Which ssd to buy. Choosing an SSD drive - how to buy a good SSD (solid state drive) drive. Hidden SSD area

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

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

Latest SSD Technology

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

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

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

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

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

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

Does it make sense to switch to an SSD now?

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

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

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

And a five-year-old SSD Intel 320:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Criteria by which we will select the leaders of 2018

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

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

Budget SSD models

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

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

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

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

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

Mid-range SSD

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

These NVMe SSDs include:

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

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

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

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

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

Top SSDs

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

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

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

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

Premium segment

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

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

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

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

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

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

Choosing an SSD: final points

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

Also on the site:

The best SSDs of late 2018 - early 2019 updated: March 19, 2019 by: alex ferman

We live in wonderful times. Science does not stand still and develops at incredible speed. Home computers and laptops are becoming smarter, phones are being updated with better hardware and are gradually catching up and surpassing the power of old computers. A good quality movie can be downloaded in a minute, and in order for the TV remote control to stop acting up, you still need to tap the batteries. In general, modern gadgets improve our quality of life and make it significantly better. Following the general progress, sooner or later everyone begins to upgrade their home computer.

To begin with, usually a couple of hectares of RAM are added, then the video card is replaced and a more powerful processor is installed. Naturally, for such power, a good cooling system is installed, comparable to a refrigerator freezer. But what to do if almost all the components have been replaced, but the speed is still not enough? Something slows down a little, frames disappear somewhere and there is a slight stutter. Perhaps you are just a perfectionist and want everything to work perfectly. It is in this case that you should start considering the issue of replacing the hard drive. The amount of built-in volume is not significant now. You’ve almost certainly filled all the available space on your PC with all sorts of games, favorite movies, music and pictures of kittens. But sooner or later the question arises about the speed of the hard drive, and then the SSD comes into the picture.

How should you choose an external drive?

Solid-state drive- this is, as Wikipedia says, a stable and permanent mechanical device that stores information. Simply put, such a large and high-speed flash drive. So what's the magic behind an SSD?

It's worth starting with how it works HDD- the most common hard drive. There are disks inside the case. They are magnetic and have special tracks already cut into them - in some ways they are similar to vinyl records. The disks themselves are divided into sectors. Ultimately, it turns out that each cell has its own disk number, track and sector. When you open a photo of your favorite cat or listen to music, the system mechanically searches for the required cell. This is where the speed slowdown and excess noise during operation come from..

SSD works much more simply. On the electronic board of this drive there are a number of microcircuits that store data. Actually, it turns out that first you recorded a picture of your purring, and then you simply turned to it. There is no need to move or twist anything here. This system is very similar to a regular flash drive, which you probably insert into the USB output every day. But then a logical question arises: why do you actually need to spend money on expensive SSDs if you can use affordable regular flash drives?

Why is an SSD needed?

Speed is the reason why you should take a closer look at SSDs. The speed of an average-priced flash drive, which is used by the vast majority of users, USB 2.0 hovers around 5MB/s. Medium hard drive HDD, has a speed around 1 00 MB/s. SSD has a speed four times higher than the average norm, namely about 450 MB/s. Of course, these data are very approximate and rough, since each individual case must be considered individually.

For now, users purchase SSD drives with caution, but this is not caused by complaints about the performance of such a device, but by the insufficient amount of knowledge in this area and the high cost of such a device. What such a device is is described above, but the question is, when will this purchase justify the money spent on it? Most often, you purchase a disk “for the system.” The OS is installed and the operation of the gadget speeds up significantly. But at the moment we are talking about external SSDs, and therefore the main criteria in the evaluation are speed and mobility. Do you often face the problem of not having enough time to copy large amounts of data? Do you work with data both at work and at home and need it to always be at hand? Are you hiding a disc with computer games from curious household members? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should seriously consider purchasing an external SSD drive.

Key Features for SSD

The issue of choosing an external SSD should be treated as responsibly as the purchase of any other gadget. After all, when buying a portable external storage device, you are trying to protect your data from loss, be it home photos and video archives or information that is not for all eyes. And, therefore, from this, the loss of this information promises you, at a minimum, disappointment and sadness, and at most serious troubles. So what characteristics should you first pay attention to when choosing an SSD?

Speed- this is what you actually turned your attention to purchasing this drive for. This characteristic is the most important and simply cannot be ignored. And so to speak, the information is up front - for modern SSDs this indicator is approximately the same level.

Volume is also important, because it is still a data warehouse. You need to select a storage device so that it is enough for all your needs. But you shouldn’t get carried away with this, since a large volume greatly affects the next indicator

Price- the more volume available for storing information, the higher the price of the device. The relationship between volume and price is geometric, and therefore, first of all, be guided by your own wallet.

