Which ssd is the most reliable. Small and useful. Summary testing mSATA SSD. ⇡ Dependence of performance on free volume

Let's start with the concept of form factor and interface. The "classic" for SSD is the traditional 2.5" HDD enclosure with SATA interface. Such SSDs are the most versatile - they can also “cheer up” old computer with SATA 2 ports, and achieve high performance from modern desktop and laptop hardware.

However, the capabilities of SSDs are much greater than what SATA allows. And here the confusion begins, because SSDs with an M.2 interface are, in fact, two different types of drives - they can work both in SATA mode with the same speed limits (such compact drives in the form of expansion cards were originally used for laptops , but can also be installed in the corresponding slots on the motherboards of stationary PCs), or can be used directly PCI-E bus x4 (PCI-E NVMe interface) with much higher bandwidth - if you are going to buy an SSD with an M.2 connector, immediately check in what mode it works on your computer. For example, Macbook Air until 2012 they used M.2 SATA, and then they began to work with M.2 PCI-E NVMe. Outwardly, they can be distinguished by the number of cutouts on the key: M.2 SATA has two of them, PCI-E NVMe has one.

However, there are atypical M.2 SSDs on the market that are designed for the PCI-E x2 interface and use the same double-notch key as M.2 SATA. They can easily work on motherboards with an M.2 connector that has both SATA and PCI-E lines, but they will be useless on boards designed only for SATA-SSD, although they look no different from M.2 SATA SSDs. Therefore, the type of SSD supported must be taken into account.

And finally, there are SSDs that are installed in a standard PCI-E slot on desktop motherboards as ATX expansion cards - this is an option for those who need high speed, but there is no M.2 slot on the mother.

No SSD drive lasts forever - such are the features of flash memory, which allows only a limited number of write cycles. Therefore, naturally, it is best to choose a drive with a maximum passport TBW (Total Bytes Written) - but do not forget that they look pale compared to competitors Samsung SSD actually withstand a much larger number of recording cycles than prescribed in the passport.

The type of memory determines the resource of the SSD, its speed, and price. The cheapest drives use TLC or 3D-TLC, which only allow for a little over a thousand write cycles. Such an SSD should be taken with a decent margin of capacity - it will provide a sufficient resource. MLC-memory is more expensive, but allows you to rewrite the cell several thousand times already. The most "survivable" memory is SLC, which can withstand up to 100 thousand cycles, it is also the fastest ... and the most expensive. A compromise option is an MLC SSD with SLC caching: the unallocated space there works as a high-speed cache, but such disks are sensitive to free space, and when it decreases below a critical line, their data exchange speed decreases.

As for the manufacturer, any SSD is a combination of several options for controllers and memory chips, so it is incorrect to compare brands: manufacturers that do not produce memory themselves will use the same chips as SSDs from leading manufacturers (Samsung, Micron / Intel, Toshiba , Hynix).

There is an opinion that one of the most significant drawbacks of solid-state drives is their finite and, moreover, relatively low reliability. Indeed, due to the limited resource of flash memory, which is caused by gradual degradation its semiconductor structure, any SSD sooner or later loses its ability to store information. The question of when this can happen remains a key one for many users, so many buyers when choosing drives are guided not so much by their speed as by reliability indicators. Manufacturers themselves also add fuel to the fire of doubts, which, for marketing reasons, stipulate relatively low volumes of permitted recording in the warranty conditions for their consumer products.

However, in practice, mainstream SSDs are more than reliable enough to be trusted to store user data. An experiment that showed the absence of real reasons for worrying about the finiteness of their resource was conducted some time ago by the TechReport website. They performed a test that showed that, despite all doubts, SSD endurance has already grown so much that you don’t have to think about it at all. As part of the experiment, it was practically confirmed that most models of consumer drives are capable of transferring a record of about 1 PB of information before failure, and especially successful models, like the Samsung 840 Pro, remain alive, having digested 2 PB of data. Such recording volumes are practically unattainable in a conventional personal computer, so the lifespan solid state drive simply cannot come to an end before it is completely obsolete and replaced by a new model.

