Choosing an SSD drive may seem straightforward — bigger storage means better. However, SSDs come with several parameters that impact reliability, performance, and price. Here’s how to navigate SSD specifications and identify the most important features before making your purchase.
What SSD Specifications Mean
SSDs have many characteristics, but the six key ones to focus on are:
- Capacity.
- Speed.
- Form factor.
- Interface.
- Memory type.
- Endurance.
All of these are significant, even though endurance is more of a bonus rather than a decisive factor. Let’s break down each feature to select the best SSD.
Capacity
Measured in GB or TB (1 TB = 1024 GB).
- Windows OS: about 30 GB.
- Full HD movie: about 4-8 GB.
- Smartphone photo gallery (1,000 photos): about 20-25 GB.
- Modern AAA game: over 80+ GB.
You should choose based on what you plan to store and in what volume:
- For a home or office PC without gaming or with gaming some L simple games , like those that are available when you enter your Dragon Slots login, 480-512 GB is sufficient.
- For a gaming PC, 1 TB is the minimum, but 2 TB is preferable.
Speed
There are two types of speed: read and write. Write speed is always lower due to the nature of SSDs. Both are measured in MB/s (megabytes per second). Higher speeds mean faster game launches, system responsiveness, and handling large files.
- For smooth system performance, a drive with 500-600 MB/s read and write speeds is enough.
- For tasks like video editing or 3D modeling, opt for speeds of 1500-2000 MB/s with an NVMe interface.
You should note that SSD performance is not constant — it may vary depending on file size and copy duration.
Form Factor
The two primary form factors are 2.5-inch and M.2. Other formats, such as U.2 and PCIe, are less common and typically used in workstations or servers.
- 2.5-inch: Resembles a laptop HDD in size and shape.
- M.2: A versatile standard available in various dimensions. The first pair of digits indicates width, and the second indicates length.
For desktops and laptops, the 2280 size (22mm wide, 80mm long) is the most common option. Some motherboards also support smaller M.2 sizes.
Interface
SSDs mainly use two interfaces: SATA and PCIe NVMe, which differ in speed.
- SATA:
- Speed: Up to 600 MB/s.
- Formats: 2.5-inch or M.2.
- This type is more affordable, but it’s slower. It’s suitable for OS installation and gaming.
- PCIe NVMe:
- Speed: Up to 16,400 MB/s (theoretical maximum).
- The fastest SSD format currently available but more expensive. Ideal for handling large file libraries.
Your choice depends on your motherboard’s interface. If the M.2 slot supports SATA only, an NVMe drive won’t work due to different data protocols.
Memory Type
Data in SSDs is stored in cells on memory chips, with each cell holding one, two, three, or four bits of data. This determines the memory type. The three most common types are MLC, TLC, and QLC:
- MLC: Two bits per cell. It offers excellent reliability but is becoming rare as TLC and QLC dominate the market.
- TLC: Three bits per cell. This type is slightly less reliable than MLC due to structural differences but widely used, even in high-end SSDs.
- QLC: Four bits per cell. It’s the cheapest type, but it has lower speed and reliability.
Endurance
Endurance is measured in TBW (Total Bytes Written), indicating how much data can be written to the SSD over its lifespan. Larger capacity drives generally have higher TBW ratings.