• Ssd technology. What is an SSD and how to install it

    The hard drive is needed for installing the operating system, programs and storage various files user (documents, photographs, music, films, etc.).

    Hard drives differ in capacity, which determines the amount of data it can store, speed, which determines the performance of the entire computer, and reliability, which depends on its manufacturer.

    Conventional hard drives (HDD) have a large capacity, low speed and low cost. Solid state drives (SSDs) are the fastest, but they have a small capacity and are much more expensive. An intermediate option between them is hybrid drives(SSHD), which have sufficient capacity, are faster than regular HDDs and are slightly more expensive.

    Hard drives are considered the most reliable Western Digital(WD). Best SSDs drives are produced by: Samsung, Intel, Crucial, SanDisk, Plextor. More budget options can be considered: A-DATA, Corsair, GoodRAM, WD, HyperX, since they have the least problems. And hybrid drives (SSHD) are mainly produced by Seagate.

    For an office computer, which is used primarily for working with documents and the Internet, an ordinary hard drive from the inexpensive WD Blue series with a capacity of up to 500 GB. But 1 TB disks are optimal today, since they are not much more expensive.

    For a multimedia computer (video, simple games), it is better to use a 1 TB WD Blue drive as an additional one for storing files, and install a 120-128 GB SSD as the main one, which will significantly speed up the operation of the system and programs.

    For gaming computer It is advisable to take an SSD with a capacity of 240-256 GB; you can install several games on it.
    Hard drive A-Data Ultimate SU650 240GB

    As a more economical option for a multimedia or gaming PC, you can purchase one Seagate hybrid drive (SSHD) with a capacity of 1 TB; it is not as fast as an SSD, but still slightly faster than a regular HDD drive.
    Hard drive Seagate FireCuda ST1000DX002 1TB

    Well, for a powerful professional PC, in addition to the SSD (120-512 GB), you can take a fast and reliable WD Black hard drive of the required volume (1-4 GB).

    I also recommend purchasing a high-quality external Transcend disk with a USB 3.0 interface for 1-2 TB for the system and files important to you (documents, photos, videos, projects).
    Hard drive Transcend StoreJet 25M3 1 TB

    2. Disk types

    Modern computers use both classic hard drives on magnetic platters (HDD) and faster solid-state drives based on memory chips (SSD). There are also hybrid drives (SSHD), which are a symbiosis of HDD and SSD.

    The hard drive (HDD) has a large capacity (1000-8000 GB), but low speed (120-140 MB/s). It can be used both to install the system and store user files, which is the most economical option.

    Solid state drives (SSD) have a relatively small volume (120-960 GB), but very high speed (450-550 MB/s). They cost significantly more and are used to install the operating system and some programs to increase the speed of the computer.

    A hybrid drive (SSHD) is simply a hard drive with a small amount of faster memory added to it. For example, this might look like 1TB HDD + 8GB SSD.

    3. Application of HDD, SSD and SSHD drives

    For an office computer (documents, Internet) it is enough to install one regular hard disk (HDD).

    For a multimedia computer (movies, simple games), you can add a small SSD drive in addition to the HDD, which will make the system work much faster and more responsive. As a compromise between speed and capacity, you can consider installing one SSHD drive, which will be much cheaper.

    For a powerful gaming or professional computer, the best option is to install two drives - an SSD for the operating system, programs, games, and a regular hard drive for storing user files.

    4. Physical sizes of disks

    Hard drives for desktop computers are 3.5 inches in size.

    Solid state drives are 2.5 inches in size, just like laptop hard drives.

    IN regular computer The SSD drive is installed using a special mount in the case or an additional adapter.

    Don't forget to purchase it if it is not included with the drive and your case does not have special mounts for 2.5″ drives.

    5. Hard drive connectors

    All hard drives have an interface connector and a power connector.

    5.1. Interface connector

    An interface connector is a connector for connecting a disk to motherboard using a special cable (loop).

    Modern hard drives (HDDs) have a SATA3 connector, which is fully compatible with older versions of SATA2 and SATA1. If on your motherboard old connectors, don't worry new hard You can connect the drive to them and it will work.

    But for an SSD drive, it is desirable that the motherboard have SATA3 connectors. If your motherboard has SATA2 connectors, then the SSD drive will operate at half its speed (about 280 MB/s), which, however, is still significantly faster than a regular HDD.

    5.2. Power connector

    Modern hard drives (HDD) and solid state drives (SSD) have the same 15-pin SATA power connectors. If the disk is installed in a desktop computer, its power supply must have such a connector. If it is not there, then you can use a Molex-SATA power adapter.

    6. Hard drive capacities

    For each type of hard drive, depending on its purpose, the amount of data it can hold will be different.

    6.1. Hard disk capacity (HDD) for a computer

    For a computer intended for typing and accessing the Internet, the smallest modern one is sufficient. hard drives– 320-500 GB.

    For a multimedia computer (video, music, photos, simple games), it is advisable to have a hard drive with a capacity of 1000 GB (1 TB).

    A powerful gaming or professional computer may require a 2-4 TB drive (use your needs).

    Please note that the computer motherboard must support UEFI, otherwise operating system will not see the entire disk volume of more than 2 TB.

    If you want to increase the speed of the system, but are not ready to spend money on an additional SSD drive, then alternative option You can consider purchasing a hybrid SSHD drive with a capacity of 1-2 TB.

    6.2. Hard disk capacity (HDD) for a laptop

    If a laptop is used as an addition to the main computer, then a hard drive with a capacity of 320-500 GB will be sufficient. If a laptop is used as a main computer, then it may require a hard drive with a capacity of 750-1000 GB (depending on the use of the laptop).
    Hard drive Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E680 500GB

    You can also install an SSD drive in the laptop, which will significantly increase its speed and system responsiveness, or a hybrid SSHD drive, which is slightly faster than a regular HDD.
    Hard drive Seagate Laptop SSHD ST500LM021 500GB

    It is important to consider what thickness of disks your laptop supports. Discs with a thickness of 7 mm will fit into any model, but those with a thickness of 9 mm may not fit everywhere, although not many of them are produced anymore.

    6.3. Solid State Drive (SSD) Capacity

    Since SSD drives are not used for storing data, when determining their required capacity, you need to proceed from how much space the operating system installed on it will take up and whether you will install any other large programs and games on it.

