Which ssd drives are the best? How to choose an SSD drive for a computer: main nuances and analysis of characteristics. Main characteristics of SSD

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

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

SSD drive selection options

When studying the product certificate, it should be noted that the device has a built-in ability to independently get rid of unnecessary information, "garbage". It is better to choose an SSD drive that has available support TRIM.

The manufacturer of the device also plays an important role. On modern market presented huge selection, but preference should be given to proven brands. Leading companies that have proven themselves include:

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

What else should you rely on when deciding how to choose the right SSD drive?

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

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

Both SSD and HDD belong to the category of devices for recording and storing information. However, there are significant differences between them.

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

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

The NAND memory interface is currently represented by the following models:

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

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

Comparison of some technical characteristics SSD drive and hard drive

Characteristic	SSD drive	HDD drive
Maximum volume	Up to 1 terabyte	More than 5 terabytes
Read and write speed	Up to 100,000 IOPS
Maximum power consumption
Energy consumption when idle
Ability to restore information in case of breakdown	Hardly ever	Restoration is acceptable
Durability	5 years or more	More than 10 years
Ability to overwrite information	Limited	There are practically no restrictions

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

Additional advantages of an SSD drive

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

Brief overview of the best SSD drive models

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

This series of drives has variations in capacity up to 16 gigabytes up to 240. Operates with a SATA III interface.

Controller: SandForce.

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

From factor: 2.5 inches.

Memory type: MLC.

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

An affordable drive that features a large cache and V-NAND memory. Minimum guarantee period devices – 3 years. The device has TurboWrite capability. The line of these SSD drives includes models whose capacity reaches one terabyte. In size and appearance, it is a very small, thin device, weighing no more than 66 g.

Memory option: TLC (3D V-NAND).

Controller: Samsung (MGX/MEX).

Interface: SATA III.

Reading speed: 540 MB/s.

Write speed: 520 MB/s.

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

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

Such a device is needed to work with “heavy” programs (graphics, video, photography), as well as to successfully run complex video games. The manufacturer promises a warranty of up to 10 years. The size allows the SSD drive to be used in ultrabooks, and not just for PCs or laptops. There is also the possibility of automatic cleaning of “garbage”. The drive is based on a Marvell controller.

From factor: 2,5’’.

Memory type: MLC.

Reading speed: 550 MB/s.

Write speed: 520 MB/s.

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

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

Solid state storage devices, also known as SSDs, are actively taking away market share personal computers for standard hard drives(HDD). In recent years, this trend has been especially noticeable due to the falling cost of such storage devices. Price SSD drives continues to be higher than that of HDD, 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 clear advantages of solid state drives over HDD drives the following can be attributed:

On to the cons SSD drives This may include the high cost and difficulty of purchasing such large-capacity drives.

How to choose an SSD drive

The market offers SSDs from various manufacturers. 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 solid state drive- this is its volume. 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 loading and operating speeds. 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 40-60 GB (if we're talking about about Windows).

If you purchase a solid-state drive as the only data storage device in your computer, you should choose the size of the SSD, depending on the purpose of the PC and the work activity 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. Find out information about real speed SSD operation possible using various programs, therefore, before purchasing a drive, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with tests on the Internet for a specific drive model.

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), which do not require as many write/read cycles as SSD drives installed in a 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.

Note: If the disk contains high speed works, 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 during the process of 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, because in most cases it can tell more about the actual speed of the disk than information about maximum parameters read/write;
• 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 to automatically clear memory of “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.

Solid State Drive is a generation of modern and fast information storage devices. They use non-volatile Flash technology memory called NAND. Thanks to the developments of Asus, Samsung, Kingston and other giant companies, the SSD has been released into mass production and is available for purchase at a reasonable price. Given its technical superiority, namely write/read speed, resistance to physical damage and compact dimensions, HDD drives every year they are losing their position in the market in favor of young and effective technology.

Today you can buy different SSDs from different manufacturers, in different price categories, with all kinds of connection interfaces (SATA, M2, PCI Express,NGFF). But which one is better to choose? We invite you to take a look at our rating of the TOP 7 best models solid state hard discs 2018 – 2019.

Features, pros and cons of solid state drives

Let's look at the strengths and weak sides SSDs:

pros

• there are no moving parts in the device case, which means that the disk does not make noise (unlike HDD) and is less susceptible to mechanical damage;
• high speed of writing (up to 500 MB/sec) and reading (up to 540 MB/sec) information from the disk;
• low power consumption (~1.5 W under load);
• modest dimensions (100x70x7 mm).

