Choosing an SSD drive for a laptop. Form factor M.2. Types of SSD drives, what SSD drives are and what are their differences

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

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

Budget / Inexpensive

ADATA
Plextor
SanDisk
SiliconPower

Intel

Expensive/Premium class

Samsung
Kingston

Volume: 128GB Volume: 256GB Volume: 512GB Volume: 1TB or more Type: SATA Type: PCI-E

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

SSD drives: Volume: 128GB

Volume: 128GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

Volume: 128GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

Volume: 128GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

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

SSD drives: Volume: 256GB

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

Volume: 256GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

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

SSD drives: Volume: 512GB

Volume: 512GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

Volume: 512GB / Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

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

SSD drives: Volume: 1TB or more

Volume: 1TB or more/ Type: SATA

Main advantages

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

For those who don't like to read large texts, you can jump straight to the conclusions - at the beginning of 2017, the Samsung 850 Evo SSD with a capacity of 256 or 512 gigabytes is still the best choice for most people. It's fast, reliable, comes with a long warranty, and comes with proprietary software to make the transition from a regular drive to an SSD easy.

Updated September 2018.: Samsung released an update to all of its SSDs this year Evo 860 And 860 Pro, transferring their production to new memory (64-layer TLC 3D V-NAND) and a new controller. However, from the point of view of the average user, the characteristics of the SSD have remained virtually unchanged, in some places even becoming slightly worse. However, the price of new SSDs remains the same, and old models are simply sold out until they run out. Therefore, you can safely buy either an old or a new model. However, it's important to keep in mind that the new 860 series no longer has a 120GB SSD. Therefore, if you need just such an SSD, you should hurry up with your purchase. Because the production of such SSDs has ceased

And now about this in more detail.

Why should you believe me?

As I mentioned in the site description, I have been writing about technology for the last ten years, or even more. I spend even more time fiddling with this technique. This means that almost every day I try something new, tweak something, reconfigure something, change something, and so on in the same spirit. This text is a generalization of my (and not only my, but also my colleagues) experience. So yes, you can trust me.

Who needsSSD?

If your computer or laptop is from 3 to 5 years old (earlier models may contain SATA-II connectors, in this case the purchase should be considered separately, see the corresponding section below), and your system runs on a regular hard drive, then it makes sense to think about purchasing an SSD. The dollar is quite high right now, so you should have good reasons to buy it.

What does SSD give? As a rule, it has three main advantages: almost instantaneous loading of the operating system (less than 10 seconds), fast loading of files and programs, and lower power consumption (the latter is relevant for laptops and allows them to last longer on battery power).

Thus, if the operation of your computer is limited by the performance of the disk system, purchasing an SSD is more than justified. With it, the system will simply “fly” and last significantly longer on battery power.

The picture above shows an example of just such a case. In this laptop, the bottleneck is two elements - the power of the built-in video card (there is nothing you can do about it) and the performance of the hard drive. The processor and memory are in perfect order. After installing the SSD, the system will become noticeably faster.

To whomDon't need an SSD?

If you have a relatively old computer (more than 5 years old), or are using an old SSD that is not very fast or has little memory, then there is little point for you to buy a new SSD. With this money, it is better to add memory or upgrade the processor. Well, or put it off for an upgrade. Yes, the system will boot faster and files will open much better. But opening a simple browser will turn your computer into a pumpkin again.

Update July 27, 2016: In the comments there is regularly a debate regarding whether an SSD can be used for downloading torrents. Since opinions vary, let's listen to the manufacturers themselves. In a recent post on the Geektimes website (an hardware project that broke away from the legendary Habrahabr), SSD manufacturer Kingston directly writes:

But if you have a lot to choose from, it’s better to download torrents on your hard drive. Because there are SUVs for fun, and there are SUVs for traveling in the mud. The HDD rather belongs to the second category.

Those. It's simple, if the SSD is the only disk in the system, then download it. You still have no choice. Moreover, it is truly a magical sight to watch how the download speed is not limited by the capabilities of the hard drive, and reaches enormous values. But if you do have a hard drive in your system, then it is better to record torrents there. Because the SSD resource is not rubber, and regular downloading, deleting, downloading still reduces it.

What volumeShould I choose an SSD drive?

For desktop computers, the minimum comfortable volume is 256 GB. There is no point in taking less for two reasons:

As a rule, 128 GB models operate at significantly lower write and read speeds.
In order for an SSD drive to work long and reliably, it must have at least 30% free space. This is due to the fact that the disk controller must evenly distribute the load between memory cells to ensure even wear.

Thus, 256 GB is the minimum size of an SSD disk for a desktop computer. To store files that do not require daily access, you can use a traditional hard drive (see).