Impact resistance- this parameter is especially relevant for those who will frequently transport the device, as it characterizes the overall wear resistance of the device. When choosing a model, pay special attention to the strength of the case and the presence of a system for suppressing external vibrations. Like any electronics, external drives do not really like physical influences from the outside.

Number of rewrites- An SSD drive, like any other external drive, is far from eternal and you have to put up with this fact. Manufacturers always indicate the number of rewrites in the technical specifications. This information shows the exact number of rewrites that the disk is likely to withstand. Further, depending on your drive, some disks continue to work, but without guarantees. That is, each entry can become the last. And for others, the recording function stops at the program level, and you are left with the latest changes that you can read.

Top - 7 best external SSDs

The SSD market has not yet been fully systematized. Among the variety of SSDs, there are no common standards as such, except for connection ports. For this reason, below is a list of the best devices for your review. The list was compiled taking into account not only the data officially presented in the technical specifications, but also based on reviews from real people and sales ratings.

Maximum speed for true professionals. The Thunderbolt 3 port boasts throughput of up to 40 Gb/s. You can read files from this device at a speed of 2800 MB/s, and write at 2300 MB/s. It is possible to record a video weighing 20 GB in just 12 seconds. No more waiting! The chassis of this SSD is reinforced by magnetic alloy. He is not afraid of falling from a two-meter height. Files can be password protected: 256-bit AES encryption ensures the integrity of personal and business information. Portable is compact in size and has a stylish, modern shape. The top glossy coating pleases the eye, the bottom matte coating prevents slipping.

Advantages:

Super fast speed;

Availability of a password;

Temperature control system;

Strength

Flaws:

No protection against dust and moisture

The most secure SSD

This is especially for those who constantly lose something from their hands.

The best shockproof SSD drive - Thunderbolt LaCie 500GB

The LaCie Thunderbolt SSD delivers data transfer speeds up to 510 MB/s. Thanks to the metal rubberized casing, the device can fall from a height of two meters without consequences. It is also not afraid of dust and splashes of water. The original bright color of the seal gives the device a stylish, modern look. It is compatible with Windows, Linux, new MacBook, iMac models.

Advantages:

High speed;

Resistant to impact and dirt.

Flaws:

Heavy weight

Best 128GB External Drive - Transcend ESD400

Transcend external drive is reliable additional memory for your PC at a reasonable price. It can accommodate 128 GB of information. The speed of writing and reading files is 380/410 MB/s, respectively. This is quite a lot for an inexpensive device. Connects via USB A port

Advantages:

Low price for decent speed.

Flaws:

Small volume

The fastest SSD

Speed is a very important parameter. After all, that’s why you buy such a drive, right?

The fastest SSD drive - Transcend StoreJet 500

StoreJet is a solid-state drive with data transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps. The device is resistant to heat or vibration. Thanks to the metal case, it can withstand accidental shocks and minor falls. Through the Transcend Elite application, you can protect files from prying eyes and synchronize the drive with your PC. The device is compatible with Windows and MAC OS, there are USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports.

Advantages:

High speed;

Compatible with all devices.

Flaws:

Not protected from dust and moisture

Comparison table of the best SSD drives

Name	Main characteristics	Price
	The storage capacity is 250 GB, the USB Type C female drive interface connector, the PC connection connector is USB Type A, USB Type C, weight is 51 grams.
	Storage capacity - 240 GB, disk form factor - 1.8*, connection to PC - USB A, interface - USB C, read speed - 500 MB/sec, data transfer - 450 MB/sec.
	Storage capacity: 480 GB, write speed: 480 MB/s, read speed: 490 MB/s, throughput 10 Gbit/s.
	Shock-resistant (up to 1500 g) and vibration-resistant (5 g RMS, 10-2000 Hz), capacity - 250 GB, read speed - up to 550 MB/s.
	Storage capacity - 512 GB, read speed - 440 MB/s, write speed - 430 MB/s, dust and moisture protection class: IP68.
Samsung Portable SSD X5 500Gb

Despite the fact that the SATA interface is far from the most advanced option for connecting drives today, even years after the appearance of SATA SSDs, it remains in demand. Manufacturers understand this, therefore, along with the latest NVMe SSDs, they continue to produce solid-state solutions based on SATA.

Regardless of which connection interface you choose, the addition of an SSD drive to a gaming PC will significantly add performance to the entire system as a whole. The operating system will start up faster, programs will have a shorter startup time, and game locations will load much more quickly.

