SSD data retention

[J T]

SSD for commonly used things (like the OS) and mechanical HDDs for storage seem to show that the best of both is possible.

[Harrison]

Agreed. But with M2 SSD storage suddenly dropping a lot in price you can get fast Gen4 drives much cheaper now, so many are ditching data security for speed and convenience.

A 1TB M2 drive can now be bought for around £40 and 2TB for around £80. Even the fastest versions such as the Samsung 980 Pro 2TB are down to £120.

This means in a main PC you can have multiple large capacity M2 SSDs and no mechanical drives. Eliminates noise and dramatically cutting heat, as well as improving airflow.

But this obviously leads back to the original data retention subject. And my point being that with many now fully adopting solidstate storage their data is not safe long-term. We do have cloud storage these days which many people use. Often we get so much free. Devices such as phones and OSs are designed now to utilise cloud storage for backups. But that's only for general day to day things like photos and office documents. For something more precious such as large design projects or a retro rom collection mechanism drives are still a must.

We will lose a lot going into the future. Have you ever dug an older computer out and fired it up. Going though everything in it and discovering old pictures or games and things you created that you have forgotten about? Try this after leaving a system sitting for 5+ years in the future and the drives will be blank.

This also raises the question about cloud storage. How safe is your data in the cloud? If you storage was given to you free how long is the retention? How long after you stop using it will it get wiped? If you pay for larger cloud storage it will only last a long a you keep paying. You can up to a drive or burn a disc and you can store it indefinitely to be accessed much later. Just as traditional photo albums safeguarded memories for those in the future to discover and enjoy. Stop paying for cloud storage and it's gone.

When loved ones die in the future their data might die with them, leaving no record they were ever here.