With a laptop, things are a little more complicated. Since many laptops do not allow you to install both an SSD drive and a hard drive at the same time, the entire amount of information will have to be stored on the SSD. Therefore, 512 GB is the optimal solution that will suit most users. Unfortunately, the price of such a drive is impressive, but you get quick access to all files and noticeable savings in battery life. By the way, if for some reason your laptop has a DVD-ROM, you can remove it (this is done very simply) and replace it with a hard drive bay. In this case, you can replace the standard drive with an SSD, and connect the old drive instead of the DVD. This way you will speed up the system and expand the space.

Does it make sense to buy a SATA-2 SSD?

Judging by the comments, this point is worth discussing separately. So, if your motherboard supports SATA3, then the interface bandwidth is 6 Gb/s, SATA2 is only 3 Gb/s. Those. It would seem that the difference is twofold. However, as we said in the section about flash drives, it is not the linear speed that is important, but the speed of reading scattered files. Because when loading, the system assembles the OS into separate files, spread out haphazardly across the drive.

In order to answer the question of whether it is necessary to install a modern SSD drive in a system with SATA2, let’s turn to a thorough article from the THG.RU resource. The authors sequentially connected the Samsung 840 PRO drive, by the way, an excellent SSD of the previous generation, to SATA2 and 3 ports. To have something to compare with, the third one in the test was a very fast WD VelociRaptor hard drive. If you look at the linear write and read speed graph, the advantage of SATA 3 is more than noticeable.

Please note - in this case, the HDD practically does not lag behind the SSD connected via SATA-2. However, as we understand, linear writing and reading speed is not so important. In a real situation, we are more interested in the speed of an arbitrary (random sector). Let's see how the disks behave with a random sector size of 512 Kb.

As you can see, the difference is also twofold, while the hard drive begins to lag significantly. If you make the sector size 4Kb, the difference between SATA will practically disappear, but the HDD will generally become very slow. What does this lead to? Besides, say, loading your operating system from an HDD will take noticeably longer than from an SSD. Moreover, the difference in connection will not play a role. Windows will boot almost equally quickly.

What can be concluded? Everything is very simple - if you use the SSD exclusively as boot and system, there will not be much difference between SATA-2 and SATA-3. Both interfaces allow loading quite quickly. And even in this case, buying an SSD is justified.

And here's the interesting part: if you have an old computer with only SATA-2, then you hardly need a modern high-speed SSD. It's not your problem. Yes, the system will boot noticeably faster. But the performance itself... Let's just say that for this money it is easier to buy additional memory and upgrade the motherboard and processor. The difference will be noticeable even on an old HDD. But if you have reached a bottleneck in terms of hard drive performance, and there is no desire to spend money on a significant upgrade, then yes, you can take a closer look at the purchase. But, again, it’s better to think about upgrading your computer, and then come here and choose a modern SSD that will reveal 100% of the potential of your system.

WhichIs SSD better to choose?

At the moment, the best choice would be to buy a Samsung 850 EVO SSD of the size you need (or a similar Samsung 860 EVO). At the start of sales, it was quite expensive, but now prices in dollars have dropped a little and the price has become more or less acceptable.

Why 850 or 860 EVO? The fact is that most modern consumer-grade SSDs have similar characteristics. Trust me, unless you are an SSD expert, in most cases you will not notice a difference in speed between different models. You will notice a significant difference between the performance of the hard drive and the SSD. But between different SSD models – no.

Then what comes to the fore if not speed? These are price, reliability, the ability to survive a large number of recording cycles, the quality of the controller, the quality of the firmware and proprietary software that makes life easier for the user.

In this regard, the Samsung 850 EVO currently has virtually no competitors.

It is relatively inexpensive (at the time of publication, an average of 8 thousand for a volume of 256 GB and 12 thousand for 500 GB);
it is fast (on average 516 Mb/s read and 426 Mb/s write);
it is reliable (Samsung itself is the manufacturer of both the memory and the controller);
it can pump up to 150 Tb of data through itself (this is a very large amount of data for most users);
it has a 5 year warranty.

In addition, if you use Windows, then the kit includes proprietary software that allows you, firstly, to conveniently migrate from a hard drive to an SSD, and secondly, and this is the best part, to use up to 4 GB of RAM as a cache for the disk. This allows you to work with the disk even faster.

Another advantage to the purchase may be the presence of hardware data encryption. Most users do not need this at all, but for some it may be critical.

And if there is no noticeable difference in speed, is there something cheaper?

If the price of the Samsung 850 EVO seems too expensive to you, then I would put the Crucial BX100 in second place.

It costs 2 thousand rubles cheaper. He is also fast, he is also reliable.

In fact, for a slightly lower price you get a slightly smaller warranty - only three years, a smaller amount of data that can be pumped through the disk (72 TB instead of 150 for Samsung, although this value is enough for the eyes). Additionally, it doesn't come with the same software as the 850 EVO. But no one is stopping you from using third-party programs, of which there are quite a few. You'll just have to tinker a little with the settings.