However, this test failed to convince skeptics. The fact is that it was carried out in 2013-2014, when solid-state drives built on the basis of planar MLC NAND, which is manufactured using a 25-nm process technology, were in use. Such a memory is capable of withstanding about 3000-5000 programming-erase cycles before its degradation, and now completely different technologies are in use. Today, flash memory with a three-bit cell has come to mass SSD models, and modern planar manufacturing processes use a resolution of 15-16 nm. At the same time, flash memory with a fundamentally new three-dimensional structure is becoming widespread. Any of these factors can radically change the situation with reliability, and in total, modern flash memory promises only a resource of 500-1500 rewrite cycles. Are storage devices deteriorating along with memory, and you need to start worrying about their reliability again?

Probably not. The fact is that along with the change in semiconductor technology, there is a continuous improvement in the controllers that control flash memory. They introduce more advanced algorithms that should compensate for the changes taking place in NAND. And, as the manufacturers promise, the current SSD models are at least as reliable as their predecessors. But objective grounds for doubt still remain. Indeed, on a psychological level, drives based on the old 25-nm MLC NAND with 3000 rewrite cycles look much more solid than modern SSD models with 15/16-nm TLC NAND, which, all other things being equal, can guarantee only 500 rewrite cycles. The growing popularity of TLC 3D NAND, which, although produced according to larger technological standards, is not too encouraging, is subject to stronger mutual influence of cells.

Given all this, we decided to conduct our own experiment, which would allow us to determine what kind of endurance models of drives that are relevant today, based on the most commonly used types of flash memory, can guarantee.

Controllers decide

The finiteness of the life of drives built on flash memory has long been no surprise to anyone. Everyone has long been accustomed to the fact that one of the characteristics of NAND memory is a guaranteed number of rewrite cycles, after exceeding which the cells can begin to distort information or simply fail. This is explained by the very principle of operation of such a memory, which is based on the capture of electrons and the storage of charge inside a floating gate. The change in cell states occurs due to the application of relatively high voltages to the floating gate, due to which the electrons overcome the thin dielectric layer in one direction or the other and are retained in the cell.

Semiconductor structure of a NAND cell

However, such movement of electrons is akin to breakdown - it gradually wears out the insulating material, and ultimately this leads to a violation of the entire semiconductor structure. In addition, there is a second problem, which entails a gradual deterioration in cell performance - when tunneling occurs, electrons can get stuck in the dielectric layer, preventing the correct recognition of the charge stored in the floating gate. All this means that the moment when flash memory cells stop working normally is inevitable. New ones technological processes only aggravate the problem: the dielectric layer only becomes thinner with a decrease in production standards, which reduces its resistance to negative influences.

However, it would not be entirely true to say that there is a direct relationship between the resource of flash memory cells and the life expectancy of modern SSDs. The operation of a solid state drive is not a straightforward write and read in flash memory cells. The fact is that NAND-memory has a rather complex organization and interaction with it requires special approaches. Cells are grouped into pages, and pages are grouped into blocks. Writing data is possible only to blank pages, but in order to clear the page, you must reset the entire block. This means that writing, and even worse - changing data, turns into a difficult multi-stage process, including reading the page, changing it and re-writing it into free space, which must be previously cleared. Moreover, the preparation free space- this is a separate headache that requires "garbage collection" - the formation and cleaning of blocks from pages that have already been used, but have become irrelevant.

Scheme of operation of the flash memory of a solid state drive

As a result, the actual volume of writes to flash memory can differ significantly from the volume of operations that is initiated by the user. For example, changing even a single byte can entail not only writing an entire page, but even the need to rewrite several pages at once to pre-release a clean block.

The ratio between the amount of writing done by the user and the actual load on the flash memory is called the write amplification factor. This coefficient is almost always higher than one, and in some cases it is much higher. However, modern controllers, through buffering operations and other intelligent approaches, have learned how to effectively reduce write amplification. Technologies such as SLC caching and wear leveling, useful for extending the life of cells, have become widespread. On the one hand, they transfer a small part of the memory to a sparing SLC mode and use it to consolidate small disparate operations. On the other hand, they make the load on the memory array more uniform, preventing unnecessary multiple overwrites of the same area. As a result, saving the same amount of user data on two different drives from the point of view of a flash memory array can cause completely different loads - it all depends on the algorithms used by the controller and the firmware in each particular case.

There is another side: garbage collection and TRIM technologies, which, in order to improve performance, pre-prepare clean blocks of flash memory pages and therefore can transfer data from place to place without any user intervention, make an additional and significant contribution to the wear of the NAND array . But the specific implementation of these technologies also largely depends on the controller, so the differences in how SSDs manage their own flash memory resource can be significant here too.

