Choose an SSD for your computer. What size ssd is needed for Windows

SSD (Solid State Disk), strictly speaking, is not a disk. Unlike HDDs, which store information on rotating magnetic disks, SSDs do not contain any disks. The data in them is stored on flash memory chips. This is where most of the features of this type of drive come from. Pros:

- SSD drives are many times faster than HDDs. Read and write speeds on solid-state drives reach an average of 500 MB/s, and for the best HDD models these figures do not exceed 200 MB/s. Moreover, the speed advantage of SSDs increases noticeably when you need to work not with one long file, but with many small ones. At the same time, the speed of a classic HDD drops tenfold - after all, different files can be located in different parts of the disk and accessing each new file requires a new positioning of the recording head. The speed of the SSD does not drop so much when working with various files; As a result, the SSD becomes hundreds of times faster than the HDD!
- SSD drives have no moving parts and are completely silent, unlike HDDs. Modern hard drives, of course, are not as noisy as their predecessors from ten or twenty years ago, but they still make quite noticeable buzzing and crunching noises during operation.

- SSD drives are much more resistant to shocks that are dangerous for the HDD (the gap between the disk and the HDD head is only about 0.1 microns and a strong shock can lead to the head touching the disk, leading to data loss, or even damage to the HDD). SSDs, on the other hand, can easily withstand shocks, shocks, and even falls from low heights - even during operation.

But SSDs also have disadvantages:
- high price. The price of 1 GB of SSD drives is generally in the range of 25-50 rubles (although there are models with 20 and 200 rubles per GB). For hard drives, this figure is almost 10 times lower - 3-6 rubles per GB. Simply put, the average SSD is 8-9 times more expensive than the average HDD of similar capacity. However, the development of flash memory technologies is still ongoing and their prices are constantly falling: over 5 years, from 2012 to 2017, SSD drives have fallen in price by about 5 times. HDD drives fell in price by only 30% over the same period, so we can hope that in another five years SDD drives will cost the same as HDDs.
- limited number of recording cycles. Flash memory chips have a limited resource (especially chips made using TLC technology) and improper use of an SSD drive can lead to its failure. SSD drives should not be used for tasks involving frequent write operations (storing temporary files, paging files, accounts, etc.). Data compression and defragmentation should not be applied to SSD drives.

To summarize, we can say that it may be optimal to choose an SSD as a mobile external drive used primarily for storage (audio and video files, installation kits, archives and databases). In this case, the limited number of write cycles is no longer so important, and resistance to mechanical stress becomes a very important advantage.

The high price of SSD drives forces you to pay close attention to cheaper models, especially since their prices can be several times lower than for other models similar in speed and capacity. Why?
Firstly, the price may be lower due to a different type of memory. The cheapest chips are manufactured using TLC technology, but they also have the smallest number of write cycles: 1000-5000. The MLC chips most common in SSD drives today are more expensive and on average have a resource of 10,000 write cycles. Roughly speaking, a cheap SSD with TLC chips can last 10 times less than an expensive one with TLC chips.

Secondly, although most SSD drives are equipped with a cache on high-speed DDR3 memory, cheap models may not have a cache. Although this reduces the price, it also reduces the speed and life of the drive.
Thirdly, on cheap drives the manufacturer can save money and not supply power support capacitors. If the drive has cache memory, some of the data during operation is not written to the disk, but is stored in the cache. If the power is lost, this data can be irretrievably lost, so most SSD drives are equipped with power support capacitors that store enough electrical charge to keep the drive operational while data is transferred from cache memory to flash memory chips.
Fourthly, the price, of course, depends on the brand. A drive from a famous brand will cost more than its “nameless” counterpart, and don’t think that you are only paying for the label on the case. A manufacturer that values its reputation is more likely to try to organize the proper production culture, which has a direct bearing on the quality and reliability of the product.

Comparison of SSD drives and flash drives.