So, if that doesn't bother you, the Crucial BX100 is a great alternative to the 850 EVO. Moreover, the Crucial BX100 consumes less energy and the laptop will last at least a little longer (about 10 minutes).

M.2 SSD drive

Despite the fact that M.2 slots are appearing in more and more laptops and motherboards, and a) can be faster than a regular SSD, b) allow you to use both an SSD for Windows and a HDD for storing files at the same time, it is very difficult to advise anything here . The fact is that at the moment there are two versions of the M.2 standard. These are M.2 SATA and M.2 PCI. Each of them is divided into several substandards depending on the physical dimensions, and M.2 PCI is also divided into several substandards depending on the number of connected PCI lines.

Those. You can’t just go to the store and buy an M.2 disk. First, you need to study the documentation of your laptop or motherboard, understand which standard suits you, and only then buy something specific. Therefore, I repeat, it is very difficult to advise anything specific here. If you are still determined to buy an M.2 SSD, I advise you to go to this one, our website, where we tried to collect the most complete information on the compatibility of various drives with various hardware. And based on the data obtained, select a specific model.

If you have M.2 SATA size 2280, then you don’t have to think too much and take the same Samsung 850 EVO in M.2 format. In all other cases, you will have to look hard.

SSD for professionals

If your work involves processing a lot of photos in raw RAW format, or you constantly edit large amounts of video, work with 3D graphics, are a fan of heavy daily torrents, or run several virtual machines at the same time, then a regular SSD will not suit you. In this case, I would pay attention to the Samsung 850 Pro version.

Why is he better? First of all, it's faster. This is actually noticeable when working with large files in random read mode. During normal work the difference is not noticeable, but in the case of professional use, the difference can be felt. Secondly, it has a 10 year warranty. Thirdly, it was originally designed for such a harsh operating mode and has appropriate reliability. In fact, it has no competitors in its class. The price, unfortunately, is also 30% higher: 256 gigabytes cost 10-11 thousand rubles, 500 GB - about 16 thousand.

Who else likes Samsung Evo SSDs?

As you can see, the Samsung 850 EVO is the best choice in terms of price/performance ratio. A few quotes from the review authors:

Samsung 850PRO. This is the most productive and most technologically advanced SATA SSD, which is based on a unique three-dimensional MLC V-NAND. In addition to outstanding performance, this model also stands out for its high reliability, which is backed by a 10-year warranty. In addition, the Samsung 850 PRO boasts a whole bunch of different nice little things, for example, support for OS-controlled encryption and an excellent tool utility.
Samsung 850 EVO. The younger brother of the invincible 850 PRO also stands out from the competition. Yes, it is based on TLC V-NAND and therefore produces lower performance during write operations, but this does not prevent it from remaining one of the best SSDs in terms of weighted average performance and occupying a leading position in the mid-price category. In addition, the 850 EVO inherits from the 850 PRO the entire proprietary set of additional advantages: encryption support, high-quality software, etc.

In the world of information technology, it is traditional to store data on disks: Windows, all programs, as well as documents, photos and videos, in most cases are located on one HDD. And if the hard drive goes on strike, the computer first starts to slow down, and then it may even break down completely. An alternative to a disk is a solid-state drive. It stores data on chips rather than magnetic plates, and is not only completely silent, but also significantly faster. So which fast SSD is the best? And what do you need to know about them when buying?

The main advantage and benefit of purchasing an SSD is energy saving, faster startup of Windows and installed programs and games. Today you can buy solid-state drives at a reasonable price; they are slowly but surely approaching the cost of conventional HDDs. Currently they have particularly attractive prices. SSD drives from Samsung and OCZ, with choosing a solid state drive focus on these manufacturers. Even though Samsung has quite expensive solid state drive models (Samsung SSD 840 Pro), they have the best characteristics, which we will talk about today. And the most optimal purchase would be Samsung SSD 840 and Lite-On E-200. Returning to expensive models of solid-state drives, especially such as the Samsung 840 EV0 1 TV, one cannot fail to note its performance: extremely high results in terms of access time and the number of I/O operations per second. The model is a leader not only in performance, but also in average cost per gigabyte.

Accessories. Many manufacturers offer SSDs in two delivery options - Bulk and Kit. In the first case, you receive only a disk, and in the second, the kit may include a SATA/USB adapter, a bracket for installing an SSD, a SATA cable, special software and a power cable. The markup for these components can range from 500 to 3000 rubles.

Key factors for choosing an SSD

Of course, for many the main criterion for choosing an SSD there will be a price, but I advise you to pay attention to the following parameters:

data transfer speed when reading and writing
memory access time
amount of electricity consumed

Pay attention to the packaging of the solid-state drive, as owners of older PCs may need a mobile chassis (or adapter) for 2.5-inch form factor drives, since the vast majority of SSD drives are 2.5-inch, while system drives On computer units, the basket is compatible with 3.5-inch HDDs. In addition, many SSD manufacturers supply data transfer software along with the disks. To transfer data from a regular hard drive to an SSD, you can use.

