Review of five budget SSD drives. Choosing the best SSD drive

In this article we will tell you which SSD to choose in 2017. We have collected the best disk options that may suit you. We will also discuss how quality differs between different manufacturers and what you should pay attention to when purchasing.

We all know that technology moves pretty quickly, but nowhere in the PC component market has this been more evident in recent years than with solid-state drives (SSDs).

We can't say with certainty that SSDs are the fastest growing class of PC components. But most likely this is exactly the case. More than a dozen well-known disk manufacturers produce models with fast chips. Thereby forcing competitors to release solutions that are more beneficial to the user. So it's understandable why many people buy SSDs and all PC manufacturers are working on their systems.

Why do I need an SSD drive?

In this article you will find out the price/quality ratio for a laptop/desktop.

In just a few years, SSDs have gone from being an extremely expensive luxury option for high-end PC fans to a commodity item where the quality is generally high and the prices are insanely low - at least compared to where they used to be.

For example: The 32GB SSD model we reviewed in 2008 sold for a whopping $800 at the time!

That's about $200 more than you'd pay today for a top-of-the-line Samsung SSD 850 EVO, $749.99 on a Dell drive that packs more than 60 times the storage space (That'd be 2 terabytes). Plus, Samsung's drive is about five times faster than that drive from 2008.

Which SSD to choose in 2017

In other words, SSD performance and capacity have increased dramatically, while prices have dropped significantly over time. This makes SSD one of the best PC and Mac upgrades that users can make.

So how do I choose the right product to buy?

The only downside to this explosion of SSDs is that for the average consumer the choices can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to budget SSDs.

Since the vast majority of SSDs on the market use the same interface, called SATA 3 (for Serial ATA 3.0), and many even use the same components from multiple suppliers (Toshiba, Micron/Crucial and Samsung are the main module manufacturers flash memory), in general there is not a huge gap between the different models. This results in consumers being very price sensitive (both us, reviewers, and editors).

By the way, before continuing the topic “ Which SSD to choose in 2017“, write to us what you think about SSD? Have you used it? And what kind of hard drive do you have?

Because performance is very similar to budget SATA drives, you often don't have many compelling reasons to pay for one model over another. This has created what is commonly referred to as a "race to the top" in the market, with manufacturers struggling to bring discs to market and fully satisfy growing demand, competing primarily on price. And prices, especially online, can change significantly from one day to the next—or even from hour to hour.

But fear not, good reader, while the choices may seem puzzling, we're here to break it all down and tell you the best options for you. In this guide, we'll discuss the features you'll want to consider when buying a budget SSD and compile a list of the best SSDs available (with full reviews and deep dives) to make your purchase easier.

Budget drives

Let's assume that you are a consumer with basic needs and want to quickly upgrade the traditional HDD hard drive in your Laptop or Desktop. A fairly safe strategy these days is to check the prices of the latest models and choose the most affordable drive with the capacity you need, from the manufacturer of the name you want to trust with your data.

If you want to dive deeper to make sure you're getting the fastest, and potentially longest-lasting drive for your device, we'll go into detail on many of these considerations below to help you make the smartest choice.

Note that we are talking about traditional 2.5-inch SSDs, which are the same size and shape as the hard drives found in many regular laptops. If you have the latest thin laptop or 2-in-1, it may require an M.2 drive with an oval frame (if you can upgrade at all).

To obtain detailed information about these drives, it is best to contact your laptop manufacturer and find out which SSD and form factor may be suitable for this model.

MLC vs TLC: Which is better?

The simplest technical decision that buyers are forced to make these days when choosing a budget SSD is the type of flash memory that will be located inside the thin case. If you are not familiar with the terms "MLC" and "TLC", then we will give you a short version of these concepts here.

The first letter in both types of flash memory refers to the number of bits that can be stored in each cell. The "M" in MLC stands for "multi", which means (in this particular case) that the memory can contain two bits per cell. The "T" in TLC stands for "triple" or three bits per cell.

In a drive with thousands or millions of cells, having an extra bit in each cell to store material quickly adds up, allowing TLC drives (in the simplest sense) to store more data than MLC drives using the same amount of silicon. This also reduces production costs because fewer physical modules are required to store the same amount of data.

While TLC technology was initially significantly slower (particularly when writing data to an SSD) and was considered a less reliable option than MLC drives when spinning hard, these issues have been ironed out over time, as we'll touch on below. TLC actuators are now considered safe for general use.

Since TLC modules are cheaper and they provide decent performance, most manufacturers have recently jumped on board TLC NAND, making this the de facto type of SSD for those looking for a low-cost SSD. And for most users, the performance of TLC drives is quite acceptable.

How does TLC memory differ from others?

If you answer the question about which SSD to choose in 2017 then the type of memory will be a mandatory factor. Since each has its own unique features and functions.

TLC-DRIVE PROVISOS. We mentioned above that TLC-based SSDs may suffer from slower write speeds compared to MLC SSDs. The main reason is that TLC flash simply has more bits to process at the individual cell level. Manufacturers have been able to get around this limitation, however, with clever caching technology that basically treats part of the drive as if it were a much faster type of flash memory (SLC or "single layer cell"). With this approach, writes are initially cached into this faster buffer.

Then, when the system is idle, the buffer transfers data to the slower TLC NAND.

A limitation of this approach is that the buffer is small (typically 6 to 10 GB), as it must be small enough not to reduce the overall disk capacity or increase costs. So on TLC drives, if you try to copy a piece of data that is larger than the buffer, you will see a sharp drop in write performance.

Most mainstream users won't do this on a regular basis, so it's not a huge problem.

But be aware of this issue when considering a TLC drive, especially if you're a content creator or someone else who deals with massive files, or you regularly move large amounts of data to and from your drive. If this sounds like you, it's worth paying for an expensive MLC drive instead of a budget TLC option.

Longevity TLC

Another knock against TLC NAND flash is that it typically has a shorter lifespan than more traditional MLC-based flash.

And this quality is backed up by the SSD manufacturers' own specifications, and not just guesswork. An SSD memory cell that already contains data must be erased and then written to each time your computer initiates a new write operation on that cell.

Because erasing a cell and then writing to it slows down overall performance, the SSD controller makes sure to write to new cells (that don't require erasing first) whenever possible. But at some point it must start erasing previously used cells and writing them over.

This procedure of erasing and then writing to a cell can only be repeated until the cell can no longer store data. In MLC drives, a typical cell can be written and erased approximately 5,000 times before it stops functioning.

On a TLC drive this takes about 1000 cycles. This appears to be a dramatic difference between the two types of memory, but this problem is often mitigated by a process called "disk redirection." It keeps part of the disk hidden and unused, only to be turned on when other cells begin to wear out.

In the real world, we have never heard of any mainstream user, be it a techie or a consumer on an online forum, who very simply "broke" a drive, unless they were using it to run a server or some other task where The system turns on and gains access almost constantly.

And how long does an SSD last?

In fact, The Tech Report conducted a multi-year experiment, testing a series of SSDs until they broke to see how long they would last. Samsung's TLC SSD 840 wrote more than 800 terabytes before refusing to continue writing. IN

in the real world, unless you're running something like a heavily trafficked server or doing some other write-heavy task throughout the day, it will take the average user many years, most likely ten years, to write that much data to an SSD drive.

So, unless you plan to use your SSD as your primary drive for 10 years or more (which would be of little consequence considering how much cheaper and better SSDs are getting almost every year), you usually don't have to worry about the longevity of the drive.

However, this should not be an excuse not to back up your important data. SSDs don't spin, but it's entirely possible for any SSD to accidentally fail due to a defect, power surge, or other unforeseen event. You may receive a replacement drive if it is under warranty, but the new drive that is mailed to you will not have your old data on it.

The best brands when choosing an SSD in 2017

Once upon a time, the big brands in the SSD world only offered semi-expensive SSDs, unwilling to dilute their brand value (or super-thin margins) by dipping into the low-end SSD market. At least that's our interpretation. But now that SSDs have become much more common, and TLC NAND has proven to be an effective low-cost alternative to more expensive solutions, almost every major drive manufacturer has an entry-level SSD to compete in this segment.

For now, Intel may be the only offender on this front. The chip giant seems to be more focused on the enterprise storage market and is pushing innovation from that area. So while Intel offers a variety of consumer-focused SSDs, they tend to be more expensive than most of the competition.

If you're looking to save a few dollars on your SSD purchase, you can still choose from a variety of drives from manufacturers like Samsung, Crucial/Micron, OCZ, Kingston, SanDisk, Western Digital, and others. All of the recent budget drives on offer, so buy from a brand you're willing to trust with your data.

If you find a drive that's temptingly cheap, but it's made by a company you've never heard of, it's probably not worth the risk. At best, it may be a little slower than competitors' solutions. In the worst case scenario, it could eat your data, then curl up and break. Typically the money you save is minimal compared to the peace of mind.

Software for SSD drives

While many seasoned SSD enthusiasts and veterans don't find storage software or utilities necessary, some manufacturers offer a software package with their SSDs that can be surprisingly useful. A few years ago, Samsung and Intel started this trend by bundling their drives with robust utilities that let you analyze every aspect of the drive, including its overall health level, how much data is written to it, and whether your system is configured to extract maximum performance from the SSD.

By the way, what do you think? which SSD to choose in 2017? And in your opinion, is it important for the manufacturer to take care of good software support for the disk? Write your options.

Since these two leading manufacturers began offering software utilities, many others began to follow suit. But the usefulness of these free tools can vary greatly, from slick and feature-rich to critical and barely useful. Some of them include a simple open source utility that simply allows you to update the drive's firmware and nothing more. Generally, a firmware update is not required unless there is a performance issue. This way you won't have to do this unless the company made a mistake or started shipping the drive before it was completely ready.

Our advice, if you're going to tinker, when purchasing a disc that includes a utility, if possible, check out the included software. In our opinion, Samsung offers the best software packages with its drives, although Crucial/Micron, SanDisk/Western Digital, and Intel are all also good software options.

Likewise, you may want to find a disk that includes a disk cloning utility if you're upgrading from a disk on an existing PC rather than installing a new OS from scratch. The cheapest drives usually get by without these niceties, but free programs can also get the job done. We've had great luck using the free Home version of EaseUS's Disk Copy.

What about the warranty?

GUARANTEE. As with any equipment purchase, you should check the manufacturer's warranty before purchasing. Most of the budget devices tested came with a three-year warranty, rather than the longer plans of more expensive premium drives. But there is one that stands out, and that is the Samsung SSD 850 EVO.

