Buzz
Currently, the majority of personal computers are equipped with SSDs to attain fast boot speeds and enhance overall performance. Unlike traditional mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs) prone to failures in moving components, such as friction between the read/write head and platter, SSDs operate silently and boast excellent shock resistance. However, SSDs do have a finite lifespan, influenced by various factors, including the quality of memory chips and total read/write capacity.What Factors Influence the Durability or Lifespan of an SSD?
The write cycle indicates the durability of an SSD, as solid-state storage has limited write cycles. Eventually, the oxide layer of flash memory cells begins to degrade, reducing both lifespan and performance. When writing new data to an SSD, existing data needs to be erased electrically instead of overwritten, degrading the oxide layer of NAND flash memory cells and directly impacting their storage capability.
The operational lifespan of an SSD also affects its longevity and error rate. Manufacturers claim SSDs can last up to 10 years, but in reality, their average lifespan falls short. Nevertheless, SSDs experience fewer errors than traditional hard disk drives. Additionally, the total terabytes written over time (TBW) serves as the basic warranty limit for an SSD. Once this threshold is exceeded, memory cells begin to degrade and may fail at any time. The advice is to replace an SSD nearing or surpassing the manufacturer's TBW limit.
Another index often cited by manufacturers is MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures), but it's wise not to rely solely on this metric. MTBF is calculated based on a relatively small sample size, statistically determining the average time between system failures. In theory, a higher MTBF indicates greater reliability. For HDDs, MTBF is around 500,000 hours, roughly 57 years; whereas SSDs boast an MTBF of about 2.5 million hours - a figure that can be misleading.What is the average lifespan of SSDs?
Assuming HDDs operate in an ideal environment and eliminate physical wear over time, they are practically immortal. Conversely, under similar conditions, SSDs still have a certain lifespan due to the nature of data storage using memory chips. The essence of memory chips will endure a limited amount of data writing, after which they revert to a read-only state. Hence, to achieve high speed and comfort in usage, they come with a finite lifespan. However, there's no need to worry excessively, as most SSDs on the market can serve users for many years before retiring.
This limit varies depending on the type of memory chip equipped in the SSD model. Essentially, SLC (single-level cell) NAND Flash chips offer the best speed and durability in write-erase cycles (100,000 cycles), albeit at a steep price due to low storage space, usually applied in server environments or critical systems. Next are MLC (multi-level cell) with 10,000 cycles, then TLC (triple-level cell) with 3000 cycles, and even QLC (quad-level cell), in order of increasing storage capacity but decreasing lifespan, which are types of 2D NAND. Over the past decade, 3D NAND technology has become widespread and is the most notable innovation in the flash storage industry, addressing the issues of 2D NAND.On average, modern SSDs have a lifespan of around 700 TBW (TerraByte Written), depending on the capacity of the SSD itself. This lifespan is not fixed but varies depending on the manufacturer, model, and accompanying technologies. By knowing this limited TBW and tracking the TBW used, users can estimate the remaining lifespan of their SSD.CrystalDiskInfo
The software perhaps familiar to PC users - CrystalDiskInfo - provides an overview of SSD statistics within the system. Apart from monitoring the drive's health, users can also learn about supported features, total read/write capacity, and operational time. This software is free to download from https://crystalmark.info/en/software/crystaldiskinfo/
After installation, launch CrystalDiskInfo to check the information of the drive to monitor. The Health Status section estimates the remaining lifespan of the SSD, similar to the battery percentage on a phone. Besides 'Good', if you see 'Caution' with a yellow background, it's time to start backing up data to prepare for any uncertainties. But if 'Bad' appears in red, immediately backup your data, hoping the SSD remains stable until completion.
In the top-right corner, the Total Host Write indicates the total data capacity written to the drive, while below it provides statistics on operational time and boot cycles.
