Is it OK to get a cheap SSD?

What is an SSD?

An SSD, or solid state drive, is a type of computer storage device that uses flash memory to store data, rather than relying on moving parts like a traditional hard disk drive (HDD). SSDs are much faster than HDDs for most uses, and have become increasingly affordable over the past decade. However, there can still be a significant price difference between budget SSDs and premium models from top brands. This raises the question – is it okay to cheap out and get a bargain SSD, or do you need to spend more for quality?

The benefits of SSDs

Compared to old-school HDDs, SSDs offer some major advantages:

• Much faster read/write speeds, thanks to not having to move mechanical parts
• Lower latency, so operations complete quicker
• Better reliability and durability due to no moving parts
• Lower power consumption and running temperatures
• Silent operation
• Smaller physical size for the same capacity

For most users, the performance benefits are the main reason to get an SSD. Activities like booting up your computer, launching programs, copying files, and multitasking will happen significantly faster with an SSD compared to an HDD. The speed advantages are especially noticeable if you’re still running an older system with a hard drive. Upgrading to an SSD can breathe new life into an aging laptop or desktop.

Why budget SSDs can be tempting

With the advances in flash memory and SSD controllers, prices have come down a lot over the past 5-10 years. Where a 500GB SSD used to cost $500 or more, now you can find 500GB drives for under $50. With such cheap SSDs available, it’s very tempting to go for a bargain model when upgrading or building a new PC.

Here are some of the main reasons budget SSDs are attractive:

• Far lower upfront cost compared to premium models
• Often good enough performance for basic usage
• Sufficient capacity for many users’ needs
• Still much faster than HDDs in general
• Easy way to extend life of older system

When you can find a 500GB or 1TB SSD selling for $50-100, whereas high-end SSDs still cost several hundred dollars for the same capacities, the budget drives seem like an obvious choice for many. The lower prices make SSD storage accessible to more people.

The downsides of cheap SSDs

While bargain SSDs can certainly be appealing, there are some trade-offs and downsides to consider before choosing one:

• Slower speeds than high-end models – Both sequential and random access speeds are often much lower on budget SSDs.
• Lower endurance ratings – Cheap SSDs generally have lower terabyte written (TBW) ratings, meaning they can’t withstand as much data writing over their lifespan.
• Fewer advanced features – You’ll miss out on things like encryption, higher performance interfaces, caching tech, and management software.
• No DRAM cache – More expensive SSDs include a DRAM cache to further boost performance, but cheap drives skip this.
• Lower grade NAND flash – Budget SSDs tend to use lower grade QLC NAND rather than higher-end TLC or MLC NAND.
• Warranty and support may be limited – Many cheap SSDs only come with a 1-3 year warranty.

The trade-off with bargain SSDs is you get lower performance, endurance, features, and longevity in exchange for the lower upfront cost. Power users, gamers, and performance-demanding workloads would likely notice the limitations compared to something like a Samsung 870 EVO or WD Black SN750. But for more basic needs, a cheap SSD may still be “good enough”.

When budget SSDs are fine

For entry-level builds, older systems, and general home/office use, going for a cheaper SSD is usually okay. Here are some examples where a bargain SSD would work well:

• Office/web browsing PC – For basic productivity on documents, email, web etc, a budget SSD provides fast enough performance.
• Media streaming box – Something like a Roku or Amazon Fire TV with a cheap SSD is perfect for Netflix/Disney+/Kodi etc.
• Light gaming rig – Casual and older games will load fast enough on a cheap SSD for most gamers on a budget.
• Laptop upgrade – Extend the life of an old laptop by several years with a cheap SSD upgrade over the mechanical hard drive.
• Secondary storage drive – Use a budget SSD for extra game/media storage alongside your primary NVMe SSD boot drive.
• DIY NAS box – For a homebrew NAS, cheap SATA SSDs often work out more affordable than enterprise HDDs for bulk storage.

The common theme is that for devices and systems doing lighter workloads that aren’t super demanding, a bargain SSD can save a lot of money without too many compromises on performance.

