A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device, typically used in a computer. It uses flash memory to store data even after power is turned off. SSDs are designed to access data in the same way as traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). A HDD can usually be directly replaced with a SSD.
If you’re thinking of getting a Solid State Drive (SSD) for your desktop or laptop computer, here are a few things you should know before taking the plunge. In general, SSD are hard drives without any moving parts. It’s like a memory card used in (but on steroids).
The lack of moving parts allows data to be transferred at maximum speeds.Some of you may think that it is expensive and may be unwilling to upgrade, unaware of the improvement it could afford you. Others might also feel that a 128GB or 256GB capacity is insufficient for all their programs and files. Whatever your concerns are, we will try our best to explain the common concerns one has towards buying a solid state drive.Here are five things you should know about solid state drives.Recommended Reading: 1. Speedy Performance ExpectationsIf you are thinking about upgrading your current desktop or laptop with a solid state drive here’s what you should expect to see from the first reboot.
Startups will be a lot faster, especially with the improved start up coding in. Programs and files will launch or load faster, and your search results will also turn up faster. For those with loud laptops, you might notice the drop in the sound department, as SSD do not contain moving parts.(Image Source: )However, to be clear, having a SSD on your system will not allow you to render a video while playing a PC game. It will also not make a game’s graphics smoother or load webpages faster. It’s important that you manage your expectations well within reason. One good thing that you will probably notice on the long run is that, SSD also uses less electrical power than conventional hard drives do – this means longer battery life for laptops.
OS & App MigrationIf you are getting the SSD with a brand new laptop, you can skip on to the next section. This section is for those who are doing an upgrade with the SSD. You’ll need to look into the migration of your current operating system as well as your applications.Some SSD manufacturers include disk cloning or migration software, a software that clones or migrates your entire operating system drive into your solid state drive. The box comes with the CD and a device that allows you to connect your SSD to your PC via USB for the migration process. Once you’re done, you can then install the SSD into your system and it’ll be ready to go.(Image Source: )However, migration is not recommended. Transferring all the contents without installing programs properly may lead to problems. The best way about it is to reinstall your operating system and reinstall all your necessary programs after that.
Prices Don’t (Really) Burn Your PocketWhen Solid State Drives first came out in the market, it was very expensive and it became the item that only enthusiasts will buy and benefit from. However, prices have been dropping year after year, and many brands have come up with consumer grade SSDs which are cheaper yet provides great performance.You can easily tell them apart by the price when (for example) a 64GB SSD costs as much as a 128GB drive – the 64GB drive is for ‘pro’ users. Solid State Drives today come in a variety of storage capacities: from 20GB all the way to 1TB. The way to get your money’s worth is to determine the price per GB and also how much storage space you require.
The sweet spot would be about $0.80-0.85 per GB and maybe even less when it’s on sale.Treat it as a long term investment for your system and research on particular brands and models that are nicely priced for your budget. There are plenty of websites or that have performance and user reviews for popular brands and models of SSDs. Storage LimitationsIdeally, 128GB (and in some situations 64GB) is enough for the operating system, programs and some games. You shouldn’t store media (like music, videos or pictures) on a Solid State Drive because the fuller the SSD gets, the slower it will run.You won’t feel a significant change when starting your PC or launching programs, but file transfer speeds might slow down a little, which is why a SSD should be used only for the installation of operating system and applications.Another reason not to store media on SSDs is because the more you write (or transfer files) into the drive, the shorter your SSD lifespan is. However, heavy stress tests on SSD by manufacturers have concluded that 10GB of writing every day would still need 10 years to do your SSD in.Laptop users worried about storage space can look for a compatible laptop caddy to replace their laptop’s CD drive.
This allows the user to install their existing drive, giving them two hard drives where your formatted existing drive is used mainly for storage. Alternatively, you could turn to to save space on your system. Installation & WarrantyIf you know how to install a hard drive onto your desktop PC, then installing a Solid State Drive should not be a problem; it is practically the same. However, there are a few things to note when installing a SSD onto a laptop.Laptops are all built differently and some might require you to unscrew a lot to install a SSD.
