Solid-State Drives also known as SSD, transformed computer data storage. Previously, computers and laptops only had the option of a conventional hard drive which was limited by its slow capacity. As a result, computer performance severely got affected. It started to lag because of the disk load and computers took time before shutdown.
SSD technology solved the performance issue and computers’ speed dramatically improved. Further, SSD consumes less power than conventional drives. Hence, living with an old school mechanical drive in the era of SSD is not recommended.
Well, there are numerous SSDs for laptops available in the market. Also, because of increasing demand, SSD is available at the cheapest rate. But if someone compromises with the price structure, they will also have to compromise with the performance. Many manufacturers provide an upgrade for laptops; that is, they change the hard drive with an SSD for you. In this review, you would find our comparative evaluation of the best SSD for laptops in India.
Western Digital WD Blue 250 GB 2.5 inch SATA III
Turbocharge your entire experience with this amazing product. This SSD offers features that can make even the most ordinary of laptops function like high-end devices. The Western DigitalBlue 500GB Internal Solid State Drive can greatly increase the speed and performance of your laptop up to three times, making it virtually unrecognizable. Its compact shape coupled with its high capacity is a major boon.
This SSD consumes 25% less power than previous iterations, helping you channel your time into more productive pursuits. Gamers and creative professionals alike will greatly appreciate the sequential read and write speeds of 560MB/s and 530MB/s respectively. All things considered, this is a really worthwhile purchase.
SSD For Laptops – Reviews
The essential requirement of any computer is its speed during programming, and the reason behind the speed of the machine is the storage that it possesses. Hence, choosing the best SSD for optimum performance is ideal. While the calculations can even be done faster, many other activities can be done at the speed of light.
As there are no moveable parts of SSD, it’s much more compatible than hard drives. There are many reasons to choose an SSD over an HDD. Many companies have come up with SSD at cheap rates. In this comparative review, you would find the features of ten SSDs with their pros and cons.
1. Western Digital Blue SATA III SSD
With the use of the latest technology, W.D. has some of the best SSD in the market. And this can be the best replacement for an HDD. This can be an ideal buy for laptop enthusiasts and gamers, as this is available up to 6TB.
Quick Summary:
- Average active power up to 60mW
- Can read up to 3800 MB/s
- Transfer speed up to 540 MB/s
- 5-year limited warranty
Multitasking can be done smoothly with this SSD, because of its high storage capacity. Also, this SSD is very power efficient. The best part after using this is the P.C. won’t lag while playing games, and the user will unleash a better performance in their P.C.
Because of the high-level endurance, this SSD enables quick booting, and the system also responds effectively. Power is also saved throughout the work period.
Pros
- Reliable power
- High capacity with enhanced reliability
- Best speed and saves power a lot
Cons
- There should be an M.2 slot in the device
- A bit more costly than others
2. Crucial MX500 SATA Internal SSD
The MX500 SSD is the upgrade of MX300. This SSD is highly durable, and users can expect to get what they want from an SSD in this product. The Crucial MX500 SSD uses the latest 3D-NAND technology.
This SSD can read up to 128KB and can write at a speed of 560 MB per second. This SSD gives a high level of performance in every desktop version. The adaptive thermal protection technology is one of the best features of this SSD.
Quick Summary:
- Best performance under this price
- Up to 2TB of data storage
- Fast boosting speed
- 5-year limited warranty
The storage size of this SSD is 500 GB, and it’s compatible with both laptop and desktop. This SSD comes with a high data transfer rate; that is; it can transfer up to 6 gigabits in a second. This SSD also ensures the power consumption is less throughout the desktop or laptop use. Hence, one can work for an extended period.
Pros
- Compatible with various operating systems such as Mac, Windows and Linux
- Endurance rate is up to 220TB
Cons
- There’s no customer service in India
- Price is relatively high
3. Samsung 860 EVO SATA 2.5″ Internal SSD
Being an ideal SSD for booting, the performance of this SSD is best on both laptop and P.C. There are also different series by Samsung, and all of them are reliable because the power consumption is less in every SSD. This SSD is the best choice for programmers.
Quick Summary:
- Best boosting speed
- Better space
- Turbo write technology
- 5-year limited warranty
This Samsung SSD isn’t really popular. However, it’s a useful and highly reliable drive for all programmers and individuals who are eager to do different experiments with their P.C./ laptops. This SSD comes with a five-year warranty.
