How to Check SSD Speed

The speed of your SSD (Solid State Drive) plays a key role in the overall performance of your computer, particularly when it comes to system boot time and application loading. To check the speed of your SSD, you can use various tools and programs that provide insight into its actual performance. In this guide, we'll walk you through several methods to test your SSD speed.

1. Using Built-in Windows Tools

For Windows users, there is a built-in utility that tracks disk health, including speed. However, for accurate read and write speed data, it's better to use third-party software. Still, you can follow these steps for a general overview:

  1. Open the "Start" menu and type "Task Manager".
  2. Go to the "Performance" tab.
  3. Select your SSD from the list of devices to see basic information about its performance.

This method provides only a general overview without detailed speed metrics.

2. Using Third-Party Software to Test SSD Speed

For precise SSD performance testing, it's best to use dedicated programs. Here are a few popular options:

CrystalDiskMark

CrystalDiskMark is a free tool that allows you to test the read and write speeds of your SSD. It shows the speed in megabytes per second and can be configured for different test modes. Some of its advantages include:

  • Simple interface and fast testing.
  • Ability to test both sequential and random read/write speeds.
  • Supports various modes, including multi-threading.

AS SSD Benchmark

AS SSD Benchmark is another popular tool that provides a detailed performance test of your SSD, including read/write speeds and access time. It also tests random operations, which more accurately reflect how the drive performs under real-world conditions.

ATTO Disk Benchmark

The ATTO Disk Benchmark program is widely used to test the speeds of various storage devices, including SSDs. It allows you to customize test parameters and provides detailed graphs for analyzing read and write speeds under different conditions.

3. How to Interpret the Test Results

Once the test is complete, you'll receive read and write speed values in megabytes per second (MB/s). Typically, SATA III SSDs show read speeds up to 550 MB/s, while NVMe SSDs can reach speeds of 3500 MB/s or more, depending on the model.

If the results are significantly lower than the manufacturer's advertised speeds, it could indicate problems with the SSD, such as overheating, wear and tear, or hardware failure.