When we talk about storage capacity, we touch on a fundamental theme. After all, those videos from a special trip or all those college jobs can’t be ruled out.

There are many ways to store files on your computer or notebook. There are pen drives, DVDs and external hard drives that are forms of storage outside the machine.

But when the storage is internal, what is most current is the SSD. Computers with this memory have more speed when opening programs and files.

SSD is an acronym that refers to the English term Solid State Drive, in Portuguese. It is a storage disk that has the same function as an HD.

Despite having the same purpose, SSD and HD are quite different in operation. Technically speaking, the SSD stores data thanks to a semiconductor integrated circuit. Other systems use magnetic or optical technologies.

With no moving parts, the SSD memory runs quietly. It is produced around two components which are: the controller and the flash memory.

The disk unit has no moving internal parts, which makes the operation extremely quiet when compared to the HD unit.

As we have seen, there are several advantages of the SSD over the HD drive. In fact, many experts consider that one is the evolution of the other.

Whoever is evaluating the purchase of a product like this, however, should be aware of some points. The storage capacity of SSD drives has grown recently.

Today, it is already possible to find models with capacities ranging between 120 and 1 TB of capacity. The most common and affordable are around 240 GB.

This is because today’s SSDs use a technology known as Multi-Level Cell (MLC), which is capable of storing a maximum of two bits per cell.

If we compare it with HD disks, we can see that, with the same value, it is possible to buy a product with much greater capacity. Models up to 4 TB are competitively priced.

So, those who need a lot of storage, should assess whether the capacity of SSD drives will be sufficient for their needs.

The life of an SSD storage unit is limited. This technology takes into account writing cycles. With each recording performed, the SSD wears out its cells, which ends up taking away some of the ability to maintain electrical charges. After a certain amount of recording, the cell stops working.

Despite this, there is no reason to discard the purchase of this equipment. Because there is a limitation, the service life is long.

Each SSD has a kind of distributor for use. His job is to prevent the same parts of memory from being used too often. That is, as soon as a new file is created or modified, that distributor looks for some area that is less used.

In general, manufacturers estimate the useful life of up to 10 years with intensive use. But there is a possibility that this period may be even longer.

The life of these units is measured in TBW or recorded terabytes. Units with up to 1 TB of capacity usually have a useful life between 75 and 150 TBW. To assist in monitoring this useful life, manufacturers provide software that makes the measurement.

Purchasing criteria: Factors for comparing SSD models

When buying a product, it is important to analyze all the details. All of this for you to make the best use of your money. So, when choosing which SSD to take home, consider the following points.

• Capacity
• Motherboard interface
• Performance
• Size
• Durability
• Migration

Below, we will talk a little about each one of them in sequence.

Capacity

Most SSD drives have a capacity ranging from 120 to 1 TB. You can even find models with greater capacity, but they will certainly be quite expensive.

Compared to HD drives, SSD capacity is less. So if you are going to migrate from one to another, you may have to give up part of your files, in case you already occupy a lot of memory.

Try to buy a unit that fits your space needs not only today, but also in a few years’ time. Ideally, you shouldn’t have to change or expand memory too often.

A drive with a capacity of up to 240 GB is capable of supporting a good number of applications, files, programs and even some heavier games.

It is recommended to always leave at least 20% of the capacity free so that everything works properly.

The ideal capacity for you will depend on how the computer is used. Analyze the size occupied by the operating system and what you already have installed and make your choice.

Motherboard interface

If you think about upgrading your machine, stay tuned. SSDs connect to the PC’s motherboard through the same interface used by hard drives, SATA (Serial ATA). However, this interface has several standards, the main ones today are SATA 2 and SATA 3.

SATA 3 supports up to 6 Gbps of data transmission. Make sure your computer’s motherboard has this pattern. If not, the investment in an SSD will not be used, since the motherboard will not support this storage technology.

The SATA 3 standard is what has enabled SSDs to be able to reach high speeds and decrease the startup time of heavy programs and operating systems.

Performance

Those looking for an SSD disk drive want to be more agile in reading and writing data. In relation to this, there are sequential and random.

• Sequential : This is faster and works with larger data blocks.
• Random : Random speed uses smaller blocks of information, so it is slower.

Both speeds are of interest and influence both performance and price. So, seek to know each one of them to choose the best cost benefit.

Size

SSDs are an average of 2.5 inches wide. The size is almost the same as that of a notebook HD and smaller than the most common on desktops.

Either way, make sure you have enough space in your PC’s case or inside your notebook.

Durability

The useful life of this equipment is limited. Check the technical specifications of each product for the forecast. Despite this, the durability of these products is long. These discs are much more resistant to impacts, knocks and falls.

Another fact that does not cause concern is the small possibility of mechanical failures. This is because these discs do not have moving internal parts.

Migration

Some manufacturers provide tools that help in copying files that are on the HD. That way, you don’t have to install everything again individually.

This can be a differential mainly for that way to install the memory in a notebook. In such cases, it is not possible to connect HD and SSD to the motherboard at the same time for the migration to be done.