Here’s what to look for.
If you’ve been keeping up with the tech trends you know that having an SSD (solid state drive) has become a crucial ingredient whether you are buying a laptop or building a PC. In these days of multi-core processors and gigabytes of RAM, it is often slow storage devices that bottleneck performance and hamper the overall performance of a computer. However, like with any technology there’s more to SSDs than meets the eye. If you aren’t well-acquainted with the world of SSDs and are yet to take the plunge, here’s everything you need to know to make an informed decision. An SSD is essentially made up of three components.1. NAND Flash: These are the components on which your data actually resides. The NAND Flash is made up of several blocks of non-volatile memory that do not require power to store the data.2. A controller: This is an embedded processor that acts as the brains of the operation. It contains the firmware that manages the read and write tasks of the SSD.3. DDR Memory: Many SSDs will also have small amounts of volatile DDR memory that is used to cache information, essentially to further boost the write speed of the SSD. The NAND flash memory inside an SSD is composed of many cells that hold information in bits that can either be turned on or off. The number of bits in these cells determines the type of SSD. Each of the different types of SSDs have different characteristics. Single-Level Cell (SLC) SSDs store one bit in each cell. This gives them superior performance along with enhanced endurance. SLC SSDs are the recommended flash technology for critical enterprise applications and storage services. Not a surprise then that SLCs tend to be more expensive, and aren’t typically marketed to consumers. Then there are Multi-Level Cell (MLC) SSDs that can store two bits per cell. Storing the extra bit comes at the cost of slightly decreased reliability as compared to SLC SSDs. However, this makes MLC SSDs more affordable. Triple-Level Cell (TLC) SSDs are even cheaper than MLC SSDs because they store three bits per cell. Initially, TLC SSDs were usually prescribed for read-heavy use cases, but thanks to constant improvements in flash technology, TLC SSDs are now more efficient and reliable than before and are finding use even in enterprise storage applications. Samsung introduced the first 3-bit SSD, the 840 series, back in October of 2012. One of its best 3-bit SSDs for professionals is the 970 EVO Plus that is capable of storing a (3.6GB) full HD movie file in a single second! Finally, there’s Quad-Level Cell (QLC) SSDs that, as you might have guessed already, store four bits per cell. There was a time when QLC disks weren’t considered reliable enough even for average desktop users. However, thanks to constant improvements by Samsung, QLC SSDs are now one of the best SSD options for price sensitive users. One of Samsung’s latest 4-bit SSDs is the 870 QVO, which is perhaps the best high capacity SSD that’s available for consumers without breaking the bank.
