Hello! I’ll tell you today about what SSD drives are and whether you need to buy them. What are the pros and cons of SSD drives? Remember those times when HDD 40 GB was considered large and was it very cool? Now it's already normal size hard drive 1 TB and more.

Of course, technology is developing very quickly, and SSD drives have replaced hard drives. These are new devices that have a lot of pros and a few cons, and we’ll talk about that.

SSD (Solid state drive) is a drive that does not have moving parts, like a regular hard drive. SSD uses flash memory to store memory. In simple words, this is such a big flash drive. The main advantages of SSD drives are speed, resistance to mechanical damage, and low power consumption. The downside is the high price and short failure time.

Advantages of SSD drives

Speed ​​of reading and writing information. Compared to regular hard drives, SSDs operate at high speeds. For example, a drive connected via the SATAIII interface operates at a speed of 500 MB/s. This is impressive, and it is not the limit and not the full potential of SSDs. The operating system on such drives loads in a matter of seconds.

Resistance to mechanical damage. You probably know that hard drives really don’t like various problems, strong vibrations, etc. Especially in laptops, HDDs very often begin to “crumble.” As I already wrote, the SSD has no active elements, so it is not afraid of mechanical damage, of course, within reasonable limits. I really like this; by installing such a drive in a laptop, you don’t have to be afraid to carry the laptop with it turned on, etc.

Quiet operation. The SSD drive does not make any sounds when operating. You probably know that regular hard drives make noise during operation.

Low power consumption. Compared to HDD, SSD uses less electricity, this is very important for laptops.

Disadvantages of SSD

Short operating time for wear and tear. This means that the SSD drive will work certain time. This is a limit on overwriting, for some reason I always saw different numbers, usually it is 10,000 times. But in the description of the drives they also indicate the operating time, for example, the SSD OCZ Vertex 4 SSD 128GB indicates an operating time of 2 million hours, which is a lot.

Price. Yes, SSD drives are not very cheap now. For example, the same SSD OCZ Vertex 4 SSD for 128GB costs approximately 1000 UAH. (4000 rubles).

Work with different OS. Currently, only Windows 8 and Windows 7 work perfectly with SSDs. They support these drives, and they themselves know how to disable services such as indexing, etc. Enabling such services reduces the operating time of the SSD drive. Therefore, I recommend using these systems.

These are what SSDs are. In fact, these are very worthy devices that will give your computer a second wind. Comments like this are encouraging: “Replacing an HDD with an SSD is like replacing a propeller with a turbine” :). And it’s true, there are a lot of advantages, and despite the disadvantages, solid-state drives are gaining popularity every day. Moreover, the price for them is only falling.

Hard disks still play a key role and are one of the main components modern computers. It is considered normal if you buy/replace HDD every few years. But the world of home computing is already moving in the direction solid state drives (SSD), and perhaps this time you will go for an SSD instead of an HDD. Do you need one? Let's try to find out in this article.

A few years ago, most users abandoned SSDs due to their high price, disabilities storage and potential compatibility issues. Most of these problems have recently been resolved, so the answer is Yes, you need such a drive. You will be convinced of this by reading the article to the end.

That being said, there are a few things you need to know before diving into this topic. Don't do it blindly. Be informed to accept The best decision when purchasing an SSD.

Prices

SSD prices have dropped dramatically over the past few years. In 2010, the average price for them hovered around $3 per GB of memory, while in 2015 you can find SSDs for 34 cents (20-30 rubles) per 1 GB of memory, for example, Crucial BX100 500 GB costs from 169 dollars (from 11 thousand rubles).

By the way, SSDs are still more expensive than traditional hard drives, and this price difference Not is insignificant. Eg, Western Digital Blue 1 TB can be purchased for 3,600 rubles. Compared to Samsung 850 EVO, WD Blue price three times lower despite the fact that there is space on it twice as much.

So when it comes to savings, HHD beats SSD without question. If you're on a budget, go with HHD. However, SSDs have never been as cheap as they are now, and they're fairly affordable, so don't be afraid to splurge. They're worth it.