    Modern operating systems (Windows 7,8,10) require about 40 GB of space to operate and grow with updates. In addition, you need to install at least the basic programs on the SSD, otherwise it won’t be of much use. Well for normal operation There should always be 15-30% free space on the SSD.

    For a multimedia computer (movies, simple games), the best option would be an SSD with a capacity of 120-128 GB, which will allow, in addition to the system and basic programs, to install several simple games on it. Since SSDs require not only quick opening folders, then the same powerful programs and it makes sense to install games on it, which will speed up the speed of their work.

    Heavy modern games take up a huge amount of space. Therefore, a powerful gaming computer requires a 240-512 GB SSD, depending on your budget.

    For professional tasks such as video editing high quality, or to set ten modern games you need an SSD with a capacity of 480-1024 GB, again depending on the budget.

    6.4. Data backup

    When choosing disk space, it is advisable to also take into account the need to create backup copy user files(video, photo, etc.) that will be stored on it. Otherwise, you risk instantly losing everything you have accumulated over the years. Therefore, it is often more advisable to purchase not one huge disk, but two smaller disks - one for work, the other (possibly external) for backing up files.

    7. Basic disk parameters

    The main parameters of disks, which are often indicated in price lists, include spindle speed and memory buffer size.

    7.1. Spindle speed

    The spindle has hard and hybrid disks based on magnetic platters (HDD, SSHD). Since SSD drives are built on memory chips, they do not have a spindle. The speed of the hard drive's spindle determines its operating speed.

    The spindle of hard drives for desktop computers generally has a rotation speed of 7200 rpm. Sometimes there are models with a spindle speed of 5400 rpm, which work slower.

    Laptop hard drives generally have a spindle speed of 5400 rpm, which allows them to be quieter, run cooler, and consume less power.

    7.2. Memory Buffer Size

    A buffer is a cache memory of a hard drive based on memory chips. This buffer is intended to speed up the hard drive, but it does not have a big impact (about 5-10%).

    Modern hard drives (HDD) have a buffer size of 32-128 MB. In principle, 32 MB is enough, but if the price difference is not significant, then you can take a hard drive with a larger buffer size. Optimal for today is 64 MB.

    8. Disk speed characteristics

    Speed ​​characteristics common to HDD, SSHD and SSD drives include speed linear reading/records and random access time.

    8.1. Linear reading speed

    Linear read speed is the main parameter for any disk and dramatically affects its operating speed.

    For modern hard and hybrid drives (HDD, SSHD), an average read speed of closer to 150 MB/s is a good value. You should not purchase hard drives with a speed of 100 MB/s or less.

    Solid state drives (SSD) are much faster and their read speed, depending on the model, is 160-560 MB/s. The optimal price/speed ratio is SSD drives with a read speed of 450-500 MB/s.

    As for HDD drives, sellers in price lists usually do not indicate their speed parameters, but only the volume. Later in this article I will tell you how to find out these characteristics. With SSD drives everything is simpler, since their speed characteristics are always indicated in the price lists.

    8.2. Linear write speed

    This is a secondary parameter after reading speed, which is usually indicated in tandem with it. For hard and hybrid drives (HDD, SSHD), the write speed is usually somewhat lower than the read speed and is not considered when choosing a disk, since they are mainly focused on the read speed.

    For SSD drives, the write speed can be either less than or equal to the read speed. In price lists, these parameters are indicated through a slash (for example, 510/430), where a larger number means read speed, a smaller number means write speed.

    For good fast SSDs it is about 550/550 MB/s. But in general, write speed has a much smaller effect on the speed of a computer than read speed. As a budget option, a little more is allowed low speed, but not lower than 450/350 Mb/s.

    8.3. Access time

    Access time is the second most important disk parameter after read/write speed. Access time has a particularly strong effect on the speed of reading/copying small files. The lower this parameter, the better. In addition, low access time indirectly indicates a higher quality hard disk drive (HDD).

    A good access time for a hard disk drive (HDD) is 13-15 milliseconds. Values ​​within 16-20 ms are considered a bad indicator. I will also tell you how to determine this parameter in this article.

    As for SSD drives, their access time is 100 times less than that of HDD drives, so this parameter is not indicated anywhere and is not paid attention to.

    Hybrid disks (SSHD), due to additional built-in flash memory, achieve lower access times than HDDs, which are comparable to SSDs. But due to the limited capacity of flash memory, lower access times are only achieved when accessing the most frequently accessed files that end up in that flash memory. Usually this system files, which provides higher computer boot speed and high system responsiveness, but does not fundamentally affect operation large programs and games, since they simply will not fit in the limited amount of fast memory of an SSHD disk.

    9. Manufacturers of hard drives (HDD, SSHD)

    The most popular hard drive manufacturers are the following:

    Seagate- produces some of the fastest drives today, but they are not considered the most reliable.

    Western Digital (WD)— are considered the most reliable and have a convenient classification by color.

    • WD Blue– budget general purpose drives
    • W.D. Green– quiet and economical (frequently switched off)
    • WD Black– fast and reliable
    • WD Red– for data storage systems (NAS)
    • WD Purple– for video surveillance systems
    • W.D. Gold– for servers
    • W.D. Re– for RAID arrays
    • W.D.Se– for scalable corporate systems

    Blue ones are the most common drives, suitable for inexpensive office and multimedia PCs. Black ones combine high speed and reliability; I recommend using them in powerful systems. The rest are intended for specific tasks.

    In general, if you want cheaper and faster, then choose Seagate. If it's cheap and reliable - Hitachi. Fast and reliable - Western Digital from the black series.

    Hybrid SSHD drives are now mainly produced by Seagete and they are of good quality.

    There are discs from other manufacturers on sale, but I recommend limiting yourself to the indicated brands, as there are fewer problems with them.

    10. Manufacturers of solid state drives (SSD)

    Among the manufacturers of SSD drives the following have proven themselves well:

    • Samsung
    • Intel
    • Crucial
    • SanDisk
    • Plextor

    More budget options can be considered:

    • Corsair
    • GoodRAM
    • A-DATA (Premier Pro)
    • Kingston (HyperX)

    11. SSD memory type

    SSD drives can be built on different types of memory:

    • 3 D NAND– fast and durable
    • MLC– good resource
    • V-NAND– average resource
    • TLC– low resource

    12. Hard drive speed (HDD, SSHD)

    We can find out all the parameters of SSD drives we need, such as capacity, speed and manufacturer, from the seller’s price list and then compare them by price.

