How to test your ssd with totally free applications?

It is a very common experience to have new components, so you may want to check if they work as they should. If you want to know how to use your SSD or HDD with free applications, here we will show you different ways. In addition, there are many variations that allow us to do this with complete, portable, and other programs.

Index of contents

What to consider when testing your SSD

Memory units can come in a large number of variants.

We have classic hard drives (HHDs) , solid state drives (SSDs) and also, in the latter, we have two main technologies.

HDDs use disk structures where they physically store data . They have slow transmission speeds, enjoy great capacities and can suffer from problems if they receive a lot of vibrations.

On the other hand, SSDs come in various forms. They are much faster, lighter and smaller and use cells of different materials to offer excellent performance. As for the SSD types, we will denote two basic interfaces: SATA and NVME .

SSDs with a SATA interface are medium-speed memories, while drives with NVME transfer technology achieve much higher speeds.

The best example of this is the new PCIe Gen 4 memory, which is up to 10 times faster than its SATA counterparts. Currently, the king of this league is simultaneous memory AORUS AIC PCIe Gen 4 , which can reach approximately 15, 000 MB / s .

But be that as it may, first things first: install memory.

Installation of the memory / s

To install memories we have to follow a series of very patterned steps. It's not difficult at all, so don't worry too much.

In the case of SATA disks, they are square components and usually with an external casing that does not measure more than 2.5 ″ . They have two connectors on some of its sides where we will give it power and the SATA data cable.

These disks require a direct connection to the power supply and another that links to a SATA port on the motherboard (works the same for HDDs) . In principle, they do not have ventilation and it is recommended to screw them tightly to the tower chassis. For this we will have certain slots with standardized screw openings.

In contrast, SSDs with an NVME interface require a different type of installation. In most cases, they are M.2 formatted, which means they will need other, more specific ports on the motherboard.

To install them, you will have to loosen a screw on the board and place the memory on the part that has the pins. Then you push lightly to connect the pins and the SSD PCB will be left in a semi-raised diagonal position. Next, push down on the raised area and screw back the metal piece.

If there is nothing faulty, everything should be operational.

Test your SSD with free applications

Today, we have a large number of applications at our disposal. From some that test your SSD in performance to others that measure the health of the components. Luckily, most are totally free or at least have most of their features without paying.

Here we will show you a couple or three that we recommend, so if you are interested continue reading.

CrystalDiskMark

These two programs have been developed by Japanese users and are two of the most complete software we have seen. Both have a lot of options and quite good interfaces.

The thing is, while CrystalDiskMark is more focused on transfer testing, CrystalDiskInfo is more focused on component health.

This first one is used for its simplicity, good set of configurations and its good amount of tests. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see leaks where they use this app to check the speeds of a memory.

The second program is somewhat less interactive, as it lacks so many tests. However, we can use it to know the state of our unit by seeing its capacity to transmit data, temperature and more.

Some of the data shown uses the SMART standard, so it can be quite interesting.

AS SSD

Taking advantage of the fact that we have talked about CrystalDiskMark , we now show you AS SSD . We don't know why, but these two programs share a really similar interface. We have to emphasize that the author is German, so this may be a coincidence.

However, the program stands out for the same reason as its Japanese counterpart, since they are programs with really simple interfaces. The grace that differentiates this application is that AS SSD does not require installation.

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You can use it directly from the .exe file, so all you would need is an auxiliary folder to translate the program into English.

For everything else, the program works exactly the same as CrystalDiskMark . It has a series of tests on the home screen and we can configure some of these (although the variety is not very high) .

ATTO Disk Benchmark

The last application we will talk about is ATTO Disk Benchmark , one that changes the rules of the game a bit.

Transfer with the help of the system

This application also measures the data transfer speed of your memory unit. Not for nothing, testing your SSD with this program will allow you to know its real abilities, that is, with and without the help of the CPU . In addition, the tests are considerably harsher, being able to choose to transfer files of several gigabytes.

The functionalities that ATTO Disk Benchmark offers us are quite good and show us very clearly the results. Among all the tests, this we believe is one of the most complete.

Final words on how to test your SSD

We have options of all kinds, so it is not an excuse not to have money.

With the alternatives that we have taught you, now you have many ways to test your SSD . Both CrystalDiskMark , ATTO Disk Benchmark or AS SSD are highly recommended programs.

All the programs that we show you can be used in both SSDs and HDDs , that is, even more advantages. It only remains for you to decide which of them suits you best. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and depending on why you want them, some are better than others.

In general, the most common idea is to do it when you have just bought your new memory unit. However, this is something you should do periodically. Every time you format or at least twice a year do a complete memory test and also the other components, if possible.

We hope that it has helped you and that you have learned something new. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask us.

And now you tell us: what programs would you use to test your SSD ? Do you know any other application to do these tasks? Share your ideas in the comment box.