Choosing the right SSD may seem like a hard task. You also need to choose the interface that you will be using for the SSD. Furthermore, the capacity of the SSD is another major concern that needs to be dealt with.
Apart from these choices, there is another thing that you have to keep in mind – SSD endurance. SSD endurance level is something that cannot be ignored and is very important to determine for the SSD to last longer. If this is the first time you hear the term, then you need to understand what SSD endurance is.
What is SSD Endurance?
SSD endurance is the total data that an SSD can write guaranteed under warranty. When it comes to technicality, many people may not understand SSD endurance. Simply, the lower the SSD endurance, the faster you will have to change your drive.
If you choose an SSD that has the wrong endurance, then you will have to either replace or overpay for a drive with higher endurance.
What is SSD Write Cycle?
The process through which data is programmed onto the NAND flash chip of the SSD is known as SSD write cycle. When you want to write new data on the SSD, you will have to first erase the existing data. This existing data written on the flash memory chip has to be removed electrically.
The SSD write cycle is also called the P/E or program/erase cycle. A new SSD has a new and erased block where the data can be written directly. Once all the free blocks are filled, you will have to erase the programmed blocks to give space to new data.
The blocks that have invalid, valid, and unnecessary data will be copied to other blocks, thereby freeing the older blocks which need to be erased. An SSD controller will timely delete the invalid blocks so that it can be used as a free block for writing new data.
The number of write cycles in an SSD NAND flash is limited. This is because the layer of oxide present in the memory cell of the NAND flash, which traps electrons, will slowly deteriorate. As this happens, the SSD will wear out and become an unreliable device for storing data.
What Will Happen If SSD Endurance Is Chosen Wrong?
Opting for an SSD with high endurance, means that the initial investment will also be high. However, a high SSD endurance also means that the write performance will also be very high. Hence for people who want to get the most out of their SSD, it is better to choose a high endurance SSD, which will have a longer life time.
People sometimes choose a low endurance SSD due to budget constraints. This can increase costing in the long run. The SSD will wear out very easily, and you will have to invest in new SSDs frequently.
One more issue with a low endurance SSD is that it can cause sudden failures and data losses. If SSDs are mostly used for saving important data files, this can create a huge problem. It would be practically impossible to recover the lost data, which can be a huge loss for some people.
It will be easier to choose the endurance level of the SSD when you know the amount of data you will have to write. This can be calculated by noting the average data amount that you will write per day and multiply it by the days that the SSD is used. The number that comes will be the lower bound limit for endurance. You should always keep certain headroom in case of sudden growth.
How Long Does SSD Last?
The understanding of the lifespan of SSD is still under review and is yet to be completely understood by manufacturers. Mostly, the lifespan of SSD is measured by the SSD’s age, the drive writes per day (DWPD), and terabytes written over time (TBW). These are the factors that are taken into consideration to estimate the SSD lifespan.
Mostly TBW and DWPD are followed to understand the longevity of the SSD. An SSD with 256GB capacity support is rated for about 150 TBW, it means that the drive will be able to sustain data written of 150 terabytes. When the drive reaches this limit, it will no longer function correctly, and the user has to replace the drive.
The same goes for DWPD, which is drive writes per day. Here the number of overwrites that can be done on the drive in one day is measured. For example, an SSD with 256GB capacity and a warranty of five years states that the user can write 256GB data daily for the given warranty period.
When this crosses, the user will have to change the SSD, or it will not function correctly. The right measurement of the SSD lifespan is still not determined. Users have to follow these three metrics all together to determine an average period for which the SSD will last.
More: How Many SSDs Can You Install On A Computer Or Laptop?
Do SSD Last Longer Than HDD?
When it comes to choosing the right storage device, both SSD and HDD are considered. However, how do you know which storage device is a more reliable and will last longer. HDDs have been one of the most favored forms of storage devices for a long time. This is slowly being replaced by SSDs for many reasons.
The lifespan of HDDs is comparatively low to that of an SSD. Despite the number of sectors writes being infinite as compared to a finite write storage space of the SSD, the durability of an HDD is always questioned.
HDDs also have moving parts which can be quite prone to shock. On the other hand, SSDs have static mechanical parts that are not as vulnerable. This makes the HDD more susceptible to failures and loss of data as compared to SSD.
Technology may falter from time to time, but for a more reliable option, users can be advised to choose SSD.
How To Check SSD Life
Most of the manufacturers provide free tools to monitoring the health of the SSD. Below are the brands and respective software available:
- Samsung – Samsung Magician
- Intel – Intel SSD Toolbox
- OCZ – OCZ SSD Utility
- Crucial – Crucial Storage Executive
- Kingston – Kingston SSD Manager
If the manufacturer of the SDD doesn’t have a free tool, you can try with a third party tool that works with most of SSD drives, like SSD Life or SSDReady.