The volume of USB flash drives is growing every month and is already reaching the volume of hard drives: for example, for 256 GB you can buy both an SSD drive, a flash drive and an HDD. And, if everything is clear with HDD, then the choice between SDD and USB Flash is not so simple: their prices are approximately the same.
There is no fundamental difference between SDD and USB flash (except for the form factor) - both use the same technologies, the same interfaces (mainly USB) and the same flash chips of several varieties. The most common difference is that flash drives usually do not come with cache memory, so they are inferior in speed to SSD drives when working with many files. If the drive is intended to be used for work, an SSD with cache memory may be more efficient. If the drive will be used for storing and transferring, for example, video recordings, then it would be more correct to classify USB flash drives and SSD drives as one class of devices and select them based on their characteristics.

Characteristics of external SSD drives.

Volume– the main characteristic of any drive, which primarily determines its price. When choosing the capacity of any drive, you should understand that the sizes of both software and media files are constantly growing, so some reserve never hurts; In addition, SSD drives, due to certain features of the organization of data recording, “do not like” dense filling of all available memory. On some SSD drive models, the write speed may drop significantly when the capacity is close to 100%.

Up to a volume of 512 GB, it is more profitable to take larger SSD drives: up to this limit, the price per gigabyte decreases with increasing volume, as with HDDs. But after a certain limit, the price per gigabyte practically stops falling. In addition, with large volumes, the price of SSD drives rises to impressive numbers of several tens of thousands of rubles.

Interface connecting an external SSD drive must provide a data transfer speed no less than the read/write speed to the SSD itself.

Interface USB 2.0 provides a maximum data transfer speed of 480 MB/s, which is very close to the maximum read speed from an SSD, so, other things being equal, it is better to prefer a drive with a different interface.

USB 3.0 seems to be the best interface option for an external SSD drive today:
- its maximum transfer speed of 5 GB/s significantly exceeds the speed of an SSD drive and does not interfere with data transfer from it;
- USB 3.0 is supported by most computers, laptops and tablets
- Thanks to USB backward compatibility, a drive with a USB 3.0 interface can be connected to older computers that do not have USB 3.0 ports.

Interface USB 3.1 provides a maximum data transfer speed of 10 GB/s, which is already excessive for SSD drives. In addition, when purchasing SSD drives with a USB 3.1 interface, you should pay attention to what cable the device is equipped with: if the main cable is equipped with a USB Type C connector, an adapter will be required to connect to regular USB connectors. And, although many SSD drives that support the USB 3.1 interface are equipped with such an adapter by default, it may easily not be at hand at the most necessary moment.

Interface thunderbolt It is widely used only on Apple computers. It provides the highest data transfer speeds, but is completely incompatible with the USB interface. Therefore, it would be appropriate to choose an external drive with such an interface only if you intend to connect it exclusively to Apple equipment. However, manufacturers understand this, and most devices with thunderbolt support also support USB 3.0/3.1.

The question of how to choose an SSD for a computer is asked by almost every PC user. If for experienced people the acquisition of this element of “hardware” does not cause any particular difficulties, then beginners, as a rule, rush between different models, not understanding which one is right for them. Today we will find out what an SSD drive is and what to look for when purchasing it. So let's get started.

What is an SSD for a computer - basic information

By its nature, an SSD drive is a solid-state drive, which is based on NAND flash memory chips. Such devices can have different dimensions (the so-called form factor). The most common models are those with a form factor of 2.5 inches. These SSDs are similar in size to regular hard drives, but are thinner (often 7 mm). Thanks to this, drives can be installed in small computer cases. 1.8-inch drives are used much less frequently. They are purchased in cases where installing a 2.5-inch model is physically impossible (due to lack of space in the case).

The devices in question are connected via the Serial ATA interface (abbreviated as SATA). Modern drive models use the SATA rev channel. 3.0. Also, on the market you can find models with a version of the SATA2 interface, but such a connection is already considered obsolete.

Please remember that the SATA interface is backward compatible. Even if the system does not support version 3.0, the drive will still work, but its performance will be limited by the throughput of the SATA2 interface.