Important when choosing a solid state drive, which characterizes the operating speed of the SSD, has a version of the SATA interface. For modern SSD models, the most modern SATA III interface (SATA 600) is suitable. The optimal disk size for selection is up to 250 GB. There is enough disk space, and the price is reasonable. The benefits of purchasing an SSD will greatly depend on the write speed. Sufficiently fast SSD drive models are provided by Samsung and OCZ. Well, the last criterion is current consumption. Keep in mind that SSDs have no active components and should consume no more than 2 watts.

Speed

SSD is much faster and transfers more data per second. You will notice this when you turn on the computer.

Reliability

An SSD has no moving parts. Advantages: SSDs generally survive shocks and falls without serious consequences, regardless of whether they are running or turned off.

Silence

Although most modern hard drives are quite quiet, an SSD will make your dream of a silent laptop or work PC a reality.

How does an SSD work?

Solid state drives achieve incredible speeds thanks to technological ingenuity. SSD control electronics read and write data to multiple chips at the same time, so they are faster than, for example, memory cards. The control chip (microcontroller) and control software (firmware) are critical to speed.
Compared to reading, writing for an SSD is more labor-intensive, since the memory chips must be cleaned before writing. Therefore, manufacturers invest a lot of effort in developing recording technologies. Some SSDs can perform write tasks even faster than read ones.
Larger SSDs tend to be faster. Thus, the Toshiba Q Series Pro with a capacity of 128 GB records video files at speeds of up to 518 Mbps, while the other two models with larger capacities reach 538 Mbps.

A hard drive requires a motor to spin the drive unit and the recording head. SSDs don't need it. During testing, this difference could be clearly heard - with a solid-state drive, the Toshiba laptop ran almost silently.
The absence of moving parts in an SSD increases battery life. When playing video, a laptop with a hard drive lasted a couple of minutes less than one with an SSD. But since the screen, processor and video card consume much more energy, this difference plays almost no role in practice.

Data from a solid-state drive is destroyed once and for all, unlike a hard drive, where files are first marked as deleted - in this case, they can be recovered using special programs.

SSD installation

In most cases, the process of replacing a hard drive with an SSD on laptops is quite simple: you need to remove the small cover on the bottom, unscrew the screws on the hard drive - and that's it, you can insert the SSD. No cords or cables are required; power and data connectors are located on the motherboard. Note that most SSDs are 7mm thick, which is thinner than regular hard drives (9.5mm), so to mount the SSD in the drive bay you may need an adapter, which is not always included.
But to install the drive into the desktop system unit you need a data cable, a power adapter, a retainer and screws. Available models often do not include a power adapter, and some manufacturers do not offer any additional equipment for their SSDs at all.

Data transfer

If you do not want to additionally install the operating system and programs on the SSD, then you will need special software to transfer data. It comes included with most models. Programs such as Acronis True Image HD, Intel Data Migration Software or Samsung Data Migration will copy all the contents of your disk and installed programs to the SSD almost automatically.

Since most laptops work with only one drive, before installation you must first transfer programs by connecting the SSD via USB (special adapter from 1000 rubles).

High speed

The fastest SSDs achieve high data transfer speeds - almost 550 MB/s. This is at least two times faster than the most productive 3.5-inch hard drives and four to five times faster than 2.5-inch laptop HDDs. They use the potential of modern SATA interface technology on computers to almost one hundred percent. However, unlike classic hard drives, the difference in speed of solid-state drives can be noticeably felt. The slowest models tested were no faster in writing than conventional hard drives.
The advantages of the fastest SSD drives are not only evident when copying large files: in everyday life they save a lot of time due to fast access to data. Thus, the leaders of our rating took significantly less time to load resource-intensive programs such as Photoshop - only five seconds, while a regular hard drive spent about 15 seconds.
The speed gain is noticeable not only when calling programs, but already when starting the computer. In both cases, he has to deal with a huge number of small files.

Before choosing an SSD drive for a laptop, the buyer should find out their main features that they should pay attention to.

First of all, this is the disk capacity and its price - facts that influence the choice of any drive.

However, SSDs have their own characteristics that require taking into account other factors, approaching the purchase more responsibly than purchasing other computer elements.

Moreover, the price of such a device will be perhaps the most expensive among all laptop components.

Benefits of purchasing

Buying an SSD drive for a laptop is one of the most important steps to increase system performance and data processing speed.

On such a drive, access to information occurs much faster.

Replacing an outdated HDD with a more modern version will bring a greater increase in power than even increasing the memory or installing a new processor.

