How long does an SSD last?

The lifespan of an internal SSD depends on how you use it and how the SSD is built. We've listed the most important specifications for you:

• The number of terabytes written (TBW) indicates the maximum number of terabytes the SSD can write.
• The mean time between failures (MTBF) indicates how many hours the SSD can run until failures start to occur.
• The memory type indicates in how many layers the SSD stores data and how durable it works.
• A heatsink actively leads heat away from the SSD, which lengthens the lifespan.

The number of terabytes written indicates the number of terabytes of data that you can write to the SSD before it's at the end of its lifespan. That part of the lifespan depends very much on how you use the SSD. When you write a lot of data, you'll reach the maximum TBW faster than with average use of the SSD. Want to know how much data you write per year or day? Divide the number of TBW by the warranty period. For example, you can write 100TB per year or 274GB per day using an SSD with a 500TB TBW and a 5-year warranty.

MBTF is an abbreviation of 'mean time before failure', which is the average time before failures start to occur. This indicates the number of hours an SSD will work without failures at average use. Take an SSD with a 1.6 million-hour MBTF, for example. This number is calculated with a stack of 1000 SSDs that run 8 hours a day. You then divide these 1.6 million hours by 1000, and then you'll see that 1 out of 1000 drives has a failure after 200 days. The higher the MBTF, the longer the SSD lasts before failures occur.

Your SSD has a certain memory type that determines how it stores the data. This memory is controlled by a number of cells. The less cells there are, the more reliable and durable the memory is. The disadvantage is that the storage capacity and read speed are lower. For example, a Single Level Cell SSD is reliable but has limited storage capacity. The development of the 3D NAND storage combines both advantages. These SSDs are reliable, last longer, and have a large storage capacity up to 8GB.

A heatsink helps lengthen the lifespan of your SSD. These small, aluminum components have special thermal pads that actively move heat and hot air away. For example, when you transfer many files at a time. This creates a lot of heat, which deteriorates the lifespan of your SSD. A heatsink keeps the SSD cool well, so the heat won't influence the performance. Note that only M.2 SSDs fit in a heatsink. There are no heatsinks for 2.5-inch SATA SSDs.

The difference between an HDD and SSD is in the parts. An HDD often has a lifespan of 3 to 5 years, and SSD up to 10 years, That's because an SSD doesn't have moving parts. This way, there aren't any parts that can wear with intensive use, unlike the HDD which does have this. You also don't have to defrag an SSD, but you do have to defrag an HDD. This makes an SSD more future-proof than an HDD.