Some 2.5-inch models include adapter brackets. With their help, you can install the drive in a 3.5-inch drive bay (that is, for floppy disks). The mentioned adapters are a real salvation for users whose computers are not equipped with mounting spaces for 2.5-inch devices.

After the announcement of Intel 9-Series chipsets, some motherboards began to be equipped with a special SATA Express connector. It is needed to increase data transfer speed without limiting the performance of drives. In this case, the connection is made using a special cable. So far, models with the SATA Express interface are not widespread and are considered a kind of exotic.

Some SSDs may come in expansion card format. Such models are equipped with a PCI Express interface. In most cases, the type of SSD in question is used by people for whom the capabilities of the SATA rev channel are not enough. 3.0. Drives with a PCI Express interface have 4 bus lines at once, capable of delivering transfer speeds of up to 2 Gb/sec. In order to increase performance, this type of drive is equipped with a pair of controllers, as well as a special chip that supports operation in RAID array mode (combining several disks into one logical element, which leads to increased productivity).

People who have compact computer equipment (desktop PCs or laptops) should focus on mSATA format models. Such devices operate on the same principle as their 2.5-inch counterparts. The only difference is that all the technical elements of the drive are placed on a small printed circuit board. The connection is made through a special connector that looks like mini-PCI Express. To ensure that the device is accurately connected to the device, it is better to consult a specialist before purchasing it.

Another type of drive that can be found on the market is M.2 standard models. They look like compact expansion cards and are somewhat similar to RAM sticks. The length of these devices can vary from 30 to 110 mm. It is clear that these hardware elements are produced for installation in desktop PCs or laptops.

So, we have looked at the fundamental parameters by which SSD hard drives for a computer may differ. Now let's find out what technical features these devices have and how they are superior to classic hard drives.

How does an SSD drive for a computer differ from a hard drive HDD?

As mentioned above, an SSD drive is a hard drive based on NAND flash memory chips. A classic hard drive (or HDD) is also a device for storing data, but in its case, recording is done on magnetic disks. These design differences also led to differences in technical characteristics. We have outlined the key parameters of both types of devices in the table below.

Characteristic type	SSD drive	Winchester HDD
Physical memory limit	Up to 4 TB	5 TB and above
Maximum speed of reading and writing information	Up to 100,000 IOPS	Within 100 IOPS
Power consumption limit	Within 5W	Up to 9 W
Power consumption during idle phases	About 0.6 W	Up to 6 W
Data recovery in case of failure	Almost impossible	Maybe
Average trouble-free operation life	About 5 years	More than 10 years
Data overwrite function	Yes, but limited	Present (almost without restrictions)

Judging by the table, we can come to the conclusion that SSD and HDD are approximately equal in quality. However, solid-state drives are bought not for their re-writability or service life, but for their data processing speed. And here SSD has an unconditional advantage.

Fast reading ensures rapid loading of the operating system, which cannot be achieved with any hard drive. In addition, solid-state drives unload game files as quickly as possible, which eliminates image slowdown when running modern large-scale projects. It should be noted that computers equipped with SSD drives work better in multitasking mode, when a browser, several applications, a game, and so on are open at the same time.

Additional advantages of SSD drives include:

Almost silent operation.
Increased strength.
Lack of response to vibrations.
No heating or minimal increase in temperature under load.
Less prone to breakdowns.
Light weight.
Use of multiple data transmission channels when operating.

Perhaps the only thing in which SSDs are inferior to HDDs is the amount of physical memory. Yes, in the table above the difference is not too big, but models, for example, 1 TB are very expensive (more than $500), so the lion's share of users buy drives of 120–240 GB. And this already requires a competent approach to using the available disk space.

What to look for when choosing an SSD for a computer?

There are several factors to consider when choosing an SSD. First of all, you need to look at:

Space in the system unit- this way you will choose a model with the optimal form factor.
Connection interface- knowledge of this aspect will allow you to choose a disk that will work as productively as possible. In addition, only devices of a specific type may be suitable for certain motherboards (for example, if there is no separate landing point, but with a bay for 3.5 mm drives, only SSDs equipped with special adapter brackets will be suitable).

