Are SSDs Not A Good Option For Long-Term Storage (7 Things You Must Know)

SSDs are the most efficient and reliable option for long-term storage. They are strong, smooth, and fast.

SSDs not only store data well they boost your laptop’s performance. If you are using your laptop for gaming it will increase its gaming performance. You can check out my best 22 steps to make my gaming laptop faster. 

SSD (Solid State Drive) is the latest technology to store data for a long time. It is fast, small, and durable in features, and it doesn’t come with moving parts. SSD is considered a method of bulk file storage on a permanent basis.

However, there is a question about how efficient an SSD is for long-term storage. Many users have queries or confusion regarding the storage capacity of SSD, and how long data can be stored on SSD. 

Well in this article, we will discuss SSD in detail. Every aspect related to SSD storage will be highlighted here, giving you complete information and solution to all your queries regarding SSD storage capacity.

Is an SSD Good for Long-Term Storage When Power Off (With no Use)?

SSD can be used to store data when power is off. But, it can’t be said with certainty how long you can store your data in an SSD when the power is off. 

Usually, it’s good to store data for a year on a traditional SSD without power. However, an upgraded SSD can support storing data for up to 50 years. 

Here we are placing some points on whether Is SSD good long-term storage when powered off?

• As SSDs are sensitive to temperature, the memory charge that defines the bits in the flash is likely to fade quickly over time if you place it on the shelf of a storage room with high temperatures.

• SSDs’ speed and reliability depend on the firmware’s house-cleaning work. But, when the power is off, the firmware is unavailable.

• Without the moving parts and the spinning platter present in the HDDs, the SSD is not at risk to head crashes during shock. 

Is an SSD Good for Long-Term Storage While be Active (In Use)?

The SSD is good for storing data for a long period of time while it is active. If your drive is an SSD for storing daily small files and operating systems, you can keep it in use. Here are some factors to consider regarding whether an SSD is good for long-term storage while being active.

• SSDs perform well and they are more durable compared to HDDs.

• When installing auto-updating programs and other frequent reading and writing programs, SSDs are not supportive of continuous reading or writing. 

• SSDs use chips to store data, and the chips can only be written a limited number of times before they fail. So in that case, there is a possibility of failure of the SSD under excessive writing performance.

• Since SSDs are sensitive to temperature, SSDs can remain in good working condition for a long time only in a limited temperature range. SSDs will produce heat while working. Therefore, if the heat cannot be dissipated properly, the temperature in the case will rise, and this may affect the lifespan of the SSDs.

• On flash memory, SSDs store data, and it is necessary to be charged with power in order to keep the data stable.

Is an SSD Good for Long-Term Storage Nowadays?

Earlier SSDs were not so effective, mature, and even popular. But, now SSD technology has developed to a great extent. 

With the advancement of SSD technology, now, SSD for long-term storage is a better option for storing unlimited files securely for long periods of time. 

Significant factors that influence the lifespan of an SSD are temperature, read and write storage, and memory charge. We describe the roles of these factors in SSD performance.

#Temperature

The JEDEC (Joint Electron Device Engineering Council) SSD Specifications described a presentation, analyzing how temperature influences the lifespan of an SSD. 

According to Alvin Cox, creator of SSD Specifications, data is stored on some SSDs when not in use. In that case, every 9 degrees Fahrenheit increase is halved in temperature.

The amount of data stored on an SSD can vary at different temperatures while it is active or when the power is off. 

For instance, when operating within the normal temperature range from 25°C to 55°C, the lifespan of the SSD increases from 58 weeks to 404 weeks with the increase in temperature. 

On the other hand, when the power is off, the data storage time is proportional to the temperature. 

Likewise, without power when An SSD operates at a temperature of 40 °C, it can last for about 105 weeks.

Whereas, not only SSD but to provide laptops, especially gaming laptops like Asus Tuf A15 and Acer Nitro 5 a longer life it is best to keep them cool as much as possible. 

You can check out my best 16 practices to keep my gaming laptop cool while gaming and working. 

#Read and Write Frequency

These days, every SSD is equipped with a limited write cycle number, nevertheless, the limitation is not restricted to SSD usage. 

If you keep writing tens of GB of data a day and writing every day for many years, you will not reach the write cycle limit.

However, if you place the SSD to be served in a data center that is capable of reaching the write cycle limit, its memory will be read-only. But, its data will still be accessible.

#Memory Charge

Memory charge is vital for data storage.  However, if you remove the SSD from its host case and place it on a shelf in your storage room, the memory charge will drop. 

The period before the memory charge runs out ensures that the SSD is not sensitive to temperature. 

Of course, if the temperature in the storage room continues to rise, the memory charge will also fade.

How to Treat SSD and Make It Capable of Long-Term Storage?

It’s true, that the modern SSD is more efficient than the older version.  However, it is important to accurately treat an SSD in order to maintain it in good condition. 

