Poor storage performance and slow speeds are some of the most common reasons why your computer is underperforming. If your computer isn't as fast as it used to be, try evaluating the SSDs you're using to make sure they're still working properly.
Test SSD speed using built-in applications
Most operating systems make testing the hardware relatively easy. These systems have built-in tools that allow you to test the hardware without downloading additional programs.
Windows
You can check SSD speed on Windows via Command Prompt. It is important to run Command Prompt with admin rights to prevent any potential problems.
- Type CMD into the Start menu search bar, then right-click on the most relevant result and select Run as Administrator.
- Now, enter the following command: winsat disk -ran -write -drive [drive_letter]
Replace [drive_letter] with your drive symbol. Your Windows files are usually installed on drive “C”, as shown in the example image above. If you don't know the letter assigned to your drive, you can find it by navigating to it This PC and check the drive you want to scan.
Linux
Linux users can use the operating system's utilities to evaluate read and write speeds separately:
- Open Linux Terminal.
- To run a write test, enter or paste the following command: dd if=/dev/zero of=/tmp/tempfile bs=1M count=1024 conv=fdatasync
- To test the drive's read speed, we need a little more setup. The temporary file we created in the previous command is cached, giving you skewed results. Therefore, you need to clear the cache first by entering the following command: sudo /sbin/sysctl -w vm.drop_caches=3
- Now, you're ready to test your drive's read speed with this command: dd if=tempfile of=/dev/null bs=1M count=1024
macOS
Finally, if you have a Mac, unfortunately there's no built-in feature to view hardware specifications. Apple has always been tight-lipped about what lies beneath the shiny aluminum shell, and the software is no different. Luckily, there is still a way to display your device's performance with the help of some third-party apps.
Test SSD speed using a third-party application
While the operating system's built-in tools are handy, there are plenty of third-party apps you can use to check the speed and health of your storage drive.
CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark remains one of the most popular tools on Windows for measuring drive speed. Thanks to the program's user-friendly interface, you can measure drive speed with just the press of a button All.
The first result, which describes sequential read and write speeds, is possibly the easiest performance measurement to understand.
Novabench
Novabench is a program that measures the performance of core components in the system: CPU, GPU, memory and storage. Just running the drive speed test isn't very intuitive, so just tap Start All Benchmark Tests and wait for the full report.
Quirks aside, Novabench's extensive cross-platform support makes up for it.
In addition to support for Windows, Novabench also runs on macOS. This is a third-party program so it's not available on the App Store but is available on Novabench's website. The tool has also been updated to support Intel processors, as well as Apple's M1 and M2 Chips (aka Apple Silicon chips).
Finally, because Linux favors open source programs, it would be counterintuitive for the platform to rely on proprietary software. However, if you need a benchmark tool to test drive speed, Novabench also works on Linux systems.
- Download Novabench for Windows | macOS | Linux (Free)
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test
Blackmagic Disk Speed Test is a handy cross-platform SSD speed test tool, available for Windows and macOS. Available on the App Store, this software is primarily intended for Mac users. However, Windows users can also use the software by navigating to the developer's website and downloading the latest software update (you can find the links below).
On the Windows download page, a registration screen will appear, but it is purely optional. Click Download Only in the lower left corner will help you skip the trouble. After launching the program, you just need to press Speed Test Start and let it work its magic.
- Download Blackmagic Disk Speed Test for Windows | macOS (Free)
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