    The parameters of HDD drives can be found out by the model or batch number on the manufacturers' websites, but in fact this is quite difficult, since these catalogs are huge, have a lot of incomprehensible parameters, which are called differently for each manufacturer, and also on English. Therefore, I offer you another method that I use myself.

    There is a program for testing hard drives HDTune. It allows you to determine parameters such as linear reading speed and access time. There are many enthusiasts who conduct these tests and post the results on the Internet. In order to find the test results of a particular hard drive model, just enter in the search Google images or Yandex its model number, which is indicated in the seller’s price list or on the disk itself in the store.

    This is what the disk test image from the search looks like.

    As you can see, this picture shows the average linear read speed and random access time, which are what interests us. Just make sure that the model number in the picture matches the model number of your drive.

    In addition, the graph can be used to roughly determine the quality of the disc. An uneven graph with large jumps and high access times indirectly indicate imprecise, low-quality disk mechanics.

    A beautiful cyclical or simply uniform graph without large jumps, combined with low access time, indicates precise, high-quality disk mechanics.

    Such a disk will work better, faster and last longer.

    13. Optimal disk

    So, which disk or disk configuration to choose for your computer, depending on its purpose. In my opinion, the following configurations will be the most optimal.

    • office PC – HDD (320-500 GB)
    • entry-level multimedia PC – HDD (1 TB)
    • mid-level multimedia PC – SSD (120-128 GB) + HDD (1 TB) or SSHD (1 TB)
    • Entry-level gaming PC – HDD (1 TB)
    • Mid-range gaming PC – SSHD (1 TB)
    • High-end gaming PC – SSD (240-512 GB) + HDD (1-2 TB)
    • professional PC – SSD (480-1024 GB) + HDD/SSHD (2-4 TB)

    14. Cost of HDD and SSD drives

    In conclusion, I want to talk a little about the general principles of choosing between more or less expensive disk models.

    The price of HDD disks depends most on the disk capacity and slightly on the manufacturer (by 5-10%). Therefore, it is not advisable to skimp on the quality of HDDs. Buy models from recommended manufacturers, even if they are a little more expensive, as they will last longer.

    The price of SSD drives, in addition to capacity and speed, also greatly depends on the manufacturer. Here I can give a simple recommendation - choose the cheapest SSD drive from the list of recommended manufacturers that suits you in terms of capacity and speed.

    15. Links

    Hard drive Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB
    Hard drive Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EZEX 1 TB
    Hard drive A-Data Ultimate SU650 120GB

    Probably every person who is familiar with computer equipment, knows or has at least heard about such a device as an SSD drive. What is it and what role does it play in the operation of a computer? In short, SSD is used to record and store the user's personal data. You could argue that that's what hard drives are for. And this statement will be absolutely correct, because these components of the computer perform identical functions. So why was the SSD invented, what is it, how does it work and how does it differ from a regular HDD? All these questions can be answered in this article.

    What is the difference between a hard drive and an SSD hard drive? What kind of device is this and what are the main principles of its operation?

    Today, the main place to store most files on a computer is the hard drive. If you take it apart, you will find a rather fragile mechanism inside. It consists of magnetic plates rotating on a special head. A carriage moves between these plates, which finds and reads necessary information. The hard drive mechanism resembles a gramophone, but these devices perform different functions. Unlike the mechanism of a musical device, the hard drive carriage moves at a speed of several thousand revolutions per minute and performs work related to copying and recording information.

    As for the SSD disk, or, as it is commonly called, a solid state drive, it is used for the same purposes as a hard disk. It just works completely differently. There are no moving elements inside this device, but special chips are installed to store information. A solid-state drive resembles a large flash drive that can be placed in place of a hard drive.

    Basic principles of operation of solid-state drives

    The memory of SSD disks consists of special blocks that are divided into cells where the necessary data is stored. Everything would be fine, but the main problem arises when you need to delete or re-record existing information. The fact is that it is impossible to delete part of the information from one block, but you have to format the entire sector. In this case, the necessary data is stored in the cells of neighboring blocks and only then overwritten in the old place. Suppose you need to save data of 10 KB in size. In this case, the memory block has a volume of 20 KB, 10 KB of which are already occupied. In this case, the information available on the disk is transferred to another location, the entire block is deleted, and only then the old and new data are written. It turns out that to carry out one operation, the system performs several additional actions, which leads to slower operation and accelerates the wear of the solid-state drive.

    To increase the performance of the device, it is necessary to use a special program called TRIM, or, as it is sometimes called, SSD trimming. What it is and how it works, we will consider further. TRIM is not even an application, but a special command that the operating system sends to the SSD to indicate unused elements. Thanks to this function, you can immediately delete unnecessary files, avoiding additional operations with transferring information to neighboring blocks. And this significantly increases SSD performance. But this command not supported outdated versions operating systems. Therefore, to connect TRIM, Windows 7 or 8, Linux version 2.66.33 or higher must be installed on the computer.

    What does an SSD consist of?

    Having studied the differences between the two types of information storage, we will dwell in more detail on how SSD solid-state drives are designed, what kind of devices they are and how they function. In appearance, this is an ordinary box with connectors for connecting to a computer. Basically, SSD drives for home use are equipped with Sata, USB 3.0 and PCI-Express interfaces, which easily provide the required writing and reading speeds.

    SSDs do not have any moving mechanical parts. Thanks to this, they are much more resistant to external factors. For example, an ordinary HDD disk is a rather fragile thing, because if during shaking or falling the read head comes into contact with the magnetic plate, this will lead to the failure of the media. But solid-state drives are designed completely differently. Inside these devices, special boards are installed on which memory chips and a controller are soldered. Some SSD drives are additionally equipped with compact batteries, which, in case of sudden shutdown electricity provides the cache with additional power, and the data is stored on the main memory chips. Now let's take a closer look at the main components of a solid-state drive.

    SSD memory: what is it and what are its main functions?

    Most SSD drives use NAND, or, as it is also called, flash memory. Similar chips are used in regular flash drives, only in solid-state drives they are more reliable and have greater speed due to the presence of a controller. Due to their low cost, they are widely used in SSDs, making these devices quite affordable for most users. Another advantage of this is that it is non-volatile and will not require additional power to operate.

