Upgrading your network attached storage (NAS) device with a solid state drive (SSD) comes with some clear benefits – faster speeds, lower noise, reduced heat output and power draw. However, not all SSDs are created equal when it comes to usage in a NAS.
In this definitive guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know to pick the right SSD for your NAS needs in 2023 and beyond.
How SSDs Differ from HDDs for NAS Usage
First, let‘s quickly understand the core differences between traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid state drives (SSDs) when used in network attached storage:
Noise and Heat – SSDs contain no moving parts so they operate silently and emit very little heat. HDDs have spinning magnetic platters that generate noise and heat.
Power Draw – An SSD consumes typically 50% less power than an equivalent HDD. This improves energy efficiency.
Lifespan – HDDs tend to last longer thanks to their mechanical durability. Consumer SSDs usually last 3-5 years with moderate usage before wear begins causing problems.
Price Per GB – You can buy significantly higher HDD storage capacity for the same price compared to SSDs. Expect to pay a premium price for SSD storage.
File Transfer Speeds – This is where SSDs shine. Sequential read/write speeds of 500 – 560 MB/s are common in NAS-oriented SSDs, over twice as fast as HDDs.
Now let‘s move on to the most important factors to weigh when picking an SSD for your NAS.
Choosing the Best SSD for NAS: Key Buying Considerations
Durability and Endurance
This indicates how much data can be written to the SSD before performance deteriorates and drive failure occurs. Check the terabytes written (TBW) rating which is a measure of the drive‘s endurance.
Higher TBW ratings of 1,400+ TBW indicate better SSD lifespan. Choose this for active NAS environments handling many read/write operations daily.
Sustained Read and Write Speeds
While burst speeds may seem high, sustained R/W speeds determine real-life NAS file transfer performance. Look for SSDs with 500 – 560 MB/s sequential speeds for peak NAS usage.
Check ratings for sustained write rather than max read speeds. Writes are slower on SSDs.
Warranty Period
NAS devices store crucial data, so driven reliability is key. Longer 5-year warranties on enterprise-class NAS SSDs indicate lasting drive durability. Short 1-3 year warranties indicate cheaper lower-end SSDs.
Price Per GB
Balancing performance vs drive cost is important. Assess your budget and usage – intensive NAS needs justify investing in a better SSD. If you occasionally access files over the network and don‘t transfer huge volumes of data regularly, a budget SSD boasting decent specs can suffice and save you money.
The 5 Best SSDs for NAS in 2023
Based on the above criteria – sustained speeds, endurance, warranty protection and value, these are the top SSDs recommended for NAS usage in 2023:
1. Seagate IronWolf 125 (Best Overall)
Specs:
- Sequential Reads: Up to 560MB/s
- Sequential Writes: Up to 540MB/s
- Endurance Rating: 1.4PB total bytes written
- Warranty & Support: 5 years limited
Overview – Purpose built for always-on 24×7 multi-user NAS environments, the Seagate IronWolf 125 offers class-leading performance and best-in-class 1.4PB endurance rating. Tuned explicitly for sustained transfer speeds, IronWolf delivers consistent performance even under heavy network demands.
Advanced health monitoring works seamlessly with compatible NAS systems to provide actionable insights into drive lifespan. Robust enterprise-grade reliability gives peace of mind for storing critical business data. Five year warranty cements it as a long-term NAS SSD solution.
Use Case – Top choice for demanding business NAS usage with heavy daily read/write operations expected. Provides uncompromising speed and longevity for rigorous commercial applications.
Cost – $104 for 1TB capacity. Offers a good balance of value considering long working life expectancy and superb sustained transfer rates.
2. Samsung 870 EVO (Best Value)
Specs
- Sequential Reads: Up to 560MB/s
- Sequential Writes: Up to 530MB/s
- Endurance: 600 TBW (1TB model)
- Warranty: 5 years limited
Overview – Samsung‘s latest 870 EVO SSD presents an optimal mixture of performance, endurance and value for NAS usage. Based on the reputed EVO series tuned for 24×7 operation, it delivers fantastic real-world sustained Reads up to 560MB/s. Writes hold up around 530 MB/s even under demanding loads.