If you decide that you need an SSD, buying a larger capacity drive will be 2 times more profitable. For example, Samsung 850 EVO 120 GB costs about 5,000 rubles (50 rubles per GB). By paying 2,500 rubles more, you can get a capacity of up to 250 GB (30 rubles per GB). But the most profitable option is an SSD with a capacity of 500 GB for 12.5 thousand rubles. with a price of 25 rubles for 1 GB of memory. So, when buying such a drive, you pay half the price for 1GB!

physical characteristics

Whenever you buy equipment, you always need to find out the possibility of possible incompatibility. The world's best SSD will be completely useless if you can't use it in your system, right? Luckily, SSDs (most of them) are pretty much standardized, so you'll be fine if you pay at least some semblance of attention to this detail.

Form factor: Most modern SSDs come in a 2.5-inch form factor, which is exactly the same size as a standard laptop hard drive. This device is awkward to use on desktops that require a 3.5-inch form factor, but you can fix that by using an adapter like the $7 SABRENT 2.5″-3.5″ Mounting Kit.

It should be noted that a new form factor is now gaining popularity: M.2 standard(formerly known as NGFF). Designed for ultra-thin laptops and mini PCs, these SSDs are very thin and tiny in size.

Thickness: Just because an SSD has a 2.5-inch form factor doesn't mean it will fit your laptop. You should also make sure that its thickness is thin enough for your laptop.

Typically, the thickness of an SSD ranges somewhere between 7 and 9.5 mm; modern drives often tend towards the smaller side, towards 7 mm. Check your laptop's manual to find out what thickness is right for you.

Interface: Most consumer-grade SSDs have a SATA interface, although whether you get 3Gb/s or 6Gb/s SATA depends on your computer's capabilities. Nowadays, most devices are released with 6 Gb/s, but if you can find 3 Gb/s, they will most likely be cheaper.

Noise: One of the advantages of SSD over HDD is that SSD is quieter due to the absence of mechanical components. If you want to get away from the HHD's whirring noise from disk spinning and popping while searching for files, then an SSD is a better choice.

Performance

The main advantage of SSDs over HHDs - and the reason people stick with SSDs after upgrading from HHDs - is the fact that SSDs are faster. WITH SSD computer loads in seconds, programs launch almost instantly, and files move up to 10 times faster.

It's worth noting that when it comes to performance, even the worst SSDs are still head and shoulders above HHDs. If all you need is speed, then there is no question - the SSD is designed specifically for you.

As already mentioned, not all SSDs are created equal. Just look at the following options:

• SanDisk Internal 120GB ($52) Has Sequential Read Speed 520 Mb/s 180 Mb/s;
• Silicon Power Velox V70 120GB ($140) Has Sequential Read Speed 557 Mb/s and sequential write speed 507 Mb/s.

Maybe the difference of 37 MB/s when reading and 327 MB/s when writing is not important to you, then you can simply choose a cheaper option. But if you really care about every bit of speed, then you should have an idea of ​​how much it will cost you (an extra $88 in the example above).

Storage capacity

There is an important difference in how HDDs and SSDs work. While HDDs often have to deal with disk fragmentation, SSDs have their own reason to worry - garbage collection.

When data is written to an SSD, it is written in chunks called pages. The group of pages is called block. At any given time, the pages in a block may be all full, all empty, or partially full.

Due to the way they are designed, it is not possible to overwrite existing data on an SSD (unlike an HHD). Instead, in order to write new data to a full block, the entire block must be erased.

Moreover, to prevent data loss, any information present in the block must first be moved somewhere else before erasing the block. Once the data is moved and the block is freed, only then can new data be written to that block.

This process, called garbage collection, requires free space for proper functioning. If you don't have enough free space, the garbage collection process becomes ineffective and slows down. This is one of the reasons why SSD performance falls over time: it is too busy.

To keep garbage collection at peak efficiency, traditional advice would be keeping 20-30 percent of disk space empty. For a 250GB drive, this would mean you can only use 200GB maximum.

Durability

The last detail to think about is how long the SSD will last you. Only 74% hard drives survive beyond the fourth year of life. How do SSDs perform compared to these results?