It is clear that HDD can still remain a high-capacity storage for storing heavy media files, but a solid-state drive simply must become the basis of a PC. Their cost today is not so fabulous as to deny oneself a colossal increase in productivity.

Solid state drives today have several form factors: 2.5-inch SATA SSDs, PCIe expansion cards and compact M.2 drives. For gaming, the best drive is one that combines acceptable capacity, high performance, reliability, and an affordable price.

In terms of cost, it is more logical to opt for SSDs connected via a SATA interface or inexpensive devices operating using the NVMe protocol. We've selected several solutions that meet these needs and can add power to your gaming PC or laptop.

Best Affordable SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 500GB

What does the term "best" mean when talking about a storage device? Best value for money, great performance or great feature set? The ideal SSD for a gaming PC should have an excellent price/performance/reliability ratio and meet these requirements.

Samsung is the only SSD manufacturer that controls the entire manufacturing process: its engineers design the controller, program the firmware, produce the NAND flash memory, and create the finished product without involving third-party developers. In addition, Samsung provides a five-year warranty on its drive.

1.

: 540 MB/s

: 510 MB/s

: 520 MB/s

: 496 MB/s

: 0.036 ms;

: 0.027 ms;

Overall rating: 96.2

Price/quality ratio: 73

Samsung 850 EVO is available in capacities of 120, 250, 500 GB, as well as 1, 2, 4 TB. While it's not the most affordable or fastest SSD in every test, it has proven itself to be very reliable. Other drives also boast high data transfer speeds, but in terms of overall performance, reliability and cost, the EVO beats many.

Average retail price: 10,000 rubles

Best Budget NVMe SSD: Intel SSD 760p 512GB

It's no secret that the performance of NVMe drives is three times higher than that of SATA SSDs. If you're considering upgrading from an older PC, you'll likely be stuck with SATA, but newer Intel and AMD platforms support M.2 storage. If you're the owner of a new PC and want to maximize performance, M.2 storage is the perfect choice.

The read/write speeds of the Intel SSD 760p 512GB are up to 3230/1625 MB/s, respectively. In the case of resource-intensive workloads, these figures may decrease slightly, but even then the performance will be superior to SATA solutions. When it comes to gaming, you'll hardly notice the difference between the Intel SSD 760p and the Samsung 850 EVO 500GB, but it will be faster in other operations.

If you want to get the maximum level of performance in any tasks other than games, and at the same time equip your PC with a modern M.2 drive, the Intel SSD 760p 512GB will be a good solution if you take into account the price-performance ratio.

Average retail price: 13,800 rubles

Best High-End SSD: Samsung 850 Pro 512GB

It is the fastest among SATA SSDs, but it also has a decent price. Think twice before purchasing it: it may be wiser to buy an NVM drive from Intel from our selection - it costs less. But, if you are upgrading an old PC that does not support M.2 solutions, and want to achieve maximum performance, this will be the drive.

The Samsung 850 PRO uses MLC memory cells that are more durable than the 850 EVO. Plus, the manufacturer provides a ten-year warranty on the device, which is twice as long as in the case of the previous version from the EVO series. In addition, it is one of the fastest SATA SSDs with a capacity of 512 GB. And the cost of 16,000 rubles is quite tolerable for the High-End class.

1.

Average read speed (compressible data)

: 551 MB/s

Average read speed (incompressible data)

: 518 MB/s

Average write speed (compressible data)

: 526 MB/s

Average write speed (uncompressed data)

: 496 MB/s

Average read access time

: 0.036 ms;

Average write access time

: 0.023 ms;

The Polish manufacturer GOODRAM is one of the few that positions its SSDs as gaming ones. Its cost is 3,000 rubles less than the penultimate model (about 13,000 rubles), which immediately makes it a tasty purchase for any gamer. True, unlike the Samsung PRO series drive, it comes with a five-year warranty.

In terms of data read and write speed, the drive is slightly superior to the competitive model from Samsung, so its purchase will be even more justified when choosing a high-end device. Access time is also faster here, and this becomes an additional argument in favor of the Polish product. And in general, during our tests, Iridium Pro showed very good results.

Average retail price: 13,000 rubles

Any active computer user constantly has the need to transfer information from one computer to another and its backup storage. Given the volumes faced, traditional flash drives are no longer sufficient. They have been replaced by an innovative alternative - an external ssd hard drive built on the basis of solid-state technologies.

Structurally, such devices are an array of solid-state drives combined into a single system. Controllers have been added to it to ensure seamless collaboration and integration with other equipment.

The result is small-sized, capacious, silent and easy-to-use drives. They quickly became popular and in demand among many users.