Advantages of a solid state drive for a laptop:

increasing the speed of data access, which will speed up the launch of programs several times;
compact sizes of most devices (except for portable options), making it easy to select an SSD for both a large 17-inch laptop and a small netbook with a 10-inch display;
light weight, especially important when used on a laptop computer;
reduced energy consumption, which should increase the average battery life of your laptop;
high level of reliability of SSD operation.

Among the disadvantages that are noted in solid-state drives, attention is paid to its relatively small resource: 3000–5000 cycles.

For normal home use, this time is roughly equivalent to 7-8 years of work, more than the average user works with the same drive.

The comparative fragility of the SSD in this case does not matter much - it is also undesirable to drop the laptop itself.

At the same time, the relatively high price of the device is compensated by increased operating speed.

Features of choice

You should start choosing the right solid-state drive for you with the main indicator that immediately catches your eye when viewing various options in online stores.

This is the cost of the equipment, which today still exceeds the same parameter for conventional HDDs several times; it depends on the volume and manufacturer of the disk.

Price and volume

The cost of an SSD can seriously influence the choice of a user with limited financial resources.

The only available options today are 60–120 GB drives, the price of which is in the range of 2–4 thousand rubles, almost the same as a 500–1000 GB HDD costs.

However, if the laptop is used only for work and not for games, a 120 GB disk will be quite enough to accommodate the system and documents, and perhaps enough for backup.

When choosing an option for storing a large amount of information, you should consider budget SSDs with a capacity of 512 GB.

The cost of a gigabyte is lower than that of other devices – at 20–30 rubles. instead of 40–80 rubles. for smaller or, conversely, new and larger drives.

It is worth paying attention to the 512 GB variants because of the increased data exchange speed.

Drives of this size (it can be not only 512 GB, some manufacturers produce 480 and 525 GB drives) work twice as fast as their 128 GB counterparts.

Size

When looking at SSD drives, you will notice that their sizes differ from each other.

And, if it is acceptable to buy a 3.5" drive for a desktop PC, for a laptop you should choose 2.5 and even 1.8-inch models.

Some of the most popular options today are the mSATA and M2 form factors, which are boards for SATA and PCI-E slots, respectively.

The dimensions of such disks are even smaller - width can reach only 12 mm, length - from 16 to 110 mm.

The only drawback of mSATA and M2 drives can appear if there are no corresponding slots on the laptop motherboard.

But such outdated motherboards have not been produced for several years.

It is unlikely that you can significantly increase the performance of an old (before 2010-2011) laptop even with the help of an SSD drive.

Interface

Standard interfaces for connecting SSDs are PCI-E or SATA.

In terms of price/quality ratio, the best options are drives connected via the SATA III connector.

This interface will provide data transfer speeds of up to 6 Gb/s - more than any solid-state drive available today.

Speed

Reading and writing speed are parameters that will affect the speed of working with information.

Most SSDs read faster than write.

When the cache is full, the actual speed of the drive may drop - although not as noticeably as with older-style hard drives.

However, even inexpensive SSD drives operate 3–4 times faster than high-performance HDDs.

Therefore, when choosing a budget solid-state drive model (for example, a 512 GB option for 10 thousand rubles), you will still get a noticeable increase in performance.

Buying an analogue that costs 25–30 thousand rubles is not always justified for the average user, even with increased speed.

A compromise solution is to choose an option with less capacity but greater data transfer capabilities.

Resource

For a conventional solid-state drive, the number of rewrite cycles reaches 5000–10000. The higher this value, the longer the disk will last.

So, for example, for a frequently used small 60 GB SSD, the resource may decrease by 2-3 cycles during the workday.

A productive 512–1024 GB drive will last you approximately the same number of days as the number of cycles indicated in its technical specifications – 3000 (more than 8 years) or 5000 (13 years).

Although improper handling of the disk can reduce the resource much faster.

Manufacturer

Many manufacturers produce SSD drives, from Intel to SanDisk. Choosing a drive by brand is quite difficult.

But, if you need an inexpensive option, you should give preference to Crucial brands. Intel products provide high reliability.

And the fastest, although most expensive, are SSDs from Samsung, Western Digital and Corsair.

Controller

The type of controller affects disk performance. Budget options use Phison models.

Expensive and fast drives are equipped with Marvell controllers, which provide a noticeable increase in performance.

Drives from the lower and middle price categories may have a SandForce SSD controller, which reduces data processing speed when the cache is full and disk space is reduced, but at the same time quickly records information.

Installing the disc

After the SSD drive has already been selected and purchased, all that remains is to install it correctly in the laptop.

If there is not enough space, you can replace the HDD already installed on the laptop with a solid-state drive (which can then be inserted instead of the drive using a special adapter).

Another option suitable when choosing a solid-state drive with the M2 form factor is installing the drive together with the HDD; There is enough space inside the laptop for this.

In this case, overpaying for a drive with smaller dimensions becomes justified.

The third option is to buy a special case to make the SSD external. Although you can buy such a drive in a design that is already suitable for connecting via a USB connector.