Unlike HDDs, SDDs do not have moving parts - which is very good for quiet operation, and also means that there is nothing to wear out. Therefore, mechanical damage should not worry you.

The bad news, on the other hand, is that SSDs are more susceptible to failure due to power surges. Loss of power while the device is operating can result in data corruption or even complete failure of the device.

In addition, SSD memory blocks have a limited number of possible write sessions. If you constantly write data to the SSD (about 1 GB per day), then it is possible that the device will lose the ability to write data (although reading will still be possible).

The expected lifespan of a solid drive is 5-7 years. Every year after this period expires, the likelihood of device failure increases.

Is SSD Right for You?

If you're on a budget, don't care about speed, or are primarily concerned about data safety, then you should go with a traditional hard drive. For everyone else, now is the time to upgrade to an SSD if you haven't already.

How important is SSD drive for games, what it affects and what is the usefulness of this technology - this is what will be discussed in our article. A solid-state drive has a number of significant advantages compared to a conventional hard drive. One of the most valuable among them is the ability to instantly download files recorded on it. This is due to the fact that this type of device has no moving parts, so no time is wasted moving the disk head.

In addition, SSD drives are lightweight, extremely low power consumption, high speed recording, lack of noise and the ability to fully function with the fastest interfaces. With their help, any files are read much faster than on conventional HDDs, while the operating system itself becomes more responsive.

We’ll talk more about all this, as well as whether an SSD drive is needed for games and why it’s worth installing.

Operating environment

Let's start with the fact that solid-state drives significantly speed up loading programs. For example, the operating system loads in just 13 seconds.

If we talk about games that have an old architecture, where resources are located as a huge number of small files, then a regular hard drive processes them incredibly slowly. As an example, we can take the well-known World of Tanks. Even on the most powerful PCs, a significant drop in performance becomes noticeable during mass firefights, in company battles and battles on the global map.

Using a gaming SSD, you can eliminate the existing drawback and maintain the required gaming speed. As for the increase in frames per second, it is quite insignificant. Developers are well aware that the drive is the weakest link of the computer, so it should not be overloaded. Gaming performance is mainly affected by the processor and video card.

Fast loading levels

One of the most important factors that distinguishes an SSD from a conventional device. Games weigh 50 GB for a reason, and they constantly use the necessary information, throwing it into RAM. In this case, loading from an SSD is much faster. Moreover, the worse the application optimization, the more noticeable the difference between the drives. Therefore, when wondering whether it is possible to install games on an SSD, know that this must be done to improve performance.

If you look at the loading time using the example of Battlefield 3, you can see that the Crucial MX 255 GB SSD significantly outperforms (almost 3 times) the regular Seagate 3TB HDD, despite the fact that they both operate on a faster SATAIII interface .

Mostly this feature manifests itself in offline games, although many users say that loading from a solid-state hard drive in online battles is also quite fast and you have to constantly wait for “slow” players. In this case, PC owners with an SSD can discuss tactics in advance, while the rest of us are still admiring the loading screen and drinking tea.

It is also important to say about several windows of one game (applies to MMORPG gamers), which is torture for an HDD, while an SSD can easily withstand such loads. Don’t forget about mods, which are often “screwed” to the engine using third-party scripts and libraries. That is, they are loaded into memory in an abnormal way. Regular drives don't like this kind of activity, while for SSDs there is no difference at all in games.

Stable FPS

A solid-state hard drive is especially useful when the user plays games with a vast open world. No matter how much RAM and video memory the PC has in this case, the application constantly loads the memory with new areas on the map and its details, which heavily loads the system and drains FPS. In this case, the SSD does its job much better, working with a minimum number of delays, than a mechanical drive, the read head of which must move to the desired area and read the information.

Also, if you install an SSD for gaming computer, you will be able to compensate for the lack of RAM in cases where the game turns out to be excessively voracious. operating room Windows system likes to use the swap file “for business or without”, while most games do not work at all without activated swap, which takes up gigabytes of hard drive memory for use as RAM.

HDD devices are significantly inferior to solid-state drives in terms of data access speed. Therefore, if with the first one a “slideshow” awaits you, then in the case of an SSD, a PC or laptop will pull out the game even “I can’t.”