Minuses

• limited number of rewrite cycles; after the resource is exhausted, the hard drive will be read-only;
• the price of a gigabyte is six to seven times higher than the price of HDD drives;
• Write speed decreases when processing large files.

TOP 7 best SSD drives for a computer: which one is better?

Still, which SSD drive should you choose for your computer? Of the variety of solid-state drives, we have selected the seven best options:

• 120 Gb Kingston SA400S37/120G.

Now it seems that SSDs have always been around. Like, where would we be without them? In fact, although the first models appeared in the early nineties, SSDs have become more or less widespread since 2009. At first they were a flash drive with a SATA interface, but gradually grew wiser and gained mass useful functions, making it possible to hide the inferiority of flash memory compared to magnetic plates in normal hard drives(Yes Yes exactly!). Let me emphasize that in this text we are talking exclusively about 2.5-inch consumer SSDs with a SATA interface. I don’t see any point in writing about corporate models with PCI-Express, but about models with M.2 for ultrabooks and advanced motherboards It's better to talk separately.

I often hear that I want to switch to an SSD, but I know that they are not reliable, there are so many write cycles and that’s it. That's why I don't move on. This is, of course, the right decision. In the metro, trains sometimes stop abruptly. You can fall and get a bump. Therefore, there is no need to take the subway. Cars crash. We cross it out. And in childhood, a bicycle is generally a shaitan-machine. If a child wants to ride, let him do it in the elevator. With grandma. And take some water with you.

If we judge by only one indicator, the number of write cycles, then an SSD is a quiet horror. On a regular hard drive, you can write until you’re crazy about carrots, but here it’s like three thousand times – and that’s it, dammit. An inquisitive guy can finish it in a couple of days. Horror, horror, we won’t take it.

I’ll tell you something completely terrible now. Three thousand is ideal. In practice, flash memory can “wear out” after just a couple of thousand cycles. And this is the case if there is MLC type memory inside the SSD. And the newfangled TLC even has an official threshold of 1000 cycles. And the kirdyk-babai can sneak up after 700-800. There are, however, SLC-type memory, where the number of write cycles reaches 100,000, but it costs about 10 bucks per gigabyte. You can estimate how much even the affordable 128 GB will cost.

But here's the thing. I have an Intel SSD. He works for me at different computers since 2009. First in home system as a basic year of three. Then on NAS around the clock until the end of 2014. And so far, according to all tests, the flash memory in it is like new. The controller, however, is one of the first ones, and cannot really do anything, so the recording speed dropped to a ridiculous 26 MB/s. But if you format it, it will again be more than a hundred. And reading remains at the level of 250 MB/s, which is quite acceptable even in today’s times.

How is this possible? That's how. The Politburo, you know, isn’t full of fools. And the SSD controller will never allow data to be written a thousand times in a row to the same cell. He will carefully select the newest ones and write in them first. So that everyone ages evenly. If the drive is not full and there is enough free space(say, 60 gigabytes), it is unlikely that you will be able to use the SSD until it wears out in the foreseeable future. There is one more trick. Many consumer SSDs have a stated capacity of 120, 240 or 480 GB. So, in fact, there is 128, 256 or 512 GB of memory, just the hidden volume is used as a safety net. And if you wipe the flash within the stated volume, it will be replaced with a spare one. And you won't notice anything for a long time.

Therefore, in practice, even an SSD with unreliable TLC flash memory will live longer than the time when you want to change it due to insufficient capacity. Unless, of course, it dies due to a defect, an electrical surge, a swollen capacitor, or a controller failure. But regular HDDs are not immune to this.

There is, perhaps, only one way to reliably remove an SSD within a short period of time. A videographer friend of mine mastered it. Several times a day, he recorded a hundred or two gigabytes of data from the camera to the SSD. I sent them on air, erased them, and recorded them again the next day. The SSD was clogged almost all the way. In this mode, the first two SSDs died within six months. Before buying the third one, he asked me what was going on, should I go back to the HDD. I explained to him some principles of how SSDs work and advised him from now on to take not exactly custom SSDs, for which the recommended recording volume is 20 GB per day, but something Enterprise class with a limit of 80-100 GB. Plus I advised taking the volume not 256 GB, but 480. And leaving some free space. Similar to how part of agricultural land is annually left fallow, without being used for its intended purpose. Apparently, the advice came in handy. I haven’t heard any mournful lamentations for a year and a half now.