This TLC-based drive delivered leading performance in many of our benchmark tests, and it comes with a leading five-year warranty.

Samsung was able to push its TLC flash by combining it with the company's vertical V-NAND drive to make drives that are low cost but similar in endurance to expensive MLC drives. The SSD 850 EVO isn't the cheapest drive you'll find. But it has a longer warranty and higher write endurance rates than most competing drives in the low-margin SSD field.

Cost of SSD in gigabytes

As we said above, when answering the question of which SSD to choose in 2017, it is important to consider many factors. So let's move on to the next point.

It's hard to judge the value of one SSD drive versus another at a glance when capacity varies depending on whether it's low or high, or when you're looking at a bunch of limited-sale SSDs versus regular prices. The four main capacity classes you'll see, from drive to drive, are 120GB/128GB, then 240GB/250GB/256GB, 480GB/500GB/512GB, and 960GB/1TB. (You'll also see some less common waypoints between these, such as Crucial 750GB drives.

And to be fair, it’s worth noting that SSDs larger than 1 TB are not “budget” drives these days). Compare prices from disk to disk in the same power class.

So what should you choose based on price?

The best way to judge what you're paying for on a more granular level is to divide the price by the number of gigabytes in the SSD. So, for example, a $100 240 GB drive gives the cost of one gigabyte at 41.7 cents; A $100 256GB drive, by contrast, comes in at 39 cents per gigabyte. The cheapest budget drives you'll see these days hover around 25 cents per gigabyte. Use this math to figure out your final price when comparing a large number of drives.

So, we decided to choose the best options to buy. Please note that most of these drives are also available in different capacities than the ones we recommend, so you will need to look at the specifications in the description for details of the drive's specifications if you want the drive to be larger or smaller than you see in our list.

Which SSD to choose in 2017: this year's best options

Conclusions

If you still have questions on the topic “Which SSD to choose in 2017,” you can write them to us in the comment form on our website. You can even indicate your budget for the purchase of this product, and we will definitely advise you on the optimal solution.

Translation from a wonderful English resource computershopper.

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When a PC gamer wonders which tuning options are the most important, besides the obligatory purchase of a powerful graphics card and processor, we give him the following advice: replace your classic hard drive with an SSD drive. Just buy not a SATA-SSD, but a flash drive that transfers data via PCI-Express and uses the NVMe protocol for this.

Such models achieve five times higher data transfer speeds, and this technology practically knows no upper limit. Currently, the market is increasingly filled with similar turbo drives (albeit still quite expensive), so the gamer is faced with the question of whether he is ready to invest a little more money in a significant increase in speed or will give preference to classic, relatively slow SSDs.

New era of turbo SSD

To replace the HDD, you didn’t have to think about anything special - just buy a drive of the size you need. Over time, everything became somewhat more complicated, since the SATA interface was originally designed to work with the AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Protokol) protocol and the corresponding driver for slow classic drives with spinning magnetic disks.
An unpleasant side effect: the SATA-600 interface allows a maximum data transfer rate of 600 MB/s.

If you look at ours, you can see that many models achieve an average data transfer speed (when reading) already above 550 MB/s, and when writing, you can often see 540 MB/s on their “speedometer”. Thus, it becomes obvious that this technology no longer has the potential for growth in performance today.

In other words, the SATA interface can become a so-called “bottleneck” for flash drives, which are becoming faster and faster. It's good that new SSDs bypass this speed limit if you use PCIe connectors for connections instead of red SATA cables - that is, use the type of connection that was traditionally used for graphics cards. A single PCIe 3.0 lane can theoretically transfer up to 1 GB/s.

Tiny NVMe-SSDs like the new Samsung PM971 are also suitable for ultrabooks or tablets - they measure only two centimeters

In this test, four such lines were used to connect SSD drives. So this gives a maximum of 4 GB/s - at least in theory. In practice, this figure is not achieved: the highest data transfer speed to date was demonstrated by the latest Samsung 960 Pro with a reading result of 2702 MB/s.

This is significantly faster than any SATA-SSD, and the interface has not yet exhausted its potential: data transfer speeds are currently limited by the type of flash memory used and the storage media controllers.

This might be interesting:

Two different types of connectors

Unlike SATA drives, when purchasing a turbo SSD, you should pay attention to the correct choice of its form factor. Fast data storage devices can be produced both in the form of expansion cards inserted into a PCIe connector, and in the form of memory strips that are installed in so-called M.2 slots.

Thus, before purchasing the model you like, we recommend that you take a look at the motherboard and check whether the appropriate type of interface is presented there.

Many SSD manufacturers develop software that analyzes the health of NVMe SSDs. Intel calls it Solid-State Drive Toolbox

This advice is especially relevant for older motherboards, since their M.2 slot can only output the SATA bus for data transfer. Anyone who is assembling a new computer for themselves does not have to worry too much about this issue: motherboards for new processors have M.2 connectors with a PCIe connection and support the new Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) data exchange protocol - this provokes a second turbo. jump.

Unlike models for M.2, SSDs in the form of a card for a PCIe connector may also be interesting for upgrading older systems. However, you should definitely make sure that there is one more free PCIe slot on the motherboard in addition to the one occupied by the graphics card.

And one more small detail may turn out to be very important: of the six SSD drives taken for this test, four have an expansion card form factor, but only three of them support the PCIe 3.0 standard. Kingston HyperX Predator is limited only by PCIe 2.0, which is capable of passing only 500 MB/s through the line.

And while your read and write speeds of 1400 and 1010 MB/s, respectively, will be significantly better than SATA competitors, they won't match the performance of the fastest SSDs. In this case, media that support PCIe 3.0 will also work in the PCIe 2.0 slot, but their speed will be significantly reduced.

Overheated SSDs become slower

The Angelbird Wings PX1 PCIe card adapter with its own cooling radiator prevents overheating of the Samsung 950 Pro

We can now expect data transfer speeds in excess of 2.5 GB/s from PCIe SSDs. SSD drives with M.2 interface produced by OCZ are usually supplied with a PCIe adapter. Based on our measurement results, it seems to us more than rational to leave the device there. We measured the characteristics of these devices for M.2 and without an adapter, registering slightly worse values: for example, when reading, a speed of only 2382 MB/s was achieved, which is approximately 130 MB/s less than with an adapter.

Very short reaction time

High data transfer speeds are good for speeding up loading, but the reason why Windows and games run noticeably faster with an SSD drive on a computer is primarily due to the low latency. During testing, we study it during I/O measurements (Input/Output), that is, counting the number of read or write operations performed per second when processing sequential memory blocks. This parameter, the so-called IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second), is the missing “ingredient” for a fast PC, which is often heavily loaded.

In this test discipline, the OCZ RD400 drive has an advantage with 43,974 IOPS when writing. When reading, on the contrary, the result of 18,428 IOPS is not even half of the previous one. Our rating leader, Samsung 960, has the same heterogeneity of characteristics: when writing, it reaches 42,175 IOPS, and when reading - only 29,233.

The enviable similarity of the results is demonstrated by Zotac with its approximately 35,000 IOPS (both reading and writing). However, when comparing products, this parameter often has to be combined with others. At the same time, turbo SSDs should soon “break through” the psychologically important mark of 100,000 IOPS.

The Kingston HyperX Predator performed the worst: about 23,000 IOPS when reading and 17,800 when writing means last place, and by a large margin. The main reason for this is outdated technology, since this SSD drive still transfers data using the AHCI protocol. The new NVMe access protocol, on the contrary, is optimized for working with SSDs.

The advantages of NVMe manifest themselves primarily when parallelizing processes: the data transfer protocol allows you to work with I/O queues of up to 65,536 commands. The AHCI protocol is limited to only one queue of 32 commands - and this can cause data accumulation under heavy load.

10 best SSD NVMe drives in terms of price/quality ratio

Even for new ultra-fast drives, prices are gradually decreasing, and the most inexpensive SSD with NVMe support can already be found at the price of SATA drives, and this is good news. We have selected for you the 10 best SSD flash drives with NVMe support in terms of price/quality ratio.

I recommend purchasing an SSD drive with an optimal speed/reliability ratio of MLC or 3D NAND memory. Read/write speeds closer to 500/500 MB/s are considered quite high. The minimum recommended speed for more budget SSDs is 450/300 MB/s.

The best brands are: Intel, Samsung, Crucial and SanDisk. As a more budget option you can consider: Plextor, Corsair and A-DATA. Among other manufacturers, problematic models are more common.

For a work or multimedia computer (video, simple games), an SSD with a capacity of 120-128 GB will be sufficient, and here the A-Data Ultimate SU900 on MLC memory would be an excellent choice.
SSD A-Data Ultimate SU900 128GB

A mid-class gaming computer requires a capacity of at least 240-256 GB; an SSD from the A-Data Ultimate SU900 or Samsung 860 EVO series is also suitable.
SSD A-Data Ultimate SU900 256GB

For a professional or powerful gaming computer, it is better to take a 480-512 GB SSD, for example Samsung SSD 860 EVO.
SSD Samsung MZ-76E500BW

For computers and laptops with an M.2 connector, a good option would be to install an ultra-fast SSD (1500-3000 MB/s) in the appropriate format.
SSD Samsung MZ-V7E500BW

When choosing a volume, be guided by your needs, but you should not neglect it for the sake of higher speed. If you doubt the correctness of your choice, we recommend reading reviews of specific models.

2. What is the difference between expensive and cheap SSDs

Inexperienced users may be confused why SSD drives of the same volume, with the same declared speed characteristics, differ so much in price, sometimes several times.

The fact is that different SSD drives can use different types of memory, which, in addition to speed indicators, also affects reliability and durability. In addition, memory chips from different manufacturers also differ in quality. Naturally, cheap SSDs are equipped with the cheapest memory chips.

In addition to memory chips, the SSD disk has a so-called controller. This is a chip that controls the processes of reading/writing data into memory chips. Controllers are also produced by different companies and they can be either budget ones with lower speed and reliability, or higher quality ones. Cheap SSDs, as you understand, also have the worst controllers installed.

Many modern SSDs use fast DDR3 memory, just like computer RAM, as a clipboard to further improve performance. Most budget SSDs may not have a clipboard, making them marginally cheaper but significantly slower.

But that's not all, it even comes down to saving on such important components of an SSD drive as capacitors, which are necessary to prevent integrity violations and data loss. In the event of a sudden power outage, the electrical energy stored in the capacitors is used to complete writing from the clipboard to the memory chips. Unfortunately, not all even high-quality SSDs are equipped with backup capacitors.

