Solid state drive is one of the backbone components of a system, the one that enormously contributes to the performance by offering lightning-fast read/write speed. But at the same time, like any other hardware, SSDs also generate heat while running. If that heat or its dissipation is left unchecked, the excess of it not only reduces the performance but also shortens the lifespan of the SSD. If the heat is too much, it can significantly damage the other components as well, causing system instability. On the safe side, if we see, thankfully, keeping an SSD cool is relatively easier and truly improves the performance and longevity.
In this article, we will take a look at 5 easy ways to make your SSD run cooler.
1. Improve Airflow Inside Your Case
Proper ventilation in the casing is one of the most impactful ways to keep the SSD cool. When building your setup, you should always focus on ensuring that the cool air can flow from the front of the case and exit through its back. This contributes to a consistent cycle of air, hence preventing heat from clotting.
Make sure the position of the fan is strategic. Typically, the fan that intakes the good air should be placed in the front of the system, and the exhausts at either the back or at the top, as the hot air rises upward.
Not only the perfect position, but you should also make sure that the fans are of proper size and structure. A well-balanced structure in the case with a higher number of exhaust fans than the intake fans creates a positive airflow, ensuring the heat doesn’t accumulate. Some pre-made high-performance cases come with built-in fine-tuned fan controllers, with a nice balance between intake and exhaust, allowing a better heat management.
One quick thing that many of us ignore is the cable management, which, when cluttered, blocks ventilation and worsens the airflow. So, it’s advisable to keep them neatly and route them to the provided cable managers.
2. Add or Upgrade a Heatsink
Heat Sink is one of the most essential elements if your SSD is dissipating a lot of heat. While many M.2 SSDs, especially the older generations marketed without built-in heatsinks, adding one can make a true difference in the overall thermal performance.
Heatsinks absorb the heat from the SSDs and dissipate it efficiently, preventing the drive from reaching extreme temperatures, which can lead to throttling and a reduction in lifespan.
Gen 5 NVMe SSDs generate an enormous amount of heat due to their extremely high performance, often pushing the SSDs into a temperature that requires active cooling solutions.
Note: Heating is one of the reasons Gen 5 SSDs are not advisable to purchase unless it is a need. We have actively discussed it in this article.
If you still don’t want to invest in a full heatsink, you can stick with thermal pads, which are considered a cheaper alternative.
3. Lower SSD Workload When Not Needed
Reducing the workload on your SSD during idle usage can also help it stay cooler. There are some models of SSDs that generate high heat on continuous usage, even if passive or active cooling is in place.
Here is a list of things you can do to avoid the workload.
- Avoid constant large file transfers. Instead, transfer them into chunks of GBs and then wait for a minute, then again transfer.
- Pause unnecessary disk-heavy applications such as torrent clients, media renderers, and video editors. Do use them only when required.
- Enable Window Power Saver/SSD-specific tweaks.
- Avoid hibernating your PC when not in use, it can heat up significantly before actually going into hibernation mode. Read our Don’t Hibernate Your Computer. It’s Slowly Killing Your SSD to know the reason behind.
4. Use Motherboard M.2 Shields Effectively
Many modern motherboard is provided with M.2 thermal shields built-in. These are also known as covers or heatsinks. These are designed to keep your SSD cooler by dissipating the heat by spreading it. However, these sheets only work when installed correctly.
Most M.2 shields come with thermal pads, which are sandwiched between SSDs and their metal cover. Ensure that these pads are in correct alignment. If the thermal pad is not aligned configurationally properly, too thick or too thin in spots, the heat transfer will be ineffective.
Also, clean the shields periodically over time to remove the dust accumulated under the M.2 shield.
5. Monitor Temperatures and Set Alerts
No matter how many cooling methods you use, keeping an eye on the factual SSD’s temperature is the key to ensuring long-term usage and stability. It’s as simple as installing an SSD monitoring tool, tracking how your SSD is reacting to different workloads, and before things get too hot, you silently pull it down.
You can use tools like CrystalDiskInfo or HWInfo. These are a few user-friendly tools that let you monitor the temperature in real time. They provide a detailed synopsis of health statistics, including temperature readings. If you have a Samsung SSD, Samsung Magician is a must-have tool as it offers lots of feature optimization techniques.
Quick Tips:
- Keep your SSD in the range of 40 to 70 degrees Celsius.
- Set custom alerts to know whenever there is a hike in temperature.
- Check for airflow issues regularly and boost cooling.
Conclusion
It’s not just a comfort for PC to keep your SSD cool, but it’s about the reliability, longevity, and performance. Improving air flow inside the case ensures bad heat doesn’t accumulate.
Heatsinks, if upgraded to, especially in the case of Gen 4 and Gen 5 SSDs, can create a lot of impact. Lowering the SSD workload and avoiding hibernating can help in the good management of background tasks. Using the shield effectively ensures proper thermal management. On top of all that, monitoring the SSD regularly can entirely make sure that your SSD is running fine all day.
Preventing overheating beforehand is always a better idea than trying to fix a damaged drive. Besides, a cooler SSD saves you from frustrating system hiccups and freezes, maintaining a consistent speed.