(SSD) "Lifetime Writes" - What does it mean? (2024)

FAQs

What does lifetime writes mean in SSD? ›

The lifetime of an SSD device is customarily stated as a TBW value in the IT industry. TBW is an abbreviation for “total bytes written”, meaning the total number of bytes that can be written onto an SSD. Today, SSD manufacturers often state a service life (guaranteed write volume) of 256 TBW.

On average, SSDs last between 5 to 7 years under normal usage conditions. However, this can vary based on the quality of the SSD, the intensity of usage and the factors mentioned above. But remember, like any superhero, they're not invincible — regular backups are essential in safeguarding your data.

An SSD write cycle is the process of programming data to a NAND flash memory chip in a solid-state storage device. A block of data stored on a flash memory chip must be electrically erased before new data can be written, or programmed, to the solid-state drive (SSD).

SSDs: most SSDs (Solid State Disks) contain wear indicators which show how much longer they can be used. These count down from 100% of media life remaining down to 0%. An SSD should be replaced once its media life remaining is less than 10%.

A lower TBW of around 100-200 TBW may be sufficient for regular users with average workloads.

Slow Read and Write Speeds

One of the most common warning signs of an SSD failure is a noticeable decrease in read and write speeds.

In terms of the brand, Samsung is the best choice for a long lifespan. And it also offers a 5-year warranty. And there are more details about SSD.

Most hard disk drives (HDD) last three to five years before some component fails. That doesn't always mean the drive is irrecoverably broken. But three to five years is still about how long they last, whether you're talking about an internal drive for a server, desktop, or an external HDD.

To put it simply, the faster the speed, the better the performance — and SSDs offer the best read/write speed for gaming. For example, PCIe^® SSD drives reach read/write speeds of 3,500 to 7,000 MB/s, while the fastest HDDs top out at 250 MB/s, according to a recent PCMag article.

Which is more important for SSD read or write? ›

Although both IOPS and read write speed are important for SSDs, I recommend you choose the SSD that has a larger IOPS, instead of the SSD that has a faster sequential read write speed. The reason is that the PC booting time and program running speed are much more important than file copying in our daily lives.

In fact, most SSDs can last over five years, while the most durable units exceed ten years. However, how long your SSD will last depends on how often you write data into it, and you could use that to estimate the lifespan.

Ten years? Longer? In Susan Bradely's Newsletter Plus topic Gifts for your computer she states, “Seriously consider replacing any drive older than five years, sooner if your examination of S.M.A.R.T. data reveals problems.”

Constantly programming and erasing to the same memory location eventually wears that portion of memory out and makes it invalid. As a result, the NAND flash would have limited lifetime. To prevent scenarios such as these from occurring, special algorithms are deployed within the SSD called wear leveling.

However, writing functionalities will no longer be accessible, and your SSD's warranty will become worthless (if it hasn't already). This metric is assigned to storage devices that indicate how much storage space the drive can carry before the memory cells deteriorate.

Although both IOPS and read write speed are important for SSDs, I recommend you choose the SSD that has a larger IOPS, instead of the SSD that has a faster sequential read write speed. The reason is that the PC booting time and program running speed are much more important than file copying in our daily lives.

TBW (Total Bytes Written) refers to the total amount of written data that SSD can withstand in its design life. It is usually on the SSD product details page (Endurance in Specifications) that will indicate how much TBW of this SSD.