In the end, all this means that the practical reliability of two different drives with the same flash memory can differ very noticeably only due to different internal algorithms and optimizations. Therefore, speaking about the resource of a modern SSD, you need to understand that this parameter is determined not only and not so much by the endurance of memory cells, but by how carefully the controller handles them.

Algorithms for the operation of SSD controllers are constantly being improved. Developers are not only trying to optimize the volume of flash write operations, but are also implementing more effective methods digital signal processing and read error correction. In addition, some of them resort to the allocation of a large reserve area on the SSD, due to which the load on the NAND cells is further reduced. All this also affects the resource. Thus, SSD manufacturers have a lot of leverage in their hands to influence what final endurance their product will demonstrate, and flash memory resource is just one parameter in this equation. That is why endurance testing of modern SSDs is of such interest: despite the widespread introduction of NAND memory with relatively low endurance, current models do not necessarily have to have less reliability than their predecessors. Advances in controllers and the way they work can make up for the flimsiness of today's flash memory. And this is precisely what research on current consumer SSDs is interesting for. Compared to previous generations of SSDs, only one thing remains unchanged: the resource of solid-state drives is finite in any case. But how it has changed in recent years - just our testing should show.

Test Methodology

The essence of SSD endurance testing is very simple: you need to continuously overwrite data in drives, trying in practice to set the limit of their endurance. However, a simple linear notation does not quite meet the goals of testing. In the previous section, we said that modern drives have a whole bunch of technologies aimed at reducing the write amplification factor, and in addition, they perform garbage collection and wear leveling procedures differently, as well as react differently to the command operating system TRIM. That is why the most correct approach is to interact with the SSD through the file system with an approximate repetition of the profile of real operations. Only in this case we will be able to get a result that ordinary users can consider as a guide.

Therefore, in our endurance test, we use formatted file system NTFS drives on which files of two types are continuously and alternately created: small - with a random size from 1 to 128 KB and large - with a random size from 128 KB to 10 MB. During the test, these randomly filled files multiply until more than 12 GB of free space remains on the drive, when this threshold is reached, all created files are deleted, a short pause is made, and the process is repeated again. In addition, the third type of files is also present on the tested drives - permanent. Such files with a total volume of 16 GB are not involved in the erasing-rewriting process, but are used to check the correct operation of the drives and the stable readability of the stored information: we check each SSD filling cycle checksum of these files and compare it with the reference, pre-calculated value.

The described test scenario is reproduced special program Anvil's Storage Utilities version 1.1.0, monitoring the status of drives is carried out using the CrystalDiskInfo utility version 7.0.2. The test system is a computer with motherboard ASUS B150M Pro Gaming, Core processor i5-6600 with integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 and 8 GB DDR4-2133 SDRAM. Drives with a SATA interface connect to the SATA 6 Gb / s controller built into the motherboard chipset and work in AHCI mode. The Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) driver 14.8.0.1042 is used.

The list of SSD models participating in our experiment currently includes more than five dozen items:

1. (AGAMMIXS11-240GT-C, firmware SVN139B);
2. ADATA XPG SX950 (ASX950SS-240GM-C, firmware Q0125A);
3. ADATA Ultimate SU700 256GB (ASU700SS-256GT-C, firmware B170428a);
4. (ASU800SS-256GT-C, firmware P0801A);
5. (ASU900SS-512GM-C, firmware P1026A);
6. Crucial BX500 240GB (CT240BX500SSD1, Firmware M6CR013);
7. Crucial MX300 275 GB (CT275MX300SSD1, Firmware M0CR021);
8. (CT250MX500SSD1, firmware M3CR010);
9. GOODRAM CX300 240 GB ( SSDPR-CX300-240, firmware SBFM71.0);
10. (SSDPR-IRIDPRO-240, firmware SAFM22.3);
11. (SSDPED1D280GAX1, firmware E2010325);
12. (SSDSC2KW256G8, firmware LHF002C);

SSD drive and provide more high speed work compared to conventional hard drives and have many other advantages. They are installed on high-performance systems, especially on laptops. The reasons for their popularity are also resistance to mechanical damage and magnetic fields, quiet operation, lower power consumption, and no overheating. An SSD drive is a non-mechanical storage device that, like a regular flash drive, consists of chips and a controller. The main disadvantage of the device is the limited rewriting resource. The rating of SSD drives in 2018 according to the Mark.guru portal will help you choose best model for a computer that will cope with its tasks for a long time.