The layout itself and the quality of the printed circuit board wiring are also different. More expensive models have more sophisticated circuit design, quality components and wiring. The engineering solutions of the most budget SSDs are based on outdated designs and leave much to be desired. The number of defects in cheap SSDs is also higher, which is due to assembly in cheaper factories and lower levels of production control.

And of course, the price depends on the brand; the more famous it is, the more expensive the SSD. Hence, there is an opinion that you should not overpay for a brand. But the fact is that often it is the brand name that determines the quality of an SSD drive. Most well-known manufacturers who value their reputation will not allow themselves to produce low-quality products. However, there are exceptions here, in the form of well-known and popular brands, which nevertheless should not be recommended for purchase.

We will briefly look at the main differences between SSDs that you need to focus on in this article, and you can easily choose the model that suits you.

3. VolumeSSDdisk

Volume is the most important parameter of an SSD disk.

If you only need an SSD drive to speed up the loading of Windows, office programs and increase system responsiveness, then, in principle, a capacity of 60-64 GB (gigabytes) is sufficient.

If you want to speed up the work of serious professional applications (video editing, design systems, etc.), then you will need an SSD drive with a capacity of 120-128 GB.

For a gaming computer, it is advisable to purchase an SSD with a capacity of at least 240-256 GB, since modern games take up a lot of space (30-60 GB each).

In the future, focus on your needs (how much space you need for your programs, games, etc.) and financial capabilities. It is not advisable to use an SSD for data storage; for this you need a more capacious and cheaper hard drive (HDD) with a capacity of 1-4 TB (1000-4000 GB).

4. SSD read/write speed

The main indicators of SSD disk speed are read speed, write speed and access time.

According to statistics, the number of read operations on ordinary user computers is 20 times greater than the number of write operations. Therefore, for us, reading speed is a much more important characteristic.

The read speed of most modern SSDs is in the range of 450-550 MB/s (megabytes per second). The higher this value, the better, but 450 MB/s is, in principle, quite enough, and taking an SSD with a lower read speed is not advisable, since the difference in price will be insignificant. But you shouldn’t blindly trust representatives of budget brands, since the speed of cheap SSDs can drop significantly as the disk space fills up. The speed of a particular SSD drive model in real conditions can be found out from tests on the Internet.

The write speed of most SSDs ranges from 350-550 MB/s. Again, the faster the better, this is understandable. But due to the fact that write operations are performed 20 times less frequently than read operations, this indicator is not so critical and the difference will not be very noticeable for most users. But the price of discs with higher write speeds will be noticeably higher. Therefore, you can take 350 MB/s as the minimum recording speed. Purchasing an SSD with an even lower write speed will not bring significant savings, so it is not advisable. Please note that some manufacturers indicate the write speed for the entire line of SSD drives, which have different capacities. For example, Transcend has drives ranging from 32 to 1024 GB in its SSD370S line. The recording speed for the entire line is 460 MB/s. But in fact, only models with a capacity of 512 and 1024 GB have such speed. The photo below shows a fragment of a Transcend SSD370S packaging with a capacity of 256 GB with a real write speed of 370 MB/s.

Access time determines how quickly the disk finds the required file after receiving a request from a program or operating system. For conventional hard drives, this indicator is in the range of 10-19 ms (milliseconds) and significantly affects the responsiveness of the system and the speed of copying small files. SSD drives, due to the absence of moving parts, have access speeds 100 times higher. Therefore, this parameter is usually not focused on; any SSD provides incredibly high access speeds. However, higher quality models can have an access time of about 0.1 ms, and the most budget 0.4 ms. The difference in access time by a factor of 4 is not in favor of budget SSDs. With this parameter, manufacturers of budget SSDs can also be disingenuous and indicate a theoretical value under ideal conditions.

The real speed characteristics of SSD drives can be found out from tests on the most authoritative technical portals. You can download a file with links to them at the end of the article in the “” section.

5. Memory types and SSD resource

Modern SSD drives use several types of memory - MLC, TLC and 3D NAND (V-NAND).

MLC is the most popular type of memory for SSD drives with an optimal price/speed/durability ratio and an estimated resource of 3000-5000 rewrite cycles.

TLC is a cheaper type of memory, found in budget SSDs, with a rewriting resource of about 1000 cycles.

3D NAND is a modern fast memory developed by Samsung with the longest rewrite resource. Installed in more expensive Samsung SSD models.

There is a myth that SSD drives wear out very quickly. Therefore, you need to choose models with the maximum possible resource and use all sorts of tricks in the operating system settings to extend the life of the SSD drive, otherwise it will quickly exhaust its resource and fail.

In fact, the resource of modern SSDs matters only when installing them in servers, where the disks work for wear and tear around the clock. In such conditions, due to the colossal number of rewrite cycles, SSDs actually last an order of magnitude less than their older brothers - mechanical hard drives. But you and I already know that in the computers of ordinary users, the number of write operations, which cause wear and tear, is 20 times lower than read operations. Therefore, even with a relatively heavy load, the resource of any modern SSD will allow it to last 10 years or more.

Despite the fact that data on rapid wear are highly exaggerated, you should not purchase an SSD based on the cheapest TLC memory, since the savings will be insignificant. Today, the best option would be an SSD drive with MLC memory. And the actual service life of an SSD disk will depend more on the quality of production and. Pay more attention to the brand and warranty period.

6. Clipboard

A clipboard (cache) based on DDR3 memory speeds up the operation of an SSD drive, but makes it somewhat more expensive. For every 1 GB of SSD capacity there should be 1 MB of DDR3 cache. Thus, an SSD with a capacity of 120-128 GB should have 128 MB DDR3, 240-256 GB - 256 MB DDR3, 500-512 GB - 512 MB DDR3, 960-1024 GB - 1024 MB DDR3.

Some models have a cache based on older DDR2 memory, but this does not significantly affect performance.

7. Blackout protection

It is desirable that a disk with DDR3 cache memory have protection against sudden power outages (Power Protection), which is usually based on tantalum capacitors and allows you to save data from the buffer to the memory chips in the event of a power failure on the SSD. But if you have an uninterruptible power supply (UPS, UPS), then blackout protection can be neglected.

SSDs that do not have a cache based on DDR3 memory do not require additional protection against power loss.

8. SSD controllers

There are many controllers for SSD drives. The most popular brands include Intel, Samsung, Marvell, SandForce, Phison, JMicron, Silicon Motion, Indilinx (OCZ, Toshiba).

The best SSD drives are built on controllers from Intel, Samsung, and Marvell. In the middle class, the long-proven SandForce and younger Phison controllers are more popular. Inexpensive SSD models are often content with old budget JMicron controllers and younger Silicon Motion controllers. Indilinx produced fairly reliable controllers and was bought by OCZ and then Toshiba for use in their mid-range SSDs.

But each manufacturer has both cheaper and more expensive controllers. Therefore, you need to navigate by a specific controller model, a review of which can easily be found on the Internet.

Most controllers in entry-level and mid-range SSDs are 4-channel. Top SSD models are equipped with faster and more modern 8-channel controllers. But don’t bother too much with controller models, it’s not always easy to figure it out. Focus primarily on the brand, the stated characteristics of the SSD drive and real tests of a specific model, which often also consider the advantages and disadvantages of the installed controller and other electronic components of the SSD.

In addition to the read/write speed, the controller also depends on support for various technologies designed to improve the performance of the SSD drive.

9. Supported technologies and TRIM function

An SSD drive, depending on the model and the controller installed in it, can support various technologies designed to improve its performance. Many manufacturers develop their own proprietary technologies that provide more marketing benefits than actual benefits to users. I will not list them; this information is in the descriptions of specific models.

The most important feature that should be supported by any modern SSD is TRIM (garbage collection). Her job is as follows. An SSD drive can only write data to free memory cells. As long as there are enough free cells, the SSD disk writes data to them. As soon as there are few free cells, the SSD disk needs to clear cells from which data is no longer needed (the file has been deleted). An SSD without TRIM support clears these cells immediately before writing new data, which significantly increases the time of write operations. It turns out that as the disk fills up, the recording speed degrades. An SSD with TRIM support, having received a notification from the operating system about the deletion of data, also marks the cells in which they were as unused, but clears them not before writing new data, but in advance in free time (when the disk is not used very actively). This is called garbage collection. As a result, the recording speed is always maintained at the highest possible level.

10. Hidden SSD area

Each SSD drive has a fairly large amount of memory in a hidden (inaccessible to the user) area. These cells are used to replace those that fail, so that disk space is not lost over time and the safety of data that is previously transferred by the disk from “sick” cells to “healthy” cells is ensured.

In high-quality SSDs, this hidden volume can reach 30% of the declared disk capacity. Some manufacturers, in order to save money and gain a competitive advantage, make the hidden disk space smaller (up to 10%), and the amount available to the user is larger. Thanks to this, the user gets more available volume for the same money.

But this trick of manufacturers also has another negative side. The fact is that the hidden area is used not only as an untouchable reserve, but also for the operation of the TRIM function. Too small a volume of the hidden area leads to a lack of memory required for background data transfer (garbage cleaning) and the speed of the SSD disk at high capacity (80-90%) degrades greatly, sometimes several times. This is the price of “free” additional space and this is why high-quality SSD drives have a large hidden area.

The TRIM function must be supported by the operating system. All versions starting from Windows 7 support the TRIM function.

11. SSD manufacturers

The best manufacturer of SSD drives is Intel, but their cost is very high and they are used mainly in the corporate sector for critical systems and servers.

The next leader in terms of technology is Samsung. Their SSDs cost on average higher than all others, but are distinguished by impeccable quality, reliability and speed.

SSD brands Crucial, Plextor (Samsung brand) and SanDisk are recognized as the best in terms of price/quality ratio.

Also, as a compromise option in terms of price/quality, you can consider SSDs from the reputable brands Corsair and A-DATA.

I do not recommend purchasing SSDs sold under the Kingston brand, since most of them do not meet the stated characteristics and their speed degrades greatly as they fill up. But this manufacturer also has SSDs from the top-end HyperX series, which are of higher quality and can be considered as an alternative to top-end expensive brands.

In general, budget and unpopular brands are like a lottery, maybe you’ll get lucky, maybe not. Therefore, I recommend that you avoid purchasing them if possible. But it’s still better to look for reviews on models from recommended brands, since “even an old woman can get screwed.” Let me remind you that links to reviews of SSD drives are in the file that can be downloaded in the “” section.

12. Form factor and SSD interface

The most popular today are SSDs of the 2.5″ form factor with a SATA3 (6 Gb/s) interface connector.

