If your computer is running slow or significantly lags
to meet your daily needs, there is a good chance that you need to make some
minor upgrades. The most common cause of poor computer performance is slow disk
reading and writing speed, high memory usage, or lack of cooling. But how can
the problem be addressed without replacing the entire device?
In this guide, we'll show you different ways to test
the speed of a hard drive or a solid-state storage medium, which will allow you
to determine if slow disk speeds are slowing down your computer
1. Test SSD speeds with the included options
Testing internal hardware components is relatively
easy on most operating systems. Fortunately, in some of them, you can test your
devices without having to download any additional apps. Third-party apps will
only show the read and write speeds at once, but you have to set them manually
this way.
On Windows, SSD speeds (among many other things!) can
be tested through the Command Prompt. It is important to run it as an
administrator to prevent any potential problems.
Type CMD in the Start Menu search bar, right-click on
the best match, and select Run as administrator.
Now, type the following command:
winsat disk -ran -write
-drive (name):
Replace “(name)” with the name of the drive, which is
usually “C.” Users usually only have a primary hard drive, although many use
additional drives for storage purposes. The disk name can be found by
navigating to “This PC” which can be found through the search bar, similar to
the previous step.
2. Test SSD speeds using third-party apps
Whether there is the option to test devices with or
without additional apps, you don't have to worry as there are many free apps
that do the same thing. Moreover, some of them work across many platforms,
which makes them more suitable for all types of users.
For Windows users, there is an excellent application
that you can use —
CrystalDiskMark. With it, you can measure the disk speeds of your computer.
This can be achieved by pressing “All” when installing the application
3. Test SSD speeds with cross-platform applications
For everyone who uses more than one operating system,
ATTO Disk Benchmark is a common platform. As it is technically free, although
there is a paid version that gives you access to more features. However, the
app gives you the ability to measure a variety of hardware components on your
PC besides just reading your storage device speeds.
Whether you're using Windows or macOS, testing SSD
speeds couldn't be simpler. To start the test, click "Start" in the
middle of the application. In the drop-down menus, there are some parameters
that can be changed to your liking and devices. Then, as described above, the
required information will be displayed accordingly.
What do you do if you have a slow hard drive?
With technology advancing every day, the hardware in your computer quickly becomes obsolete. Fortunately, many old parts can be replaced with newer components, resulting in better performance. While upgrading memory can improve responsiveness, upgrading an SSD can drastically change computer performance.
Common speeds for SSDs range from 300 to 600 MB/s for
both read and write speeds. In some cases, you will reap more benefits from
upgrading your memory than from upgrading your SSD. The benefits are minimal
when upgrading from an SSD to an SSD, especially because it's really fast. But
when upgrading from an old hard drive to an SSD hard drive, you will definitely
feel the difference, as you will feel upgrading from an older PCIe standard to
a newer generation.
Upgrading a storage device to an SSD is a very easy
task. Decide if you want an NVMe drive or an SSD, but make sure it can be
supported on your device. Not all desktop or laptop computers allow the use of
an NVMe drive because there is no port available.
After selecting the option you want, you will need to
transfer data from the original SSD to a new device. Admittedly, moving your
data can be an annoying process, but it shouldn't be boring.
Swap hard drive for better speeds
With the price of computer parts on the rise lately, it is no longer possible to upgrade your major components so cheaply. One of the cheapest components in the grand scheme of things is your storage device. SSDs can be found for around a hundred dollars, depending on how much storage you want. As explained above, testing hard drive speeds is a fairly easy process and can be done with or without internet access for most operating systems. With the choice of a built-in option or a third-party app, the information is right at your fingertips