To choose the best and most reliable SSD drive, you need to compare the following parameters:

• Volume. A key characteristic showing the storage capacity. If you are only using it as system memory, then a small amount will suffice. If this is the main or only carrier of information, then it is better to choose a more capacious, but correspondingly expensive one.
• Type of. There are single-level SLC, 3-level TLC and multi-level MLC. The first type is the fastest, but also the most expensive. MLC is the most common due to its low cost, but it does not have a very large resource. TLC is the slowest and cheapest with a low resource. Most modern type is a multi-layer 3D V-NAND with high reliability and better performance.
• Form factor, in other words, dimensions. Since SSDs are more commonly used in laptops, most models are 2.5 inches. If you want to install such a disk in a PC instead of a hard one, then you can use a special adapter.
• Speed. Usually, the maximum speed of writing and reading data is indicated, while the actual performance in practice may differ significantly from the declared ones. Random write speed is also estimated, which is expressed in the number of operations per second (IOPS).
• Connection type. The most commonly used is SATA3 with a throughput of up to 6 Gbps.
• Resource. Indicates the maximum number of rewrite cycles. The limitation of this indicator is the main disadvantage of solid-state media. The best SSDs can withstand up to 10,000 cycles, budget - up to 3-5 thousand. Often expressed in terms of data capacity and running hours.

1 Samsung 850

The SSD rankings are led by the 850 Evo series solid state drives, which are recognized as the best for laptop and computer for using the most modern technologies for high write speed and durability. Compared with the previous 840 version, it has twice the random write speed and high performance. The possible volume reaches 4 TB. In the last two interfaces, Rapid mode is available, which uses a quarter of the computer's RAM as a cache to speed up data transfer.

Samsung's proprietary 3D V-NAND technology increases capacity by arranging cells in 32 layers, which allows not only to increase the amount of memory, but also to provide better data storage speed and reliability.

Options:

• possible volume 120, 250, 500 GB, 1, 2 or 4 TB;
• Sata 3;
• 540/520 Mbps;
• up to 90000 IOPS;
• 2.5" form factor, M2, mSata;
• trim support;
• buffer memory 512 MB - 2 GB depending on capacity;
• wear life 1.5 million hours.

Advantages:

• high write speed;
• high capacity;
• reliability of data storage;
• durability and wear resistance;
• various size options.

No deficiencies have been identified.

The average price is 23000 for 1TB.

Prices for Samsung 850 Evo :

2 Toshiba Q300 480GB

Second place goes to a relatively inexpensive SSD from Toshiba. It has a thickness of 3 mm, so it is suitable for installation in laptops. NAND memory is used, 3 bits per cell. The main advantage of the disc, which allows it to occupy high positions in the ranking, is its affordability with high technical performance.

Toshiba's original technology uses low-cost TLC cells and SLC cache to improve performance.

Options:

• 480 GB;
• 550/520 Mb/s;
• Sata 3;
• up to 83000 IOPS;
• 1.5 million operating hours;
• trim support;
• 2,5”;

Advantages:

• high speed;
• good performance;
• an attractive combination of price and quality.

No deficiencies have been identified.

The average price is 10,600 rubles.

Prices for Toshiba Q300 480GB :

3 SanDisk Extreme Pro 480 GB

SanDisk SSD delivers fast game loading and graphic applications suitable for computers and laptops. The use of such a disk saves battery power, eliminates overheating due to the built-in self-regulation function. The disk comes with proprietary software that allows you to monitor changes in its characteristics in real time, for example, work efficiency and fullness. The disk, unlike conventional hard disks, has a high resistance to vibrations and shock resistance.

nCache Pro technology improves performance and performance through a two-level cache system for small files. Large files are buffered into a common data array before being written to the main flash memory.

Options:

• 480 GB;
• 550/515 Mb/s;
• Sata III;
• MLC memory;
• 2,5”;
• up to 100,000 IOPS.

Advantages:

• good performance;
• 10-year manufacturer's warranty;
• suitable for laptops.

Flaws:

• low recording speed compared to analogues;
• sometimes there are defective copies.

