Solid state drives (SSDs) have become increasingly popular in computers over the past decade. They offer significant advantages over traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), including faster read/write speeds, better reliability, and lower power consumption. However, like any storage medium, SSDs can fail or develop issues over time. That’s why it’s important to test SSDs to verify they are functioning properly.
What is an SSD?
An SSD is a type of computer storage device that uses flash memory chips to store data digitally. Unlike an HDD, an SSD has no moving mechanical parts – data is stored on microchips rather than magnetic platters. This allows SSDs to access data much faster than HDDs. A typical SATA III SSD has maximum sequential read speeds over 500 MB/s, while HDDs top out around 200 MB/s.
SSDs connect to a computer’s motherboard via either the SATA or PCIe interface, just like HDDs. They come in a standard 2.5-inch notebook size as well as larger 3.5-inch desktop sizes. Common capacities range from 120GB to 4TB for consumer models. SSDs are commonly used as the primary drive for the operating system and applications. Their performance advantages make the everyday tasks like booting up and loading programs much snappier.
Why test an SSD drive?
There are a few important reasons to test an SSD drive:
- Verify performance – SSDs slow down over time as cells wear out. Testing helps confirm the drive is delivering expected speeds.
- Check for errors – SSDs can develop bad sectors/blocks. Testing scans for read/write errors.
- Monitor wear – SSDs have limited write endurance. Testing provides SMART data on wear levels.
- Ensure reliability – Drives can fail unexpectedly. Testing checks an SSD is in good health.
Running periodic tests allows you to spot issues before they become catastrophic failures and results in data loss. Testing also establishes a performance baseline – you can compare current results against past results to see performance degradation over time.
How to test an SSD drive
There are several methods available to test and analyze the performance and health of an SSD drive:
1. Built-in S.M.A.R.T. data
S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) is a monitoring system built into SSDs and HDDs. S.M.A.R.T. provides information on key internal performance metrics and tracks attributes like temperature, erase/write cycles, bad blocks, and lifespan remaining.
Checking S.M.A.R.T. data is a quick way to get a snapshot of an SSD’s current status and early warning of potential issues. Most operating systems (Windows, MacOS, Linux) allow you to view an SSD’s S.M.A.R.T. information through free disk utility software.
2. Benchmarking software
Benchmarking software puts an SSD drive through a series of simulated file transfers, database calls, boot ups, etc. to measure its real-world read and write throughput. Popular SSD benchmark tools include:
- CrystalDiskMark – provides sequential and random read/write speeds
- AS SSD Benchmark – comprehensive suite of performance tests
- Anvil’s Storage Utilities – detailed benchmarks and custom testing
- HD Tune Pro – easy to use with graphing of transfer speeds
These tools confirm if the SSD’s speeds match the manufacturer specs and expected performance. Slow speeds indicate issues like a faulty drive controller or write amplification problems.
3. Drive testing software
Drive testing utilities put an SSD through more rigorous testing beyond just speed benchmarks. They perform scans to uncover damaged sectors, lost clusters, and block errors. Some examples include:
- Victoria for Windows – sector-level tools find physical bad blocks
- StressMyDrive – repeatedly reads/writes to force errors to appear
- Bootable tools like Ultimate Boot CD – contain drive diagnostics to run outside the main OS
If an SSD passes these scans without errors, it confirms there are no defects in the physical storage medium. Failed scans indicate the drive has developed bad NAND flash memory blocks.
4. Monitoring during normal use
Observing how an SSD performs during regular computer use can reveal issues. Warning signs include:
- Frequent computer crashes/freezing
- Files failing to save or disappearing
- Programs taking much longer to open
- Transfer speeds significantly slower than usual
Such symptoms suggest problems like controller failure, file system corruption, dead NAND cells, etc. The SSD may need to be replaced if problems persist.
5. Temperature monitoring
Monitoring SSD temperature provides insight into the drive’s environment and workload. Excessively high temperatures can accelerate wear and affect data retention in NAND chips. Tools like SSD Guardian display real-time drive temps during use.
Sustained temps above 70°C may require relocating the SSD to improve airflow or installing a dedicated cooling fan to prevent overheating.
How often to test an SSD
Most experts recommend testing/benchmarking SSDs about once a month to detect issues before they result in data loss. More frequent testing like every 1-2 weeks is advised for drives running in high-risk scenarios like RAID configurations or mission-critical servers.
At a minimum, SSDs should be tested annually to establish a regular performance baseline. Testing is especially crucial once an SSD passes the 3-5 year mark when failure rates increase.
