two cables and some space in your case. These drives tend to be slightly more expensive than SATA drives of the same type and capacity, although they are easier to install.

Manufacturer, Capacity and Controller

The top ranks of the Top 10 according to Chip are firmly occupied by Samsung drives. New line of solid state drives Samsung 850 in option Evo recommended for home use. At a comparable price, these models are ahead of the products of famous competing manufacturers Crucial, Intel, Kingston, OCZ, Plextor or SanDisk performance, and also thanks to a five-year warranty.

The solid-state drive for Windows and basic programs must be at least 120 GB, but often this is not enough when other programs and Windows updates begin to be installed. Since using an SSD that is full to the brim is bad for its performance and lifespan, it is better to purchase a larger drive.

The SATA interface limits the SSD's data transfer speed to 550 megabytes per second. 120- and 250-GB drives achieve this speed only for a short time due to the nature of the cache. After about five seconds, their 3 GB cache fills up, and the write speed of the 120 GB model drops to about 150 MB/s, and the 250 GB model to 300 MB/s.

Models of 500 GB and higher write at a constant speed of 550 MB/s. Only PCIe format drives have practically unlimited speed (see right), which, however, will work optimally only starting with a new generation of microarchitecture Intel Skylake.

Since each rewrite process wears out the flash memory used in SSDs, manufacturers specify the expected lifespan of the devices. The durability of solid-state drives depends on the memory technology, element base and compensation mechanisms.

In long-term rewrite tests before defects appeared, the results of most SSDs significantly exceeded theoretical indicators. Behind the models Samsung 850 Evo the 3D V-NAND cell structure (compared to NAND flash) has proven to be an advantage in this regard.

Photo: Manufacturing companies; Juliane Weber; Tomasz Czarnecki

Computer technology is improving in different directions, allowing users to more efficiently use software and work resources in general. The main competition has been observed for many years in the video card and communication segments, but more recently, hard drive developers have also made a small revolution. As a result, many home PC users are wondering how to choose an SSD drive? The tips presented below will help you find the right solution to this very important task.

Features of the SSD format

In terms of performance, the new format offers users many advantages. Among them are high files, compactness, and resistance to physical damage. Unlike conventional hard drives, such drives require less time to load the OS, and the difference is clearly felt - startup occurs in a matter of seconds. High speed is provided by almost any SSD drive, for which is the optimal model from a wide range? This issue should be resolved rather on the basis of reliability requirements. This is due to the fact that this format also has disadvantages that still stop many from changing the type of drive. For example, SSD, unlike HDD, loses in durability. Therefore, a new selection criterion arises - the period of failure. In addition, you will have to overpay for increased performance, since with the same volume such disks cost almost several times more.

Selection by volume

The most popular sizes are 64 and 128 GB. It would seem that such volumes are becoming rare even in the computers of undemanding users working with traditional HDDs. But this is precisely due to the high cost of SSDs. On the other hand, there are common cases when users purchase capacious storage facilities with a huge supply, which later remains unclaimed. In particular, you can find 1 TB drives on the market. But such a volume justifies itself only in rare cases, especially when it comes to using a PC at home.

Also, when considering the question of how to choose an SSD disk for a computer based on data capacity, do not forget about the effect of volume on reading speed. As with HDDs, the SSD format exhibits different operating speeds depending on the capacity. Even within families of the same manufacturer, 32 GB and 64 GB models may differ in performance indicators. In other words, the smaller the volume, the higher the speed. At the same time, you may not feel much of a difference at the everyday level. For many PC owners, the ability to fill the disk with information is much more important.

Interface Mapping

This format also differs in the type of interface. It must be said that even HDD drives have long been moving away from the classic PCI-Express cable, switching to connections via SATA. As a result, those users who do not plan to switch to non-mechanical drives should consider this nuance when purchasing a new HDD format. But if the old format has been acquiring the first and second generations for several years, then the SSD primarily works with SATA 3. This controller is the most preferable if you purchase an SSD drive for a computer.