    In addition to NAND technology, solid-state drives sometimes use RAM-SSD. This type of memory has a high speed of writing and reading data due to the use of chips used to create RAM. It will require a constant connection to electricity, so SSD drives that use RAM often have additional batteries installed in case of a sudden power outage. Due to the high cost of producing these drives, they are rarely found in home PCs and laptops. RAM-SSDs are mainly used in computer systems of large companies to increase the speed of working with databases.

    Today, most drives use NAND memory. Despite this, these SSD drives differ from each other in speed of writing, reading data and cost. It all depends on the chips used in the drive: SLC, TLC or SSD MLC. What is it and what is the difference between them? This is how different ones are designated. The most common technology is MLC, thanks to which two bits of information can be stored in one cell. TLC makes it possible to write as many as 3 bits, but this leads to faster cell wear, so this technology not very popular. The fastest and most durable is SLC memory, with which you can write only one bit of data in each cell. Among the disadvantages, one can highlight only the high cost, which is 2 times higher than the price of an MLC SSD.

    Controller

    The controller is the most important element, without which the SSD cannot function. What it is and what its role is, we will find out further. These devices perform the work of distributing the load between memory blocks, are responsible for reading and writing information, error correction and file compression. The controller resembles a command center where decisions related to data processing are made. The speed of operation of the solid-state drive and its durability depend on this detail. The main component of the controllers is a special microprocessor, which bears the entire load. Also, the performance of the device depends on the quality of the firmware.

    Quite a lot of companies are engaged in the production of SSD drives, because the technology for their production is quite simple and requires less time than creating a classic hard drive. All you need is to purchase memory chips, controllers and boards where everything will be soldered. After this, the structure is placed in beautiful body with a company logo - and the product is ready for sale. But the components themselves for solid-state drives have a high price, and the creation of a controller and high-quality firmware for it will require large expenses. Because of this, the cost of SSD drives today is much higher than conventional HDDs.

    Hybrid SSD HDD

    Now let's look at the hybrid SSD HDD. What is this device and what is it intended for? Every year, solid state drives are gaining more and more popularity. Technology does not stand still, and standard hard drives are gradually replacing more technologically advanced systems. SDD drives are present in many computers, but are used not as the main storage of information, but as an additional one. And all because their cost is significantly higher compared to conventional hard drives. To compensate for this gap between the two types of drives, a hybrid HDD SSD was created. Let’s try to consider in more detail what kind of device this is and what advantages it has.

    The hybrid drive is based on the same HDD without any changes. But chips with flash memory are also installed in the body of these drives, which are used as a buffer zone. The information that is most frequently used is copied to it. This made it possible to increase the loading speed of some applications and the operating system itself when compared with conventional hard drives. The maximum amount of flash memory in such hybrid SSDs is 8GB. What was the result? In fact, we have something between a hard drive and a small solid-state drive. You cannot load data or install applications into buffer memory. It is used as a reserve for running priority programs that the user cannot control independently. As for the price, the cost of hybrid drives is lower than standard SSDs, but higher than HDDs; moreover, they are not very popular in our country, so they are not sold everywhere.

    Benefits of a Solid State Drive

    An integral part of a modern computer is an SSD drive. We have found out what kind of device this is and how it works, all that remains is to highlight its main pros and cons compared to conventional HDDs. Let's start with the positive aspects of SSDs.

    The most important advantage of an SSD is its incredible storage of information. They are several times more productive than hard drives. For example, the data processing speed of some drives exceeds 500 MB/s. In practice this gives more fast work programs and the operating system itself, which boots in a matter of seconds. This is very important, because the current generation of computers has high performance, which is greatly slowed down by HDDs. But with the advent of new drives, their speed has increased significantly.

    Another advantage of SSD devices is their higher resistance to external factors. They do not have such a fragile mechanism as hard drives. Thanks to this, they can easily withstand shaking, vibration and moderate impacts to the body. These devices will be an excellent solution for laptops. In addition, they cope better with temperature changes.

    Another advantage of SSD is its quietness and low power consumption. Due to the fact that in hard drives There are moving mechanical elements, they produce a certain level of noise. In addition, in working HDD condition have a fairly high temperature, so the coolers have to rotate at an accelerated rate. But all these problems are absent from SSDs, which do not heat up, do not make noise and consume less electricity.

    Flaws

    Having assessed all the advantages of solid-state drives, it remains to find out what weaknesses the SSD hard drive has. What are these flaws? The first of them is the high cost of such drives. Despite the simplicity of their design, manufacturing flash memory chips and controllers is quite an expensive business. But there is no need to be upset about this, because technology is constantly developing, and the price of these goods is gradually decreasing. In a couple of years, they may well be equal in price to HDDs.

    After the first drawback, a second one can be identified. Due to their high cost, SSDs have lower storage capacity than HDDs. For example, the memory capacity of some HDDs is 8 TB, while SDDs only reach 1 TB.

    SSD memory is short-lived and will fail after a certain number of write cycles. Although the current generation of these devices has a fairly long service life, you must be prepared for the fact that one day the drive will stop working, and it will be problematic to restore information.

    I would like to add that SSDs do not tolerate power surges quite well. If after one of these voltage drops it burns out, then it will be impossible to obtain data. In the case of an HDD disk, a certain sector in it will fail, but most of it will remain intact, thanks to which all undamaged information can be retrieved.

    What should you pay attention to when buying an SSD?

    Having studied the information about solid-state drives, many users probably wanted to purchase this device for their computer. But you don’t have to immediately run to the store and grab the first product that comes your way. Here are some tips to help you choose an SSD.

    First you need to pay attention to the size of the SSD. What is it? In other words, this is the amount of built-in. The higher its value, the more information can be recorded. But you don’t need to buy the most expensive products, because solid-state drives are mainly used for installing operating systems and applications on them, and the main storage location is still the hard drive. By equipping your system with an SSD of only 60-120 GB, you can achieve a significant increase in the performance of your computer.

    Reading and copying speed plays an important role. The higher it is, the better, but it happens that the motherboard cannot reveal the full potential of the SSD drive due to the low bus bandwidth. It happens that there is no point in installing fast drives in old laptops or PCs at all, because even after the update the system will work the same as on a regular HDD. Therefore, it is worth studying the configuration of your computer, and only then go to the store. The largest ones are, and for outdated IDE ports you will need a special adapter to install an SSD.