This SSD can be installed in a computer or laptop. The motherboard or laptop must have a SATA3 (6 Gb/s) or SATA2 (3 Gb/s) connector. Correct operation when connected to the first version of SATA connector (1.5 Gbit/s) is possible, but not guaranteed.

When connected to a SATA2 connector, the SSD read/write speed will be limited to around 280 MB/s. But you will still get a significant performance boost over a regular hard drive (HDD).

Plus, the access time will not go away, which is 100 times lower than that of an HDD, which will also significantly increase the responsiveness of the system and programs.

A more compact SSD form factor is mSATA, which is based on the SATA bus but has a different connector.

The use of such an SSD is justified in ultra-compact computers, laptops and mobile devices (tablets) with an mSATA connector, in which installing a conventional SSD is impossible or undesirable.

Another smaller SSD form factor is M.2. This connector replaces mSATA, but is based on the faster PCI-E bus.

The motherboard, laptop or mobile device (tablet) must also have the appropriate connector.

Well, another type of SSD is presented in the form of a PCI-E expansion card.

Such SSDs have very high speeds (3-10 times faster than SSDs with a SATA3 interface), but are significantly more expensive and are therefore used mainly in very demanding professional tasks.

13. Housing material

The SSD case is usually made of plastic or aluminum. It is believed that aluminum is better because it has higher thermal conductivity. But since the SSD does not heat up significantly at all, this does not matter much and may not be taken into account when choosing a model.

14. Equipment

If you are purchasing an SSD for a computer and the case does not have mounts for 2.5″ drives, then pay attention to the presence of a mounting frame in the kit.

Most SSDs do not come with a mounting frame or even screws. But the mount with screws included can be purchased separately.

The presence of a mount should not be a significant criterion when choosing an SSD, but sometimes a higher-quality SSD complete with a mount can be purchased for the same money as a budget SSD with a separate mount.

15. Setting up filters in the online store

1. Go to the “SSD drives” section on the seller’s website.
2. Choose recommended manufacturers (Crucial, Plextor, Samsung, SanDisk), you can also consider Corsair and A-DATA.
3. Select the desired volume (120-128, 240-256 GB).
4. Sort the selection by price.
5. Browse SSDs starting with the cheaper ones.
6. Choose several models suitable for price and speed (from 450/350 Mb/s).
7. Look for their reviews online and buy the best model.

Thus, you will receive an SSD disk that is optimal in size and speed, meeting high quality criteria, at the lowest possible cost.

16. Links

SSD Samsung MZ-76E250BW
SSD A-Data Ultimate SU650 240GB
SSD A-Data Ultimate SU650 120GB

Tired of your computer running slowly? All you need to do is replace your old hard drive with an SSD. This alternative will allow you to work comfortably with data and not worry about its safety. Solid state drives are capable of quickly processing large flows of information, relieving the load from the central processor. The drive has a standard connection connector, so it is suitable for both laptops and desktop PCs. The parameters of each SSD may differ in terms of technical characteristics and price. Therefore, it is important to choose a quality product that will perfectly suit your device.

We've compiled a list of the best solid-state drives (SSDs) based on expert reviews and reviews from real customers. Our recommendations will help you make a choice that suits your needs and desires. There are many competitors in the global technology market, but we have selected the best manufacturers and recommend paying special attention to them:

Budget / Inexpensive

1. ADATA
2. Plextor
3. SanDisk
4. SiliconPower

1. Intel

Expensive/Premium class

1. Samsung
2. Kingston

*Prices are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice.

SSD drives: Volume: 128GB

Volume: 128GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• Read/write speeds of 560 and 180 MB/s, respectively, will speed up system loading and work with multimedia
• The ADATA PremierPro assembly uses NAND flash chips. Together with modified firmware, internal components allow you to increase usable space by 7% (compared to analogues)
• Stable operation without performance degradation or errors under high loads. When the load is 90%, there is no decrease in writing and reading speeds
• Fits 7mm SATA bays and fits in any laptop
• Includes a conversion bracket for installing an SSD into a desktop computer with mounting for a standard hard drive

Volume: 128GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• The drive supports hardware command queuing (NCQ). This function allows you to increase the performance of performing several tasks at once, or speed up the work of two or more programs
• Has a fairly high write and read speed - 400 MB/s and 560 MB/s
• Enhanced Intel Rapid Start Technology for faster recovery from hibernation
• The Smart Response function has been introduced, helping to combine the high speed of the SSD and the large capacity of the hard drive
• Intel supports AES 256 bit hardware encryption, keeping information secure

Volume: 128GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• The solid-state drive uses SLC cache technology. This improvement allows you to increase data loading speed, as well as increase the overall service life of the SSD
• In automatic mode, the drive automatically copies internal data from SLC blocks into TLC memory. Using this procedure, the overall speed of operation increases by reducing the load on the device controller
• Starting and resuming hibernation takes a matter of seconds, while the hard drive takes several minutes to boot
• The solid-state drive is resistant to vibration and shock, making it well suited for devices that are frequently carried

Show all products in the category "Volume: 128GB"

SSD drives: Volume: 256GB

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• TurboWrite technology accelerates data recording to 520 MB/s, which is much better than many analogues and tens of times more powerful than mechanical HDDs
• The DTG (Dynamic Thermal Guard) function constantly monitors the overall operating status and provides protection against overheating
• The Samsung drive has a power controller that allows you to regulate the voltage
• DIPM (Device Initiated Link Power Management) mode is aimed at reducing energy consumption. As a result, the SSD saves battery power on the laptop, thereby extending its battery life.
• The board has a built-in data encryption unit. All information is securely protected using encryption in accordance with EEE 1667 and TCG Opal standards

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• The declared service life of the device is 1,000,000 hours of operation between failures. On average, Kingston can provide more than 114 years of stable, error-free operation.
• More than two thousand cycles of erasing and writing various data are allowed
• The operation of the SSD is silent and creates virtually no vibrations, unlike a conventional hard drive. During operation, the device emits no more than 2.17 G at a frequency of 7-800 Hz
• The optimal temperature at which a solid-state drive can operate stably is from 0 to 70°C
• Thanks to the distribution of memory across eight original 32 GB chips from Kingston, 240 of the 256 gigabytes are available for work

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• SanDisk SSD software allows you to view the tasks your drive is performing in real time. The program will show a notification in case of a firmware update and give recommendations on how to maintain maximum performance
• Built-in nCache 2.0 technology allows you to perform tasks up to 28 times faster than a conventional hard drive. Tasks that took a minute to complete will be completed in a few seconds
• Upgraded firmware increases flash memory resources
• To run an SSD, you only need 128 MB of RAM and a Pentium II processor (or newer)
• SSD read speed reaches 550 MB/s

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• An 8-channel Phison S10 controller is installed, which has 4 cores on board. Thanks to this controller, HyperX shows fast multitasking
• The kit includes special software that allows you to clone an old SSD or hard drive
• Thanks to the metal case and thoughtful layout of the board, the drive cools quickly. Overheating is practically impossible, which ensures stable operation, even under heavy loads
• Equipped with a special adapter from 7 to 9.5 mm. The adapter makes the SSD universal for all types of devices that support the SATA III interface
• Supports 4K sector size, allowing you to more efficiently manage your workspace and store large files

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• The SSD has BadBlockManagement technology. It allows you to monitor damaged blocks and replace them in a timely manner, which allows you to increase the life of the drive.
• When purchased, the solid-state drive has a minimum configuration, which will save money on useless parts
• The write/read speed of an SSD drive exceeds a conventional HDD in the same price category, approximately four times in read mode and more than 5 times in write mode
• Unlike a hard drive, an SSD can take a beating
  1500 G
• The thickness and size of the SSD fits almost all laptops that support SATA III connectivity

Show all products in the category "Volume: 256GB"

SSD drives: Volume: 512GB

Volume: 512GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• The SSD is designed using a unique 3D V-NAND architecture. The technological process consists of laying 32 cell layers vertically on top of each other. Performance increases, but size stays the same
• Consumes 50% less energy than conventional storage
• There is shock protection. The drive can withstand loads weighing up to 1500 G for 0.5 ms
• The RAPID mode has been improved in the SSD. Now it will be able to use much more free RAM to improve performance. It is recommended to run RAPID mode only if you have more than 2GB of RAM
• Standard SATA connection connector guarantees compatibility with any laptops, motherboards, media set-top boxes

Volume: 512GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

• The SSD interface is backward compatible with SATA 2.0
• The drive board has a built-in eight-channel Phison S10 controller with four cores on board. Thanks to its powerful hardware, the SSD has a write/read speed of 500 and 520 MB/s, respectively.
• The drive supports the TRIM command. With its help, you can maintain productivity and clear the storage of excess garbage. The system notifies the SSD about the presence of useless data blocks that do not need physical storage
• The aluminum case has good thermal conductivity, which contributes to faster and more stable operation of the drive
• The device shows high performance even in multitasking mode

Show all products in the category "Volume: 512GB"

SSD drives: Volume: 1TB or more

Volume: 1TB or more/ Type: SATA

Main advantages

• The manufacturer claims that stable operation is guaranteed for 5 years or 300 TB of data recording
• During storage, the SSD can withstand loads of up to 1500 G
• Unlike HDD drives, the device does not produce any extraneous distracting noise. The absence of moving elements completely eliminates vibration during operation
• 3D V-NAND technology involves the vertical construction of flat memory cells. They stack on top of each other to deliver high performance in a small package
• The 55g SSD is a good replacement for a heavy HDD that weighs over 0.2kg

Preamble

The article is updated every year, so check back here from time to time. Some information that was relevant in 2014 is no longer relevant in 2019. Pay attention to the notes in the text of the article and read the updating sections at the end of the article.

I keep repeating that in order to make a good choice of technology, it is necessary, at least in general terms, to understand the subject area. Know what characteristics the equipment you choose has. Know how these characteristics affect the operation of equipment.

Buying an SSD drive is much more complicated than it seems to the uninitiated. There is a lot that is not obvious, hidden under the surface. This article will list the important characteristics of SSD drives. It will be explained how the parameters of an SSD disk affect its consumer quality. The material is large in volume, since the topic is quite complex.

There are a lot of letters here, but if you have the patience to read everything to the end, then it will be easier for you to decide which SSD drive is better to buy. But if you don't like to read a lot then wait for the truncated version of this article.

Introduction

SSDs are no longer a luxury and are becoming a means of storing data. Over the past couple of years, especially during 2013 and early 2014, prices for SSD drives have dropped so much that it is already possible to install such a drive in a completely ordinary computer. At the same time, the speed of modern SSD drives is such that their use provides the greatest increase in performance in terms of money spent.