The average price is 19600 rubles.

Prices for SanDisk Extreme Pro 480 GB:

4 Kingston KC400 SSDNow

The Kingston SSD is up to 15 times faster than a conventional hard drive, has high reliability and provides data protection with NAND memory. The drive can be installed in laptops or desktop PCs. The model implements wear leveling technology, thanks to which the difference between the most frequently and least used blocks is no more than 2%. There is also an intelligent memory cleaning function that increases the service life.

Options:

• capacity 128, 256 GB and 1 TB;
• 550/530 Mb/s;
• MLC memory;
• SATA 3;
• 2,5”;
• up to 89000 IOPS.

Advantages:

• choice of capacity;
• good speed;
• modern technologies for extending the service life.

Flaws:

• According to some reviews, there are difficulties in updating the firmware.

The average price is 26 thousand rubles.

Prices for Kingston KC400 SSDNow :

5WD Blue SSD 1TB

In fifth place in the ranking is an SSD drive of impressive capacity from WD. It has a thickness of 7mm and a metal case, suitable for use in laptops. The drive provides good speed and is specially designed for multitasking, ensuring that you can quickly work in several applications at the same time.

Options:

• 250, 500 GB and 1 TB;
• 545/525 Mb/s;
• Sata 3;
• 2.5” and M2;
• resource 400 TBW;
• 1.75 million operating hours;
• up to 80000 IOPS.

Advantages:

• large capacity;
• two form factor options;
• convenient software;
• speed and reliability.

Flaws:

• relatively low resource;
• shorter warranty than competitors.

The average price is 20100 rubles.

Prices for WD Blue SSD 1TB:

6PNY CS2211 240GB

The PNY SSD delivers high performance for game downloads and large file transfers. Ideal as a system hard drive replacement for gamers and when working with video in 4K resolution. Characterized low power consumption, fast work with multimedia content and multitasking.

Having a thickness of 7 mm, it is complemented by the supplied overlay, which allows it to be installed in places of fastenings of 9.5 mm.

Options:

• 240, 480 and 960 GB;
• 560/547 Mb/s;
• SATA 3;
• up to 95000 IOPS;
• MLC NAND;
• 2,5”.

Advantages:

• good speed;
• reliability;
• software included.

No deficiencies have been identified.

The average price is 8200 rubles.

Prices for PNY CS2211 240GB:

7OCZ ARC 100 240GB

The ARC 100 drive is a representative of the budget segment, while using the technological developments of more expensive models from previous series. It is a cost-effective solution for users based on a proven toolkit. Made in a metal 7mm case.

At the heart of the model is the Barefoot 3 M10 controller, which maintains consistent performance over the life of the drive. Also, thanks to it, fast work with poorly compressible data, such as video files, archives, game installation packages, has been achieved.

Options:

• 120, 240 and 480 GB;
• 490/450 Mb/s;
• SATA 3;
• up to 80000 IOPS;
• resource 21.9 TBW;
• 2,5”.

Advantages:

• reliability;
• retains performance well over the service life;
• affordable price.

Flaws:

• low speed.

The average price is 6200 rubles.

Prices for OCZ ARC 100 240GB:

8 Kingston HyperX Savage 480 GB

The Kingston drive increases the speed of the entire operating system and maintains its performance even when the capacity is full. The model features bright design in the style of modern gaming computers. Slim 7mm chassis makes it possible to install it in almost any laptop or PC. The manufacturer offers a 3-year warranty and free support.

A 3.5” case, a 9.5mm mount adapter, an external pocket with USB 3.0, and all necessary mounting screws can be supplied in the kit, making it easy to replace a standard hard drive.

Options:

• 240, 480 and 960 GB;
• 2,5”;
• SATA 3;
• 520/500 Mb/s;
• up to 88000 IOPS;
• operating time 1 million hours;
• 416 WPD.

Advantages:

• good performance;
• quality assembly;
• many adapters included;
• reliability.

Flaws:

• average resource and speed;
• frequent mistakes;
• for correct operation Sometimes a firmware update is required.

The average price is 13300 rubles.

Prices for Kingston HyperX Savage 480 GB :

9WD WDS250G1B0A

The Marvell controller used in the model improves energy saving, therefore it is recommended for use on laptops. It also supports data encryption, which ensures reliable operation. SSD has a good resource and optimizes the location of data, allows you to work with multiple applications of high resource intensity at the same time.