Some users may find these issues difficult to understand. In such situations, it is recommended to seek help from specialists.

The purpose of using a solid state drive is extremely important. The optimal amount of memory directly depends on it. So:

32 GB models. Suitable for computers that are used exclusively for work. These devices are very cheap. They can only install the operating system and undemanding programs (for example, Microsoft Office).
64 GB models. This option is also suitable exclusively for office machines. In addition to the operating system, all working applications (with the exception of large programs) can be installed on such a disk.
120 GB models. This is a more universal option. It can store both work and entertainment programs. But given how much modern games weigh, the user will have to wisely distribute disk space. You will not be able to assemble an impressive gaming collection on these drives.
240 GB models. These devices are considered ideal for most users (in terms of price/features ratio). Such disks will contain an operating system, work programs, and several games. If you use it correctly, you won't have any problems with free space. But try to store on the SSD only those programs that are dependent on reading speed (for example, games). There is no point in spending precious gigabytes on movies and music.
Models with 480 GB and higher. In terms of technical characteristics and capabilities, these devices are the undisputed leaders. But they are still purchased much less often than 120/240 GB models. The reason for this is the high price. High-quality models with this volume cost about 14,000 rubles. You can only spend money on buying them if you have a solid budget when building a PC.

When you decide on the appropriate type of SSD drive and the optimal amount of memory, pay attention to such an important indicator as read/write speed. It determines the loading speed of the operating system, the time it takes to open programs and, of course, playing games. The rule here is simple: the higher the value, the better. Today, good SSD drives for computers have read/write speeds of 500–600 MB/sec. The indicated values are a kind of standard that you need to focus on. There is no point in taking devices with lower speeds. Moreover, it is necessary to remember that manufacturers often overestimate this figure, so it is better to save on volume, but not on speed.

Speaking of manufacturers. This point also needs to be taken into account in order to definitely buy a product that is suitable for the price and the capabilities provided. Today, SSDs from the following manufacturers are in greatest demand on the market:

Samsung- drives of this brand are famous for their speed.
Intel produces reliable and durable discs, but you will have to pay a lot for these qualities.
Kingston- the products of this brand are especially popular in the domestic market. If you are looking for high-quality and relatively cheap SSDs for your computer, pay attention to the line of this manufacturer.
Plextor- is not yet a very popular brand that produces good solid-state drives. This brand produces models with high read/write speeds, and due to their low popularity, their price is quite affordable.
Crucial- the best option for people with a limited budget. The drives of this company combine good quality and relatively low price.

Which SSD drive to choose in 2018: TOP 3

One of the following models may be suitable for a modern user:

Samsung 850 EVO- a good 250 GB SSD. It has a standard 2.5-inch form factor. Power consumption in operating mode is 2.4 W; in standby mode - 0.05 W. Reading speed can reach 540 MB/sec. Recording is carried out at a speed of 520 Mb/sec or slightly lower. The model in question costs about 7,100 rubles. Thus, by choosing this SSD, the user will receive a productive product for a reasonable price.
Intel 545s- 512 GB drive. Its form factor is 2.5 inches. Read speed can reach 550 MB/sec, and write speed - 500 MB/sec. The model is quite economical in terms of power consumption - 4.5 W in active mode and 0.05 W in standby mode. The price of an Intel 545s drive in Russia is approximately 11,500 rubles. Of course, this is not the fastest model, but for its price it provides quite good capabilities.
SanDisk Ultra 3D- spacious 1 TB SSD drive. Another representative of the line with a standard 2.5-inch form factor. During recording, the disk consumes up to 3.35 W; in read mode, the maximum power consumption is 2.05 W. On average, the drive consumes 0.052 W during operation. In standby mode, energy consumption drops to 0.007 W. The limit reading speed is 560 MB/sec. Recording takes place at speeds of up to 530 Mb/sec. The price of SanDisk Ultra 3D in Russia is approximately 21,200 rubles.

