

This is where the 2.5-inch SATA SSD design comes into the picture.

Because SSDs were initially designed to replace HDDs, the first devices meant for consumer desktops were intended to slot in where hard drives were before. A “form factor” is simply the physical shape of the device and what connection standard it conforms to. We’ll cover the issue of SSD wear a little later in this article under the disadvantages of the technology. However, it’s also the most expensive by far and only found in high-end drives.Īs such, most consumer SSDs use MLC or TLC and employ special methods to extend their useful lifespans as much as possible. SLC memory is the best-performing and most durable type of NAND with a long lifespan. This sounds like a great idea, but thanks to how SSDs operate, drives die more quickly when using a multi-bit storage method. The more bits of data you can store in a single cell, the cheaper your SSD can be, or the more data you can stuff into the same space.

QLC (quad-level cell) memory takes it to four bits per cell. MLC (multi-level cell) and TLC (triple-level cell) memory store two and three bits of data per cell, respectively. If a cell only stores a single bit of data, it’s called SLC or single-level cell memory. You’ll recall from our discussion above that SSDs store data as electrical charges inside memory cells. Flash Memory TypesĪll NAND flash isn’t the same for data density and performance. This determines the maximum performance of an SSD as well as its price. SSDs come in a variety of form factors and NAND flash memory types. Intel’s 3D NAND is also more or less the same technology. Here the memory cells are stacked vertically, allowing for more storage capacity in the same silicon footprint. For example, you may have seen some Samsung SSDs labeled “V-NAND” or “vertical” NAND. There are many different variations in the technology within the world of NAND memory. To change the contents of a cell, you simply alter the level of charge inside it. By measuring the charge level in a memory cell, you can tell whether it represents a one or a zero. Within NAND memory, there are “cells” that can hold different electrical charge levels.

It’s named after one of the types of logic gates you can make in a microchip. Modern SSDs (and most USB flash drives and memory cards) use a type of flash memory called NAND flash memory.