    The most important component of any SSD is the controller. It is this detail that controls all processes associated with information processing. The durability of the entire device depends on how well it is made, so it is recommended to give preference to proven and proven manufacturers. The leaders in production are SandForce, Marvell, Intel, Indilinx.

    Finally, you should pay attention to the dimensions of the drive. For a PC this is not so important, because in system unit You can install any SSD, but problems may arise with laptops.

    Basic rules for using solid-state drives

    After looking at reviews from users and experts, we can conclude that an SSD hard drive is an integral part of a modern computer. We have already looked at what it is and how it works. Now you need to learn how to use it correctly. As strange as it may sound, in order to understand all the advantages of solid-state drives, you need to follow a few simple rules.

    There is no need to fill all available memory to capacity. Many people neglect this rule, because SSDs are quite expensive, so users buy small drives and completely load them with necessary and not so necessary information. But we must remember that if you leave less than 25% of free space, the data processing speed will decrease significantly. The fact is that the more memory, the higher the number of free blocks where data can be written. When there is too little space left, information is distributed across the cells of neighboring blocks, and this leads to a decrease in performance.

    It is worth remembering that using solid-state drives you can significantly increase the performance of your computer, so it is recommended to install the operating system, applications and demanding games on them. But you should use HDD as the main storage of information. This will be more economical and practical, because they can easily cope with playing audio and video files no worse than SSDs.

    It is best to have one of the latest versions of operating systems installed on your computer. For example, Windows XP or Vista are poorly optimized for working with solid-state drives and do not support the TRIM command.

    The abbreviation SSD stands for “Solid-State Drive,” which roughly translates as a solid-state drive or drive.

    We will, of course, look at the main characteristics similar devices in this article, but I would like to do this based on a real example. Such a case recently, very opportunely, presented itself to me, as my work hard drive began to show obvious signs dying (a wedge appeared, which manifested itself in the spontaneous freezing of the entire system, accompanied by a characteristic click).

    It so happened that our company (for testing) bought one SSD drive (aka - solid state hard disk) and, for the reason stated above, it turned out to be mine! :)

    Well, it would be a sin not to take advantage of such a moment and not spend comparative testing this SSD hard drive and its predecessors designed based on the .

    We unpacked the new product, our entire IT department huddled around it :)


    From the markings on the box it follows that this is a solid-state drive from Plextor, with a capacity of 64 gigabytes, equipped with an external SATA connection interface and a maximum transfer speed of 6Gb/s (gigabits per second). This will be somewhere around the theoretical maximum of the third generation SATA interface (600 megabytes per second).

    Remember what we talked about interface speeds and their history in?

    Form factor of our solid state drive as can be seen from its size and the inscription on the box - 2.5 inches. That is, it can be installed with equal success on both desktop computers and laptops. More expensive models come complete with a special mount that allows you to install the device in 3.5-inch bays. In our case, the kit only includes sealed plastic packaging :)

    Here are a couple of photos so you can estimate the size of the SSD hard drive:


    It is a little less than a centimeter thick. And here - in comparison with a “regular” hard drive:


    Moreover, the mass of an SSD is absolutely not comparable to its “bigger” brother. Compared to him, he is a piece of fluff. After all, there are no moving mechanical parts that need to be protected from external influences, which means there is no point in making a thick metal base case. The outer covering is aluminum and plastic, so the weight is appropriate: 75 grams. The device supply voltage is five volts.

    The estimated uptime (as stated by the manufacturer) is 1,500,000 hours, and the official guarantee indicated on the box is three years. From which we can conclude that the drive must be quite reliable. Is this really true? Time will show:)

    It is not a rewarding task to talk about value in such a rapidly changing market as the market information technology, but at the time of writing this article, the price of this solution was around eighty dollars.

    In general, what is essentially a solid-state SSD drive? This is a large flash drive (equipped with a high-speed SATA interface) with quick access, a cache of a certain amount and a specialized data transmission and processing controller responsible for optimal performance carrier.

    A solid state drive (Solid State Drive), unlike an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), has a number of obvious advantages (along with implicit disadvantages), but first things first. Let's start with something pleasant :)

    SSD hard drives are characterized by:

    1. short access time to data (regardless of its fragmentation and location)
    2. the same speed for any sampling sequence, since the organization of information storage here is a matrix of flash memory cells from which sampling occurs.
    3. absence of moving parts, which means complete absence of noise
    4. resistance to various vibrations and physical impacts
    5. lower (relative to HDD drives up to 30%) energy consumption

    This is what the SSD looks like when disassembled:



    At the top left is the microcircuit RAM(DDR3), which is the drive’s cache, and on the right is the “Western Digital” device control controller. Below are eight fast NAND flash memory chips (eight gigabytes each), which in total make up total capacity This solid state drive is 64 gigabytes.

    Here is another photo to consolidate the image, so to speak :)



    Let's say a few words about the memory chip itself. This is not exactly a cache, more precisely, it caches (remembers) data, but not at all to speed up the operation of the device, and information about allocation tables and erased/occupied cells is dynamically recorded here. The addresses of worn-out flash memory cells, where recording can no longer be carried out, are also recorded here.

    Now, as for the controller: its main task (as we already mentioned) is to provide read and write operations, but it is also responsible for managing the data layout structure. Using his wear control tables, he “looks” at which cells have already been recorded and which have not yet been recorded and equalizes these indicators.

    Thus, the controller provides maximum long term service of our SSD drive, causing its cells to wear out evenly. Therefore, a properly programmed and configured controller can significantly change both individual speed indicators and the durability of the device as a whole.

    So, let's continue the review! On the back of our box solid state SSD drive, we found an interesting table from the point of view of information content:



    Which useful information can we learn from here? Firstly: an indication of the size of the memory chip (cache) of the disk. We see that for models with a capacity of 64 gigabytes it is equal to 128 megabytes, for a capacity of 128 gigabytes it is 256 megabytes, and for 256 gigabytes it is 512 megabytes of ultra-fast RAM, which is used for the needs of the media itself.

    The “Performance” section shows us the linear (sequential) speed value reading from a solid state drive - “Read Speed” (520 megabytes per second) and speed records to disk “Write Speed” (90, 200 and 390 megabytes per second for different SSD capacities, respectively).