The model is certified for compatibility with a wide range of laptops and desktops, including can be used on modern thin ultrabooks.

Options:

• 250 GB;
• 2.5 or M2;
• SATA 3;
• 100TBW;
• 540/500 Mbps.

Advantages:

• universality;
• reliability;
• proprietary software;
• quality assembly.

Flaws:

• frequent mistakes;
• according to some reviews, the real speed is much lower than the declared one.

The average price is 6500 rubles.

Prices for WD WDS250G1B0A:

10 Transcend SSD370

The maximum possible capacity in the line of the SSD370 model reaches 1 TB. In addition to a sufficiently high speed and good resource the disk is supported and a number additional features. In particular, intelligent system control blocks, protection against sudden power failure, TRIM, wear minimization. The model is characterized by high resistance to vibration, shaking, shock resistance. The manufacturer gives a three-year warranty, as well as a free software product SSD Scope. With it, you can monitor the status of the disk, improve its efficiency and prevent problems. Includes 3.5 mm bracket for mounting the drive in a desktop PC.

DevSleep mode allows you to completely turn off the power in standby mode, while maintaining the ability to quickly turn on in a split second. This is true when used in laptops to improve battery life.

Options:

• capacity up to 1 TB;
• 2,5”;
• SATA 3;
• 570/470 Mbps.

Advantages:

• good capacity;
• adapter included;
• many additional features to optimize and extend the service life;
• proprietary software.

Flaws:

• low resource;
• meets marriage;
• high price for high capacity models.

The average price is 5500 rubles for 128 GB, 33760 - for 1 TB.

Prices for Transcend SSD370:

11 ADATA Premier SP550

The model is presented in various capacity options, the most budgetary of which is 128 GB, one of the most popular is 480 GB. The SSD has error correction technology, data integrity and a good service life. Slim 7mm case allows it to be used in laptops and ultrabooks.

Options:

• 480 GB;
• 560/510 Mb/s;
• SATA3;
• 2,5”;
• up to 75000 IOPS.

Advantages:

• relatively low cost;
• good speed;
• quality assembly.

Flaws:

• cheap TLC memory.

The average price is 12500 rubles.

Prices for ADATA Premier SP550:

Conclusion

The first doubt when buying an SSD drive is usually caused by its limited lifespan. Most modern models using the latest technology, provide guaranteed long stable operation. But the price of these representatives of leading brands is often unaffordable. Such SSD is recommended for gamers and people who work professionally with graphics and video. High-capacity drives also come with a hefty price tag. For everyday use, it is recommended to choose small MLC drives, and for low loads, you can limit yourself to cheaper TLCs. They have less resource and performance, so it is recommended to use special utilities to monitor the state of memory and its timely replacement.

Nowadays, SSD drives are gaining more and more popularity. They work much faster than the usual traditional HDD, and their reliability and price become optimal for ordinary users. SSDs are used to store data in personal computers, laptops and even tablets.

But there are on the market various manufacturers and various devices. It can be difficult for a novice user to choose desired device. In this article, we have put together some tips on which SSD drive to choose in 2018, as well as an overview of the best devices.

Flash memory is replacing the fragile and bulky traditional disk everywhere. It's much easier to use a silent SSD that looks like a normal chip instead of a 100 rpm hard drive. The second reason to replace is the high speed of the SSD. Data will be read or written at hundreds of times the speed of a magnetic hard disk.

SSD drives store data in non-volatile flash memory cells. It can be said that this RAM, which retains its contents across reboots. Due to the high speed, the computer will respond to clicks much faster.

How to buy an SSD?

As for the price, now SSD drives have become much more affordable. But when choosing, you need to pay attention not only to the price, but also to the speed and reliability. Three flash memory technologies are used in the production of SSDs: SLC, MLC, and TLC. SLT disks are more expensive, but the most reliable, one bit of information is written to one memory cell, MLC technology allows you to write two bits already, it's cheaper, but it doesn't work that long.

The next technology, TLC, is even cheaper and allows you to write three bits of information in one cell, but it has an even shorter service life and even lower performance. The ideal solution would be MLC. It is necessary to find a compromise between price, reliability and speed.