Probably, a similar effect can be achieved if you download huge volumes of torrents every day, erase them, and download them again. I don't know, I haven't tried it. In my humble opinion, SSD is designed to store the operating system, most important applications(for example, a graphic or video editor), as well as games. Yes, yes, games. They load such inhuman amounts of data into memory that it is better to do this with an SSD. For everything else, there are traditional HDDs located nearby. If an SSD is installed in a laptop, and there is simply no space for an HDD, I recommend getting an external one. Under the current USB speed the difference with the internal arrangement will be insignificant. And, in any case, it is extremely useful to organize automatic backup of the SSD to the HDD. Once a week will be enough.

SSD, unlike HDD, is not bothered by kicks to the case in case of an unsuccessful battle in World of Tanks; it is quite indifferent to the temperature around it. A laptop with an SSD will not lose data even after being dropped in a working state, which personally always worries me more than a broken screen. And you can twist and turn it as you like. Well, it’s also definitely FASTER. And not so much in absolute terms (although that too), but in terms of data access time. So, if you approach the matter with understanding, SSDs are very useful. The main thing is not to destroy it deliberately, like the men in the joke about the Japanese chainsaw.

Yes, the SSD does not wear out from reading data. Only from recording. For some reason many people don’t know this.

And now we come to the most important thing - how to choose an SSD to make you happy? Boring hardware guys will start telling you all sorts of things about controllers, sequential recording, a bunch of benchmarks and the like. But I respect your time and will explain everything simply and quickly.

1) Decide on the volume. Even if there is a lot of money, and it has already burned a hole in your pocket more than once, you don’t need to take something crazy like a terabyte. SSDs are poorly designed for storing and processing large amounts of data. If you need a file dump, take an HDD, it will be much cheaper and more reliable. For a normal person, a volume of 240-256 GB is quite sufficient. If you need to carry large video files and a database of photographs with you (with the reservations made above), you can take 480-512. You can do more, but I don’t beat people’s hands and I don’t count other people’s income. But a terabyte will most likely be based on TLC, which - here's the paradox - is designed very poorly for recording large amounts of data. But I would advise using 128 GB models with caution, because their write speed is often half that of 256 GB models. And what is 128 GB in these days? Laughter alone. The “Tanks” are already reaching thirty.

2) Don't worry about the controller. No, I'm serious. Boring guys write whole stories about them, but you have to understand that even not the most successful of them modern models provide more than 400 MB/s when reading and 200 MB/s when writing. Well, if you're really unlucky - 150 MB/s. But, most likely, you will be lucky. Is there a difference between reading 400 MB/s and, say, 500 MB/s? In the benchmarks there is, in real life No. It's even more interesting with a recording. Is there some source from which you will write in a stream? large files with a speed of at least 150 MB/s? I couldn’t imagine something like this. All real situations are much slower. Plus, the SSD has a buffer of 128-512 MB, where all relatively small files are dumped, and this happens instantly. So, whatever one may say, it is very problematic to run into problems with the recording speed, and therefore you should not worry about it categorically. Yes, of course, it’s wildly pleasant when, according to benchmarks, everything is so cool, but for a normal person it will be good and comfortable in any situation. Personally I (personally) like Intel controllers, Marvell, Jmicron and Toshiba. But when buying an SSD, even I am usually more interested in reliability and price rather than controllers.

3) Reliability is a relative thing. In the sense that a lot depends on external factors, and even the most proven pieces of iron can die the death of the brave if their owner is a dunce. For example, drives are traditionally nervous about the quality of the power supply, and if the power supply in the computer is faulty, anything is possible. But you've already read it and you won't miss it. Plus network filter. A real one, not a socket with a light bulb.

Which brands of SSD can you safely buy?

Intel
Intel(very good, so twice)
ADATA
Crucial
Kingston
OCZ
Sandisk
Seagate
Samsung
Silicon Power
Transcend

There are several other manufacturers with smaller calibers. In principle, you can pay attention to them if the seller is reliable, and there will definitely be no problems with returns/replacements. But I wouldn't. Fortunately, the listed brands have models from very different price categories.