    Also pay attention to the interesting inscription at the very bottom, which says that in the ATTO Disk and Crystal Disk Mark performance determination programs (benchmarks), the disk subsystem shows the best performance index.

    Let's test this moment! And let's start with the CrystalDiskMark program.

    But first - a little background. The fact is that for more complete testing, I collected (connected) a small collection of hard drives on my work computer, which, by a happy coincidence, were within my reach and it would just be a shame not to “drive” them :)

    So, the following people take part in our testing:

    • Plextor 64Gb M5S SATA solid state hard drive SSD - new
    • Seagate Barracuda capacity of one terabyte SATA 7200 rpm - practically new
    • Western Digital 320 Gb IDE 7200 rpm - new

    Note: abbreviation RPM stands for (round per minute - revolutions per minute) and characterizes the speed of the spindle of the hard drive. In general, the more, the better. The standard values ​​are 5400 and 7200 rpm. There are high-speed devices with speeds of 10,000 and 15,000 rpm, but they are extremely expensive and can be used at home or office computers are not used.

    As you can see, the company we selected was very worthy. Discs are not worn out. And I specifically wanted to test drives with different data transfer interfaces. Remember what we talked about working with in a separate article?


    Testing an SSD drive

    So, let's start our testing using CrystalDiskMark.

    We launch the program and see this simple window:



    The photo above already shows the results of testing our SSD drive. Let's use them to look at the interface of this simple but useful program.

    In the upper left corner there is a button labeled “All”, clicking on which starts the testing procedure. To the right of it is a drop-down list through which we can specify the number of “passes” of the test before displaying the final result. The default value here is “5”. Next is the size of the test file that will be written to disk. It is based on the results of its recording that the program will judge the linear (sequential) speeds of write and read operations on the media. Even further to the right is a list from which you can select the hard drive itself that we will test.

    As you can see, my SSD drive acts as a system partition (drive “C”).

    So, we figured out the main parameters. Now let's look at the results themselves. We have two columns here: “ Read MB/s"(reading speed, megabytes per second), " Write MB/s"(write speed, megabytes per second).

    According to the first line, as we can see, our solid-state drive produced 237 megabytes per second (for reading) and 102 megabytes per second (for writing). This is for a file of 100 megabytes. The second and third lines show speeds when working with small pieces of data (512 and 4 kilobytes, respectively). The general principle here is this: the more files and the smaller the size of each of them, the more time the hard drive needs for any operations on them.

    Let's remember (write down) these values ​​and select another drive (E) for testing. For me it will be a SATA hard drive with a capacity of one terabyte. And here are the results he showed:



    As you can see, they are an order of magnitude lower than those of an SSD hard drive, but they are also not very bad!

    Now let's see what our third participant will show - a 320 GB hard drive with an IDE interface?



    You can compare the results obtained with each other and draw conclusions based on them. You can also download “Crystal Disk Mark” from our website and conduct the test yourself on your system, comparing its results with those that I received.

    I would like to immediately bring to your attention another program that is designed specifically for measuring the speed of SSD drives. It has several more useful functions in its arsenal. Let's take a closer look at it:



    The photo above shows the results of my disk test for reading (Read) and writing (Write). Notice the highlighted area at the top left. Here we can see the firmware version of the controller - 1.00 and check whether our operating system has aligned (laid out) the solid-state drive correctly? If there is “OK” here, then everything is fine.

    The “Access Time” field shows us the time spent by the device to access the requested data. The “Score” line displays the overall summary of the measurement results. The so-called "parrots". Remember how in the cartoon? :)

    The program can build us a graph for clarity. To do this, go to the “Tools” menu and select “Compression-Benchmark”.



    After this, the following window will open:



    In it we will need to click the “Start” button and wait for the end of the graph construction procedure. If you want you can download this utility.

    Well? Does God love a trinity? :) I can’t help but introduce you to another wonderful program for testing and obtaining comprehensive information about data storage devices installed in your computer. The program is called “HD Tune Pro” and is also remarkable because it has a Russified interface, so working with it is a pleasure.

    This is what one of its tabs looks like with a benchmark (performance assessment) of the disk system:



    The photo above shows the test results of my Plextor SSD. What is good about this particular program? The fact that it shows not only numerical values, but also draws us a graph in real time, according to which we can judge changes in certain parameters in dynamics and observe some trend. We will see this clearly in the following screenshots.

    What do we see here? Maximum, minimum and average reading speed values ​​(we obtained similar values ​​in the previous test). New parameter - disk access time and load percentage. There is a separate switch for measuring the speed of reading and writing to the disk.

    Well, let's compare the performance with our terabyte SATA drive:



    As you can see, the difference is obvious! Particularly interesting is the graph that shows the difference in reading speed at the beginning of the disk and closer to its end (process dynamics). If we look at the graph of a solid-state SSD drive, we will see that its “cardiogram” is almost flat and there are no drops in speed.

    Also pay attention to such a function as the hard drive temperature indicator, available in this program for HDD drives.

    So, let's explore our "dinosaur" from Western Digital :)



    As expected, the main indicators are much more modest, but I was surprised by the stability of the reading speed over almost the entire surface of the disk. Only at the very end did it noticeably decrease. Also here we see the lowest CPU load among all our test subjects.

    Let's move on to the next tab of the HD Tune Pro program, which is called "Random Access". The photo below shows the number of I/O operations that our solid-state hard drive produces per second for data blocks of different sizes (IOPS - Input Output Per Second), average and maximum time data access and reading speed.



    Let's look at the results of the hard drive from Seagate (Seagate 1 terabyte):



    Do you see how big a difference there is in the results? Let's see what Western Digital will demonstrate (320 gigabyte IDE):



    You can see everything for yourself. In general, the HD Tune Pro program is very good and useful. In addition to the “benchmarks” themselves, she can show us our drive (they are located on the “Health” tab). You can also enable real-time disk monitoring and scan the drive surface for the presence of (bad blocks).

    You can conduct your own testing of this program or compare it with my indicators.

    Let's look at another tab of the program - "File Benchmark". The principle of its operation is somewhat similar to that used in “CrystalDiskMark”, which we discussed in the middle of the article.



    The test is launched by pressing the “Start” button, but before that you can configure its parameters: select the device that we will test, indicate the size of the file to be written to the disk and what type of data will it contain?