Strengths of SSD drives:

Capacity;
High speed;
Silence;
Compactness;
No need for a separate power source;
Reliability;
Ease of use.

Solid state drives can be connected using a USB interface or a special pocket.

10 reasons to choose an external SSD drive

Such hard drives have a number of undoubted advantages that allow us to consider them as a worthy alternative to other similar data storage options.

Firstly, high speed read/write operations. Most drives are connected via the most modern USB 3.0 interface. This connection theoretically provides data exchange speeds between the disk, computer or other devices of up to 600Mb/sec. In practice, most drives operate at speeds of up to 400-450 Mb/s.
Secondly, SSD drives can be connected and serve as file storage not only for desktop computers or laptops. Specialized utilities allow you to integrate them with tablets, smartphones, and modern TV models.
Thirdly, solid-state drives are completely silent. The absence of noise does not irritate and does not cause additional fatigue. This will be appreciated by those users who have to spend a lot of time at the computer.
Fourthly, some SSD drive models have a useful and interesting integrated content encryption feature. Its use makes it possible to encrypt all data “on the fly” using algorithms of varying complexity, including the most secure and complex 256-bit code.
Fifthly, the miniature dimensions of the drives allow you to carry them with you all the time. An important fact for those who work a lot on business trips, away from home, or due to the nature of their work, must often arrange presentations in client offices.
Sixthly, the high speed of data exchange makes it possible to use the built-in multitasking modes as efficiently as possible. With their help, you can perform several diverse operations without wasting time. For example, it is possible to simultaneously copy large amounts of data (movies or music) and work with documents without loss of productivity.
Seventh, a number of design features, in particular, the absence of traditional plates, drives and other moving components, significantly increase the average life of the drives. Based on press releases from manufacturers, it can be several decades.
Eighth, SSD drives consume much less energy than their counterparts built using traditional technologies. This factor is relevant when sharing devices with laptops.
Ninth, solid-state drives quickly find the necessary files and launch applications. Considering the standard time required to start modern resource-intensive applications, this is important.
Tenth, working with multimedia files, for example, editing video materials, is 25-30% faster.

External drives built using SSD technology also have several significant disadvantages. On the one hand, currently technological capabilities do not allow manufacturers to cross the 2TB threshold in their devices. This is the maximum capacity of solid state drives. On the other hand, as the capacity increases, the cost of both the device itself and 1GB of memory begins to increase almost exponentially. At the same time, it reaches values that are unacceptable for most ordinary users. Therefore, for ultra-high-capacity hard drives, traditional platter technology remains preferable.

Which external SSD drive to choose

The demand for solid-state technology and drives designed on its basis has led to the fact that almost all manufacturers of components and computer equipment offer their designs and vision of what an ideal external SSD drive should be for the user.

Such discs are produced by everyone from class A brands to little-known manufacturers from the Middle Kingdom.

Among the famous companies, it is traditionally worth noting drives from such brands as Samsung, Kingston, Acer, Intel, HP, Transcend, SanDisk, A-Data, Lenovo. Such devices use some proprietary developments and built-in utilities that facilitate the operation of the devices. In addition, they are distinguished by a thoughtful, ergonomic and comfortable design, as well as reliability.

Class B manufacturers place the main emphasis on unusual design when producing their drives. Often, in order to compete with analogues of famous manufacturers, reducing the cost, some of the necessary and useful functions are simply not installed.

One thing you should always remember when choosing an SSD is that most devices are built almost identically on the inside. Often, the differences are only in the brand and external design. Therefore, based on a rational point of view, the selection should be carried out according to the principle of the maximum acceptable cost of 1GB of memory, overall price and reliability.

Considering all of the above, we can draw the following conclusion. External SSD drives can reasonably be considered a rational choice for those who work a lot and constantly with large volumes of diverse information and need to transfer it from one workplace to another. If you haven’t found an external SSD on sale that suits your price or speed parameters, then by watching the video below, you can easily make it yourself using a box for a 2.5-inch drive and any solid-state drive you like.

When it comes to data storage, there is no one size fits all solution. Although cloud storage has become more accessible, we are still very dependent on local storage and this is not going to change anytime soon. Now that solid-state drives have become more affordable and finally mainstream, consumers have a variety of high-performance options to choose from, whether it's internal storage, external storage, or network-attached storage, reports .

With dozens of hours of testing storage devices over the last year alone, we have a pretty good idea of which devices you should buy right now, divided into five categories:

The Samsung SSD 960 Pro is now on sale and this is great news for enthusiasts as it is the best consumer SSD model you can buy in the world. Priced at at least $0.61 per gigabyte, the 960 Pro series isn't cheap. However, it quickly accepts and moves data at speeds we haven't previously seen in our tests.