When to spend more on an SSD

There are some instances where it makes more sense to spend extra for a quality SSD rather than opt for a cheaper model:

• Primary drive in a high performance PC – For serious gamers and enthusiasts, a faster premium SSD will enable better load times in games and applications.
• Production workstation – For intensive tasks like 4K video editing, 3D modelling, engineering simulations etc, higher speeds and endurance are beneficial.
• Servers and enterprise use – Businesses may need higher reliability along with performance, so will invest in server-grade SSDs.
• Laptop that will see heavy use – If a laptop is your primary work machine used for 8+ hours a day, something like a Samsung 870 EVO provides extra endurance.
• Frequently written data drive – If the SSD will be subject to very heavy writes, for example as a drive recording security camera footage, higher endurance ratings help avoid premature failure.

Essentially for any high performance, business/mission-critical, or demanding production use case, it’s wise to spend more on a quality SSD rather than skimping on the cheapest option. That extra investment helps ensure optimal speed for your workflow, better longevity under heavy workloads, and stronger reliability.

Recommendations for budget SSD choices

If you’ve weighed up the pros and cons and decided a cheaper SSD meets your needs, these are some solid budget options to consider from reputable brands:

Crucial BX500

One of the better value SATA SSD lines from Micron’s consumer division Crucial, the BX500 models offer decent read speeds around 540 MB/s and write speeds up to 500 MB/s for the 1TB version. Random read/write IOPS are lower than high-end SSDs but still reasonable. Endurance is rated at 180TBW for the 1TB model, and they include features like AES-256 encryption and adaptive thermal monitoring. The Crucial Storage Executive software also provides handy tools like updating firmware, monitoring drive health, and cloning existing data.

Western Digital WD Blue SN570

This affordable NVMe M.2 SSD from Western Digital uses PCIe 3.0 x4 and packs 1TB of storage. Performance is roughly five times faster than a SATA SSD, with sequential read/write speeds of up to 3,500/3,000 MB/s. 4KB random read/write speeds of up to 410K/760K IOPS are decent for an entry-level NVMe drive. One downside is the low 200TBW endurance rating. But the WD SN570 still delivers much faster performance than SATA SSDs for just a small premium in cost.

Samsung 870 QVO

Samsung is known for its high-end SSDs but also produces the more affordable QVO series. The 870 QVO is available in 1TB to 8TB capacities, uses Samsung’s 4-bit MLC V-NAND flash, and hits 560/530 MB/s sequential read/write speeds. Performance won’t blow you away compared to Samsung’s EVO and PRO models but provides a nice upgrade over hard drives. Endurance is rated at 360TBW for the 1TB model. And you get the reassurance of Samsung’s reputation and included software.

Kingston A400

One of the most popular budget SSD lines, the Kingston A400 SATA SSD offers capacities from 120GB to 2TB. It uses TLC NAND flash and reaches 500MB/s read and 450MB/s write speeds, although random IOPs are quite low. Endurance is just 80TBW for the 240GB model. But it’s commonly available for around $25 for 240GB, making it one of the cheapest ways to add an SSD as a boot or secondary drive.

SSD Model	Interface	Capacities	Sequential Read Speed	Sequential Write Speed	Endurance (TBW)	Warranty
Crucial BX500	SATA	120GB – 2TB	540MB/s	500MB/s	180TBW (1TB)	5 years
WD Blue SN570	NVMe	250GB – 1TB	3,500MB/s	3,000MB/s	200TBW (1TB)	5 years
Samsung 870 QVO	SATA	1TB – 8TB	560MB/s	530MB/s	360TBW (1TB)	3 years
Kingston A400	SATA	120GB – 2TB	500MB/s	450MB/s	80TBW (240GB)	3 years

This table summarizes the key specs and features of some well-regarded budget SSD options to consider. As you can see, performance and endurance varies – so check benchmarks for the specific workloads you need, and pick a model with sufficient endurance for your expected usage.

Conclusion

In most cases for home builds, office use, and older systems, a good budget SSD provides strong enough performance while saving you a lot of money. Models from trusted brands like Crucial, WD, Samsung, and Kingston are safe choices that still offer a big speed boost over hard drives.

For high performance PCs, heavy workstation use, servers, and mission-critical tasks, it’s better to spend more on premium SSDs where the extra speed, endurance, and features justify the higher cost. But for more modest needs, a bargain SSD gets you about 80% of the benefit at a fraction of the price.

Just be sure to check reviews and endurance ratings before buying. While cheap SSDs can be great value, extremely low-end no-name drives could be unreliable. Overall though, for most mainstream uses, affordable SSDs have become fast enough to represent a sensible compromise – so for many people, it’s perfectly fine opting for a budget model.