Why SSDs are so UNDERRATED?

If you are someone who is frustrated because of a slow laptop or desktop, you would probably be someone who is dreaming about a snappy system.

But, if you are someone who has a decent system with an average processor and enough RAM, you should surely expect great performance from it. But, most of the people would find it hard.

Even an Intel i3 8th generation or any other equivalent processor with about 2.0 GHz frequency is enough to give you a good experience. But, if your system is still using the traditional storage device i.e. an SSD, you should think about updating it.

But, when you search online, you will find articles telling you that an HDD is enough for normal and even professional users. Various popular Tech YouTubers will say the same. But, the time has changed now.

Gone are the days when SSDs were expensive and we used to go with the HDDs only. Now, the SSDs can easily be purchased at almost the same prices you will buy the HDDs. But, still, SSDs are so under-rated.

So, in this article, I am going to give you a brief idea of the speed of SSDs and their benefits for a great user experience while using any type of computer system.

How fast are the SSDs?

When it comes to the read/write speed, you can expect at least 3GB/s speed from top-notch consumer level SSDs. Although, SATA SSDs are not that fast but they are way faster than the HDDs.

Even a normal SATA SSD can give you a speed up to 600GB/s with its latest version. However, the NVMe SSDs can reach way higher speeds than that (i.e. ~3000MB/s). Obviously, your system must be equipped with all the interfaces to handle that speed.

But, if your computer or laptop is working with an HDD, it will also work with an SATA SSD and that simply mean that you will be able to get 300 MB/s (with SATA 2) to 600MB/s (with SATA 3).

In the practical scenarios, SATA SSDs normally reach 500 to 550MB/s (sequential speed). The random read/write speed can be lesser than that. But, even this speed will be around 5 to 6x higher than what you get with an HDD.

Why read/write speed is important for good system performance?

Your computer basically do the job of reading, writing, and processing files. So, if the files are not ready at the time they are required, the system will be unable to do the given task.

The Not Responding message which you mostly see with the programs in Windows OS can simply appear because the files required for that program execution are still being found and read.

The hard disks and specially the older ones makes this thing even worse. The speed of those hard disks can drop so much that even your computer will take 2 or more than 2 minutes to boot up.

In a nutshell, a good read/write speed is required if you want your system to be snappy and highly-responsive. Because the SSD will have very short latency periods when it comes to file reading and writing, you can expect a great boost in the overall performance.

SSD may not help you running powerful software or open multiple programs at a time, but you will see a huge time drop in OS booting and software opening time. Any lag caused by a slow storage input will just disappear. And, that’s the power of the SSD. It’s not just about copy-pasting, it’s storing and serving the important files in a faster manner.

Why SSDs are ignored?

In my opinion, SSDs are ignored just because everything can be stored without any hassles on any type of cheap hard disk. So, why would anyone invest 20 to 30% more money in an SSD?

Well, the answer is legitimate and that is why I want to answer it.

People do not want to install SSDs because the online Tech Gurus are not promoting them. It can be because they are expensive or because they are just one-time purchases for most of us.

Other reasons could be the small market size and low affiliate commissions on these storage devices.

But, in 2021, if you are using an HDD and expecting your computer to boot up within 20 to 30 seconds, your expectations are great but the way is not right.

So, if you are also thinking about SSDs in the same way, consider reading this article. I have discussed my own experience with the SSDs in it.

Consider reading more about the SSDs on my blog. And, if you have decided to buy an SSD, you can read this full SSD buying guide here.

The right way to try an SSD

In my opinion, just go for a 128 or 256GB SSD and keep your HDD along with it. When you install both of these SSDs and make an SSD + HDD Combo, it will become easier for you to have enough storage space in HDD along with the fast speed of SSD.

Make sure to clone your operating system on your SSD and make it your boot drive for the best results. I have discussed the whole process of installing SSD and changing the BIOS boot priority in this article.

On the first boot up with your SSD, you will feel the difference and wonder why you haven’t made that decision years back.

Conclusion

SSDs are not in the mainstream because they can’t help you directly with the app performance and fps. But, they have their own application and that is to give you a snappy experience.