For $120 - $150 spent on a good SSD drive, you can get more real performance gains than the same money spent on a processor or RAM.

Even the crisis of 2015-2016 did not affect the availability of SSD drives. During these years, SSD drives cost at the level of a 2.5" HDD, although adjusted for capacity by a factor of 4 (128 Gb SSD cost at the level of 500 Gb HDD). In 2017, SSD drives became slightly more expensive relative to HDDs.

Characteristics of SSD drives

This part of the article will describe the most significant characteristics of SSD drives. Technical parameters that improve or worsen the consumer quality of SSD drives.

Main characteristics of SSD

These are the SSD parameters that most influence the consumer quality of the drives.

Manufacturer

SSD drives are made by many companies. Even more companies sell them under their own labels without manufacturing them (OEM production). But there are only a few companies whose discs are safe and secure to buy.

• Intel. The company, together with Micron, produces flash memory. Thus, it makes its own disks from its own memory and selects the best memory copies for its disks. It is no coincidence that they provide a 5-year warranty on their discs.
• Micron(trademark Crucial). The company produces flash memory together with Intel. Thus, it makes its own disks from its own memory and selects the best memory copies for its disks. The difference from Intel is that Micron (Crucial) focuses on the budget segment of the market. Lower price, shorter warranty period. But the disks are good, although they don’t shine with speed.
• Samsung. One of the leaders in the SSD market. And not only in terms of sales volume, but also technologically. The company produces its own flash memory and its own controllers. The disks are 100% proprietary - both memory and controllers, everything is our own. Although in the budget EVO 850 series, some models may have foreign controllers (Phison or Silicon Motion).
• Plextor. A Japanese company famous for its laser drives. In fact, the SSD is not made by itself - Lite-On makes them for it. But the discs are very good. On Marvell controllers. Plextor is not only about quality, but also about speed.
• Corsair. An American company known for the high quality of various products - RAM, power supplies. The company's products are aimed at so-called "enthusiasts", people willing to pay more for higher quality and speed. However, their budget models can be very average in speed.
• SanDisk. An American company, one of the leaders in the production of flash drives and SSD drives. Partner of Toshiba in the production of flash memory chips. Thus, disks are made from its own flash memory.
• Toshiba. The Japanese company is, among other things, a manufacturer of flash memory chips. Thus, the disks are made from its own flash memory.

SSD disk capacity

SSD drive manufacturers indicate this difference in the specifications of their drive models. Therefore, before buying a fast drive, carefully read its specifications; perhaps the size you have your eye on is not as fast as you expect.

That's when size matters.

There is one more feature related to the capacity of SSD drives. There are groups of models based on capacity, but not all models from this group have the same capacity. Example. Group with a capacity of 120/128 GB. Some models in this group have a capacity of 120 GB, while others have a capacity of 128 GB. What is this connected with?

The fact is that in fact all disks in this group have a capacity of 128 GB, but on some models 8 GB is reserved both to level out the wear of flash memory cells and to replace failed cells.

Some manufacturers may not be entirely sure of the quality and lifespan of the flash memory used in their model and therefore make such a reserve. Some people make such a reserve simply for greater reliability. For example, the quality of flash memory in Intel drives is very high, however, the company is playing it safe by making a reserve of cells.

Controller used in the disk

The best controllers are considered Marvell And Samsung MDX. More details about controllers later in this article.

Write speed degradation (garbage collection)

Reduced writing speed on an SSD disk after it is completely full and data will be deleted after filling. That is, writing to reusable memory blocks. Read more about this in the section.

Minor SSD Features

Hardware encryption with support for TCG Opal 2.0 and IEEE-1667 standards. This makes it possible to use hardware encryption but manage it from the OS. For example, it will be possible to offload the central processor when using Windows BitLocker.

Power Loss Protection. Some SSD drive models have protection against sudden power failure. Usually these are just capacitors, the charge of which is enough for the disk to complete the necessary write operations to the memory cells.

Interfaces

SATA

Today (2014) all SSD drives are available with a SATA 3 interface. However, there are still many computers with SATA 2 (SATA 300) and even SATA 1 (SATA 150) controllers installed on their motherboards. Is it possible to install a new SSD drive in such a computer?

Of course you can. However, you need to understand that in this case the new SSD drive will produce real speed significantly lower than its rated characteristics.

Modern SSD drives can typically perform read operations at speeds of over 500 MB per second. And recording at a speed of more than 400 MB per second. This speed can be fully realized on computers with a SATA 3 (SATA 600) controller, for which the practical data transfer speed limit is approximately 570 MB per second.

But for SATA 2 controllers, practical speed is limited to approximately 270 MB per second. Accordingly, for SATA 1 controllers it is even lower - less than 150 MB per second. So, if you put a new SSD drive into an old computer, it will run slower than it can.

So for a new SSD drive you need to buy a new computer? No.

There are other options to get full speed on your old computer. You can install a SATA 3 controller made on a PCI or PCI-express board. And then connect the SSD drive through this controller.

PCI-express

In addition, there are now models of SSD drives that are made in the form of a PCI-express card, for example Plextor M6e. So you don’t need to buy anything else, just insert the disk card into the PCI-e slot and that’s it. You can also install an M.2 form factor SSD into the PCI-e slot, but through an adapter card from M.2 to PCI-e.

M.2 (Next Generation Form Factor, NGFF)

Also, a new, faster interface for peripheral devices has now been approved - M.2. You can buy an M.2 adapter made on a PCI-express board and then install an SSD drive with an M.2 interface there. The disk mentioned above Plextor M6e, just such an option is a PCI-express card with an M.2 adapter, on which a disk with an M.2 interface is installed.

The new M.2 interface (Next Generation Form Factor, NGFF) is essentially a PCI-express bus, only the connector has been changed - it is adapted not for expansion cards, but for small devices. SSD drives in the M.2 form factor are already on sale. This interface should give data transfer speeds higher than the practical limit for SATA 3 - 570 MB per second. The M.2 interface specification assumes the use of 4 PCI-express lines. For SSD drives in the M.2 form factor, 2 PCI-express lanes are used so that theoretically the exchange speed with the drive can reach 2 GB per second.

Memory

There are two types of flash memory - NAND and NOR.

The difference between NAND memory and NOR is that the cells are combined into blocks and processed in blocks. While in NOR, each cell is processed individually. NAND memory has longer access times to memory cells, but is significantly cheaper to manufacture.

In the production of SSD drives, NAND type flash memory is used.

NAND flash memory manufacturers

Memory for SSD drives is manufactured by only a few companies - Intel and Micron (general production), Toshiba and SanDisk (general production), Samsung, Hynix.

The first such memory was created by Toshiba in the late 80s of the last century. Thus, it is the oldest NAND flash manufacturer.

Based on the type of pin layout in the chip package and subsequent access from the controller, NAND flash is divided into two types:

• Synchronous and asynchronous ONFI. It is manufactured by Intel and Micron, Hynix
• Asynchronous Toggle Mode. It is made by Samsung, Toshiba and SanDisk.

Types of NAND Flash Memory Cells

Today (in 2014) SSD drives use NAND flash memory with three types of cells:

• NAND SLC(single-level cell) - flash memory in one physical cell which stores one bit of information.
• NAND MLC(multi-level cell) - flash memory in one physical cell which stores two bits of information.
• NAND TLC(triple level cell) - flash memory in one physical cell which stores three bits of information.

The difference between these types is that as the number of bits stored in one cell increases, the cost of memory in terms of its capacity decreases. That is, relatively speaking, 128 GB of MLC memory is cheaper than the same 128 GB, but of the SLC type.

However, you have to pay for everything. As the number of bits per cell increases, the number of write cycles that cell can withstand decreases. For example, SLC type memory can withstand up to 5000 - 10,000 rewrite cycles. And the writing limit for MLC memory is up to 3000 cycles. For TLC type memory this limit is even lower - 1000 write cycles.

That is, as the number of bits per cell increases, the lifespan of this cell decreases. But at the same time, the recording speed increases.

In 2017, we can talk about the victorious march of TLC memory. Probably more than half of all SSD drives are made on this memory.

Basic parameters of flash memory for SSD

The main characteristics of flash memory for SSD drives are:

1. The number of write cycles that a single cell of this memory can withstand. This parameter determines the lifespan and reliability of flash memory.
2. The technical process by which the flash memory crystal is manufactured.
3. Type of flash memory cells.

The second and third flash memory parameters directly affect the first parameter. The dependency is as follows:

• Reducing the process technology reduces the lifespan of flash memory.
• Increasing the number of bits per cell reduces the lifetime of flash memory.

That is, MLC type memory will have a shorter lifespan than SLC type memory. Memory manufactured using a 25-nanometer process will have a longer lifespan than one manufactured using a 19-nanometer process.

Memory capacity (size)

Indicated in gigabytes. The peculiarity of SSDs is that larger capacity disks provide faster data exchange speeds, especially when recording. The difference in write speed between a 120/128 GB disk and a 480/512 GB disk can be up to two or three times.

For example, a disk with a capacity of 120/128 GB can give a maximum recording speed of less than 200 MB per second, and a disk of the same model, but with a capacity of 480/512 GB will give a writing speed of more than 400 MB per second.

This difference is due to the fact that the SSD disk controller works with all memory crystals simultaneously (in parallel). And one disk model uses the same memory crystals. Accordingly, the difference in capacity is the difference in the number of crystals. Fewer memory crystals means less parallelization of operations and lower speed.

There is no need to confuse memory crystals and memory chips. One chip can have from one to four memory crystals. That is, in disks of different capacities the number of microcircuits may be the same - 8, but the number of crystals will be different.

Manufacturers of SSD drives indicate this difference in write speed in the specifications of their drive models. Therefore, before buying a fast drive, carefully read its specifications; perhaps the size you have your eye on is not as fast as you expect.

It happens that a person reads a test review on the Internet, which says that the XX disk gives a write speed of 450 MB per second. And buys this disk model. Installs and is surprised to discover that the recording speed is only 200 MB per second. The thing is that he read about a model with a capacity of 512 GB, but bought a model with a capacity of 128 GB.

This difference increases as new 128-bit memory crystals enter the market, instead of 64-bit ones. Simply put, if an SSD is assembled on 64-bit memory chips, then the full speed of read/write operations is possible on disks with a capacity of 240/256 GB. And if the disk is assembled on 128-bit memory chips, then the full speed of read/write operations is only possible on 480/512 GB disks.

For example SSD drive Crucial M500 assembled on 128-bit memory chips. There are 4 models in this line:

• 120 GB - write speed 130 MB per second.
• 240 GB - write speed 250 MB per second.
• 480 GB and 960 GB - write speed 400 MB per second.

