If you ever look for SSD specifications, you will come across the word “limited warranty”. For example, all Samsung consumer SSDs come with a 5-year limited warranty.
But, what does that mean?
Generally, this warranty covers the repair and replacement of manufacturing defects or other internal issues that appear within the specified period. There are exclusions like wear, overclocking, physical harm, heat, or misuse. Now, these terms will vary depending on the manufacturer. So, we are going to cover most of the popular SSD manufacturers and their terms for the limited warranty.
Different SSD brands and their limited warranty terms
| Brand | Warranty Duration | Coverage | Exclusions | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 3 to 10 years (based on model) | Defects in materials and workmanship | Misuse, data loss, unauthorized repairs, and physical damage | Warranty Terms |
| Crucial | 3 to 5 years | Manufacturing defects, materials issues | Misuse, physical damage, improper handling | Warranty Terms |
| Western Digital (WD) | 3 to 5 years | Manufacturing defects, faulty materials | Physical damage, misuse, third-party repairs | Warranty Terms |
| Kingston | 3 to 5 years | Defects in materials and workmanship | Physical damage, data loss, misuse | Warranty Terms |
| SanDisk | 3 to 5 years | Defects in materials and workmanship | Data loss, misuse, physical damage | Warranty Terms |
| Corsair | 3 to 5 years | Manufacturing defects, faulty materials | Physical damage, improper use, and data loss | Warranty Terms |
| Seagate | 3 years | Manufacturing defects, faulty materials | Misuse, physical damage, improper installation | Warranty Terms |
| Intel | 3 to 5 years | Manufacturing defects, faulty materials | Misuse, data loss, and physical damage | Warranty Terms |
| Adata | 3 to 5 years | Defects in materials and workmanship | Physical damage, misuse, unauthorized modifications | Warranty Terms |
The warranty terms can be found on the brand’s official websites. So, it is better to read all of them with proper care before you try to get your claim.
Key Factors That Affect SSD Warranty
1. Time-Based Limit
This is just the warranty period that you get with your SSD. Once this time frame is crossed, your SSD is out of warranty, and you can’t claim any free repair or replacement from the brand. So, any problem should occurs within this time in order for you to get any official help from the brand.
2. TBW (Terabytes Written) Limit
Along with the warranty period, SSDs come with a limited TBW (Terabytes Written) number, specified in Terabytes. You can check the remaining TBW with the help of this guide. Along with the TBW, there is a related specification called DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day). This is calculated by dividing the TBW by the total warranty period to get the amount of data that a user can write in a day.
3. Power-On Hours
Some SSDs specify the total power-on hours, which can be easily calculated
What is covered in the limited warranty?
In the limited warranty, only the manufacturing defects and failures due to normal usage (within the warranty and TBW period) are covered. Some brands may also cover the performance degradation below certain levels before the TBW is reached. In this, the company would generally offer free repair or replacement depending on the issue. You generally have to claim a warranty claim via the manufacturer’s website.
What isn’t covered in the limited warranty?
SSD companies don’t generally cover the physical and liquid damages. They will check the SSDs for scratches, cracks, burns, or broken connectors. SSDs are also checked for overclocking, incorrect mounting, and if they are used outside the specified temperature limits. Most brands would not allow you to do modifications to your SSDs along with unauthorized repairs.
If you have a consumer SSD, you can’t use it in enterprise environments. If your data is lost or gets corrupted from the SSD, most brands don’t generally take any responsibility for this.
Conclusion
Understanding limited warranty in SSDs is really easy because most brands have clear and similar conditions for this. They just cover the things they are responsible for, like the manufacturing faults or software issues. They have their own ways to detect the root cause, and the warranty benefits will be provided only if your SSD fits those criteria.
I hope this helps!