Fast loading textures

Basically, in online games, textures and other objects are loaded when the character approaches them, and not when entering. Due to this, it becomes possible to significantly reduce performance if you move through terrain with complex design and architecture.

A standard disk will not be able to load volumetric textures in real time and because of this it will be very slow, which will certainly affect your efficiency and pleasure from the game. Therefore, if you decide to buy an SSD for games, then this is definitely the right decision.

Silence and reliability

As we said earlier, solid state devices have no moving parts. Therefore, computers equipped with them do not make noise or make strange sounds even under heavy load. Taking into account modern technologies used in the production of computer components, it is possible to assemble an absolutely silent device. Moreover, the absence of moving parts makes the disk itself more reliable and minimizes the likelihood of its failure.

It must also be said that an SSD is worth buying and installing for the reason that it will ensure complete safety of information where a conventional magnetic drive will lose it. In standard hard drives memory sectors “die” without the possibility of recovery, and in an SSD the information simply goes into read mode. That is, saved game process can be transferred to another drive.

Dispelling some myths

Summarizing

Considering the above information, we can now answer the question of whether an SSD is needed for a gaming PC. For the average user it will not be something revolutionary and will most likely act as a pleasant addition. But if you are a gamer, then if possible this device without a doubt you need to take it and install it on your computer. Especially if you like demanding games with good graphics.

A solid-state hard drive will make your PC more productive in both online and offline games. You can easily play team games with big amount participants and extensive maps. By owning an SSD, you will not only get maximum comfort, but also gain an edge over other players.

I found a good picture that shows weak and strengths each device.

Speaking about whether SSD or HDD is better for games, it is enough just to mention the fact that having a solid-state drive is a mandatory requirement for all participants in eSports competitions. Without this component you would simply not be allowed to compete.

However, if you have a limited budget and have a choice between buying an SSD or investing in powerful processor or a video card, then in this case it is better to resort to the second option to maximize performance.

Also when limited quantities You can limit yourself to a regular hard drive if you have enough RAM.

Now you know whether it is possible to install games on an SSD and what is its main advantage over conventional drives. The decision on choosing an SSD disk is entirely yours. Consider your financial capabilities, as well as the features and advantages of modern hard drives.

Comparison video

The abbreviation SSD stands for Solid-State Drive. Which, in fact, is translated as a solid-state drive. Its peculiarity is that it does not contain moving mechanical parts: inside there are only boards and microcircuits, with the help of which information is recorded, stored and read.

The history of SSDs began quite a long time ago. For the first time, StorageTek was able to implement something similar in 1985. But at that time, the high cost and low manufacturability of components did not allow the mass implementation of solutions among the masses, and there was no particular answer as to why a fast SSD drive was needed in a computer if the interfaces and peripherals still worked slowly. But in the early 2010s, the popularity of SSDs increased greatly. Now almost everyone new laptop Comes with SSD or hybrid HDD configuration. Next we will look at what it is - an SSD in a laptop or desktop computer.

Why do you need an SSD drive in a computer?

An SSD is no different from a HDD in its purpose. It is designed to perform the same function - to store data, operating system, swap files and the like. Naturally, this replacement is more expensive if calculated in terms of gigabytes/ruble. It is more than likely that the situation will change in the near future.

SSD hard drive device in a laptop and computer

There is essentially no difference between what an SSD is in a laptop and a desktop computer. It can be a case similar to a HDD, or it can be made in the form of a board for installation in an M.2 type connector. If you disassemble the SSD or look at the board, it is very similar in design to a regular flash drive. In general, an SSD is a large flash drive with the same operating principle.

The entire device is controlled by a controller that distributes data among cells, monitors their status, deletion, and generally performs all functions similar to the functions of a processor in a computer.

The memory itself is flash memory, the same as on flash drives. SSDs use the NAND type, which characterizes a three-dimensional arrangement of conductors where a number of cells are used at the intersections.

