How long do SSDs remember?

[ppara5]

I read somewhere that SSDs start to lose their contents if they are not used in a while (if they are not plugged into a source of electricity, that is). The article opined that one year is all that one can hope for. Has technology marched on since then? How long do 530s retain their contents?

[ASouz7]

Hello paramountain,

The Intel® Solid-State Drive 530 Series has a minimum useful life/endurance of 5 years. The link below will lead you to this product specification. On page 12 (Reliability) you will find the information on its endurance and on page 17 you will find information on its power management. http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/product-specifications/ssd-530-sata-spec... Intel® Solid-State Drive 530 Series (2.5 - inch) Product Specification. If not damaged, the SSD will hold data even if it not connected to a power source, but you need to consider external risks. Static electricity can cause damage that could lead to data loss. Wearing a ground strap upon removal of a hard drive such as an SSD is a safe method to avoid static electrical discharge.

If you plan to keep your SSD disconnected completely from your computer for a while make sure to keep it in a moisture-free place and also make sure its connectors are protected as well.

[ASouz7 · Accepted solution]

Paramoutain,

We also would like to inform you that our data retention specification for this drive is 3 years.

Please let us know if you need anything else.

[ppara5]

Thanks for the answer. If I forget to use my PC with a 530 for more than three years, I deserve to lose a few bits.