As you can see, the difference in recording speed between the younger and older models is more than three times. Although these are the same discs in all respects. Except for the number of memory crystals. By the way, Crucial in its 2014 model M550 uses crystals of different bit depths. For 128 and 256 GB models, 64-bit crystals are used. For 512 GB and 1 TB models, 128-bit crystals are used. Due to this, the difference in speed between the younger and older models has been reduced.

There is one more aspect depending on the disk capacity. The larger the disk capacity, the theoretically longer its service life. The fact is that a flash memory cell can withstand a limited number of write cycles and when this limit is reached, for example, an MLC type cell has been written to 3000 times, it fails.

All SSD disk controllers use cell interleaving during recording in order to even out cell wear. Free memory is used for interleaving. Accordingly, the less the disk is occupied with data and programs, the more opportunities the controller has for interleaving cells and the longer the memory will live.

Large disk capacity is the easiest way to increase free disk space. Let's assume that your programs and data occupy 100 gigabytes. If this is placed on a 120 or 128 GB disk, then the disk will be almost completely occupied and few cells will be available for striping. But if the disk capacity is 240 or 256 GB, then a lot of cells will be available for striping - more than 50%. Thus, the load on the cells will be much lower and there will be longer and more even wear.

Controllers

The computer cannot gain direct access to flash memory, so in addition to memory chips, a controller chip is also installed in the disks. Several companies produce such microcircuits:

• SandForce. Now this company is owned by another company - LSI. SandForce controllers, such as the SF2881, are the most common. They dominate the budget SSD segment. Even Intel produces SSD drives on these controllers (models 520, 530).
• Marvell- their controllers 88SS9187 and 88SS9174 are used in high-performance SSD drives from different manufacturers, in particular Micron (Crucial), Plextor, SanDisk. For example, some of the fastest SSD drives in the world are Plextor M5 Pro, Crucial M500, Crucial M550, use controllers Marvell88SS9187, 88SS9189. The company has also released a fast controller for an interface that supports NVMe (M.2).
• Indilinx. Now this company is owned by OCZ and the latest controller model is called Barefoot 3. Accordingly, these controllers are mainly used only in OCZ drives.
• LAMD (Link_A_Media Devices). The fast but rarely used LM87800 controller. For example, it is used in Corsair Neutron drive models. The company was bought by the Korean Hynix and these controllers are used only in conjunction with Hynix flash memory.
• Phison. This company has long been known for its controllers for USB flash drives. Recently, it has begun an attack on the SSD drive market. It offers low-cost solutions for the production of SSD drives - controller, firmware, board design. Its controllers are used in budget models, for example Corsair LS, SmartBuy Ignition 2.
• MDX. This controller was developed by Samsung and is used in its drives.
• Intel. In some models of its SSD drives, Intel uses its own controller. These are server models S3500, S3700, as well as the Intel 730 model aimed at the business segment of the market.
• Silicon Motion. Another company offering budget controllers for SSDs. In terms of performance, nothing outstanding. However, companies like Intel and Micron use Silicon Motion controllers in their very successful 2018 models - Intel 545s and Crucial MX500, which demonstrate high speeds in both read and write.

Various characteristics of the SSD disk depend on the controller. Speed ​​of operation, lifespan of flash memory, resistance to data corruption.

For example, Marvell controllers provide high performance with operations on arbitrary data blocks. This is exactly the load that falls on the disks in real computer operation. The Intel controller is focused on high performance under conditions of a large number of parallel requests (server load model).

But SandForce controllers have an unpleasant feature - after the disk is full and cleared, the write speed does not return to its original values ​​(when the disks were empty). The speed of operation also decreases when the disk is very full. At the same time, SandForce controllers provide high recording speed on easily compressible data, such as texts and documents.

Each controller has its own characteristics. Your strengths and weaknesses. If you have certain mandatory requirements for an SSD drive, then when choosing a model it makes sense to study the features of the controllers.

Inexpensive SSD drives

Inexpensive SSD drives are usually made on SandForce controllers, and Phison has been actively working in this segment for the last couple of years.

The reason for this is that both LSI (SandForce) and Phison offer complete solutions for manufacturing SSD drives. There is not only a controller, but also the firmware for it, as well as the board design for mounting all the hardware.

Thus, the manufacturer of finished drives does not need to do anything other than solder the parts onto the board and mount the board into the case.

TRIM (garbage collection)

SSD drives have an important difference from HDDs, which affects the write speed. In HDD, recording is performed “on top” of old data. Disk blocks that previously contained data and then that data was deleted are simply marked as free. And when you need to write, the HDD controller immediately writes to these free blocks.

When using flash memory, blocks that previously contained some information must be cleared before being written. This leads to the fact that when writing to previously used blocks, the writing speed drops significantly, because the controller needs to prepare them for writing (clear them).

The problem is that operating systems traditionally do not work with the file system in such a way that deleting files clears the contents of the blocks on the disk. After all, there was no need for this on HDDs.

Therefore, when using SSD drives, the effect of “performance degradation” occurs. When the disk is new and all flash memory blocks are clean, the write speed is very high, as specified. But after the disk is completely full and some of the files are deleted, re-writing will occur at a lower speed. Because the disk controller will have to clear the flash memory blocks before writing new data there.

The drop in write speed to reused flash memory blocks can be very high. Up to values ​​close to the recording speed of HDD disks. When testing SSD drives, they often even conduct a special test to reduce the write speed of reusable blocks.

To combat this phenomenon, the new operating systems have added the TRIM disk ATA command. When a file is deleted, the file system driver sends the TRIM command to the SSD disk controller. Using this command, the SSD disk controller clears freed flash memory blocks, but does this in the background, in between read and write operations.

Using this command returns full write speed to reused flash memory blocks. However, not all operating systems support this command. But only relatively recent versions:

• Linux kernel since version 2.6.33.
• Windows 7, 8 and 10.
• Mac OS X starting from version 10.6.6 (but for this version you need to install an update).

Until now, the popular WIndows XP (as well as Vista) do not support this command.

A workaround for older OSes is to use third-party programs. For example, this could be the hdparm program (version 9.17 and higher) or proprietary programs of the SSD drive manufacturer, for example Intel SSD Toolbox.

There are two models of SSD drives in which the degradation of the speed of reused blocks is less pronounced than others:

• Plextor M5 pro (old model, discontinued).
• Plextor M5S (old model, discontinued).
• Intel 545s (2018 model).

The firmware of these disks can partially clear unused blocks without the TRIM command. Restoring the write speed to higher values, but not to the full rated write speed.

Of course, these are not the only models that can collect “garbage” on their own. Over time, there are more such models, because successful solutions are replicated by other manufacturers.

There are disk models that, even after executing the TRIM command, do not return to the full rated write speed.

The TRIM command is most often disabled when using a RAID array.

Note! When using this function, it will be impossible to recover deleted files!

SSD drives by manufacturer

Personally, I divide all SSD drive manufacturers into two categories - the big eight and all the rest. The Big Eight are Intel, Plextor, Corsair, Samsung, Micron (under the Crucial brand), Toshiba, SanDisk, Hynix. Companies that sell good and excellent SSD drives. Each of them has its own advantages, for example Intel, Samsung, Toshiba, SanDisk, Hynix and Micron make drives from their own flash memory. And Samsung uses not only its own memory in its SSD drives, but also its own controllers.

But in principle, you can buy any disc from any of these seven companies without going into details.

Everyone else is a pretty big list.

Intel. The company, together with Micron, produces flash memory. Thus, it makes its own disks from its own memory and selects the best memory copies for its disks. It is no coincidence that they provide a 5-year warranty on their discs. Some models also have their own controllers - that is, 100% Intel - such models as Intel DC S3500, Intel DC S3700, Intel 730, Intel 545s, Intel 760p. Intel's drives are very good, but the company primarily targets the business segment of the market and therefore its drives are quite expensive.

But her discs are worth the money. For example, server SSD drives DC S3500 and S3700 use not only selected memory, but also functions such as power loss protection and advanced checksum verification for stored data. This makes them very reliable means of storing data.

Micron(trademark Crucial). The company produces flash memory together with Intel. Thus, it makes its own disks from its own memory and selects the best memory copies for its disks. The difference from Intel drives is that Micron (Crucial) focuses on the budget segment of the market. Uses its own memory and Marvell controllers. In 2014, the company releases a disc that could become a new hit (like M4) - Crucial M550, Crucial MX500.

Samsung. One of the leaders in the SSD market. And not only in terms of sales volume, but also technologically. The company produces its own flash memory and its own controllers. The disks are 100% proprietary - both memory and controllers, everything is our own. As of the first half of 2014, the model Samsung 840 Pro This is the fastest SSD drive in the consumer segment of the market (drives for regular computers). The speed of this drive already exhausts the capabilities of the SATA 3 interface. New successful models are Samsung 850 and 860 EVO.

Plextor. The Japanese company is famous for its laser drives. In fact, the SSD is not made by itself - Lite-On makes them for it. But the discs are very good. Intel-Micron or Toshiba memory and Marvell controllers are used. Famous model Plextor M5 Pro despite the fact that it is no longer young and in 2014 remains one of the fastest SSD drives. In 2017, the company remains one of the market leaders in terms of disk speed with M.2 drives of the M8Pe G(N) series. Currently brand Plextor belongs to the Taiwanese company Lite-On, which previously manufactured drives for Plextor under contract.

Corsair. An American company known for the high quality of various products - RAM, power supplies. The company's products are aimed at so-called "enthusiasts", people willing to pay more for higher quality and speed. The company has several model lines - GS and GT drives on the SandForce controller, LS drives on the Phison controller, Neutron drives on the LAMD controller.

SanDisk- it has its own production of flash memory (shared with Toshiba) and some models of SSD drives from this company demonstrate very high performance. The company has a long and successful history of various types of flash drives (USB flash drives, memory cards).

Toshiba- it has its own production of flash memory (common with SanDisk). The company has a long and successful history of producing both flash memory and conventional (HDD) disks.

Hynix. This Korean company produces flash memory. And it recently bought a company that makes LAMD controllers. So now she has SSD drives from her own flash memory and with her own controller.

SSD disk lifespan

The time that an SSD drive will work is generally determined by the type of flash memory. That is, what type of cells is used and what process is used to make the memory. It was already written above that SLC type cells have the largest resource, followed by MLC and finally TLC.

What does the limit on the number of write cycles mean in a practical sense? And how can we roughly estimate the possible lifespan of a particular disk?