It is clear that the list of high-quality SSD drives is not limited to these three. Our TOP includes models with the most popular memory capacities, which have good technical characteristics and a reasonable price.

Well, now we have learned the intricacies of choosing an SSD drive. As you can see, there is nothing complicated about this. Of course, on some issues (for example, the connection interface) it is better to consult with specialists, but in general, the information provided is enough to independently choose a productive product at an affordable price.

Watch the video on how to choose a good drive for your computer:

If you are building a powerful computer or want to speed up an old one, then an SSD will come in handy. Finally, the cost of these drives has dropped so much that they can be considered as a reasonable alternative to hard drives (HDD).

The following SSD features will help you choose the best drive that is compatible with your computer and meets your needs.

1. Which form factor to choose: SSD 2.5″, SSD M.2 or another

SSD 2.5″

This form factor is the most common. An SSD looks like a small box that resembles an ordinary hard drive. 2.5″ SSDs are the cheapest, but their speed is sufficient for most users.

Compatibility of 2.5″ SSD with computers

An SSD of this form factor can be installed in any desktop computer or laptop that has a free bay for 2.5-inch drives. If your system only has room for an old 3.5" hard drive, you can fit a 2.5" SSD into it too. But in this case, look for an SSD model that comes with a special lock.

Like modern HDDs, a 2.5″ SSD is connected to the motherboard using the SATA3 interface. This connection provides a throughput of up to 600 MB/s. If you have an older motherboard with a SATA2 connector, you can still connect a 2.5″ SSD, but the drive's throughput will be limited by the old version of the interface.

SSD M.2

A more compact form factor, making it suitable even for particularly thin ones that do not have room for a 2.5″ SSD. It looks like an oblong stick and is installed not in a separate compartment of the case, but directly on the motherboard.

To connect to the board, each M.2 drive uses one of two interfaces: SATA3 or PCIe.

PCIe is several times faster than SATA3. If you choose the first one, then there are a few more things to consider: the interface version and the number of lines connected to the connector for data transfer.

The newer the PCIe version, the higher the throughput (data transfer speed) of the interface. Two versions are common: PCIe 2.0 (up to 1.6 GB/s) and PCIe 3.0 (up to 3.2 GB/s).
The more data lines connected to the SSD connector, the higher its throughput again. The maximum number of lines in an M.2 SSD is four; in this case, in the drive description its interface is designated as PCIe x4. If there are only two lines, then PCIe x2.

M.2 SSD compatibility with computers

Before purchasing an M.2 SSD, you should make sure that it will fit your motherboard. To do this, you need to first check the physical and then the software compatibility of the connector on the drive with the slot on the board. Then you need to find out the length of the drive and compare it with the allowable length of the slot allocated for M.2 in your system.

1. Physical compatibility of interfaces

Each connector on the motherboard intended for connecting M.2 format drives has a special cutout (key) of one of two types: B or M. At the same time, the connector on each M.2 drive has two cutouts B + M, less often only one of two keys: B or M.

The B-connector on the board can be connected with a B-connector. To the M-connector, respectively, a drive with an M-type connector. SSDs, the connectors of which have two M + B cutouts, are compatible with any M.2 slots, regardless of the keys in the latter.

M.2 SSD with B+M key (top) and M.2 SSD with M key (bottom) / www.wdc.com

Thus, first make sure that your motherboard has an M.2 SSD slot at all. Then find out the key for your connector and select a drive whose connector is compatible with this key. The key types are usually indicated on the connectors and slots. In addition, you can find all the necessary information in the documents for the motherboard and drive.

2. Logical compatibility of interfaces

In order for an SSD to fit your motherboard, taking into account the physical compatibility of its connector with the connector is not enough. The fact is that the drive connector may not support the logical interface (protocol) that is used in the slot of your board.

Therefore, when you figure out the keys, find out what protocol is implemented in the M.2 connector on your board. This could be SATA3, and/or PCIe x2, and/or PCIe x4. Then choose an M.2 SSD with the same interface. For information about supported protocols, please refer to the device documentation.