4) Important point- guarantee period. On average it is 3 years, but some particularly responsible manufacturers (Intel! Intel!) give five years. The MTBF of an SSD is enormous, from 1 to 2 million hours, so you are unlikely to hit this parameter (well, 114 years may not be enough, but 228 will certainly be enough). If you constantly make backups, even the untimely death of an SSD during the warranty period is unlikely to upset you. And, I repeat, it is necessary to make a backup of the SSD. That’s why they don’t die in parts, like HDDs, but usually all at once. And it is extremely expensive to extract data from there. Although you need to backup both.

So let’s decide on the volume, don’t bother with the controller, choose good brand and look at what the warranty period is for a particular model. That's all! You will be pleased.

As usual, here are 10 SSD models that you can safely take.

1. Intel SSDSC2BP240G401 710-Series 240 GB(2 million hours MTBF, 5 years warranty)
2. ADATA Premier Pro SP920 256 GB(well balanced model, read speed up to 560 MB/s)
3. Samsung 850 Pro 512 GB(for those who need a lot of fast space, writing up to 520 MB/s, reading even faster. 512 MB buffer. But not cheap).
4. SanDisk X300s 256 GB(corporate model with increased daily recording resource, up to 80 GB)
5. Silicon Power Slim S55 240 GB(not the fastest, recording “only” 440 MB/s, but the price is nice).
6. OCZ Saber 1000 240 GB(another fast corporate model. You can rewrite up to 100 GB every day at a speed of 500 MB/s, and at the same time it will work for three years, guaranteed).
7. Kingston SSDNow V300 480 GB(many people wince because of the SandForce controller inside, but the speed is enough. Plus it’s one of the most available options SSD of this capacity).
8. Transcend SSD370 (Premium) 256 GB(not outstanding in speed, but reliable and inexpensive model)
9. Intel DC S3710 Series 800 GB(exorbitantly reliable model, capable of withstanding overwriting of almost 17 Petabytes. Petabyte, that's not a typo. And if you have 90,000 rubles to spare, you simply cannot find a better option).
10. Samsung 850 Pro 128 GB(it costs more than many 256 GB models, but it has the same speed as many of them - 550/470 MB/s. Fans of small but fast ones will appreciate it).

Now you know everything about SSDs. You don't need to read anything else...

I'll write more about memory and HDD soon.

Views: 54,463

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 the 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 quality is generally high and 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-end Samsung SSD 850 EVO $749.99 on a Dell drive that packs over 60 times the storage space (That would 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 manufacturers of Flash Memory Modules), overall between various models there is no huge gap. 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 want to look into when buying a budget SSD and compile a list of the best available SSDs(with full review and deep dive) to make your shopping experience 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 dive into 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 easiest technical solution One thing buyers are forced to do these days when choosing a budget SSD is the type of flash memory that will be housed inside a 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 by making this SSD type de facto typical for those looking for an inexpensive 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 were able to get around this limitation, however, with smart technology caching, which basically treats part of the disk as if it were much more fast type 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 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 this cell will no longer be able to 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 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 gets 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 given 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 create backups 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 unexpected event. You may be able to get a replacement drive if it is under warranty, but new disk, which will be 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 profits) by diving into SSD market at a low level. 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 everyone has major manufacturer drives there are entry-level SSDs 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 want to save a few dollars on your SSD purchase, you can still choose from a variety of drives from manufacturers such as Samsung, Crucial/Micron, OCZ, Kingston, SanDisk, Western Digital and others. All budget rims offered recently, so buy from trademark, which you are 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 the need for storage software or utilities, some manufacturers offer a software package with their solid state drives, which 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 being written to it, and whether your system is configured to eject maximum performance with SSD.

By the way, what do you think? which SSD to choose in 2017? And in your opinion, is it important that the manufacturer cares about 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 smooth and feature-rich to critical and barely useful. Some of them include a simple utility With open source, which 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 their own drives, although Crucial/Micron, SanDisk/Western Digital and Intel all do as well good solutions in terms of software.

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 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 cost less but have similar endurance to expensive wheels MLC. 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.

SSD cost 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 versus another at a glance when capacity varies depending on whether there's a little or a lot, or when you're looking at a bunch solid state drives with limited sale compared to 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 routepoints 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?

Most The best way Judging 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 calculate your final price when comparing large quantity disks.

So, we decided to choose the best options to buy. Please note that most of these discs are also available in different containers, different from those we recommend, so you will need to look at the specifications in the description and find out details about the characteristics of the drive if you want the drive to be larger or smaller than what 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.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.