SSDs, or solid state drives, have become a very popular storage option in recent years, offering faster speeds and better reliability than traditional hard disk drives. However, SSDs are not invincible. Like any storage device, SSDs do degrade over time. But when exactly you should replace an SSD depends on several factors.
Thesis: SSDs do degrade over time, but when exactly you should replace depends on your use case and preferences.
How SSDs Degrade
SSDs degrade over time differently than traditional HDDs. Whereas HDDs fail mechanically over time, SSDs do not have moving parts. Instead, SSDs degrade due to erase cycles. Every time data is written to or erased from an SSD, it is counted as a program/erase cycle. Most SSDs today are rated for a limited number of program/erase cycles, usually in the range of 3000 to 10,000 before the flash memory cells begin to wear out and data can no longer be reliably stored.
This degradation occurs because of a phenomenon called write amplification. When data is rewritten to an SSD, it cannot simply overwrite the existing data, it must first be erased to make room for the new data. The process of erasing existing data before writing new data amplifies the number of program/erase cycles and causes the SSD to wear out faster than if it was only written sequentially. Higher quality SSDs use advanced controllers and algorithms to minimize write amplification and extend the usable lifespan.
According to tests by Backblaze, consumer-grade SSDs lasted around 5 years in their datacenter, but SSD lifespan can vary substantially based on usage patterns. SSDs in write-heavy environments like databases may only last 1-2 years. In comparison, HDDs do not degrade via writes but fail mechanically after 4-6 years on average (Source).
Signs Your SSD is Failing
There are a few key signs that indicate your SSD may be failing or degrading in performance.
One sign is slow performance. As SSDs wear out, you may notice slower boot times, longer load times for programs and files, and lagging responsiveness [1]. This occurs as the drive has more difficulty accessing data due to worn out memory cells.
Another sign is bad sectors. SSDs develop bad blocks or sectors as cells fail. The drive will have trouble writing, reading, or accessing files in these bad sectors [2].
You may also encounter read or write errors. When an SSD has bad blocks, it may be unable to fully read or write data. This can lead to data corruption or disappearance. Errors like “disk write failure” or “SSD not detected” can indicate issues [3].
In summary, performance degradation, bad sectors, and read/write errors are key indicators your SSD may be failing.
Benchmark Your SSD
One way to determine if your SSD is still performing well is to benchmark it using disk benchmarking tools. These tools test the read and write speeds of your SSD and allow you to compare the results against the advertised speeds or speeds when your SSD was new.
Some popular free SSD benchmarking tools include:
- CrystalDiskMark – https://www.techradar.com/computing/computing-components/how-to-benchmark-an-ssd
- AS SSD Benchmark – https://as-ssd-benchmark.en.softonic.com/
CrystalDiskMark is a simple but powerful benchmarking tool for testing sequential and random read/write speeds. It’s easy to use – just select the drive you want to test and run the benchmark. The results will show the drive’s read and write speeds in MB/s for various test sizes.
Slow read/write speeds compared to advertised specs or past benchmarks can indicate your SSD is wearing out and nearing the end of its usable life.
Estimate Your SSD’s Lifespan
There are two key factors that determine an SSD’s lifespan – its capacity and usage in terms of writes per day.[1][2]
SSD capacity affects lifespan because higher capacity SSDs spread writes across more NAND flash memory cells. For example, a 500GB SSD rated for 600 TBW (terabytes written) will last longer than a 250GB model with the same 600 TBW rating, since the writes are distributed across twice as many cells.[3]
Usage, measured in drive writes per day (DWPD), also impacts lifespan. An SSD rated for 1 DWPD should last roughly 5 years with daily use. A higher rating of 3 DWPD could last over 10 years with heavy daily use. Enterprise SSDs designed for 24/7 operation often have even higher DWPD ratings of 5-10.
Online SSD lifespan calculators can provide customized estimates based on your specific SSD’s capacity and projected daily writes. Regular users should target drives with at least 600 TBW endurance, while heavy users need 1,200+ TBW models or more.
When Performance Drops Below a Threshold
SSD performance inevitably degrades over time as cells wear out from repeated write/erase cycles. At a certain point, the reduced speeds may become noticeably slow and impact your experience.