600 TBW endurance rating gives confidence in the SSD‘s lifespan longevity while 5 year warranty provides long term investment protection. All at an affordable price point that outmatches most NAS-focused SSDs today on $/GB costs.
Use Case – Ideal for home and small office NAS where consistent performance is expected for 3-5 years under moderate read/write loads. Delivers substantial sequential transfer improvements over HDDs without breaking the bank.
Cost – Around $60 for 1TB, this is the best value SSD for average NAS usage without intensive workloads. Pay the minimal premium over base models to gain serious speed boost without sacrifices.
3. WD Blue SN570 (Best Budget)
Key Specs
- Sequential Reads: Up to 550MB/s
- Sequential Writes: 500MB/s
- Endurance: 600 TBW (1TB)
- Warranty & Support: 5 Year limited
Overview – WD Blue SSDs have been the gold standard for SATA SSDs delivering consistent all-round performance and great value. The SN570 brings respectable write performance close to the pros at budget-friendly pricing.
Real world results stay reliable – 550MB/s reading and 500MB/s writing, perfect for typical NAS traffic. Improved caching and thermal design allow extended high performance operation, backed by 600 TBW endurance for multi-year dependability.
Use Case – Unlocks SSD benefits like faster networking speeds, silent operation and cooler NAS device without overspending. When you want better user experience than HDDs provide on moderate home/office NAS setups without breaking bank.
Cost – Around $80 (1TB), the WD Blue SN570 is the best choice if you have limited budget but want a decent performing, time-tested SSD for NAS that lasts. Gets you excellent bang for your buck.
4. Crucial MX500
Key Specs
- Sequential Reads: Up to 560MB/s
- Sequential Writes: Up to 510MB/s
- Endurance Rating: 360TBW (1TB)
- Warranty & Support: 5 years limited
Overview – Part of Crucial‘s award-winning MX500 product line, this SATA SSD continues the brand legacy known for reliability and all-round performance. Leverages 3D NAND memory packed to higher densities using 96-layer technology.
Very capable sequential speeds up to 560/510 MB/s (read/write); perfect for typical SMB NAS workloads. Endurance rating of 360TBW and 5-year warranty provide confidence in sustained heavy usage lifespan. Stands up well against leading models in practical metrics.
Use Case – Reliable NAS storage upgrade delivering noticeably faster speeds compared to HDDs on office/small business networks. Performance stays consistent and optimized 256-bit AES encryption provides robust data protection.
Cost – Approx $75 (1TB) puts it ahead of budget SSDs on features while priced lower than premium enterprise NAS recommendations on this list. Superb value choice.
5. Sabrent Rocket Q
Key Specs
- Sequential Reads: Up to 560MB/s
- Sequential Writes: Up to 550MB/s
- Endurance Rating: 680TBW (1TB)
- Warranty & Support: 5 years limited
Overview – Utilizing high quality components that meet enterprise qualifications, Sabrent‘s Rocket Q brings exceptional performance for NAS usage at affordability. Based on proven Phison E12 controller and Toshiba 96L 3D TLC NAND rated for quality.
Delivers up to 560MB/s read and 550MB/s write speeds to match leading models. Supports all modern SATA 6Gb/s NAS systems. Impressive 680TBW endurance rating offers peace of mind for SMB usage over years. Extended 5-year limited warranty cements it as a wise investment.
Use Case – SMBs who want enterprise-class SSD specs like power-loss protection but not premium business costs. Excellent NAS storage solution clearly beating budget drives on sustained speed and lifespan ratings.
Cost – Approximately $90 positions it closer to value offerings but handily outperforms them on endurance and 5-year warranty. Worth the small extra expense for superior SMB NAS duty.