There are also several options for connecting SSD drives. Flash memory has a very high speed, and more and more often the bottleneck is not the speed of working with memory, but the speed of the connection interface. Now M.2 PCIe drives are gaining popularity, they give top speed, but are still very expensive, so for most users best solution will be SSD connection via SATA III interface, which is capable of delivering speeds up to 6 Gb / s (or 750 MB / s).

In this article, we'll be looking at the best SATA SSDs of 2018 as PCIe will still be very expensive for most users. If you are a laptop user, then you will also need to pay attention to the dimensions of the SSD. All reviewed SSDs have a 2.5-inch form factor and a size of 69.9x100.1x7mm. And now let's move on to the list of the best SSD drives of 2018.

Best SSD Drives 2018

1. Samsung 850 Evo

This SSD is available in 120, 250, 500 GB capacities. This is not a new solution on the market, but it can compete with many budget drives. A 500 GB version can be found for $150.

It uses the cheapest data storage technology - TLC, three bits per cell. But in addition to it, the original Samsung-V technology is applied, which provides greater reliability and speed. The carrier performs well in tests and bypasses many competitors.

2. Toshiba Q300 480GB

The new Toshiba Q300 SSD is cheaper than other competitors, but provides excellent data processing speed. It is also used here proprietary technology Toshiba, which combines TLC cells for storage and SLC cache for better performance.

You can choose between 120, 240, 480 and 960 GB. You can find a 480 GB version for $100. Other drives that offer the same speed cost a little more. The manufacturer gives a three-year guarantee of normal operation. Read / write speed in tests: 563.9 Mb / s.

3. Samsung 960 Pro

Samsung 960 Pro M.2 gives maximum performance but is quite expensive. To connect it, you need a modern motherboard with PCIe support. You can purchase SAMSUNG 960 PRO 512GB M2 version for $329 and $149 for SATA version.

Samsung's V-NAND technology is used for data storage, along with MLC cell packing technology, which ensures high reliability and performance. In tests, this media is capable of delivering up to 1984.1 MB / s.

4. Samsung 960 Evo

This M2 form factor drive provides very high read and write speeds, even faster than Pro versions and it's more affordable than its counterpart. The same technology is used to store information, Samsung-V-NAND and MLC cells.

From additional features it supports AES 256 and TCG-Opal 2.0 encryption. You can buy Samsung 960 Evo 1 GB for $400. The read / write speed reaches 2457.4 Mb / s. This is the best ssd 2018.

5. SanDisk Extreme Pro 480 GB

This is one of the most reliable SSDs out there. The SanDisk Extreme Pro comes with a 10 year warranty and excellent performance.

The memory of the device is divided into two parts, one of them is a high-performance dynamic cache based on cells of the SLC type and persistent storage of the MLC type. This ensures maximum speed. Drives are available in three sizes: 120, 240 and 960 GB, all in the traditional SATA form factor. The price of SanDisk Extreme Pro 480 GB is about $200, and the speed is 525 MB/s.

6. Kingston KC400 SSDNow

This is a great SSD to get maximum speed. It is available in 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. You can find a 512GB SSD for $153.

It uses the Phison 3110 controller with read/write error protection, as well as additional technologies to extend the service life. The drive is capable of delivering read/write speeds up to 557 Mb/s.

7.WD Blue SSD 1TB

Very fast but expensive SSD. Available in 250GB, 500GB and 1TB capacity options. A 1TB drive costs $320. You can also choose the SATA III or M2 form factor.

For data storage, the TLC cell type is used with the recording of three bits in one cell. But in addition to TLC, a high-speed SLC cache of cells is used here. This combination gives high reliability and speed. The read/write speed for the drive fluctuates around 508.3 Mbps.

8.PNY CS2211 240GB

The PNY CS2211 is a more affordable SSD for those looking to replace their old hard drive. A 240 GB device can be purchased for $69. The manufacturer provides a four-year warranty.

For data storage, MLC technology is used, which allows writing two bits into one cell. This is the ideal solution for SSD drives. The read/write speed of this drive is 526.7 Mb/s.

9.OCZ ARC 100 240 GB

The OCZ SSD is available in 100, 120, 240 and 480 GB capacities. You can purchase the 240 GB version for $80. Initially, the company made very bad SSD drives, but then it was acquired by Thoshiba and things got much better. The carrier is guaranteed for three years.

