Unlike Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), Solid State Drives (SSDs) comprise of chips to store and read data. The usage of chips bring faster speed and reliability than previously used devices: HDDs. Talking on reliability, a typical SSD generally lasts for around 10 years with optimum performance. The lifespan of an SSD primarily depends upon the usage of the device, specifically the read-write cycle. This means, the more you erase and re-write the SSD, the faster it degrades. Besides usage, life of an SSD also hugely depends on temperature during operation. Having said these, there are various other factors affecting the lifespan of your SSD. Here we have listed everything you need to know about how long your memory unit lasts and what shortens its lifespan.
How Reliable Are SSDs?
How Do SSDs Work?
Unlike hard drives, Solid State Drives don’t have moving physical components. It consists of NAND flash memory, where data is stored in electrically isolated cells in the form of charges. Therefore, to understand the lifespan of SSDs, you need to know how they work. These cells allow new data to be written and stored a finite number of times. Manufacturers of SSDs use wear-leveling techniques to increase their lifespan. The software is used to distribute data evenly across the cells of these memory devices. This function prevents a certain number of cells from being used repeatedly and wearing off quickly. Once the capped threshold passes, they cannot write and store more data and, also loose the stored ones resulting in data loss. Therefore, SSDs have a limited lifespan.
What Affects Your SSD’s Lifespan?
Finding the lifespan can be tricky as there is no procedure to calculate the exact value. However, you may use the following metrics to calculate the remaining lifespan of the device:
Age of SSD
Age is the primary reason devices degrade over time. Like other electronic devices, SSDs wear out and develop problems as they grow old. Continuous usage, environmental factors like dust and temperature, and the daily read-write of data over the years will kill your SSD.
Total Number of Terabytes Written Over Time (TBW)
As mentioned above, TBW measures how much data can be written on the cells inside memory chips before they start to dwindle. This estimation is generally given by manufacturers to provide a rough age value for their SSDs. For example, your 500 GB SSD has a manufacturer’s guaranteed TBW of 365. This means that you can write 365 Terabytes of data before the SSD starts to fail. Also, if the warranty period of the device is 10 years, then to wear off your SSD in those exact years, you’ll have to write 100 GB of data daily in it. This is an unlikely scenario considering you don’t work at NASA. However, breaking the TBW mark doesn’t guarantee that your SSD will fail immediately. These devices can last longer, and they usually do, but with some issues now and then of course.
Type of NAND Memory Use
NAND is a technology used in flash memory to store data in small chips. The type of NAND your SSD uses determines how long the SSD lasts, as it has a limited number of Program/Erase cycles. For example, let’s compare three types of NAND: A Single Level Cell NAND type has a very high life span as it stores a single bit of data in one cell. This type is mostly used in corporate and government offices as it doesn’t provide much storage space but costs dearly. A Multi-Level Cell NAND type stores multiple bits of data in a single cell. MLC is used for both industrial and consumer purposes as it is cheaper to make than Singe Level Cell. However, due to multiple bits being stored in a single cell, this kind of SSDs is slower and has less life span. A 3D NAND type stores data in memory cells that are stacked horizontally in multiple layers. This increases both the performance and capacity of the memory device. Although these devices are expensive and very hard to manufacture, they have a far lower cost per byte. This technology is used in most modern flash drives and hard drives. NVMes use 3D NAND to store data. There are other types of NANDs as well but we have covered just the basic ones here.
The Type of SSD
Well, the lifespan of the SSDs also depends upon their type. Different types of SSDs have different distinct architectures and functionality. This causes these devices to have variable performance and lifespan than each other. Let’s learn more about 2 of them below: SATA SSDs are the most widely used memory device. With an average speed of 500-550 Mbps, they are 5 times faster than a hard drive. The average lifespan of these devices is around 5 years under ideal working conditions. NVMes are the new generation of SSDs. These devices are around 4 times faster than SATA SSD. They have a very high response time and data transfer rate which clocks in at around 30 Gb per second. NVME SSDs tend to last around 10 years on average under ideal working conditions.
Faulty Hardware And Environmental Conditions
The probability of having a faulty SSD during the purchase is rare but not zero. Your SSD might have a problematic resistor or a defective cell during the manufacturing process, which can lead to issues in the future. If you come across such devices, check with the manufacturer for warranty claims. Another culprit in reducing the life span of SSDs is the environment. Since SSDs store data as charges in isolated cells, improper insulation due to the surrounding temperature can increase the SSD’s temperature and the cells to lose charges. Dust also plays a big role here. If you happen to use your device in a dusty environment, your SSD might be layered with these pesky particles. Specks of dust can seep inside the sockets and cause issues between your SSD and motherboard. Also, a dust-covered device heats up faster and causes overheating-related issues. So be sure to clean the insides of your PC regularly if you work inside dust clouds. Use canned or pressurized air to blow them away without the need to open the insides of your computer. To sum up, there is no accurate way to determine how long your SSD lasts. Its life span depends upon how long you have been using it and how much data is processed daily. Since SSDs store data, it’s best to use good-quality ones to save them securely.
How to Check the Status of SSD?
Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology, also known as S.M.A.R.T. is a system inside the SSD that allows the device to scan and report issues within itself. Most recent SSDs have this technology which you can use through your PC. Some manufacturers provide apps to analyze their SSD. You can perform system checks and run diagnostics and health checks on your Solid State Drive. Check the manufacturer’s website for details. You can perform a short and simple check of your SSD’s status through the Command prompt. However, this check only gives you a brief report about whether the SSDs are working or not. To perform, follow these steps: Numerous third-party apps to perform S.M.A.R.T analysis are available. However, we cannot verify the accuracy of their result and how safe they are.