Based on the method of writing data to a cell, there are two types of implementation: SLC - Single-level Cell and MLC - Multi-level Cell. As you might guess, in the first case only one bit is written to one cell, in the second - several. Now another type has emerged from MLC, the name of which has become established in everyday life, although it is part of a subset of this type - TLC, Triple-level Cell.

There are a number of advantages and disadvantages to each implementation. MLC is cheaper in terms of volume/price ratio. This makes the SSD hard drive cheaper in the long run, which also affects consumer choice. But the multi-layer recording structure imposes limitations on the number of write cycles and performance. The more nesting levels are used, the more complex the algorithm for working with cells becomes and the smaller the resource. SLC is proportionally more expensive and has greater service life and performance.

Manufacturers solve problems with memory resource and reliability using algorithms that allow them to control the process of cell use: recording is done in those areas of memory that were used least often. Another approach is used - memory reservation. Almost every SSD leaves about 20% of the memory “in reserve” in order to replenish it from there in the event of cell loss.

How an SSD drive works

Probably, many people know how a regular hard drive works - the magnetic head runs from the beginning to the edge of the rotating disk and reads data from the tracks. The main problem with magnetic disks is that it takes too much time to position the head in the area with the required data. And if the file is also divided into several pieces in different areas, then the time of the reading or writing process increases significantly.

To understand what an SSD drive is, you need to know the principle of its operation. To access data to read or cells to write, the system only needs to know the address. The controller then simply returns blocks of data. Time is spent only searching for an address and transferring data - literally milliseconds.

Types of hard solid state drives

SSD types can be characterized by form factor and interface type. There are three main form factors:

• 2.5". The disk is housed in a 2.5-inch case. Provides compatibility between almost all types of systems: laptops, servers, PCs.

• As a separate card for the PCIe slot. Provides good speed and reliability, uses an interface PCI Express.

• M.2. A relatively new format, presented mainly in the form of a board that is installed directly on motherboard into the M.2 connector, which is very compact. This SSD can be found in three different versions depending on the length: 2242, 2260, 2280. The last two digits indicate the length in mm.

There are several other formats that are rare and needed for a narrow range of tasks, for example 1.8”, 3.5” or mSata.

Interfaces are more difficult to understand. There is a mess of standards and specifications here. Let's start with the most popular one - SATA. To date, there are three main revisions and two additional ones. SATA - supports up to 1.5 Gbit/s. Now it is becoming less and less common. SATA II - up to 3 Gbit/s. SATA III - up to 6 Gbit/s. Revision SATA 3.2 received an additional Express prefix. It has speeds of up to 8 Gbps and is backward compatible with other SATA, and, most interestingly, it is based on a PCI Express interface. The interface can be implemented in both 2.5-inch and M.2 form factors.

The PCI-E interface is a little easier. It is implemented mainly in M.2 in SSDs. It is worth noting that PCI can be multi-channel. The more channels, the faster the data transfer speed.

General characteristics of SSD (Solid State Disk)

let's consider basic characteristics, by which you can identify an SSD, let’s figure out what it is and compare it with an HDD.

Interface and form factor

We have already talked a little about this. Now consider this in the context of choice and relevance for different systems. With interfaces, everything is simple - eSATA is now considered the most productive, which in the specifications in some stores and manufacturers can be designated as PCI-E. This is by far the fastest interface.

The form factor must be chosen depending on the type of PC - laptop or desktop. In a stationary one, for compactness, you can use M.2, which takes up little space on the board and does not require additional power. New laptops also support M.2. For older ones, the 2.5-inch form factor is relevant.

Disk capacity and speed

SSD capacities are quite expensive. The most budget version of a 32 GB SSD can be purchased for about 1,500 rubles, while an HDD for the same money will already have a capacity of 160 GB or more. As for speed, everything is not so clear. Very often, data read and write speeds in disk specifications are greatly overestimated. And not necessarily only from little-known small companies, but even from famous brands. Therefore, you have to rely on reviews and measurements of authoritative services and testers.

Type of memory chips

It is interesting that now both types of memory - MLC and SLC - are almost the same in terms of performance and write/rewrite resource. Much depends on the implementation of a particular manufacturer. Before purchasing each specific model We would recommend looking at tests and reviews of these gadgets.