    On the left we see the already familiar graph-cardiogram of work, and below are reading and writing speed indicators, as well as the number of I/O operations performed by the drive.

    Let's compare the graph above, which was for an SSD hard drive with our terabyte capacity:



    Below is our “WD”.



    Here, I think, there is nothing unexpected and this drive legitimately takes its honorable third place :) The winner, by all indicators, is unconditionally the SSD solid-state drive from Plextor.

    Since the article already turned out to be quite voluminous, I decided to split it into two parts and talk about the shortcomings, general principles of operation of solid-state drives designed on the basis of flash memory, and my subjective feelings from using such a device, which will soon appear on our website .

    A short video about how SSD drives are produced:

    The appearance on the market of a relatively new data storage technology raises many questions among users. What is an SSD? Is it worth installing it instead of the usual hard drive? Is he as good as they say he is? After reading this article to the end, you will answer all the questions posed, which will allow you to decide whether you need to change anything in the operation of your computer.

    Let's start with a concept: an SSD is a solid-state drive that uses NAND memory, which does not require electricity to save data. Essentially, an SSD is a capacious flash drive that is characterized by high speed of writing and reading information.

    Comparison with HDD

    To draw parallels with a regular hard drive, you first need to delve a little deeper into the theory and see how the HDD works.

    HDD is a set of metal disks rotating on a spindle. Information is written to the surface of the disks by a small mechanical head. When you copy something, you create new file or you start the program, the head moves, looking for the recording location. For clarity, imagine vinyl record– only instead of a needle there will be a mechanical reading head.

    Solid state drives do not have any moving mechanical parts.

    Other benefits of SSD:

    • Quick response to user actions.
    • Silent work.
    • Low power consumption (half that of HDD).
    • No overheating.

    These are just the main advantages of solid-state drives that the user can “feel”. However, many users continue to ask the question of which is better HDD or SSD, so let's compare the characteristics of these two types of drives:

    1. The speed of SSD operation is higher, since the mechanical search stage disappears the right place on the surface of the disk. Data access time is reduced by 100 times - a system installed on an SSD begins to literally fly compared to using a HDD.
    2. The absence of mechanical moving parts contributes to the silent operation of the drive and increases its life expectancy. HDD most often fails due to mechanical damage - this problem does not exist with SSDs.
    3. The SSD temperature is always kept at the optimal level, even if it is not cooled with a cooler. The HDD overheats without cooling, which leads to software and hardware problems.

    But let's be objective: SSDs also have disadvantages. First of all, this is the price, which still remains quite high and directly depends on the volume. Another problem is the limit on the number of rewrite cycles. The HDD can be filled with data and cleared as much as you like; SSDs have a limitation, but in practice it is difficult to achieve.

    All SSD drives have a warranty life of 3-5 years, but they usually last much longer, so you shouldn’t focus on these numbers.

    If you cannot choose between SSD and HDD, then there is a hybrid option - SSHD. Such drives combine the advantages of both technologies, but you will notice the increase in operating speed only when loading the operating system. Data writing and reading will be performed at the same level as that of an HDD, so such hybrids are not particularly popular among users.

    Selection rules

    So, you’ve decided that it’s time to ditch the outdated hard drive and install a solid-state drive in your computer - you’ve figured out why it’s needed and what advantages it has over an HDD. However, another question arises here: how to choose an SSD?

    Stores offer drives with different form factors, controllers, and prices, so it's hard to figure out what's right for you. In order not to feel insecure in a conversation with a consultant who will probably want to sell SSD is more expensive, try to select a drive based on the parameters below.

    Volume

    As already noted, one of the main disadvantages of SSDs is the price, which is strictly tied to the storage capacity. The minimum capacity today is 60 GB. Considering that installed Windows 7 requires 16-20 GB depending on the bit depth, it becomes clear that 60 GB is only enough to install the system and a dozen programs necessary for operation.

    If you want to record games and heavy graphic applications such as Corel or Photoshop, then consider drives with a capacity of more than 120 GB.

    Speed

    Any drive (SSD is no exception) has two speed indicators: writing and reading. The higher these values, the better, but remember that the characteristics usually indicate maximum speed. The real meaning can only be learned in practice using special programs. If the drive has been on the market for a long time, then on the Internet you can try to find its speed tests from users.

    Interface and form factor

    Most modern SSD drives are manufactured in the 2.5 form factor with support for the SATA 3 interface. But there may be other, more expensive options:

    • PCI card installed directly into the motherboard slot.
    • External SSD drive.
    • Disk with mSATA interface for installation in laptops and compact computers.

    As for the interface: everything new SSDs are available with a SATA 3 interface, but if you have an older controller (first or second generation) installed on your motherboard, then the drive can still be connected. However, there is one limitation: the baud rate is determined by the smallest value. That is, if you connect SATA 3 to SATA 2, the speed will be determined by the throughput of SATA 2.

    HDDs for computers have a 3.5-inch form factor, but to install a 2.5 SSD you will need a special adapter, often called a “sled”. It is a small shelf made of metal, which is suspended at the place where the disk is installed.

    By the way, using a special adapter you can install an SSD instead of a DVD in a laptop. Many users remove the unused drive and install a solid-state drive in its place, on which the operating system is then installed. A standard laptop hard drive is at the same time completely erased and then used as storage for personal files.

    Memory and controller

    There are three types of memory, differing in the number of bits of information in one cell - SLC (1 bit), MLC (2 bits) and TLC (3 bits). The first type is outdated and is now practically not used, so if you see it in the characteristics, pass by such a drive.

    MLC is the most common in at the moment memory type, select it. It has its drawbacks, but there is no adequate alternative yet, since TLC is just beginning to appear on the SSD market and is still very expensive.

    The situation is similar with controllers: the most popular among manufacturers and widespread among users is SandForce technology, which increases disk performance by compressing data before recording.

    But SandForce controllers have one drawback that may seem significant to some: if the drive is filled to the limit with information, then after cleaning it the write speed does not return to original condition, that is, it becomes lower. However, this problem can be solved simply: do not fill the memory to the last byte, and the speed will not drop.

    There are other, more expensive options: Intel, Indilinx, Marvell. If your budget allows, it is better to pay attention to solid-state drives with controllers from these companies.