Let's take a conventional disk that uses MLC flash memory produced using a 19-nanometer technical process. Let's assume that the manufacturer of this memory specifies a write limit of 3000 cycles for it. This is an indicator for good MLC flash memory manufactured using 19 or 20 nanometer manufacturing processes.

Based on this memory, a disk with a capacity of 120 GB was manufactured. The 3000 cycle limit means you can completely write your disc 3000 times. If you fill it completely every day, then empty it completely and fill it completely again the next day, then theoretically the memory will live for 3000 days. That is more than 8 years. If you write only 60 gigabytes per day and erase the disk only once every two days, then the lifespan increases to 16 years.

Of course this is simplified. But it is clear that the lifespan of flash memory is quite long. Even if we take a TLC flash-based disk with a limit of 1000 write cycles, this gives a theoretical disk lifespan of at least 3 years, provided that it is completely filled every day.

That is, in all these complaints about the constantly decreasing recording limit, there is no serious basis.

So you can independently estimate the lifespan of a disk, knowing the type of flash memory that is used in this disk. You can more accurately determine it if you have information about the manufacturer of this memory, because flash memory manufacturers indicate write limits for their products.

Finally, many disk manufacturers, in their disk specifications, explicitly indicate disk write limits in gigabytes per day. For example, Samsung in the specifications of the 840 Pro drive writes: “A 5-year warranty is provided provided that no more than 40 gigabytes are written to the disc per day.” And Micron, for its Crucial M550 drive, specifies a recording limit of 72 terabytes, or approximately 66 gigabytes per day for three years.

However, in 2015, Samsung provides a 10-year warranty on some PRO series models.

In 2017, I can say from my own experience that none of the drives that I installed more than 3 years ago have yet broken. True, I have never installed SmartBuy disks. Only Plextor, SanDisk, Samsung, Toshiba, Intel.

Update 2019.

Firstly, the issue of unreliability of TLC memory can be said to be resolved. At least for market leaders. In 2019, the largest flash memory manufacturers, Intel, Micron, Samsung, declare the write resource for their TLC memory to be the same as what they gave for MLC memory several years ago. And this resource is such that it allows them to give a 5-year warranty on their SSD drives. And such a warranty period is very rarely available on an HDD.

Secondly, from my own experience, I can add that out of several dozen SSDs that I have installed in computers over the past 6 years, only one has failed - the budget Plextor model (model range S). And this Plextor did not die to the state of a brick - at the very least, it worked, so it was possible to copy data from there. For comparison, over the same years I replaced about a dozen HDD drives due to their failure. HDD drives in laptops die especially often.

So today SSD is more reliable than HDD. However, you need to keep in mind that we are talking about SSD drives from the best manufacturers (top eight). Discs like SmartBuy, Dexp and the like are, I think, a big lottery.

How to extend the life of an SSD drive

Free disk space. Don't fill it up completely - try to have 20 - 30 percent free space on the disk. The presence of free space allows the controller to level out the wear of memory cells. This free space should not be allocated, that is, not assigned to any partition with the file system. By the way, the presence of such an unmarked space also allows you not to bother about TRIM.

Uninterruptible power supply. If you are using an SSD in a regular computer, connect the computer via a UPS. If the SSD is in a laptop, monitor the battery condition - do not allow the laptop to turn off when the battery is completely discharged. SSD drives don't like sudden power loss. If there is an abnormal power outage on the disk, the data in the flash memory cells may be damaged. As an option, you can buy a disk model that has Power Loss Protection.

Refrigerate. SSD drives (like HDDs, like any electronics) do not like overheating. The higher the temperature of the disk, the faster it will fail. If you install an SSD in a laptop, then you can only hope that the designers of your laptop have provided for the possibility of sufficient heat removal from the disk.

But if you install an SSD in a regular computer, then your hands are free. The least you can do is use a metal adapter from 2.5" (SSD drive) to 3.5" (drive box in the case). The metal of the adapter will transfer heat from the disk to the body. However, for drives in a plastic case, a metal adapter is useless.

In the context of cooling, the big plus is the aluminum SSD case. If the disk is made wisely, then the metal case is used as a radiator to remove heat from the microcircuits.

In addition, you can install a fan - many cases even provide space for a special fan that blows air over the drive cage. Some cases even have this fan.

No need to defragment. File system fragmentation does not reduce the speed of the SSD. Therefore, by doing defragmentation you will not gain speed. However, by defragmenting, you will shorten the life of the disk by increasing write operations.

Installing an SSD on an old motherboard

You can breathe new life into your old computer by replacing the HDD with an SSD. All disk operations will be performed two to three times faster. And the computer performs a lot of disk operations - starting the OS, launching programs, opening files, using virtual memory (swap), caching in browsers, editing files, etc.

If you have an old motherboard with a SATA 2 (SATA 300) controller, then the new SSD drive will not operate at full speed. There are two options to fix the matter:

• Buy a SATA 3 controller on a PCI or PCI-e board.
• Buy an SSD drive mounted on a PCI-e card, for example Plextor M6e.

Although, in my opinion, it’s easier to leave it as is. In real life, the difference in speed between connecting via SATA 2 and via SATA 3 may not be very large. It will only appear in operations that involve reading large amounts of data located sequentially on the disk. And accordingly, when recording large amounts of data sequentially. In practice, usually both writing and reading occur in small amounts in arbitrary (non-sequential) areas of the disk. And in this mode, most budget SSD drives provide speeds of less than 300 MB per second.

However, an SSD drive mounted on a PCI-e card is generally a good idea, as it will work faster than if connected via a SATA 3 controller. But this solution also has a drawback. A disk mounted on a PCI-e card cannot be installed in a laptop, but a simple SATA SSD can be used in any computer - a regular one, a laptop, an all-in-one computer, or a nettop.

Common mistakes when using SSD drives

Error one

Moving a large number of files to a regular mechanical magnetic disk (HDD). Some people install only the operating system and programs on an SSD drive, and transfer everything else to the HDD drive. Temporary file folders, browser cache folders, documents, and even the entire user profile.

They do this in order to save space on the SSD drive and increase its lifespan by reducing write operations. After all, for example, folders of temporary files are permanent write operations.

Indeed, space on the SSD is saved and the lifespan is increased. But this significantly reduces the speed of the computer. After all, the faster the disk reads or writes temporary files, documents, profile files, the faster the work is done.

My categorical opinion is that everything related to the OS and programs should be placed on an SSD drive. Working documents also need to be stored on an SSD drive. It makes sense to store only large amounts of data on the HDD - music, movies. Or data that is very rarely used - archives. Only in this case will you get the highest speed from your SSD drive. Don't forget - the main reason to buy an SSD drive is speed! And that means you need to squeeze this speed to the maximum.

Error two

Disk defragmentation. Out of habit left over from using HDD drives, people also defragment SSD drives. There is no need to do this! The speed of access to arbitrary data blocks on an SSD disk is approximately two orders of magnitude higher compared to an HDD. Therefore, data fragmentation no longer affects the reading speed of this data.

Resume

Basic parameters of SSD drives

• Manufacturer. The best manufacturers of SSD drives are Intel, Micron (Crucial brand), Samsung, Plextor, SanDisk, Toshiba, Corsair.
• Disk capacity. The minimum disk volume, which provides greater speed and a good supply of free space to extend life, is 240/256 gigabytes. For drives with a capacity of 60 - 128 GB, the write speed will almost certainly be below 200 MB per second. Although there are some models of such disks with a writing speed of more than 200 MB per second.
• Controller. The best controllers today are Samsung, Marvell, Intel, Silicon Motion. Intel and Samsung controllers are used only in drives from these manufacturers. Marvell and Silicon Motion controllers are used in drives from different manufacturers.

Secondary parameters of SSD drives

• Memory type. SLC memory “lives” the longest, but such memory is not available in retail today. MLC and TLC memory, in descending order, have a shorter lifespan. In 2018, there are already few disks with MLC memory; most disks use TLC memory.
• Memory process technology. Memory crystals created using a 19 or 20 nanometer process have a shorter lifespan than crystals created using a 25 nanometer process. In 2018, memory is produced using a 14-nanometer technical process.
• Hardware encryption with support for TCG Opal 2.0 and IEEE-1667 standards.
• Power Loss Protection.

Which SSD drive to choose

Something like this:

• Manufacturer: Intel, Samsung, Plextor, Corsair, Micron (Crucial).
• Memory type: NAND Flash MLC or TLC.
• Disk capacity: ranging from 240 - 256 Gigabytes.

For example these models: Intel 730, Intel S3500, Plextor M5 Pro, Crucial M550, Samsung 840 Pro. From these models Samsung 840 Pro And Crucial M550 will give the highest writing and reading speeds to date. A disk Intel S3500 will give the highest guarantee of data integrity and safety.

Attention! These are old models, no longer in production. See the update sections at the end of the article - the current models are listed there.

Of course, when choosing a disk, you need to take into account the tasks that will be performed on the computer. If this is an ordinary home or office computer on which the main work is the Internet and documents, then the cheapest SSD drive with a capacity of 120/128 GB will do.

If this is a gaming computer, then firstly you need to take a volume of at least 240/256 gigabytes, and secondly, select a high-speed model. Because one game sometimes takes up to ten gigabytes on the disk, and during the launch process and during the game, large amounts of information are read from the disk.

If you have a computer for video processing, you need a capacity of more than 240/256 gigabytes and a model with the highest sequential writing and reading speeds.

If the computer will store and process critical information that cannot be lost, then apparently the best choice would be Intel S3500 or even Intel S3700.

If you plan to use the SSD with an old OS, such as Windows XP, it makes sense to think about the effect of “speed degradation” and how to avoid it (more details in the section).

Data Recovery

SSD drives have one drawback compared to HDD drives. In the event of a breakdown, recovering data from a “dead” SSD drive will be much more difficult, and most often completely impossible.

This is due to the fact that physically, pieces of data are stored in different cells and even in different flash memory chips. And only the disk controller “knows” how to get complete data from this “mess”. And the loss of some cells, especially those where service information is stored, can lead to the impossibility of data recovery.

There is one more feature. Even on a working SSD, recovering previously deleted files may not be possible. If TRIM is enabled for the drive, then the controller will destroy data from deleted files.

On HDD drives, data from deleted files is not destroyed until space is needed for new files. And this makes it possible to recover deleted files (not always, but often).

So, follow the most important computer rule - it is necessary to make copies of important data. This rule, however, applies to any type of disk in general, and not just to SSD. Any disk can die at any moment.

Update 2015

In rubles, SSDs have become more expensive and plus the general crisis is bad news.