Pros
- Best speed and less power consumption
- Speed is enhanced
- Affordable, and the best value product under this price
Cons
- The performance of the SSD can vary, as it all depends on the firmware versions.
4. WD Green SATA III Internal Solid State Drive
The use of this internal solid-state drive has changed the everyday experience of computing. This SSD has higher storage capacity and it’s very reliable for tight end work. Playing games, browsing, and even starting the device is done at the wink of an eye.
Quick Summary:
- Improved performance
- More storage
- Comes with ultra-low power draw technology
- Shock resistant
- 3-year limited warranty
For installing this application, one should have administrative rights. And because of the single level caching technology, western digital is one of the best buys for laptops. The brand warranty also covers upgrading the storage capacity. Even though its price is low, it is still of good quality and has long durability.
Pros
- Booting computer becomes faster
- The endurance rate is 400TBW
- Compatible with almost every P.C. and laptop
Cons
- It lags a little when the device starts at first
5. Samsung 860 QVO SATA Solid State Drive
Being a trusted brand itself, P.C. management with this SSD gets very simple. This SSD comes with Samsung drive magician software, wherein managing the overall work gets simpler. It’s the best upgrade for the older versions.
Also, this SSD comes with a terabyte level of capacity, which can uphold proper storage. The communication becomes faster and speedy with the high technology used by this SSD
Quick Summary:
- 860 QVO ensures high reading speed
- The user gets Samsung’s in house solution
- Booting speed improved, and shut-down time too
- 3-year limited warranty
As Samsung came up with the much more advanced series, this SSD had lost its popularity. Although, if your budget is less, then this can be a reliable buy because this SSD not only helps with less power consumption but also booting can be done even faster.
In addition, this Samsung product is exceptionally cost-effective. Replacing your current HDD with this SSD will give the best outcome. Applications can be launched at a wink with the best performance.
Pros
- Less power consumption
- More accessible terabyte capacity
- Best performance in the price range
Cons
- Doesn’t work efficiently with Mac
6. Kingston A400 Internal SSD
Because of the four-channel Marvell controller, the speed of this SSD is exceptionally high. Excellent performance can be seen just after the installation of this SSD
Because of high responsiveness, the existing system gets at least ten times faster.
Quick Summary:
- Reliable across different laptop versions
- Powered by a latest-gen controller
- Fast loading and file transfers
- 3-year limited warranty
All the system needs can be fulfilled just after the installation of this SSD. Further, because of the full security suite available in this SSD, the data is way secured, and it’s ideal for ultrabooks and small end laptops.
Pros
- Impressive speed with any kind of data
- Ideal for laptops and ultrabooks
Cons
- It can show some fluctuation in performance after some months of usage
7. Samsung 860 EVO SATA M.2 (2280) SSD
This SSD is a boon for those working with mainstream laptops. Because of the latest VPN AND technology and robust based algorithm, this SSD is very reliable for high-end work.
Consistently provides high speed, it can manage heavy work, and multitasking can be performed seamlessly. This SSD can safely store and can render large sized videos (up to 4k).
Quick Summary:
- This SSD has up to 2TB capacity
- Advanced drive management software by Samsung
- 250 GB memory storage capacity
- 5-year limited warranty
This SSD works well across every desktop version, but on some laptops, it may not work well. Hence it’s suggested to look at compatibility before buying.
Also, workstations work well with this SSD. Installing this SSD is also more comfortable, as the buyer is provided with an installation guide.
Pros
- Best SSD for desktop
- Enhanced performance
Cons
- The performance will vary, depending on the firmware versions
8. Silicon Power A55 Internal SSD
As this SSD comes with 3D NAND technology, there’s no longer a need to recharge the laptop frequently. Just after the installation itself, the battery speeds up, and one can experience fast working in a click.
Because of the SLC cache technology, laptop life also gets endured.
Quick Summary:
- 3D NAND flash for high speed
- Best transfer speed
- Best features if you have a low budget
- 3-year limited warranty
This SSD is entirely compatible with every version of laptops; hence if you’re looking for an SSD for the first time, then this will be a good buy.
Excellent performance is seen within a unique and decent price value. Being the lowest power consumption SSD, the work can be done extremely fast.
Pros
- Compatible with all version of laptops
- Runs on most advanced technology available
Cons
- This SSD can’t be relied on for the high-end work
9. HP S700 2.5 Inch SATA Internal SSD
HP is not so popular in the market of SSD, but they have recently launched one of the best SSD. The best thing about HP services is their accessibility even in remote areas and this is what makes them unique. HP SSD S700 comes with professional-level security to protect high-end data on your computer.
