Overclocking major components like CPU and GPU is common among PC enthusiasts seeking performance optimization while playing games or running resource-intensive applications.
However, overclocking an SSD is unusual, and no one really ventures into this unchartered territory. There is no software or guide to help you successfully overclock an SSD. Recently, one such experiment caused a lot of buzz around the possibility of SSD overclocking. Here's what happened:
The SSD Overclocking Experiment
Recently, a PCMR enthusiast, Gabriel Ferraz, experimented with a generic NAND-based SSD to determine whether an average user can overclock an SSD.
In the experiment, he used the RZX Pro 256 GB SSD, coupled with the JMS578 bridge chip, to connect the test SSD to the PC, and then overclocked it. He used a tweezer to short two terminals in the PCB, then changed the drive's firmware and flashed the SSDs.
While the overclocked SSD was running, the overclocking stats produced by it reflected a meager jump in read-write speed from the base stats. However, other stats like bandwidth, latency, etc., saw an improvement.
With the stock settings, the temperatures were under permissible limits of 40°C. The overclocked settings pushed the hardware beyond the limits, increasing the temperature to 45°C. This ultimately resulted in faster cell degradation and a complete drive failure.
Are there any Possibilities of Overclocking an SSD?
In real-world scenarios, SSDs offer blazing-fast read/write speeds right out of the box. Such high speed is good enough for an average user. Even running resource-intensive applications on SSDs is quite easy.
Looking at the above experiment, overclocking offered a meager jump in areas that an average user won't really indulge in.
The experiment indicates that overclocking an SSD is unnecessarily complex and time-consuming. Hence, even if it were possible to overclock an SSD, not many would choose to go down this path. This is because overclocking is not inherent to an SSD. Moreover, doing so voids the manufacturer's warranty and significantly reduces its read/write capabilities.
Harmful Effects of SSD Overclocking
Unlike HDDs with mechanical parts, SSDs use flash memory to store data. The flash chips store data in the form of electrical charge in the cells. An SSD can stay workable for around 5-7 years with normal usage. However, overclocking it can lead to severe cell degradation, shortening their lifespan.
Therefore, SSD manufacturers don't include any overclocking feature as it would make the drive unreliable and marginally faster than the non-overclocked SSDs.
Here are some downsides of overclocking an SSD ?
- Time-consuming and complex process
- Requires a lot of expertise
- Shortens the SSD's lifespan
- Permanent data loss
Pro Tip
While we will not advise overclocking your SSD, if you want to push an SSD's limits, do it with a spare SSD. However, if you are keen on experimenting with your primary SSD, backup your files beforehand. In most cases, overclocked SSDs resulted in a complete drive failure with severe data loss.
On the other hand, if you have overclocked other components on your PC, like GPU or CPU, and now your PC is crashing frequently, immediately recover your data using professional data recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery.
Conclusion
Many users overclock components like CPU and GPU. However, no one overclocks an SSD or any other storage device. This is because they can't be overclocked, and even if they could, the risk of data loss far outweighs the benefits. Hence, if you want to experiment with a spare or junk SSD, go ahead and see what overclocking does. But it's strongly recommended to avoid overclocking an SSD with data on it.