For example, retrieving a 38 GB file on the hard drive took just 39 seconds thanks to constant throughput of almost 1 GB/s. This made the 960 Pro almost 30% faster than Samsung's previous flagship, the 950 Pro. Compared to the Intel SSD 750, the 960 Pro series has twice the performance in this file retrieval test.

The most affordable model in the 960 Pro series will cost $330, but will give you 512 GB of memory. The 1TB model we reviewed costs $629, which is $0.61 per gigabyte, while the 2TB model costs $1,299, or $0.63 per gigabyte.

To be honest, there is currently no viable alternative to the Samsung SSD 960 Pro for those looking for maximum performance.

If all you want is millisecond access times at a good price, then we recommend the very friendly Crucial MX300 series. Available in 2.5-inch SATA or M.2 (2280) interfaces, the M300 series is matched by few in terms of savings.

The 275GB model costs just $70, which is an incredibly low cost - 1GB for just 25 cents. The 525GB model costs just $123, while the 750GB model costs $170. There are also 1TB and 2TB models selling for just $250 and $500, respectively.

In truth, most users won't notice a performance difference between the Crucial MX300 and say the new Samsung SSD 960 Evo or even the 960 Pro, for the most part. Things like loading time and sending time will undoubtedly be the same.

Alternative:

Samsung SSD 960 Evo

The Samsung 960 Evo SSD is a budget alternative to the 960 Pro series and a popular drive that many users have chosen over the past few years.

While we have yet to see hard evidence of how good Samsung's Polaris 48-layer TLC V-NAND is driving the SSD, we think it will perform quite well. Early performance figures include the 960 Pro and the previously released SM961, which is an OEM-only product.

The 960 Evo series starts at just $130 for the 250GB model, which is a very reasonable price of $0.52 per gigabyte for a drive advertised with 3.2GB/s read speeds and 1.9GB/s write speeds. Meanwhile, the 500GB model costs $250, and the largest model costs $480 for 1TB of storage.

Buying an HDD hard drive is associated with more capacity and reliability than performance, but the WD Black 6 TB can surprise in some tests with reading and writing speeds of 220 MB/s. That's almost 50% of the performance of today's fastest SATA 6Gb/s SSDs - keep in mind we're comparing the NAND chip to a 7200 RPM spinning drive.

Storage Review conducted synthetic and real tests of hybrid SSHD drives - Seagate Desktop SSHD 4 TB and WD Blue SSHD Desktop 4 TB. Granted, the WD Black 6TB didn't always outperform its NAND-enabled competitors, but it still performed admirably. In synthetic tests, the drive had a dominant display with a sequential read speed of 214.53 MB/s and a sequential write speed of 214.91 MB/s, and with an HTPC workload of 81.85 MB/s and 1,100 IOPS, while the average the latency was calculated to be 7.3 ms. Overall, this is a noticeable performance boost over the previous WD Black model, with a significant increase in memory.

The drive features an LSI controller, 128 MB DRAM, and dynamic cache technology that improves real-time caching algorithms by distributing and optimizing the cache between reads and writes. WD also claims improved reliability and backs the drive with a 5-year warranty. User reviews on Amazon are overwhelmingly positive.

Alternative:

If you're looking for something to complement the value offered by the Crucial MX300 SSD, we suggest the WD Blue Series. The 3TB model isn't very small, and it's safe to assume you'd lose quite a bit of value for 2TB. On the other hand, if you need more space, then the 4TB version is also suitable.

There isn't a huge difference between the various 3.5-inch external hard drive solutions. For those who need something large for backup or data migration, performance probably won't be a huge priority here and something like the Seagate Expansion 3TB or WD My Book 3TB (both USB 3.0) will do just fine.

For professionals who want to quickly move data or even disconnect external storage devices, we highly recommend the Samsung T3. This portable SSD easily outperforms flash drives and competing SSDs, runs cool, and is super easy to boot.

Of course, portable SSDs aren't cheap, but the T3 doesn't come with a hefty price tag. The 250GB model starts at $118, while the 500GB version starts at $180. There's also a 1TB model for $370, and you can even get a 2TB model if you can stomach the $730 asking price.

We test more NAS devices than we end up officially reviewing, and without a doubt, the best NAS server for home users and small businesses is the QNAP TS-451A. This network attached storage device features an innovative USB QuickAccess port that you can use to quickly complete your initial NAS setup. Moreover, it can also be used to directly access files and data stored on the NAS, essentially offering the usual features.