True, the second option will be more expensive and will not allow, if the opportunity arises, to install the disk inside the laptop.

Advice: External SSD should only be connected via USB 3.0 or 3.1 ports. The outdated 2.0 interface will not only not provide any increase in speed compared to the HDD, but may even reduce it.

Once the drive is connected, it must be optimized by installing software from the official manufacturer or other suitable applications.

For example, the Intel SSD Toolbox program will ensure that the disk firmware is constantly updated and its partitions are aligned. The AS SSD utility performs approximately the same task.

The interface of such optimization programs does not require much time to master - it is quite intuitive.

Green means the SSD is working normally.

Red warns of possible problems and you need to download the utility not to check, but to correct errors.

One of these applications is Parted Magic, whose task is to restore lost SSD settings and return their values to factory settings.

A solid state drive is not much different in appearance from an HDD.

The abbreviation SSD stands for Solid State Drive. You can translate it into Russian as a solid-state drive. Its main advantage is the absence of moving internal parts, that is, all operations are performed by electronic units.

In fact, the first solid state drive appeared in 1978. But in those days, the benefits of its use were very doubtful, and production was costly. SSDs were introduced to the general public around 2007-2008. They were modest in memory size and could have around 128 GB. Nowadays, there are already models of solid-state drives with a capacity of 1 TB and read/write speeds of 2600/1600 MB/s. And not so long ago, the Russian company GS Group began producing SSDs.

In a special publication on our portal, we will talk in detail about what RAM is in a computer. You will learn the characteristics of RAM, how to find out the amount of RAM and types of RAM on your computer.

Difference between SSD and HDD

The most important difference is in the design. An SSD has no moving parts, which means there is nothing inside it to wear out. And as a result - the absence of noise. Due to the fact that all the elements inside the SSD are soldered and secured, such a drive is much more resistant to shocks and vibrations.

On a HDD, files are read by passing the magnetic head over the surface of the disk. The reading and writing speed in this case depends on the disk rotation speed. In an SSD, there is no magnetic disk as such, and reading occurs by checking the memory cells for the presence of charge in them, which is undoubtedly faster.

The same applies to random access to data. For example, to simultaneously read several different HDD files, its magnetic head will have to “rush” between different sections of the disk to ensure timely loading of data. An SSD can simultaneously find and load several files at once.

Well, another significant advantage is low energy consumption.

Well, now it’s worth remembering the shortcomings. The most important of them, because of which many users were initially afraid to switch to SSDs, is the limited number of rewrite cycles. In other words, the more often data on a disk is overwritten, the sooner it will fail. Moreover, this happened at the most unexpected moments for the user. But the technology is improving, mechanisms are being added to control the number of cell rewrites, which allow new data to be added to less “worn-out” ones. Memory types are also being upgraded, which will further extend the life of the device.

Another repulsive factor is the price of the SSD drive. But this is a temporary phenomenon, as the cost is gradually decreasing. For example, today an average quality 500 GB disk can be bought for about 9,000 rubles. An HDD of this volume can be purchased for 2,000–3,000 rubles, with a disk rotation speed of 7200 rpm.

Well, the last thing worth knowing about SSDs is the impossibility of recovering files after deletion. Although some manufacturers provide their devices with mechanisms that allow this to be done. Perhaps in the future we will see an SSD with all the capabilities of an HDD, but without its disadvantages.

Main technical characteristics of SSD drives for PCs

The main parameters by which it is customary to choose an SSD are: volume, form factor, connection type and read/write speeds. But, besides them, there are other, less popular options. Let's look into all the intricacies of the characteristics and find out which SSD to choose when purchasing.

Volume

It makes no sense to explain specifically about the capacity of a hard drive in our digital age. In short, it characterizes the maximum amount of data that can be written to it. It is measured in gigabytes and, more recently, in terabytes. 1TB = 1000 GB.

Disk board

This is interesting: in fact, there is a little confusion with terabytes, as with other units - gigabytes and megabytes. The fact is that almost all applications and OS use 1024 GB as a terabyte. But in the SI unit measurement system, the prefix “tera” means 1012, that is, exactly 1,000,000,000,000. Almost all hard drive manufacturers adhere to the “correct” metric: 1 TB = 1000 GB. But the operating system can calculate and display the volume in its own way, based on 1TB = 1024 GB.

In general, the main selection criterion is the more, the better.

Form factor

There are 4 main form factors present on the market: 1.8“, 2.5“, 3.5“ and several varieties of M.2. The first two standards are usually used as a laptop SSD hard drive. The rest are more common on desktop versions of PCs. If everything is clear with inches, then M.2 is worth looking into in more detail.

Form factor 2.5"

M.2 is a relatively new specification for connectors and boards. Mainly used to connect SSDs, but other devices are also present, such as USB, Wi-Fi modules, etc. In most cases, there are SSDs with M and B keys. This is easy to determine - there will be three separate buses on the board: two small and one large in the middle. Also, boards are divided into 2242, 2260, 2280. This is nothing more than the size. The first two digits indicate the width, the rest - the length.

