What is the difference between internal and external SSD?

[AdrianCC100]

So while I'm sure it's simple for some people to install things in their computer. I don't know too much about it outside of changing RAM, fans, and I once changed a graphics card back in 2004. I've been interested in getting an SSD to load video games a little faster. Could someone tell me what the difference is between an internal and external SSD? I know the obvious difference, one is inside the PC and the other is connected through USB. Is there a huge speed difference between the two? Also, would an external SSD still be faster than my hard drive loading things?

[chazus]

I honestly hadn't heard of external SSD's until you mentioned it. Regardless, External SSD seems entirely silly. I don't see a benefit for using it.

If you want stuff to load faster, you want an internal SSD, with your OS and games loaded on it.

[Drsolders]

There will be a huge speed difference. One is plugged in through a SATA controller and another through a USB controller. SATA transfers data much faster than a USB. ALWAYS go through SATA. Hell even if you need to swap drives fast a lot of cases come with hotswap drive bays (Connections are held in place at the back of the drive rack so you can just slide drives in and out at a wim). For an SSD all you want is speed/reliability which you wont get through USB. External mass storage is fine through a USB because you aren't going for speed but rather transportation.


TL;DR ALWAY internal for speed (which is what you are looking for in an SSD). Also an SSD would be magnitudes faster than your old HDD. Most SSDs allow you to boot in <10 seconds. Photoshop loading in 30 seconds on your old hard drive? Try its loaded by the time you finished clicking on it with SSD. It is worth every penny.

[Deleted]

An SSD is basically a USB flash drive with better quality chips and roms that is placed internally into the PC. Many companies have started to increase the quality of the chips inside a flash drive to give it near SSD speeds with the benefit of being able to use it as a normal USB stick.

That is probably what is meant by an external SSD. Regardless they won't be as fast as internal ones for a long time. If you can fit it, stick to an internal.

[AdrianCC100]

There will be a huge speed difference. One is plugged in through a SATA controller and another through a USB controller. SATA transfers data much faster than a USB. ALWAYS go through SATA. Hell even if you need to swap drives fast a lot of cases come with hotswap drive bays (Connections are held in place at the back of the drive rack so you can just slide drives in and out at a wim). For an SSD all you want is speed/reliability which you wont get through USB. External mass storage is fine through a USB because you aren't going for speed but rather transportation.


TL;DR ALWAY internal for speed (which is what you are looking for in an SSD). Also an SSD would be magnitudes faster than your old HDD. Most SSDs allow you to boot in <10 seconds. Photoshop loading in 30 seconds on your old hard drive? Try its loaded by the time you finished clicking on it with SSD. It is worth every penny.

Could you recommend me an SSD? (One that is good for gaming and won't break the bank)

[Nodrak]

You realize that:

SATA III = 6.0 Gbit/s
USB 3 = 5.0 Gbit/s

Brand new SSDs are only now reaching the saturation point of ~500 MBytes/s.

[Vermicious]

Samsung EVO is a good choice... choose the size that fits your budget/needs. I'd recommend 240GB at least, unless your budget is tight. Don't go for PRO version unless you REALLY need the extra speed, the regular EVO is fine for most consumer needs.

They run about $130 or so. If you get the 'kit' version, they give you an external drive adapter that lets you just image your old HDD to the new SSD, then you just swap them out.

Examples for the 250GB EVO:

Just the drive $129.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-248-_-Product

with kit $154.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-253-_-Product

- - - Updated - - -

You realize that:

SATA III = 6.0 Gbit/s
USB 3 = 5.0 Gbit/s

Brand new SSDs are only now reaching the saturation point of ~500 MBytes/s.

Under ideal circumstances, even assuming an external USB 3.0 device will operate at full speed.
If you're upgrading a computer thats even slightly old, you only have USB 2.0 ports.

[Djinni]

Actually...
Potentially the only difference is if one is inside or outside the case.

You can quite happily use eSATA to connect the SSD so then it just becomes a question of powering it, which you could do through a USB to SATA Power adapter.

[Drsolders]

Actually...
Potentially the only difference is if one is inside or outside the case.

You can quite happily use eSATA to connect the SSD so then it just becomes a question of powering it, which you could do through a USB to SATA Power adapter.

The main issue is that OP seems to have an older PC. I highly doubt his pc has either eSATA or USB 3.0.

[Djinni]

The main issue is that OP seems to have an older PC. I highly doubt his pc has either eSATA or USB 3.0.

Many machines had eSATA long before USB3 was even available.
So it would be much more likely there would be an eSATA port than a USB3 port, as very frequently the eSATA port also doubles as a USB port.

[Sunius]

Regardless, External SSD seems entirely silly. I don't see a benefit for using it.

They're not entirely silly - they have their uses. For example, built in 256 GB SSD is too small for in my MacBook Pro, so I ordered a 512 GB USB 3.0 external SSD to add to a total of ~750 GB.

Of course, with desktops PCs, it makes little sense.

[Masark]

There will be a huge speed difference. One is plugged in through a SATA controller and another through a USB controller.

eSATA does exist.

[AdrianCC100]

The main issue is that OP seems to have an older PC. I highly doubt his pc has either eSATA or USB 3.0.

How do I find out what I have?

[Spiralphoenix]

How do I find out what I have?

USB3.0 ports are typically blue, whereas 2.0 are typically black. Otherwise you could probably check system information, Components -> USB. It might not be super detailed.

[Masark]

How do I find out what I have?

Look for a blue USB port or a port that looks like this.

[Drsolders]

eSATA does exist.

True but he said he replaced his GPU in 2004. (PC prob even older than that) and eSATA came out in mid 2004. So chances are he doesn't have it.

[Vermicious]

They're not entirely silly - they have their uses. For example, built in 256 GB SSD is too small for in my MacBook Pro, so I ordered a 512 GB USB 3.0 external SSD to add to a total of ~750 GB.

Of course, with desktops PCs, it makes little sense.

LOL... you do know that the physical size of an SSD is the same whether you have 120GB or 512GB?

[Remilia]

LOL... you do know that the physical size of an SSD is the same whether you have 120GB or 512GB?

I think he means storage size, not the physical size.

[Canukhed]

I honestly hadn't heard of external SSD's until you mentioned it. Regardless, External SSD seems entirely silly. I don't see a benefit for using it.

If you want stuff to load faster, you want an internal SSD, with your OS and games loaded on it.

In the stone age, yes, but it's already 2018/2019. The future is now!

[Infracted]

[Low Hanging Fruit]

All I ever used an external SSD for was physical transport of data that we aren't allowed to cloud/email at work for certain security reasons. Although, these days the size of thumb drives have grown to the point of ALMOST always being able to without having to mess with the external SSDs. So a lot of times they are used as physical back ups of data that are kept off grid or, if requested by the customer, delivered to them in such as fashion but this is mostly done by thumb drives these days for the same reason as above.

It is just a dated way physically move data between spots that some companies use because it is pretty common for big companies to be behind the curve a bit on tech because of how processes and budgeting works on a macro scale. Using it for gaming or something wouldn't make a ton of sense.