How to choose the desired interface format? It is enough to familiarize yourself with the characteristics, which will indicate type 3. In practice, this means more stable interaction of the disk with other computer components. By the way, the noted speed of the drive is largely explained by the advantages of SATA. But if for one reason or another you purchased a device with IDE or older generations of SATA, then do not be upset, since manufacturers offer special adapters for connecting such drives to modern motherboards.

Memory type

The impact on the operating features of the device is not as obvious as in the case of the interface and volume, but it would also be useful to take it into account. So, there are 3 memory options - SLC, TLC and MLC formats. As for the first, it involves storing data for each cell in 1 bit. In this case, you can count on high speed and durability, but the price of such models is higher. Two other types of memory allow storage of 2 and 3 bits in each cell, respectively, for MLC and TLC formats. And in these cases, there is an inverse relationship between the speed of operation and the price at which an SSD drive for a computer is sold.

How to choose a disk in terms of memory type? Experts still recommend relying not on speed, but on durability, since this is the weak point of a non-mechanical drive. And in this regard, the best option would be an SLC device, since it allows up to 100 thousand rewrites. For comparison: MLC and TLC formats allow on average 3 and 1 thousand cycles, respectively. But, again, do not forget about the price issue.

Models for computer and laptop - what is the difference?

The differences between drives designed for desktop PCs and laptops are based on external characteristics and are practically not related to the performance of the device. Actually, the classic SSD form factor is primarily aimed at laptops. This is a 2.5-inch flash drive, which in its pure form can be integrated into a mobile computer. The main size issues arise for users of desktop machines. That is, the question of how to choose an SSD drive for a computer or laptop in terms of form factor should be decided depending on how you plan to physically install the drive. Again, the 2.5-inch size is not a problem for a laptop, but a regular computer may not have the appropriate connector.

There can be two ways out of the situation. Firstly, you can initially purchase a case that has space specifically for a 2.5-inch drive. Secondly, if we are talking about a block model with traditional 3.5-inch bays, then you will have to buy a special metal adapter that will optimally accommodate the drive.

Reviews of Intel models

Perhaps this manufacturer produces the highest quality models. But it is important to note that these products are rarely found in mass consumption. This is due to the fact that the developers are extremely responsible when it comes to components, which results in high quality. But the big disadvantage of Intel drives is their high cost, so the majority of users of these models are professionals.

Administrators and specialists servicing server stations note the reliability, impeccable assembly and performance that Intel SSD drives for a computer provide. How to choose the optimal model from this family? Unfortunately, you can’t count on budget, so you need to immediately prepare for large expenses. You can safely purchase a model that meets its main characteristics, including the same amount of data.

Reviews of Crucial models

Discs from the Crucial line, unlike the previous company, are produced for the mass segment. At the same time, some series are being developed jointly with Intel, so these drives will also have a certain quality reserve. As for the practice of use, the owners point to stability, high service life and good speed. If the question arises about how you can choose an SSD drive for your computer so that it is of high quality and inexpensive, then you can completely trust this company. Popular sizes of models from this manufacturer are in the range of 32-128 GB.

More and more users are purchasing SSD drives for installation in PCs. 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 of reading/writing 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;
• the risk of complete loss of 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.

When purchasing an SSD drive, 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're purchasing a solid-state drive instead of a hard drive, base your calculations on how much information is stored on your computer. But in this case, the capacity of the SSD disk should not be less than 250 GB.

Important! The cost of a 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 SSD drive models are sold in a 2.5-inch form factor and are built into a protective box. Because of this, they are similar to classic hard drives of 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 a motherboard that supports 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 the real numbers, look online for 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 because SSDs have no moving parts, they are significantly faster than HDDs.

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 microcircuits are characterized by a long lifetime (up to 100,000 rewrite cycles), high data transfer rates, 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 of products.

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

TRIM function

The most important additional feature for an SSD 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.