Form factor M.2 and its varieties

ATTENTION!

Before installing an SSD drive on your computer, you should make sure that the module does not interfere with other components of the motherboard and cooling.

Connection interface

The connection interface is very closely related to the form factor. The two most popular connection types today are SATA and PCIe. The first option has increased compatibility, as it is present on almost all motherboards, including laptops.

SATA interface cable

PCIe variants are mostly found in desktop systems. Although it should be noted that the M.2 standard is gradually beginning to be adopted by mobile platforms.

Read/Write Speed

With speeds in the SSD environment, everything is very complicated. Naturally, the read and write speed is much higher than that of an HDD. However, many manufacturers like to significantly inflate these parameters for marketing purposes. Therefore, when choosing, it is better to focus on reviews of authoritative resources and publications, as well as reviews from customers who have already tried the device.

Memory type and runtime to failure

There are three types of SSD memory: SLC, MLC and TLC. At the beginning of 2017, Intel announced a new type of memory, but the device is still too expensive and it is not yet known how long it will take for it to reach the average user. So these three known types are used.

SLC stands for Single Level Cell, that is, a single-level cell. The most productive type with the longest operating life. However, while their price is relatively high, such SSDs are used mainly in server solutions.

MLC− multi-level cell. We can say that this is an average level between SLC and TLC. Average resource, average productivity, average price.

TLC− the most inexpensive type of memory, weakest in terms of performance and service life. It was this technology that was used to operate conventional flash drives.

TRIM function

This function was needed after the development of the first solid-state drives. The fact is that regular HDDs and SSDs perform deletion and formatting differently. In short, to repeat the technique of these operations on an SSD, like an HDD, the speed and resource of solid-state drives would become uncompetitive.

The TRIM function is used to clear cells before overwriting them. This saves access time for the SSD. Support for its systems began with Windows 7, Linux 2.6.33 and MacOS. Android, starting with version 4.3, has its own analogue of the TRIM function.

THIS IS INTERESTING:

If suddenly your system does not support the TRIM function, then there are several special utilities that perform its duties manually.

Drive clipboard

The buffer or cache on the HDD accelerated the speed of writing and reading due to the accumulation of a certain amount of information in a separate area. This made it possible not to “tug” the hard drive one more time. In an SSD, this approach does not make sense, since writing and reading are already instantaneous. However, in solid-state drives, the cache is often used as a storage device for service information. It does not particularly affect performance, and is rarely indicated by developers in the specifications or information about the device.

What is the difference between expensive and cheap SSDs?

The main parameters that influence the cost of a solid-state drive are the type of memory, type of controller and its capacity. Memory types have already been discussed in the article just above. Controllers depend entirely on the manufacturer. From the top segment we can highlight brands such as Intel, Samsung, Marvell. The class below is followed by Jmicron or Silicon Motion.

Among the latest expensive new products, we can highlight products from Intel with the 3D Xpoint memory type. True, such an SSD disk for a 500 GB computer is sold at a price of about 40,000 rubles. The declared read/write speed on such a device can reach 2000/2500 MB/s.

Which is better for a laptop - HDD or SSD

The technological development of SSDs is still at such a level that using it in a system as the main hard drive is not considered acceptable. This is due to the fact that they fail too quickly compared to HDDs.

Therefore, the best solution for a solid-state hard drive for a laptop is to use it in conjunction with an HDD. You can install the operating system on the SSD, and programs, games, documents and other files on the HDD. If you are planning to buy an SSD drive for an M.2 format laptop, then you should first make sure that this laptop supports this type of connector.

M.2 solid state drive in a laptop

Which laptop SSD is better to choose? You can choose a budget version of the disk with a small capacity (for example, 60 GB), TLC memory type and, if possible, use M.2. This volume should be enough for most operating systems. All programs and games will be installed on an additional HDD, which will increase the service life of the device. If the SSD fails, all data will be saved to the HDD.

What is the best SSD drive for a computer? Review of several models and rating of SSD drives

The market for SSD devices is very diverse. Unlike processors, there are no leading players here. The production of solid-state drives is carried out by both large and famous corporations and little-known companies. However, often a small company can release an interesting, inexpensive and reliable device.

Plextor PX-128S3C - inexpensive SSD drive for PC and laptop

Budget solution for a desktop computer or laptop. It has a 2.5" form factor, which gives it versatility. The type of memory used is TLC, which is typical for inexpensive devices. The stated write/read characteristics are 500/550 MB/s. The test results showed only a slight deviation of these values.

Plextor PX-128S3C

The total memory is 128 GB, cache is 256 MB. According to the developers, the disk will be able to withstand about 35 TB of overwritten data and 1,500,000 hours of operation.