The good news is that there are SSD drives with a 10-year warranty - these are some Samsung 850 Pro series models. And Intel even gives a 5-year warranty for its budget 535 series. Despite the fact that the smallest disks (120 GB) from these companies already cost around $100.

Prices (in dollars) go down, productivity goes up.

An interesting five of the inexpensive SSD drives at the end of 2015 (from the Yulmart assortment) in order of increasing price:

• Samsung 650 MZ-650120Z
• SanDisk Ultra II
• Samsung 850 EVO Series, MZ-75E120BW
• Intel 535, SSDSC2BW120H601
• Samsung 850 PRO Series, MZ-7KE128BW

Update 2016

The good news is that SSD drives that use TLC memory can have a lifespan comparable to drives using MLC memory.

This became possible thanks to the development of a new algorithm for removing signals from memory cells - LDPC decoding. Today (in 2016) there are three controllers that support this algorithm:

• Samsung MGX, SSD drives Samsung EVO 750 and 850.
• Marvell 88SS1074, SSD drives Plextor M7V.
• Silicon Motion SM2256

According to memory wear resistance tests, Samsung EVO 850 and Plextor M7V drives show very impressive results. At the level of good disks with MLC memory.

And the speed of work is very good. For example Plextor M7V 128 GB, on an Intel SATA 3 controller, gives a read speed of 497 MB/sec, and a write speed of 247 MB/sec (measured in the proprietary Plextool program). But Plextor M7V is a budget model, one of the cheapest among all SSD drives in mid-2016.

A disk Samsung EVO 850(250 GB) gives speeds (measured in Samsung proprietary software):

• On the SATA 2 controller (Intel ICH9): 268 MB/sec read and 250 MB/sec write. This speed was also confirmed by measurements in Ubuntu Linux.
• On the SATA 3 controller (Intel): 540 MB/sec read and 505 MB/sec write.

On SATA 2, the speed practically rests on the limit of the SATA 2 standard itself. On SATA 3, the reading speed also rests on the limit of the standard. And at the same time, Samsung gives a 5-year warranty on drives of the line EVO 850. And the result is an extremely fast and very reliable disk.

Update 2017

Many M.2 format SSD drives have appeared on sale, at prices comparable to the 2.5" SATA format. But more importantly, motherboards with an M.2 connector have appeared.

However, a clarification needs to be made. Not all M.2 format drives can provide read and write speeds significantly higher than through SATA III, that is, significantly higher than 570 MB per second. There are models that, having the M.2 format, nevertheless provide speeds at the level of only SATA III.

Speeds closer to 1 GB per second (or higher) depend on whether both the drive and motherboard support the NVMe (NVM Express) protocol. This is a protocol for working with disks via the PCI-e bus. It is similar to the AHCI protocol, but has advantages over it. The NVMe protocol places an emphasis on parallelizing read and write operations. And it has a greater job queue depth.

Before purchasing, you need to check the specifications of the SSD drive and motherboard. To support NVMe on the motherboard, not only the SATA III line, but also the PCI-e lanes (2 or 4) must be connected to the M.2 connector.

Here, for example, are several motherboards with an M.2 connector and NVMe support:

• ASUS H110M-A/M.2
• ASUS H170M-PLUS
• ASUS PRIME B250M-A
• ASUS B150-PRO

And accordingly, for example, SSD drives with NVMe support:

• Plextor M8Pe, PX-128M8PeG(N)
• Samsung EVO NVMe M.2

In addition, to support NVMe you need to use a fairly recent version of the OS. Windows supports NVMe out of the box starting with version 8.1. For Windows 7, you need to install an update and this is non-trivial, because the driver needs to be integrated into the installation image. Microsoft has instructions. There is another instruction in this topic, in Russian.

On Linux you need to use kernel version 3.13 19 or higher.

What are the benefits of using an NVMe-enabled SSD drive? At a minimum, today, this is approximately twice the speed of operation compared to SATA III. And in reading mode, the speed is already 3-4 times higher than through SATA III. And over time, this gap will increase. So it makes sense to bother.

If you are buying a new computer in 2017, then I advise you to buy a motherboard and an SSD drive with NVMe support.

Cheap models

There are many SSDs on sale with the cheapest possible hardware platform. Manufacturers are reducing the number of processor cores, the number of memory channels, and removing the DRAM cache (the so-called DRAM-less controllers). For example, the Phison S11 controller is not only single-core, but also dual-channel and without DRAM cache. Such disks have a low price and beautiful figures for read and write speeds, in the specifications

Manufacturers of such SSD drives draw beautiful numbers in the specifications using a software trick called pseudo-SLC cache. The essence of this software solution is that part of the TLC flash memory operates in pseudo-SLC mode, that is, one bit is written to the cell instead of three. This makes it possible to significantly increase the recording speed. However, this only works as long as the write size does not exceed the size of this pseudo-SLC cache or until the disk is completely full so that there are no free cells for the pseudo-SLC cache. And then the disk produces real, sad performance. Under high recording load, such disks can be even slower than HDDs.

And of course, given the weak controller processor and the lack of a DRAM cache, such drives have low performance in access mode to arbitrary blocks with a queue depth of 1-4. And this is the most common operating mode for a disk in a home (non-gaming) and office computer.

Some of these models:

• WD Green and Blue
• Toshiba TR200
• Kingston A400
• Sandisk SSD Plus (SDSSDA)
• GoodRam CL100
• SmartBuy Jolt

Be that as it may, even such an SSD drive will generally be faster than an HDD.

SATA goes down in history

Of course, SSDs with the SATA interface will be produced for a long time. To replace HDD in work computers. But all major manufacturers make their best models in M.2 format and with NVMe support. The reason for this is that the SATA interface no longer allows for the data transfer speed that modern SSD drives provide. The speed limit for the SATA3 bus is approximately 570 MB per second. And modern SSD drives can transfer data at speeds of more than 1 GB per second.

So if you're looking to buy a new computer or upgrade, look for a motherboard with an M.2 connector and NVMe support. And put an M.2 NVMe SSD there. However, you need to take into account that a motherboard with an M.2 connector, or a disk in M.2 format, may not have support for the NVMe protocol - in this case, the disk will operate at SATA3 speed (SATA mode). It is necessary to clarify whether a specific motherboard and a specific M.2 SSD drive have NVMe support.

3D XPoint (Intel Optane memory)

The first disks (from Intel) made on a new type of memory - 3D XPoint - appeared in retail sales. This memory is fundamentally different from NAND flash memory. Firstly, it is not processed in blocks - each cell can be addressed individually. Secondly, the cells do not need to be erased before recording. Thirdly, it has a higher recording resource.

In linear read and write operations, these 3D XPoint memory drives provide speeds comparable to the fastest TLC NAND drives. But in operations of reading and writing small blocks at arbitrary addresses and with a short queue, 3D XPoint memory is faster than NAND flash. And this mode of disk operation is most common in practice.

The capacity of the first (for the retail market) 3D XPoint disks is not yet sufficient for their individual use (16 and 32 GB). And today Intel offers Optane memory technology for these drives. The 3D XPoint disk is installed in the M.2 slot and this disk is used as a cache for a regular HDD disk. It seems to me that this solution is too complicated to implement and insufficiently effective in terms of price. It's easier to use SATA or M.2 SSD. And if you use an M.2 NVMe SSD, it will also be faster than an Optane drive + HDD.

It will be interesting when Optane drives with a capacity of at least 60 GB and at a competitive (with NAND) price will appear in retail.

Good and inexpensive SSD drive models

SATA Samsung 850MZ-7LN120BW- just 850 without the EVO suffix. There is only one model in the line so far, 120 GB. Costs around 3,500 rubles (summer 2018). In this model, everything is mature - DRAM cache, a good controller, plus a new 64-layer TLC 3D V-NAND memory. The result is very good speed performance. A good recording resource is 75 Terabytes.

SATA Hynix SL308- the line includes models with 120, 250 and 500 GB. DRAM cache, own controller, own memory, aluminum case. Like Toshiba, Intel and Samsung, Hynix also produces SSD drives from its own components. The 120 GB model costs around 3,500 rubles.

SATA Crucial MX500- almost the twin brother of the disk Intel SSD 545s. The differences are that a dynamically variable pseudo-SLC cache is used and there are capacitors to protect against sudden power loss (so that the write operation can be completed).

SATA Crucial Micron 1100- the minimum volume in this model line is 256 GB. This model costs around 6,500 rubles. It uses a Marvell controller, DRAM cache and its own TLC 3D NAND memory.

M.2 NVMe Intel 760p- the minimum volume in this model line is 128 GB. The 256 GB model costs around 6,400 rubles and has a 5-year warranty. The disk has - DDR4 DRAM cache, 64-layer TLC 3D V-NAND Intel - Micron, 8-channel SM2262 controller. All together this gives fantastic read and write speeds: 3.2 and 1.3 Gigabytes per second. This is the speed of the first computers with DDR2 RAM! Of course, these are numbers when using a pseudo-SLC cache, but its size (in the 256 GB model) is approximately 6 GB, which covers requests during normal operation. Past the pseudo-SLC cache, the write speed is about 600 MB per second. According to tests, disks of this series give excellent results when performing operations with random blocks and short queues. As of summer 2018, this is the best option in the budget segment.

M.2 NVMe Samsung 960 EVO- the minimum volume in this model line is 250 GB. The 250 GB model costs around 7,000 rubles. It has the same impressive read and write speed figures: 3.2 and 1.5 Gigabytes per second. These are the numbers when using a pseudo-SLC cache, but its size changes dynamically and, if there is free space, in the 250 GB model, it can reach 13 GB. However, this disc is worse than Intel 760p, copes with reading and writing arbitrary blocks and a short queue. And this disk is option number two, if not available Intel 760p.

The good news is that good quality TLC memory has appeared, with a large recording resource. And SSD drives with TLC memory, on average, provide higher write and read speeds than drives with MLC memory. Moreover, they are also cheaper. A good 250 GB SATA SSD can now be purchased for $50-60.

So, now, in the budget segment, there are models that are more productive and more capacious than they were in the premium segment a few years ago.

The bad news is that the number of frankly cheap SSD drives has increased. Which are of course very cheap, but buying them is very risky. Every year the number of “manufacturers” of SSD drives increases. And in these mountains of crap it is not easy to find a good product.

The best SATA SSD options for February 2019:

• SATA Intel SSD 545s- 256 GB.
• SATA Samsung 860 EVO MZ-76E250BW- 250 GB.

Cheap, capacious, fast disks. More details about these models in the 2018 section.

Ivan Sukhov, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 .

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