Many experts recommend replacing your SSD once speeds drop below 70-80% of the drive’s original performance [1]. For a SATA SSD, this usually means:
- Sequential read speed below 400 MB/s
- Sequential write speed below 350 MB/s
- 4K random read speed below 20 MB/s
- 4K random write speed below 40 MB/s
For NVMe SSDs, look for sequential speeds below 2,000 MB/s read and 1,700 MB/s write. Random 4K speeds should stay above 150 MB/s read and 250 MB/s write [2].
You can benchmark your SSD’s performance with tools like CrystalDiskMark to check current speeds against the original specs. Upgrading is recommended once speeds are consistently below 70-80% of new.
When Your Warranty Expires
One baseline indicator for when to replace an SSD is when its manufacturer’s warranty expires. Most major SSD brands like Samsung, SanDisk, and Western Digital offer warranties ranging from 3-5 years depending on the model and capacity [1][2][3]. For example, the Samsung 870 EVO SSD comes with a 5 year limited warranty or up to the listed Total Bytes Written (TBW) threshold, whichever comes first.
Once your SSD warranty expires, the manufacturer is no longer obligated to repair or replace it if it fails. At this point, you’re fully assuming the data loss and replacement cost risk. While an SSD can continue functioning past its warranty, degradation issues become increasingly likely over time. Replacing it around the warranty expiration provides more long-term reliability.
For Maximum Data Reliability
If data reliability is your top priority, experts generally recommend replacing SSDs more frequently than you may expect. This is especially true for mission-critical applications or irreplaceable data where even a small chance of failure is unacceptable.
According to a survey by ZDNet, annual replacement rates for enterprise SSDs can range from 0.07% to nearly 1.2% depending on the model (ZDNet). While consumer SSDs may have slightly better lifespans, for truly irreplaceable data, a conservative replacement interval is wise.
Backblaze analyzed SSD failure rates and recommends replacing SSDs used for backup/archival every 2-3 years. For mission-critical primary storage, they suggest replacing every 18-24 months (Backblaze).
Reddit users also report replacing SSDs annually or biannually for critical applications like database servers or storage arrays. This provides an extra safety margin against the risk of sudden failures (Reddit).
While more frequent replacement comes at a higher cost, it guarantees maximum data integrity and minimizes the risk of unexpected data loss. For irreplaceable data, the cost of extra SSD replacements can be well worth it.
According to Your Budget
The cost of replacing an SSD can vary widely depending on the capacity and performance you need. However, in general most consumer SSDs in the 256GB to 1TB range cost between $40 – $150 for the drive itself.
You’ll also need to factor in the cost of a professional to replace the drive if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, which can range from $50 – $150 depending on the computer make and model. Some tips to reduce replacement costs:
- Buy a user-replaceable external USB SSD instead of an internal drive if possible, to avoid installation fees.
- Look for SSD sale prices or use a coupon when purchasing.
- Consider if you can reuse your existing SSD enclosure when replacing the drive.
An alternative to replacing an older SSD completely is to add a new secondary/external SSD and move your most active files there, using the original slower SSD for archival storage. This incremental upgrade approach may extend the life of your current SSD while improving performance for daily tasks.
Overall, weigh the cost/benefit of more frequent incremental SSD upgrades versus less frequent complete replacements. Your ideal upgrade cycle comes down to your budget, performance needs, and how long you plan to keep your computer.
Conclusion
In summary, the ideal time to replace an SSD depends on your specific use case and priorities. For maximum performance, replace an SSD once benchmarks show a significant drop compared to its original speeds. To maximize data reliability, consider replacing your SSD once it reaches the end of its warranty period or rated lifespan. Those prioritizing budget may wait until performance dips below minimum acceptable levels before replacing. For high-demand use cases like gaming or professional work, proactively replacing an SSD may be advisable before failure or slowdowns occur.
When purchasing a replacement SSD, choose one suited for your interface and form factor, and prioritize options with high endurance ratings if maximizing lifespan. Closely matching the capacity of your previous SSD can help avoid having to reconfigure partitions. Be sure to properly migrate data and reinstall OS and programs to the new drive.
With SSD costs continuing to decline and capacities increasing, proactively replacing an older SSD every 3-5 years can help maintain optimal system performance and minimize risk of disruptive failures. Carefully monitoring SSD health and lifecycle metrics can inform replacement decisions.