3. Size compatibility

Another nuance on which the compatibility of the drive with the motherboard depends is its length.

In the characteristics of most boards you can find the numbers 2260, 2280 and 22110. The first two digits in each of them indicate the supported drive width. It is the same for all M.2 SSDs and is 22 mm. The next two digits are the length. Thus, most boards are compatible with drives with lengths of 60, 80 and 110 mm.

Three M.2 SSD drives of different lengths / www.forbes.com

Before purchasing M.2, be sure to find out the supported drive length, which is indicated in the documents for the motherboard. Then choose one that matches this length.

As you can see, the issue of M.2 compatibility is very confusing. Therefore, just in case, consult the sellers about this.

Less popular form factors

Your computer case may not have a bay for a 2.5” SSD, and your motherboard may not have an M.2 connector. The owner of a thin laptop may encounter such an atypical situation. Then for your system you need to choose a 1.8″ or mSATA SSD - check the documents for your computer. These are rare form factors that are more compact than 2.5” SSDs, but inferior in data exchange speed to M.2 drives.

In addition, thin laptops from Apple may also not support traditional form factors. In them, the manufacturer installs an SSD of a proprietary format, the characteristics of which are comparable to M.2. So, if you have a thin laptop with an apple on the lid, check the supported SSD type in the documentation for the computer.

External SSDs

In addition to internal ones, there are also external drives. They vary greatly in shape and size - choose the one that is most convenient for you.

As for the interface, they connect to computers via a USB port. To achieve full compatibility, make sure the port on your computer and the drive connector support the same USB standard. The highest data transfer speeds are provided by USB 3 and USB Type-C specifications.

2. Which memory is better: MLC or TLC

Based on the number of bits of information that can be stored in one flash memory cell, the latter is divided into three types: SLC (one bit), MLC (two bits) and TLC (three bits). The first type is relevant for servers, the other two are widely used in consumer drives, so you will have to choose from them.

MLC memory is faster and more durable, but more expensive. TLC is correspondingly slower and withstands fewer rewrite cycles, although the average user is unlikely to notice the difference.

TLC type memory is cheaper. Choose it if savings are more important to you than speed.

The drive description may also indicate the type of relative arrangement of memory cells: NAND or 3D V-NAND (or simply V-NAND). The first type implies that the cells are arranged in one layer, the second - in several layers, which allows you to create SSDs with increased capacity. According to the developers, the reliability and performance of 3D V-NAND flash memory is higher than that of NAND.

3. Which SSD is faster

In addition to the type of memory, the performance of an SSD is also affected by other characteristics, such as the model of the controller installed in the drive and its firmware. But these details are often not even indicated in the description. Instead, the final indicators of read and write speed appear, which are easier for the buyer to navigate. So, when choosing between two SSDs, other things being equal, take the drive whose stated speeds are higher.

Remember that the manufacturer indicates only theoretically possible speeds. In practice, they are always lower than stated.

4. What storage capacity is right for you

Of course, one of the most important characteristics when choosing a drive is its capacity. If you are buying an SSD to use as a fast operating system, a 64 GB device is sufficient. If you are going to install games on the SSD or store large files on it, then choose a capacity that suits your needs.

But do not forget that the storage capacity greatly affects its cost.

Buyer's checklist

If you need a drive for office tasks or watching movies, choose a 2.5″ or M.2 SSD with a SATA3 interface and TLC memory. Even such a budget SSD will work much faster than a regular hard drive.
If you are engaged in other tasks for which high drive performance is critical, choose an M.2 SSD with a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface and MLC memory.
Before purchasing, carefully check the compatibility of the drive with your computer. If in doubt, consult with sellers on this issue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What brands of SSD can you safely buy?

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

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

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

So we decide on the volume, don’t worry about the controller, choose a good brand and see what the warranty period is for a particular model. That's all! You will be pleased.

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

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

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

I'll write more about memory and HDD soon.