Here’s where it gets a little technical. It is also very important that you access your BIOS and change or configure the SATA settings from IDE to AHCI.It is sometimes called SATA Mode Selection or SATA Mode. Each system will name it differently but you’ll easily find it with a little exploring around the BIOS. This ensures that you get maximum performance from your SSD.(Image Source: )Where possible, do check with your local shop to see if they can install it for you. Asking them to do it for you also ensures that you do not void your laptop warranty.Most Solid State Drives also come with a number of years of warranty. Obviously no one wants to go through the warranty process, so it is advisable to follow these to ensure you get a long lifespan with speedy performance out of your Solid State Drive.
Are SSD hard drives faster?Throughout the past decade, we have noticed a rapid acceleration in the speeds of the different parts that make up the personal computer, both desktop and laptops. The processor, the RAM, as well as the graphics card have also gained speed, but throughout many years, the principal storage device, the hard drive, has seen a stagnation on a technological standpoint.With an average speed of 7,200 revolutions per minute for a magnetic hard drive, the latency period is roughly four milliseconds, dropping the performance of the other components. For laptop computers, this performance is especially weak, as the reduced space generally limits the speed of the hard drive to 5,400 revolutions per minute. The arrival of the SSD drive revolutionised this aspect because this new technology allowed for the access time to achieve 0.1 milliseconds, due to the absence of mechanical movement.
What are the main advantages of SSDs over HDDs?Thanks to flash memory, what we find in mobile phones, tablets, SD cards, USB sticks, and even all Apple laptops, have successfully improved their performance in comparison to electromagnetic hard drives.In addition, to the considerable gain in transfer speed which can attain 500 Mb/s on the SATA III interface, the physical nature of the SSD hard drive guarantees an enhanced strength compared to the traditional hard drive. The plates made of glass and scanned by a reader head are quite fragile, while the SSD hard drive does not actually have a drive, but rather has flash chips. In fact, the SSD is the most resistant to potential shocks and to vibrations while still having the advantage of being completely silent.For an office computer or a laptop, the SSD hard drive maintains the same performance.
Superstamps download music. It requires less space, which is why it is possible today to develop particularly thin ultrabooks that weigh very little, perfect for professionals and individuals. Lifespan of the SSD driveWhile the lifespan of a, and therefore, contribute to errors, the SSD hard drive offers a lifespan limited by nature. In fact, each cell has a limited number of writing-erase cycles.For an MLC (Multi Level Cell) SSD hard drive, which means that each cell can support several bits (information units), the cycle oscillates between 5,000 and 10,000. This technology is used by the large majority of commercialised models, it promises a span that largely surpasses five years. The modern operating systems, Windows 10, Linux 4.13.2, etc., improve the life span, thanks to an optimisation of data redistribution written on the storage unit.The SLC (Single Level Cell) SSD hard drive has cells that only support one bit. This type of storage, while more expensive, is suited for very high-end computers and to servers that require the velocity of SSDs. With a capacity of 100,000 write-erase cycles per cell, the theoretical life span is longer than the MLC drive, exceeding 10 years.
Some testers even predict 20 years, which is more than laudable. Reliability of SSD hard drivesJust as USB sticks and memory cards have had their rough starts, the hard drive had also experienced some initial blunders, bugs, and failures with some manufacturers. Now, however, the technology has matured and is able to offer even higher storage capacities.The majority of MLC drives can easily live past 10 years, according to previous tests, and the evolution of file management systems within operating systems are improving the reliability of hard drives.When deciding on an SSD hard drive, the reputation of the brand is a factor to consider, because in addition to the drive itself, the firmware – the small internal software that operates it – is primordial. Today, an SSD breakdown is more often than not linked to a faulty firmware than to its being at the end of its cycle. Tests on specialised and independent sites are vital before making your purchase. Repairing an SSD hard drive: adviceTo guarantee optimal life span of an SSD hard drive, many users combine it with an HDD hard drive.
In other words, the system and software are found on the SSD, while the data is stored on an HDD, optimising the write-erase cycle.In the case of an SSD hard drive failure, the first thing to do is to plug it in as a secondary unit to see if it is detected by BIOS and by the system. If it is detected, the startup files could have been damaged and it is necessary to do a system restoration or a complete re-installation if no backup had been done beforehand (which we strongly advise against).If the read or write speed drops significantly during SSD usage, the firmware is often the culprit. Check for updates and perform them if necessary.If the hard drive is out of service, recovery must be handled more delicately than on classic hard drives. Before anything else, try to recover your data using. If the process fails then professional data recovery is required because the recovery would require advanced manipulations.