Quick Summary:
- Broad compatibility and durability
- 555 MB/s reading speed
- 515 MB/s writing speed
- High-speed parallel decoding, real-time error corrector
- 3-year limited warranty
This SSD comes with the latest 3D NAND technology. Hence, it’s best suited for laptops more than desktops. This SSD is reliable and it works at a high-speed. In comparison to other hard drives, the reading and the writing speed is 40% faster.
Pros
- Instant load
- Better customer support
- Best build quality
Cons
- Not so fast as compared to others in the same price range
10. Seagate Maxtor Z1 Internal SSD
This product allows for Improved performance and the best internal SSD under an affordable cost price. Seagate is one of the best manufacturers for cost-effective SSD because they provide a lot at a limited amount.
The warranty can be claimed by contacting Seagate support.
Quick Summary:
- Flash memory install size: 256 GB
- Utilize just 2.2W
- Best deal under the price structure
- 3-year limited warranty
This SSD has high durability, as it comes with robust technology and vibrational resistance. Lagging laptops can be upgraded well by this SSD. The extended battery life is visibly seen just after the installation of the SSD.
As there are no moving parts in this SSD, the data which is stored is safe for an extended period. Even after the laptop drops, the data stored is not affected by the vibration and shocks. This SSD can also resolve the problem of overheating.
Pros
- Can be used across a various version of desktop and laptop
- Increased durability with robust shock
Cons
- There might be a slow writing speed in some cases
SSD For Laptops – Buyer’s Guide
Since the SSDs mentioned above come with different factors and variations, one needs to look after their system before buying an SSD Because your desktop and laptop will determine what type of SSD is required. Moreover, the latest desktops, which are used for gaming, have mid to high-end motherboards. Hence, they can support all the latest and modern types of SSDs.
It is important to state that slim laptops, which are in trend nowadays, are moving towards the M.2 type of SSD because they do not have much space.
There are some kinds of laptops, in which the storage is directed to the motherboard. Thus, in this case, one should look for an upgrade and not a new SSD. You will need to talk to customer care before buying an SSD, to find the compatibility.
As there are various types of SSD available in the market, there are certain things to be kept in mind while purchasing.
-
Size
Before purchasing an SSD, the buyer should know to what extent do they want it, what kind of data he wants to store, and accordingly, they should buy an SSD that has at least 20% more capacity than the required size.
-
Quality
If you’re planning to buy an SSD for a long term purpose, then a fact checks about the manufacturer, and review study should be done. The quality of the manufacturer directly affects the quality of the SSD
-
Flash memory
There are four different types of flash memory in an SSD, namely: Single level cells (S.L.C.s) in which there’s one bit per cell; Triple level cells (T.L.C.’s) which has three bits per cell; Multi-level cells which have two bits per cell; and enterprise multi-level cells which also have two bits, but it’s used by data servers and is costlier.
While HDD is easy to erase, SSD can’t be securely erased, rather than deleting one can transfer all the data in a new one.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What size SSD do I need for my laptop?
A: If the laptop is not used for heavy programming and the user just wants to speed up the processor, then a 128GB SSD is enough. But if a computer is used for more storage, heavy work, then a 256 GB, or 512 GB will work efficiently. The storage of the SSD should not be more than 75% of the device’s storage.
Q: HDD or SSD, which is best?
A: SSD is flash storage, and there are no moving parts of it, whereas HDD is made up of magnetic tape, and there are mechanical parts inside it. SSD takes up very little space and gives more storage, and power consumption is also very less. Hence, as compared to HDD, SSD is the best option to go for.
Q: How much SSD do I need for my gaming laptop?
A: Even though a 560GB SSD also works well for gaming, it’s suggested to have at least 1TB SSD on the laptop. As power consumption is more while playing games, and also there may be heating issues, then it all can be resolved by a 1TB SSD
Concluding Remarks
In this review, all the significance of SSD has been discussed with the most critical aspect of all being how to boost the speed of the laptop. Depending on your budget, there are many SSD available at both affordable and expensive rates.
This buying guide has all the essential information about every type of SSD available in the market. A buyer can buy an SSD up to 2TB memory, and the cheapest of all is the 120 GB SSD, which usually comes under INR 4,000.