Using an SSD for NAS
Installing an SSD rather than HDD for your network attached storage device comes with certain trade-offs to consider:
Performance
"Do I have 10Gbps network?" – To fully leverage SSD transfer speeds over 500MB/s, upgrade your network to 10GigE or link aggregation. Most home networks max out speeds around 100MB/s negating SSD advantages.
"What changed after adding SSD?" – Beyond benchmarks, in real usage you‘ll notice snappier loading of files stored on the NAS across multiple networked devices thanks to reduced latency. Backup tasks also complete faster.
Reliability
"Will my SSD last long enough in NAS?" – With light-medium usage (upto 20GB writes per day), a decent TLC SSD like the Samsung Evo 870 will easily last 5 years. For heavier 50GB+ daily writes, invest in a robust NAS SSD with 1,400TBW rating like the Seagate IronWolf for max longevity.
Noise, Heat and Power
"How much cooler and quieter will my NAS be?" – Lacking moving parts, SSDs emit no audible noise. They also output far lesser heat – temperatures inside your NAS could reduce by 15°C or more. Combined with lower power draw, this improves system longevity.
Storage and Costs
"Can I add SSD storage instead of replacing old hard drives?" – Most modern NAS devices allow you to add SSDs in available bays without removing existing HDD storage. Use SSDs for active files while HDDs serve archival data. This is highly recommended to optimize cost and performance.
The Future of SSDs for NAS
SSD technology continues rapidly evolving year on year. We can expect innovations like:
Higher Density Per Chip – Increasing 3D NAND layer stacking enables SSDs with 16TB+ capacities to become mainstream soon. This allows massive pools of ultrafast all-flash storage in 1U NAS form factors.
New Interfaces Beyond SATA – NVMe and PCIe Gen 4/5 are leading the transition from legacy SATA interface for professional SSDs. While more costly now, expanding support will allow NAS devices in the coming years to transcend SATA bottlenecks.
Improved Drive Lifespans – Current generation Triple Level Cell (TLC) NAND has surpassed older SSDs on endurance. Further manufacturing refinements coupled with sophisticated wear levelling algorithms will stretch total bytes written (TBW) to multi-petabyte SSD lifetimes.
Optimized for Datacenter Deployment – Purpose-built to meet demands like running cooler and drawing less power, datacenter-focused SSDs will provide enterprises immense TCO advantages when equipped in storage servers and high capacity NAS.
The fact is – HDDs no longer make sense for primary storage. Their role is now best suited for secondary cold data. With SSD pricing declining year on year, the mainstream shift to using all-flash NAS is inevitable. When this inflection point arrives, SSDs will fully obsolete mechanical hard drives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are SSDs better than HDDs for NAS usage?
SSDs outperform traditional hard drives on metrics like transfer speeds, latency, power efficiency and noise when used in NAS devices. However HDDs have much higher raw storage capacity and are more cost effective for bulk secondary data that is infrequently accessed.
How long do SSDs last in a NAS?
Today‘s good quality TLC NAND flash equipped SSDs used in properly cooled NAS devices have a typical working life expectancy of 5+ years under moderate workloads of 20GB daily writes. Enterprise-class SATA SSDs designed for NAS usage often last 8-10 years thanks to advanced wear levelling techniques and ultra-high 1,400TBW endurance ratings.
What should I look for when buying an SSD for my NAS?
When picking an SSD for NAS, prioritize drives that offer sustained read/write speeds of at least 500MB/s, high endurance ratings above 600TBW, 5-year or longer warranties, power loss protection and advanced health monitoring. The SSDs recommended in this guide meet these criteria.
Does network speed affect NAS SSD performance?
To fully leverage the 500-560MB/s sequential speeds which SSDs enable, you need a sufficiently fast network. Older 100Mbps networks limit transfers below 100MB/s. Upgrading your LAN to modern 2.5/5/10 Gigabit Ethernet or link aggregation unlocks the true speeds SSDs deliver.
I hope this comprehensive guide has helped you understand what to look for when choosing the best SSD for your NAS needs in 2023 and answered the most common buyer questions. Feel free to provide any feedback or queries in the comments section below.
