All posts tagged: SSDs

Best MacBook Accessories in 2026: Sleeves, Hubs, SSDs, Stands

Best MacBook Accessories in 2026: Sleeves, Hubs, SSDs, Stands

Published by skeptic

  If you’ve recently purchased a new MacBook, equipping it with the right accessories is essential to maximizing its potential. The right tools not only protect your investment but also enhance its functionality, usability, and overall experience. This guide explores the must-have accessories for your MacBook, focusing on practicality, durability, and value. From protective solutions to connectivity enhancements, these recommendations will help you make the most of your MacBook while keeping it in excellent condition. The video below from Mac Vince gives us more details about the best accessories for your new MacBook. Protect Your MacBook with a Quality Laptop Sleeve A laptop sleeve is one of the most important accessories for safeguarding your MacBook. It acts as a protective barrier against scratches, bumps and accidental spills. The TomToc laptop sleeve is a standout option, designed specifically for MacBooks. Its snug fit ensures your device stays secure, while the soft microfiber interior prevents scratches. Thick bumpers provide additional protection against impacts and the water-repellent fabric shields your MacBook from spills. Durable YKK zippers add to …

From memory cards to SSDs: How long will your digital media storage actually last? 

From memory cards to SSDs: How long will your digital media storage actually last? 

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. We never fully lost our love for physical media. Tangible copies of music, movies, and books have never been completely obsolete. In fact, collecting has come back in vogue among younger generations. That said, physical media isn’t forever. It can rot, wear, and disintegrate in ways cloud storage can’t. The truth is, many of us aren’t exactly sure how long our digital media storage lasts, or what factors might affect that longevity. Proper data storage is crucial for managing information and protecting it from loss. But it’s not just about safety; Data storage also involves organizing data to make it accessible and useful.  There are several types of digital storage devices available. The most common ones are hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state drives (SSDs), universal serial bus (USB) flash drives, memory cards, and network-attached storage (NAS) devices. Each type has its own advantages and specific use cases. For example, a HDD uses spinning disks and magnetic heads to …

Your SSD’s manufacturer gave you a free tool that’s better than anything Microsoft offers

Your SSD’s manufacturer gave you a free tool that’s better than anything Microsoft offers

Published by skeptic

Most people install an SSD, let Windows handle the basics, and call it a day. While Windows’s built-in monitoring tools might seem adequate, your SSD’s manufacturer already has a free, purpose-built program that can run circles around anything Windows has to offer. These vendor utilities aren’t bloatware either. They’re often the only way to unlock firmware features, performance modes, and secure data removal options that generic Windows tools simply can’t. Buying a 4TB SSD may be the best investment you ever make, but unless you can monitor it and make sure it performs at its best, you’re wasting money. Samsung Magician is secretly a power user’s dream Firmware updates, benchmarking, and tuning—all in one clean tool Samsung’s Magician utility is probably the best-known example of what a mature SSD utility looks like. It lets you manage both Samsung’s internal and external SSDs via a simple dashboard that surfaces health, performance, and compatibility at a glance. Once inside, you can benchmark the drive, run diagnostic scans, optimize performance, configure over-provisioning, and apply firmware updates with a …

These WD Black SSDs are over 60% off during Amazon’s Spring Sale

These WD Black SSDs are over 60% off during Amazon’s Spring Sale

Published by skeptic

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. While memory and storage shortages have been driving up SSD and RAM prices to dizzying heights amid the AI hype, Amazon is offering a handful of truly impressive discounts on high-capacity gaming SSDs from Western Digital as part of its Big Spring Sale. With options up to 4TB, you can tailor your storage to your current needs or give yourself room to grow. Having so many storage capacity options also gives you a better chance of finding something that also fits a more modest budget, as even with such steep markdowns, the prices may still be a bit too rich for some. Also: The best Best Buy gaming deals live now Amazon doesn’t have a dedicated tab for PCs and accessories on the Spring Sale page like it does for events like Prime Day, opting instead for a generic “electronics” section. Unfortunately, this means the best SSD deals are getting lost among items like streaming boxes, headphones, and charging cables. Fortunately for you, I’ve tracked down three …

Stop wasting money on “Pro” SSDs

Stop wasting money on “Pro” SSDs

Published by skeptic

If you’ve shopped for an SSD recently, you’ve probably noticed that many models include the words “Pro,” “Extreme,” or “Creator.” These drives promise incredible speeds, professional-grade performance, and cutting-edge storage technology. But for most people, buying a “Pro” SSD is an unnecessary expense. Modern SSDs are already so fast that the difference between midrange and premium models often disappears in everyday use. Unless your workload truly needs extreme storage speeds, a cheaper SSD will deliver the same experience. Plus, there is another generational performance jump that delivers a bigger boost than a “Pro” drive ever could, and that’s where the real performance is found. “Pro” SSDs are faster — but only in certain conditions Is it faster all the time? Credit: Gavin Phillips / MakeUseOf The most obvious difference between regular and “Pro” SSDs is raw speed. Premium models typically advertise higher sequential read and write performance, which is why they dominate comparison charts and product pages. It’s not all marketing, and there are some uses for high-end SSDs. It’s just that most folks have no …

SSDs are great — but this is where HDDs still win

SSDs are great — but this is where HDDs still win

Published by skeptic

The difference between a blazing-fast and sluggish computer often comes down to the kind of storage you’re using. SSDs are obviously the better choice, as they not only offer better speed but can also pack tons of storage into a small form factor. While I’ve replaced all my storage drives on my primary computer with SATA or NVMe SSDs, I still have a stack of HDDs, as they still shine in some areas where their successor feels less reliable. For instance, SSDs aren’t ideal for long-term storage, need specialized tools for data destruction, and are not the best choice when it comes to storing large amounts of data on the cheap. Until SSDs close these gaps, HDDs are not going anywhere, at least not in the immediate future. HDDs can store data for a longer time Magnetic storage holds up better when sitting on a shelf SSDs store data as electrical charges in NAND flash cells. That’s what makes them fast, since there are no moving parts involved. But those charges slowly leak away when …