Times are tough for those of us who want to buy a new SSD. You don't have to aim for the fastest drives available —all SSDs are overpriced right now, and chances are that it'll only get worse. That makes it harder to replace or upgrade your existing drive, which is why it's time to get creative. This inexpensive gadget might be able to help if you're not happy with your current SSD, and even if you are, it can help it live longer.
Why thermal throttling might be the biggest problem your SSD will ever face
Good news: it's very preventable.
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
Thermals are something every PC and laptop owner should pay considerable attention to. It's true that if you're mostly sifting through docs and browsing the web, your PC won't have much reason to heat up, but even simple things like neglecting PC maintenance can play a part in rising temperatures. When that happens, one of the components that can suffer in a noticeable way is the SSD.
Thermal throttling is your SSD's self-defense mechanism. If the controller heats up too much, your drive's firmware will deliberately dial back the performance to keep the drive safe. This is good news, as it prevents data loss, but it's bad news for your performance. And regularly letting your SSD run hot can contribute to it eventually failing for good .
SSDs don't overheat just because, but utilizing them heavily in a PC with suboptimal thermals will cause them to run hot. When that happens, the controller pulls the stop to the performance to let the drive cool down.
Placement in the case matters, too. M.2 SSDs may sit right under the GPU, which, as we all know, tend to be a good replacement for a space heater. An SSD that's parked in a hot spot with limited airflow may eventually begin to struggle, especially if the airflow in your PC isn't optimal.
High-end SSDs are more prone to overheating, with some PCIe Gen 5 drives being notorious for it. And while I'm not saying your SSD will simultaneously combust, high temps add to wear-and-tear, plus, of course, may cause thermal throttling.
How to tell if your SSD is overheating
Monitoring is key.
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
Thermal throttling is often obvious. If y our SSD suddenly runs at half-speed , that's a good sign that something is wrong, and whether it's thermals or something else, it's time to investigate. Most symptoms are an obvious first warning sign: sudden slowdowns, long loading screens, laggy apps, stuttering, and so on. Besides that, your whole PC may be louder, indicating that fans are working overtime.
However, your drive can run hot for weeks or even months before getting to that point. That's why it's better to regularly monitor your SSD and spot potential problems before they get worse.
My favorite tool for this (as well as basically any other SSD monitoring tasks) is CrystalDiskInfo . It gives you real-time information about the temperature of your SSD. You can also set up alerts by clicking on the temperature; the tool will let you know as soon as your SSD crosses a certain temperature threshold.
HWiNFO is another good tool. It lets you monitor current temperatures and also gives you a warning temperature threshold as well as a critical temperature threshold. That gives you a baseline to avoid; some drives prefer to stay under 70 degrees Celsius, but many modern NVMes can deal with up to 90 °C, so check the spec sheet for your particular model.
To get a good idea of SSD thermals, monitor them while idle and while under load. Take note of both and look for sustained high temperatures, not just spikes.
Don't buy a new SSD, try a heatsink
An inexpensive way to give your SSD a new lease on life.
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
A heatsink is the single cheapest upgrade for an NVMe SSD you already own, and if you're worried about temperatures, there's no harm in giving one a try. It targets the actual problem by keeping the controller from hitting its thermal limit.
Heatsinks are slowly becoming a common accessory on high-end SSDs. The problem is that those drives are pricier, and given the current state of SSD pricing , paying even more doesn't feel great. However, decent heatsinks can be bought as a standalone accessory for as little as $8. Spending a little more can get you something better, but the bottom line is you don't need a whole new SSD—just buy a heatsink.
Before you shop, keep in mind that your motherboard might already come with an M.2 heatsink. Usually, there'll be just one, so any secondary drives might still benefit. And high-end PCIe Gen 5 drives can benefit from an additional heatsink even if your motherboard comes with one built in.
When choosing a heatsink, always check for clearance. Tall heatsinks can conflict with the rest of your components.
Installing the heatsink correctly is another important part. Ensure full contact with the thermal pad, and don't overtighten the screws—it's meant to be steady, not forced.
When this won't help and you should replace the drive
A heatsink can't fix every problem.
Samsung
A heatsink can help if your SSD regularly runs at full load, especially if you own one of the latest drives. However, it won't fix anything beyond that, and not all SSDs even need a heatsink in the first place.
Monitor your SSD health frequently. If its health status in tools like CrystalDiskInfo drops down to 70%, it's time to stay vigilant and regular with your backups. The same goes for drives that return critical errors or have been heavily used. When it comes to storage devices, it's always better to be safe than sorry.
Remember that getting a heatsink doesn't replace regular PC maintenance. Aim for thoughtful airflow, with clear intake and exhaust paths for the hot air to exit through, and clean your PC once every few months. Those are the most important steps, and the heatsink is often the cherry on top.