    Manufacturer

    The last parameter that requires your attention is the manufacturer. Of course, on various forums you can find many posts saying that it is better to choose Kingston or, say, Silicon Power, since they specialize in the production of different types of drives.

    However, this is not an entirely true statement: there are much fewer companies actually producing NAND flash memory than there are brands on the market. The following have their own production (and development department):

    • Intel.
    • Samsung.
    • SanDisk.
    • Crucial.

    OCZ, for example, did not have any developments until recently and only recently acquired controller manufacturer Indilinx. Therefore, it is better to pay attention to the above characteristics, and keep the manufacturers in mind last.

    Working with a SSD

    After a successful purchase and successful installation of the system on the SSD, you will turn on the computer and be surprised at how quickly everything began to work. To maintain such agility as long as possible, follow simple rules for using solid state drives:

    • Install a system that supports the TRIM command (Windows 7 and higher, Mac OS X 10.6.6, Linux 2.6.33).
    • Try not to fill the disk completely - the recording speed will decrease and will not recover (relevant for the SandForce controller).
    • Store personal files on HDD. Don't remove the hard drive if it's working - store music, movies, photos and other data on it that doesn't require high speed access.
    • Increase the amount of RAM and avoid using the page file if possible.

    By following these simple rules, you will extend the life of your SSD and avoid premature slowdown.

    Solid state drives, also known as SSDs, are actively taking away market share in the personal computer market from standard hard drives (HDDs). In recent years, this trend has been especially noticeable due to the falling cost of such storage devices. The price of SSD drives continues to be higher than that of HDDs, if we talk about variations of the same volume, but the advantages of solid-state information storage justify it.

    Pros and cons of SSD drives

    Before purchasing an SSD drive, you need to evaluate the pros and cons that the user will receive from such a solution. The obvious advantages of solid-state drives over HDD drives include the following:


    The disadvantages of SSD drives include the high cost and difficulty of purchasing such large-capacity drives.

    How to choose an SSD drive

    SSDs from various manufacturers are available on the market. One company may have several lines of SSD drives, which vary in cost. When selecting an SSD, it is important to pay attention to the main parameters, choosing the best options for your tasks.

    SSD capacity

    The main parameter when choosing a solid-state drive is its capacity. On the market you can find models with different free space for storing information, and before purchasing it is important to decide for what purpose the drive will be used.

    Most often, SSD drives are purchased to increase the loading speed and operation of the operating system. If only Windows, Linux, or another system will be installed on the disk, it makes sense to choose a 128 GB or 256 GB drive, depending on how much information the user stores in system folders, for example, “My Documents”. On average, the operating system takes up 40-60 GB (if we are talking about Windows).

    If you are purchasing a solid state drive as the only storage device in your computer, you should choose SSD size, depending on the purpose of the PC and the activity of work on it.

    SSD speed

    The parameter that the disk manufacturer pays special attention to is operating speed. On the box of each solid-state drive you can see information about how fast the information storage device works for writing and reading. However, such figures are in most cases a marketing ploy, and in reality they are much lower. This is due to the fact that the disk manufacturer indicates the maximum sequential read/write speed, which does not play a big role in standard computer work.

    At choosing an SSD disk, you need to pay attention to its speed in random operations of writing and reading blocks of information of 4K size. It is with such data that the drive in a computer has to work 90% of the time, occasionally reaching peak values. You can find out information about the actual operating speed of an SSD using various programs, so before purchasing a drive, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with tests on the Internet for a specific drive model.

    Please note: In most cases, the fastest drives in standard tasks those that have a high maximum sequential read/write speed, but this is not always the case. In addition, the values ​​​​specified by the SSD manufacturer may be overestimated.

    SSD connection interface

    SSD drives can be connected to a computer via one of the following interfaces:

    • SATA 2;
    • SATA 3;
    • PCIe-E.

    Most fast models use the SATA 3 interface, which has increased bandwidth.

    As for PCIe-E SSD drives, it is almost impossible to find them on sale. Such drives are used for specific tasks when it is not possible to connect an accessory via SATA of any version. Using a PCIe-E connector is impractical in terms of its bandwidth.

    SSD memory chip

    Depending on the memory chip used in the information storage, the number of bits in one cell, the speed of the drive and the number of possible overwrites of information vary. In SSDs you can find SLC, MLC and TLC chips. Their comparative characteristics are given in the table:

    Most often you can find on sale solid state drives made on MLC chips. This is justified by the cost of their production and characteristics. Drives with SLC chips are more often used for servers, and SSDs based on them are expensive. As for TLC memory chips, they are common in removable media information (flash drives) that do not require as many write/read cycles as SSD drives installed on the computer.

    SSD controller

    The stability and competence of the controller in a solid-state drive largely determines its speed, durability, support for additional technologies, and many others. basic parameters. You need to choose SSDs that have a drive installed from one of the leading companies in this field: Intel, Marvell, Sandforce or Indilinx.

    Please note: If a disk indicates high operating speed, but it has a bad controller from an unknown company, there is a high probability that such a drive will not work for long or will have problems when writing/reading information. This is why it is not recommended to buy “no-name SSDs”, about which there is no information other than the maximum sequential read/write parameters.

    Additional SSD options and parameters

    When purchasing SSDs, you may notice various items and options listed in their specifications. Let's decipher the most common of them:

    • IOPS– this indicator indicates how many operations per second the drive is capable of performing. You should pay attention to it, since in most cases it can tell more about the real speed of the disk than information about the maximum read/write parameters;
    • MTBF– operating time of a solid-state drive before failure. Measured this parameter in hours, and not all drive manufacturers indicate it. MTBF is calculated based on tests performed, during which the disks are loaded until they fail, after which the average values ​​are calculated;
    • TRIM– an option that is present in the controller of almost all SSDs. It implies that the “brain” of the drive will always be aware of which cells have been cleared of the information previously contained in them, thereby giving the disk the opportunity to use them;
    • S.M.A.R.T.– a diagnostic option that is present in almost every solid-state storage device. It is necessary so that the disk can independently assess its condition, thereby approximately calculating the time before failure;
    • Garbage Collection– an option designed for automatic cleaning memory from “phantom” files and other “garbage”.

    The myth that SSDs work several times less than HDDs has long been dispelled. With standard loading, solid-state hard drives can be used for 10 years or more without problems.

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