Leading manufacturers of SSD drives for PCs

The top includes well-known drive manufacturers. Their implementations do not differ in anything special. Moreover, controllers made by Samsung or Intel can be found not only in their own drives, but also in devices from competing brands. Main names in the top:

• Samsung. They produce a wide range of SSDs for a variety of tasks;
• Western Digital. One of the oldest media manufacturers. It produces three different lines of drives - Green, Blue and Black;
• Intel. Everything is clear here. Reliability and quality;
• Transcend. Known mainly for its flash drives. Now we are releasing full-fledged SSDs.

Which SSD drive is better to buy?

If the budget is not limited, then there are no problems. If every ruble counts, then it is better to approach the issue thoroughly. Let's look at a couple of models that are worth paying attention to.

The memory type it uses is TLC type. The stated read/write speed is 540/520 MB/s. The total storage capacity is 120 GB. In total, 75 TB of data can be written to the disk. On average, users write from 5 to 30 GB per day to their disk, which gives approximately 10 TB per year. Thus, the resource of this SSD should last approximately 7.5 years. The SATA interface is used for connection. You can buy the disc for 3,600 rubles. And its 2.5-inch form factor will allow it to be used both in a “desktop” and in a laptop.

Here are a couple of reviews about it:

Review of Samsung SSD 850

Review of Samsung SSD 850

More details on Yandex.Market: https://market.yandex.ru/product/1973235126/reviews?track=tabs

If compactness and space saving come first, then you can consider an SSD with M.2. Within 5000 rubles you can buy Intel SSDPEKKW128G8XT.

This is a drive with an M.2 connector and a size of 2280. Please note that the free space from the connector to the nearest component must be more than 80 mm. Memory type - TLC. The total disk size is 120 GB. This drive is interesting because it is connected using a PCI-E interface with 4 channels via an M.2 connector. This means that the bus does not limit the capabilities of the SSD and fully allows for excellent write and read speeds - which, by the way, are declared by the manufacturer at 650 MB/s for writing and 1640 MB/s for reading. The total resource is 72 TB of data. The device costs 4290 rubles.

More details on Yandex.Market: https://market.yandex.ru/product/1974689676/reviews?track=tabs

Intel SSDPEKKW128G8XT

In general, prices over 5,000 rubles do not inherently imply big leaps in terms of performance. Only the total disk volume changes. By the way, for SSDs, the volume indicator also affects durability. For example, a 120 GB disk with 30 GB daily writes will last approximately 7.5 years. With the same recording rate, a device with a capacity of 500 GB should last 4 times longer.

You can give this: you need a disk only for the system and programs - you can choose a smaller one, 60 or 120 GB, and store all the data, movies, pictures, etc. on another HDD. If you plan to store everything on one SSD, it is better to immediately choose a larger one. PCI-E interfaces are still more expensive than SATA, but they do not limit speed, so if your budget allows, it is better to choose the PCI-E interface.

Answers to frequently asked questions about SSD drive

During its existence, SSDs have acquired myths and legends, as well as constant questions. We will look at a few of them.

Special operating instructions

Many people believe that if you use the disk correctly, you can increase its service life. This includes various optimizations - disabling caches, indexing, paging file, defragmentation. In fact, these actions will not significantly affect the SSD resource. Rather, a decrease in overall performance due to disabling functionality will be less justified than an increase in the total resource by a couple of tens of gigabytes.

The only thing that can be recommended is to make backups: save your important data on alternative media - the cloud or another disk. Although this advice applies to all media in principle.

How is SSD different from HDD?

Read and write speed, shock and vibration resistance, noise level, power consumption and weight. These are the main advantages of SSD over HDD.

What is TRIM in SSD

TRIM is an instruction for ATA interfaces that allows the operating system to tell the disk which memory blocks can be unused and considered empty. Why do SSD drives need it? It was introduced due to the specific operation of solid-state drives. When writing new data to a cell, the SSD cannot simply replace the old data with new ones. He has to first read the data into the cache, clear the cell, and then write it - while the access speed decreases significantly. TRIM solved this problem. The system and the drive constantly exchange information about which cells are no longer needed, and upon the TRIM signal, these cells are reset to zero. The next time you write, the SSD just calmly writes data to it immediately.

