I'm on the hunt for a Gen3 or SATA SSD that offers great endurance. Here are my requirements: I'm looking for a drive with good endurance (preferably using TLC), and I'm wondering if DRAM cache is necessary for endurance or if HBM will suffice. I'm also interested in options with at least 500GB or more of storage. My previous SSD, a WD Green SATA, failed after just 5 years, likely due to it using QLC and lacking HBM support, so I'm keen to find something better this time around.
2 Answers
You can definitely use a Gen4 or Gen5 drive in a Gen3 slot since PCIe is forward and backward compatible. For a solid choice, consider the Patriot P410 2TB—it’s rated for 1280 TBW, which is impressive for endurance. You should take a look at that!
Just a tip, a Gen4 or Gen5 SSD will work fine in a Gen3 slot, so you don't need to limit yourself to Gen3 drives. Sure, you won't get the top speeds, but you’ll likely see much better performance than older Gen3 options, especially in random IOPS. So think about newer models!
I get that Gen 3+ fits in my m.2, but I still want recommendations for Gen3 options. Have you heard anything about the WD Blue SN580? It's TLC with HBM and has a 600 TBW for the 1TB variant, and it’s pretty affordable.