If your SSD is fully capable of storing data for a long time, you can use an SSD. Here are two ways to keep your SSD in good condition,

#Keep SSDs in Proper Temperature 

Most importantly, it is better to let the SSDs work at moderate temperatures as SSDs are sensitive to temperature. 

SSDs generate heat while they work, and therefore, it is important to have a heat dissipation system. You can also use a cooling pad (see my test results on how much important are cooling pads) or a liquid cooling system to cool down the SSD faster. 

On the other hand, if you intend to keep your SSD without using it, it is essential to place your SSD in good condition, like in a dark environment.

#Active SSDs Regularly

To keep an SSD in good condition, it is important to keep your SSD active. You may not usually need to use your data stored in an SSD, but you should plug the SSD into your computer or laptop frequently, and at the same time, you need to read the data. 

This thing is necessary to ensure that the storage device is in a powerful mode. Overall, if you treat your SSD the right way, the SSD will indeed be capable of long-term storage.

Other Devices Capable for long term storage

Apart from SSDs, there are a  few other storage devices available that you can select to save your data for a long time. They include,

#Tapes

Magnetic tapes have sufficient capacities for the long-term storage of data. It also comes with a removable feature, so you can handle it with ease. 

However, the disadvantage of tapes is, that they can be broken, and also easy to be erased by magnetic fields. 

In addition, tapes are complicated and expensive. Hence, tapes are not recommended for the personal use of data storage.

#External Hard Drive

The common external hard drives are HDD and SSD, and they are best suited for users looking for temporary or permanent data retention. 

If you are a gamer or a regular user and want to know how to efficiently use external hard drives on your laptop for gaming or for any other purpose then read our full guide. 

Also, Read My Recommended External Hard Drive For Gaming and regular use. Which I am using for my everyday work. 

#NAS 

NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a type of file-level data-storing server that is connected to a computer network. It allows data access for a heterogeneous group of client computers.

#Optical Devices

Previously, common optical devices, including CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray were used for software as well as movie delivery. 

But, they are unsuitable archival media. However, today there are few optical devices available, and they can serve as the easiest archival media.

#Cloud Drives

These days, users prefer to have cloud drives to store their data. Due to the popularity of cloud drives, several entrepreneurs have created their cloud drives. The best examples of cloud drives are Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of SSD

The SSD option is best to use for long-term data storage as compared to traditional hard drives. 

However, SSD has advantages as well as some disadvantages. The important advantages and disadvantages of SSD are explained below.

Advantages of SSD

#Durability

SSDs ensure durability. Dropping and rattling the hard drive can cause physical damage to the drive and loss of data. But, since there are no moving parts in an SSD, there is no chance of physical damage to the storage device if it is knocked down.

#Speed

The key advantage of an SSD is speed.  There is no doubt that SSDs are 100 times faster than traditional hard drives.  SSD data transfer is faster than HDD. Also, the boot time is incredibly reduced.

#Energy-Efficient

SSD does not require mechanical manipulation to turn on, and this aspect has made it energy-efficient. In contrast, an HDD needs to use more power to spin the magnetic plate, resulting in the HDD getting hotter. But, the SSD does not overheat and stays cool.

Disadvantages of SSD

#Storage

Limited storage is a key disadvantage of SSDs. The current computers with SSDs exist in the marketplace have storage capacity from 128 GB to 480 GB, and SSD is 4 TB. 

#Lifespan

SSD has to write cycles and many times you can erase and rewrite data on SSD.  Each time this process is completed, which results in the loss of cells in the SSD.  And in this way, the lifespan of the SSD can be reduced.

#Cost

SSDs are expensive in terms of GB consumption, and this is another main disadvantage of SSDs.

If you compare the cost per GB of space of SSD and HDD, SSD is more expensive than HDD storage space. SSDs tend to be costlier than traditional hard drive systems.

How long will data last on SSDs?

Traditional SSDs are not so helpful for storing data for long periods of time.  But, modern SSDs allow the storage of data for a long time. 

Upgraded SSDs are developed with advanced technology that makes it more efficient to store data securely for long periods of time. It ensures data protection.

Modern SSDs storage devices allow data to be saved from 20 years to 50 years. 

But, it has to be kept in mind that SSD should be made by good manufacturers.  Only then can you expect great performance on SSDs. Quality products only provide quality performance.

Can You Recover Data From A Dead SSD?  

SSDs can be dead due to a variety of damages. Since computer users are now more dependent on computers to protect their official or personal data, loss of data can be a lot of trouble for users or a risk to businesses.

Well, you can recover data from a dead SSD in case the SSD dies due to natural causes. 

But, if an SSD fails due to electronic or physical damage, it is very difficult to recover the data. However, some SSD companies are dedicated to fixing this problem.