Do you need an SSD for gaming?

Here, too, not everything is so simple. Firstly, you can’t expect a significant increase in FPS in games from using an SSD. The solid-state drive will be active during the initial loading of worlds and levels - locations will load faster. There is a possibility that an SSD drive can help in cases where performance is limited by the amount of RAM, when this data is dumped into the swap file. But in such a situation, changing the HDD to an SSD instead of increasing the RAM is a dubious pleasure.

By the way, there is an interesting video of testing popular games on different disks:

It probably won't be wrong to say that the computing world is entering the era of solid-state drives. Indeed, in comparison with them, hard drives are significantly inferior in power. For example, doubling your computer's RAM can increase its performance by no more than 10%. It's another matter if you equip your computer with an SSD.

Thus, a solid-state drive for a laptop purchased three years ago can increase its power by almost 3 times. This means that a laptop “upgraded” with an SSD, firstly, has almost the same performance modern model in the same price category. Secondly, the launch of all programs is faster, including video conversion.

Thus, the question of why a solid-state drive is needed can be answered briefly - to increase the performance of your computer or laptop. However, SSDs also have other important advantages.

Plus the first: stability. Hard drives, which have moving heads and rotating magnetic platters, are susceptible to damage and shock, unlike solid-state drives. Microcircuits SSD memory, due to the absence of moving parts in them, are not sensitive to external influences. Therefore, even after your laptop falls from a small height, all data will be saved and will not be damaged.

Plus the second: silent operation. SSDs use flash memory that responds to high-speed data transfer. In addition, thanks to flash memory, SSDs operate almost silently. True, the fan of the computer cooling system makes this plus little noticeable.

How to install a solid state drive? Most modern PCs have a bay where you can install an SSD, and thus use a solid-state drive and a hard drive in parallel. But to really improve your computer's performance, you will need to move the operating system from the hard drive to the SSD.

To simplify this procedure, there are special programs, produced by manufacturing companies, as well as external containers costing from 300 rubles. Containers make it possible to use a solid-state drive as removable storage. After transferring the data to the SSD using a USB cable, the drive is removed from the external container and installed in the computer. In this case, the data is saved on the hard drive.

But what if your PC or laptop doesn't have an extra bay where you can install an SSD? In this case, you will have to replace the hard drive with it. To do this, you first need to transfer information system to an external hard drive using an SSD with an external container, and then replace it.

How to choose a solid state drive? The main guidelines are the SSD capacity, a good combination of memory and controller, and a suitable connector. It is these factors that play a significant role in increasing computer performance after SSD installation. Flash memory and controller affect data transfer speed solid state drive, for example, it depends on them whether the film will be copied in 45 seconds or 75.

When an SSD is connected to a laptop or PC, data is transferred through the SATA connector. It is better to choose an SSD with a SATA 3 interface; it provides higher transfer speeds; however, SATA 2, although it has half the performance, is still significantly faster than a hard drive in speed. The speed of operation is also affected by the capacity of the solid-state drive. The performance of computers equipped with an SSD with a capacity of 500 GB is much higher than those with a 250 GB drive or, especially, a 120 GB drive.

Of course, the capacity of an SSD directly affects its price: the larger the capacity, the more expensive the drive is. However, the ability to remain fully operational for many years will pay off the investment in the future. So, having dealt with the question of why a solid-state drive (SSD) is needed, it remains to mention the fastest models of various capacities.

To do this, we will use the results of independent testing. Computer Bild magazine compared solid-state drives in terms of data transfer speed, power consumption, heat dissipation and performance indicators. As a result, among models with a capacity of 120 GB, the Samsung SSD 840 Pro took first place, and OCZ SSDs from the Vector series showed the most high performance among SSDs with capacities of 250 and 500 GB.

What shouldn't you expect from SSDs? Firstly, low power consumption, secondly, increased battery life. Both of these indicators remain unchanged when replacing the HDD with an SSD. Nevertheless, it is already clear that the future belongs to SSDs, and we hope our review will help you make a good choice.