Articles about SSD

Are all NVMe M.2 solid state drives the same from a performance perspective? Technically, no, but nowadays, even the lower-speed offerings are still rather fast. In other words, no NVMe SSD is "slow" although I would still caution to stick with trusted brands if you value your data. After all, it doesn't matter how speedy your drive is if it dies and your files are lost.

Samsung is probably the most trusted name in solid state storage. Not only are its SSDs historically very dependable, but very fast too. While a Samsung SSD may cost a bit more than some other brands, it is absolutely worth the premium if you want the best.

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M.2 solid state drives are great options for both laptops and desktop PCS. Hell, if you add such a drive to a compatible enclosure (such as this one), you can transform it into a portable SSD too. But did you know you can upgrade the storage of your PlayStation 5 video game console by adding an M.2 drive?

Today, ADATA launches a new M.2 SSD that is designed for both PCs and the PlayStation 5. Called "LEGEND 960," this PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 2280 SSD offers impressive speeds and will be initially offered in your choice of two capacities -- 1TB and 2TB. ADATA promises a 4TB variant will be available at the end of August.

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Does the average home user need any form of cooling on their M.2 solid state drives? No, it is not necessary. With that said, active and passive cooling options can extend the life of your drive while possibly making it perform faster too. You see, when an M.2 SSD gets hot, its speeds can sometimes decrease. Whether or not the user will actually notice the speed reduction outside of benchmarks is debatable, however.

Of course, not all solid state drives are limited to homes and offices. Some computers are used for rough industrial applications, such as in a factory with high temperatures or some other location with harsh conditions. In these environments, cooling your storage drive can be even more important -- potentially necessary.

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So, you need a PCIe M.2 solid state drive for your laptop or desktop and you aren't sure what type to buy, eh? Well, while your computer should support PCIe 5.0 SSDs and below, the performance will be determined by your machine's PCIe type. In other words, a PCIe 3.0 M.2 slot can only achieve PCIe 3.0 speeds at best -- even if you install a PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 SSD. And so, it usually doesn't make sense to spend a premium for a drive that is rated higher than your computer.

Today, Crucial (a subsidiary of Micron) officially launches its P3 and P3 Plus M.2 PCIe solid state drives. Both affordable SSDs come in capacities ranging from 500GB to 4TB and use Micron's 176L 3D NAND, but they have a big difference between them. You see, the "Plus" designation indicates that the drive uses PCIe 4.0 as opposed to the "regular" P3 that uses PCIe 3.0. As a result, the P3 drive achieves read/write speeds up to 3500MB/s, while the superior Plus variant gets read/write up to 5000MB/s.

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Hey, storage fans! If you get excited by new external solid state drives like I do, then today, you are in for a real treat. Transcend has decided to launch a new USB-C SSD that offers a unique combination of good looks, durability, and speedy performance.

Called "ESD380C," the portable solid state drive features a USB-C port on its body, but it comes with both a USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cable in the box for maximum compatibility. Thanks to its USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface, the SSD can achieve impressive read and write speeds of up to 2,000 MB/s. While the drive features an aluminum body, it is covered in rubber for enhanced durability.

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M.2 PCIe Gen 4x4 solid state drives are nothing new -- there are plenty of them on the market. However, a Gen 4x4 SSD with RGB lighting is apparently non-existent -- until now, that is.

Today, Patriot launches the all-new VPR400 M.2 PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD under its popular VIPER sub-brand which is designed for gamers. The company claims it is the world's first M.2 PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD with RGB lighting. While there are a bunch of M.2 PCIe Gen 3x4 drives with RGB, as far as I can tell, this might really be the first 4x4 variant with that feature.

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Apple's iMac is a wonderful all-in-one macOS desktop that offers a combination of power and elegance. The computer takes up very little real estate on a desk, making it a good choice for those living in a residence that doesn't offer a lot of space. It allows you to have a proper desktop computer with a large display without needing a giant tower.

Today, Satechi launches a new product that makes the 2021 24-inch iMac even better. Called "USB-C Slim Dock," it fits over the iMac's stand and provides USB-A ports, a USB-C port, and two memory card reader slots. While port expansion alone makes this a neat product, it also has an internal M.2 SSD slot that is compatible with both NVMe and SATA drives. To create more desk space when needed, Apple's wireless keyboard can be stored on top of the USB-C Slim Dock when not in use.

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How do you make a portable SSD a "gaming" drive? Just add RGB lighting, of course! Today, Lexar launches a new solid state drive that it claims is designed for gaming. Is that just marketing? Yes and no. Called "SL660 BLAZE," the USB 3.2 Gen2x2 SSD features RGB lighting and comes with a really cool stand to prop it up. While the drive itself has a USB-C connector, it comes with both a USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cable in the box.