Samsung MZ-75E1T0BW

This SSD is different in that it uses a more modern type of 3D V-NAND memory - an improved version of TLC. It allows you to significantly increase the total volume, which is 1 TB in this SSD.

The controller used is our own - Samsung MEX. It is used in many similar devices and has proven itself to be a reliable and fast module.

Samsung MZ-75E1T0BW

Form factor − 2.5“. This means that the device can be used in both a desktop PC and a laptop. The declared read/write speed is 520/540 MB/s. Own cache is 1024 MB. The operating time declared by the manufacturer is 1,500,000 hours.

Western Digital Green PC SSD 240 GB

Western Digital has been manufacturing storage devices for a long time. Naturally, they couldn’t ignore the SSD format. This model has a capacity of 240 GB, which means it can be used not only as a disk for the operating system, but also as the main data storage. The 2.5" form factor allows you to connect it to both a desktop PC and a laptop. Memory type: budget TLC. According to the developers, the peak speed can be 465 MB/s for writing and 540 MB/s for reading. However, tests show that the write speed can actually be about 200 MB/s.

Western Digital Green PC SSD 240 GB

As for the resource, about 1,750,000 operating hours are stated.

Samsung MZ-N5E250BW

Another representative from a famous brand. It differs from the one already presented in that it is made in the M.2 form factor with a size of 2280 MB, that is, suitable for stationary versions of PCs. But many modern laptops are now also equipped with this slot, so you can use this drive here too. Before purchasing, you should make sure that there is a bus on the motherboard.

Samsung MZ-N5E250BW

The volume of the device is 250 GB, the memory type is 3D V-NAND. Self-produced controller - Samsung MGX. Write/read speed: 500/540 MB/s. Buffer memory - 512 MB.

SmartBuy Ignition 4 240 Gb

A little-known brand that is gradually gaining popularity. The amount of disk space is 240 GB. The form factor is suitable for laptops and PCs - 2.5“. Interestingly, this budget option uses more powerful and reliable MLC memory.

SmartBuy Ignition 4 240 Gb

How to connect an SSD to a computer - basic nuances

There are no special differences from connecting a standard HDD. However, there are a couple of nuances that are best taken care of before installing the device.

Firstly, if the SSD form factor is 2.5", then you will need to buy a special adapter - 3.5", which will allow you to securely mount the drive in the PC case. It is connected to the motherboard via a SATA cable. Secondly, after installing the device, you will need to go into the computer’s BIOS and make sure that the AHCI drive mode is enabled.

One of the adapter options 2.5“ to 3.5“

There is no need to insert a separate adapter into your laptop, since almost all of them support the 2.5“ standard. The connectors are firmly fixed, so you just need to “insert” the disk and close it with the lid.

The SSD drive does not appear on my computer - the main reasons

It often happens that an SSD drive is detected in the BIOS, but does not want to appear in Windows. In most cases, this means there is no volume on the device. Therefore we need to create it.

Disk Management in Windows 7

For Windows 7 you will have to go to the diskmgmt.msc utility. You can find it by searching in the Start menu. The Disk Management window will open. The required SSD will appear as unallocated space. You need to right-click on it and select “Create Volume”.

Enabling SATA and AHCI in BIOS

It happens less often that the disk is not detected in the BIOS. In this case, you should start by checking the status of the SATA controller. It must be turned on. More significant problems may arise due to incompatibility of the motherboard, defective disk, or for a number of other reasons.

What is the most profitable way to buy an SSD drive for a computer and how to buy an SSD drive for a laptop - overview table

We have collected several interesting models in one table, which reflects the characteristics, compatibility with PCs and laptops, prices and features of the SSD.

Device	Peculiarities	Compatibility	Price, rub
Plextor PX-128S3C	Memory type - TLC, form factor − 2.5“, 35 TB of rewritable data.	Laptop, desktop PC.	3 200
Samsung MZ-75E1T0BW	Memory type - 3D V-NAND, form factor − 2.5“, 1,500,000 operating hours.	Laptop, desktop PC.	16 000
WD GREEN PC SSD 240 GB	Memory type - TLC, form factor − 2.5“, 1,750,000 operating hours.	Laptop, desktop PC.	4 500
Samsung MZ-N5E250BW	Memory type - 3D V-NAND, form factor - M.2 2280, 1,500,000 operating hours.	Laptop, desktop PC.	6 000
SmartBuy Ignition 4 240 Gb	Memory type - MLC, form factor - 2.5“.	Laptop, desktop PC.	5 600
Intel SSDSC2BW240H601	240 GB, form factor − 2.5“, memory type – MLC.	Laptop, desktop PC.	28 300
Kingston SE50S37/480G	480 GB, form factor − 2.5“, memory type – MLC.	Server solutions.	23 000

If you have experience managing and working with SSD drives, then feel free to share it in the comments.