Always re-test a drive after events that could cause damage, such as abrupt power loss, electrical surges, or physical impacts from dropping.
SSD test tools
Here is a table summarizing popular free software tools for testing different aspects of SSD drive performance and health:
| Tool | Tests |
|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark | Sequential/random read/write speeds |
| AS SSD Benchmark | Broad suite of access time, transfer speed, latency tests |
| Anvil’s Storage Utilities | Extensive benchmark, stress testing, and analysis |
| HD Tune Pro | Transfer speed graphing, health stats |
| Victoria for Windows | Deep sector-level scanning for bad blocks |
| StressMyDrive | Repeat reads/writes to uncover hidden errors |
Analyzing SSD test results
Once you run benchmarks and checks on an SSD drive, how do you know whether the results are good or bad? Here are some guidelines for analyzing test outputs:
- Compare speeds to SSD specifications – If sequential read/write speeds are more than 10-15% below advertised specs, that indicates issues.
- Check for performance drops – Look for big declines versus previous results on the same drive.
- Monitor S.M.A.R.T. attributes – Wear levels, bad block counts rising quicker than expected could mean imminent failure.
- Errors detected during scanning are a red flag – Even a single bad sector indicates a reliability problem.
- Higher latency and access times equate to poorer performance.
Ideally, test results should be relatively consistent over time. Investigate any anomalous outputs that deviate from normal behavior for that SSD. Determining when subpar results warrant replacing the drive requires analyzing trends over multiple tests rather than just one-off occurrences.
Factors affecting SSD performance
Many variables influence the performance and lifespan of an SSD drive. Being aware of these factors helps appropriately set expectations when testing SSDs:
- Drive capacity – Larger capacity SSDs typically have faster speeds as they use more NAND chips in parallel.
- Interface – SATA 3 SSDs top out around 550 MB/s. PCIe 4.0 SSDs reach over 7000 MB/s.
- NAND type – Higher-end SSDs use MLC/TLC NAND chips instead of cheaper QLC for better endurance.
- Controller – Quality of the drive controller significantly impacts performance.
- Wear leveling – Efficient distribution of writes helps extend the lifespan.
- Workload – High volumes of writes, sustained usage degrade SSDs quicker.
- Temperature – Excessive heat accelerates the aging of NAND memory.
- Fragmentation -Heavily fragmented SSDs suffer slower read/write speeds.
Understanding what is “normal” for a specific SSD model and use case prevents misinterpreting test outputs. Comparing results against SSDs with vastly different specs or designs has limited value.
SSD failure symptoms
How can you tell when an SSD is about to fail and needs replacing? Look for these common indicators of imminent failure:
- Increasing number of bad sectors/blocks
- S.M.A.R.T. error warning or prefail status
- Files taking much longer than usual to open/save
- Frequent computer stalling, freezing, or crashing
- Corrupted data – photos, documents, music, etc.
- Much slower overall performance
- Strange noises – clicking, screeching, buzzing
- External damage – casing cracked from being dropped
If an SSD is exhibiting multiple symptoms, it likely has irreparable damage and should be replaced. Back up important data immediately, as total failure could happen at any moment.
Avoid continuing to use an SSD showing signs of failure, as further deterioration can render the data unrecoverable. Replacing a defective SSD before catastrophic data loss occurs should limit disruption.
How to monitor SSD health
To stay on top of SSD health, implement a monitoring routine incorporating the following best practices:
- Periodic testing – Run speed tests and diagnostics monthly to catch issues while still minor.
- S.M.A.R.T. checks – Monitor wear levels, bad blocks, lifespan regularly.
- Error scanning – Do full error scans quarterly to find bad sectors.
- Temperature monitoring – Use software to track temps and prevent overheating.
- Performance tracking – Log benchmarks to visualize trends over time.
- Backup religiously – Daily backups minimize potential data loss from unexpected failures.
Monitoring also helps determine the useful lifespan of the SSD. Performance dropping significantly or unusable capacity falling below 70-80% are signs it may be time to replace the drive.
Conclusion
Testing and monitoring SSDs is crucial to catching issues before catastrophic failure results in severe data loss. Regular speed benchmarks, S.M.A.R.T. checks, error scanning, and temperature tracking all provide valuable insights into drive health and performance.
Investing a little time each month to test SSDs helps optimize reliability and lifespan. Analyzing trends in the results identifies problems in time to take corrective action. When implemented properly, a SSD testing regimen virtually eliminates unexpected failures.