Recovering important data from a dead SSD is a bit more difficult. Most SSD structures are programmed to ‘clean’ and free up space that stays unused in the filesystem. Still, there are simple ways to recover your data from a dead SSD.

3 Simple Ways To Recover Data From A Dead SSD

• The first technique you need to adopt to recover data from a dead SSD is to clone the data to a new drive. Another option is to connect the SSD to another device so that you can access it to recover your data.

•  ‘Read-only’ means you are not allowed to write or erase anything on the SSD, but you can access your data, and copy it to another device.

• There are many data recovery tools available that you can use to recover your data. These devices are equipped with high-standard features that provide various powerful functionalities. The top two high-end devices are the SysTools Solid State Drive and the EaseUS SSD. Some data recovery tools are available in free versions. You can install the tools on your computer and can recover your data from a dead SSD by following the step-by-step instructions.

What Is My Experience With SSDs?

As per my experience, I am using SSDs for more than 5 years before that my all devices were using HDDs. 

What I found after using SSDs that they are less prone to damage and problems like external SSDs. Infrequent use will definitely develop problems in HDDs but not with SSDs. 

Other than that SSDs are brutally fast than HDDs. When you use HDD you have to wait for some time (though a very short time) after a click and the wait time increases if you have less space in your hard drive. But this is not the case with SSDs they respond instantly after the click. 

Overall, my experience with SSD is smooth, healthy, and long. And I don’t have any severe drawbacks to mention.

Good SSDs Which I am Still Using

I have been using computers and laptops for many years. I am a gamer I love to play games very very much. 

But I didn’t use many SSDs actually I have only two SSDs on my two different laptops and two external SSD drives. My first one is the Crucial P5 Plus 500GB it is one of my favorite and most costly. 

I cannot show the SSD’s original pic as it is on my gaming laptop. And the second one is  Samsung Electronics 870 EVO  which I used on my working laptop. 

It is been more than 5 years and both are working absolutely fine without any headaches.

The purchase was totally based on customers’ reviews and my wish. There was no scientific research or any type of deep investigation. 

As I am using two external SSDs of I TB so I have never required any more hard drives for storage purposes. You can check out my fully functioning external SSDs here and also how external SSDs are important for gaming. 

So, if anyone asks me which are the best SSDs for normal and gaming laptops I will refer to go with the above-mentioned SSDs.

The results are based on my 5 years of user experience and not any type of scientific outcome. 

FAQs

Can HDDs last longer than SSDs in some situations?

In some situations, HDDs can last longer than SSDs. SSDs are likely to fail prematurely due to reading and write-intensive conditions. But, the HDD is unlikely to fail. In case it fails, it can be used for some time.

In addition, when the HDD is not in use, magnetic drives are able to store data for a longer period of time than flash memory.

Therefore, HDDs are considered more effective in terms of data storage for a longer period of time than SSDs without power.

Can an SSD fail?

Yes, SSD can fail. Not only SSD, but any drive can fail. The major cause of SSD failure is NAND flash which is only able to withstand a certain number of reading and write cycles.

NAND flash holds data even when the power is off as NAND flash is non-volatile memory. Therefore, when data is written, it is necessary to erase the data already stored in the cell.

The number of programs or erase cycles before the SSD fails will vary by design. However, proper treatment of the SSD reduces the chances of the SSD failing.

How many times can an SSD be rewritten?

It depends on the type and capabilities of the SSD. The lifespan of an SSD depends on how often you rewrite and how full it is.

SSD drives use wear leveling to spread it around evenly so that none gets cut off. Well, data can be written to the SSD storage cells inside the chips from 3,000 to 100,000 times during their lifetime.

Does formatting an SSD damage it?

Normally, if you don’t fully format, formatting as an SSD doesn’t damage it.  But, it depends on how many times you perform it.

Most formatting utilities support both quick and full format. A quick format only overwrites the partition and file tables but does not delete anything from the disk.

On the other hand, a full format will go through each sector on the disk and “reset” it which can damage the SSD.

Which is the best HDD or SSD for long-term storage?   

Of course, SSDs are faster and more compact than HDDs. It has no moving parts and is more powerful than HDDs in extreme environments.

In addition, SSDs are able to withstand falls, shocks, vibrations, extreme temperatures, and magnetic fields better than HDDs.

Apart from this, there are many other factors for which an SSD is considered better than an HDD for long-term storage.

Conclusion

Modern Solid State Drives or SSDs are undoubtedly an amazing invention for storing data permanently within use or with no use. You can store your personal or business files or data securely. 

The performance and speed of an SSD are remarkable. In terms of price, as SSD is the latest technology, it is 5 to 10 times more expensive than HDD. 

You can use SSD to change your normal laptop into a gaming laptop. As gaming laptops need faster response time and that’s where SSD fits well. 

Hence, now the SSD has been the first choice of computer and laptop users as a storage device for a long time.