The Indilinx Barefoot 3 controller is used here, which has 512MB of DDR3 memory for fast cache and excellent performance. The device can deliver read speeds of 489MB/s and write speeds of up to 447MB/s.

10. Kingston HyperX Savage 480 GB

SSD drives from Kingston are capable of delivering excellent performance at a relatively affordable price. It uses the Savage controller, which uses a quad-core processor with eight data channels. The manufacturing process of one memory cell is 19 nm. The read speed is 358MB/s and the write speed is 370MB/s.

conclusions

In this article, we reviewed the best ssd drives of 2018. There are cheaper, budget options, as well as expensive, but high-performance ones. Now you know what ssd is better choose 2018 and if you were going to upgrade your hardware, now you know what to do.

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 enough that they can be considered as a reasonable alternative. hard drives(HDD).

The SSD features listed below 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 other

SSD 2.5″

This form factor is the most common. The SSD looks like a small box that resembles an ordinary HDD. 2.5″ SSDs are the cheapest, but at the same time, their speed is enough for most users.

Compatibility SSD 2.5″ with computers

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

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

SSD M.2

A more compact form factor, due to which it is suitable even for especially thin ones, in which there is no place for a 2.5 ″ SSD. It looks like an oblong stick, it is installed not in a separate compartment of the case, but directly on the motherboard.

Each M.2 drive uses one of two interfaces to connect to the board: 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 version of the interface and the number of data lines connected to the connector.

• How newer version PCIe, the higher the bandwidth (data transfer rate) 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 bandwidth again. The maximum number of lines in an M.2 SSD is four, in this case, in the description of the drive, its interface is designated as PCIe x4. If there are only two lines, then - PCIe x2.

M.2 SSD Compatibility with Computers

Before buying an M.2 SSD, you need to make sure it will fit your motherboard. To do this, 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, designed to connect 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 B + M cutouts at once, less often only one of two keys: B or M.

You can connect to the B-connector on the board with a B-connector. To the M-connector, respectively, a drive with an M 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.

So first make sure your motherboard has an M.2 SSD slot at all. Then find out the key of your connector and select a drive whose connector is compatible with this key. Key types are usually indicated on 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 which protocol is implemented in the M.2 connector on your board. It can be SATA3 and/or PCIe x2 and/or PCIe x4. Then choose an M.2 SSD with the same interface. See the device documentation for information about supported protocols.

3. Size compatibility

Another nuance that determines the compatibility of the drive with the motherboard 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 a length of 60, 80 and 110 mm.

Before purchasing M.2, be sure to check the supported length of the drive, which is listed in the documentation for the motherboard. Then choose the one that matches that length.

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

Less popular form factors

Your computer case may not have a 2.5” SSD bay, and your motherboard may not have an M.2 slot. 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 in the documents for your computer. These are rare form factors that are more compact than 2.5 ”SSDs, but are inferior in data transfer speed to M.2 drives.

In addition, thin laptops from Apple may not support traditional form factors either. In them, the manufacturer installs a proprietary SSD 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 type of SSD in the documentation for the computer.

External SSDs

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

As for the interface, they connect to computers via USB port. For full compatibility, make sure the port on your computer and the drive connector support the same USB standard. USB 3 and USB Type-C specifications provide the highest data transfer speed.

2. Which memory is better: MLC or TLC

According to the number of bits of information that can be stored in one cell of flash memory, 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 have to choose from them.

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

TLC memory is cheaper. Choose it if economy is more important for you than speed.

The type of mutual arrangement of memory cells can also be indicated in the description of the drive: 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 high-capacity SSDs. 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, other characteristics, such as the model of the controller installed in the drive and its firmware, also affect the performance of the SSD. But these details are often not even indicated in the description. Instead, they feature final read and write speed indicators, which are easier for the buyer to navigate. So, when choosing between two SSDs, other things being equal, take the drive whose declared speeds are higher.

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

4. How much storage is right for you

Of course, one of the most important characteristics when choosing a drive is its volume. If you are buying an SSD to make it into fast work 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 the amount that suits your needs.

But do not forget that the capacity of the drive 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 SATA3 interface and TLC memory. Even such a budget SSD will work much faster than a regular hard drive.
• If you are doing other tasks that require high storage performance, choose M.2 SSD with PCIe 3.0 x4 interface and MLC memory.
• Before buying, carefully check the compatibility of the drive with your computer. If in doubt, consult the sellers on this issue.