Besides the RGB lighting gimmick (which is very cool), the SL660 BLAZE actually can benefit gamers that need to store games on both PC and console. The drive offers respectable read speeds of up to 2,000MB/s and write speeds of up to 1,900MB/s. Of course, the drive can be used by anyone that wants a fast and attractive SSD -- it isn't just limited to gaming.

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Solid state drives don't just make wonderful internal boot drives for computers -- they're excellent for external storage too. Not only are they smaller than mechanical hard disk drives, but they use less power and are much faster as well. Quite frankly, if you are someone that needs to transport data on a portable drive, you'd be insane to still use a HDD with moving parts.

But what if you lose that external solid state drive? Well, if the content is unencrypted, your files could be exposed to the finder. This is particularly problematic for business users that are storing company secrets or private customer data. Thankfully, a new USB-C solid state drive from Kingston makes it super easy to encrypt and decrypt your data. You see, the VP80ES IronKey Vault Privacy 80 is a hardware-encrypted (FIPS 197 certified with XTS-AES 256-bit) SSD with a color touchscreen that allows you to enter a passcode, password, pin, or phrase.

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Are all PCIe 4.0 solid state drives fast? Absolutely. However, they aren't all the same speed. For instance, the Mushkin SSD we covered here can achieve read speeds up to 7,415MB/s -- that is really fast. A new SSD called "UD90" from Silicon Power, however, can only do up to 4,800MB/s.

Yes, folks, we have two M.2 drives, both with the same PCIe Gen 4x4 interface, but one is significantly faster than the other. In other words, the UD90 is rather slow as a PCIe Gen 4.0 drive... comparatively. And yet, compared to SATA-based solid state drives, the UD90 is actually incredibly fast.

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Everybody loves USB flash drives, so it's a good thing there's no shortage of them on the market. If you want a flash drive, you can absolutely find one in stores -- unlike baby formula. There are many makes and models of USB flash drives with various capacities and transfer speeds, but of course, not all of them are of good quality.

With all of that said, only one flash drive can truly be the coolest ever. Today, OWC launches a drive that could be the one. Called "Envoy Pro mini," it is a tiny portable SSD that offers both USB-C and USB-A connectivity. In other words, the high-quality drive will work with pretty much any computer. Best of all, the beautifully engineered USB drive looks to be built like a tank and offers very impressive performance of up to 946MB/s!

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While solid state drives make wonderful internal boot drives for computers, they are also great options for external storage. Not only are SSDs much smaller than mechanical hard disk drives, but they use less power and are much faster too.

Today, PNY launches its latest external solid state drive, and it is both beautiful and fast. Called "Pro Elite V2," this diminutive USB-C SSD uses the USB 3.2 Gen 2x1 interface to achieve speeds up to 1,100 MB/s!

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Solid state drives continue to get faster, with many new computers supporting the PCIe 4.0 standard. If you have such a cutting-edge PC, you will probably want to get a PCIe 4.0 SSD to maximize your performance. Is it largely for bragging rights and benchmarks? Yeah, arguably, but if you can afford it, you might as well go for a PCIe 4.0 drive. The price shouldn't be that much more than a PCIe 3.0 SSD.

Today, KIOXIA unveils its latest PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid state drive. Called "XG8," the SSD will be offered in your choice of four capacities -- 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB. Of course, this solid state drive can be used in both desktop and laptop computers.

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Portable solid state drives are a great way to store data. Not only are they fast, but because they don't have moving parts, they are more durable than external mechanical hard drives too.

But what if you want a portable SSD that you can really abuse? Well, the Samsung T7 Shield is a durable USB-C SSD you can beat the crap out of. Don't misunderstand, you shouldn't purposely try to damage the small (88 x 59 x 13mm) drive, but Samsung says you can drop it from nearly 10 feet without worry. That means it will likely survive falling from a regulation basketball rim. But no, you shouldn't intentionally slam dunk it.

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Solid state drives make wonderful internal boot drives for computers, but they are great options for external storage too. Not only are they smaller than mechanical hard disk drives, but they use less power and are much quicker as well. Quite frankly, if you are someone that needs to transport data on a portable drive, you'd be crazy to still use a HDD with moving parts.

Today, ADATA launches its latest portable solid state drive. Called "ELITE SE880," the tiny SSD offers very fast speeds thanks to its USB 3.2 Gen2 x2 interface. The drive has a USB-C port and ships with both a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable. In other words, it can be used with any modern computer -- whether it has a USB Type-C port or not.

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