Research Shows SSDs Can Lose Data If Left Without Power For Days

A new study into the degradation of solid state drives indicates the storage format, so beloved of gamers demanding lightning-fast performance, might not be quite as reliable as it seems. Traditional hard drives - with their mechanical storage - are still the go-to storage solution for many hardened data storers, with SSDs suffering from limited write limits.

It seems this isn't their only problem either; the latest study from Seagate reveals that SSDs left dormant and without a power current can begin to lose data within a matter of days. The speed at which the data is lost varies according to the temperature of the environment, but those living in hotter climes can expect to lose data at a far quicker rate.

The tests conducted so far suggest data loss is also dependent on the type of drives used. The faster the SSD and the better the performance, the quicker the rate at which data is lost.

Seagate’s Alvin Cox claims the period of time data is retained on an SSD is halved for every 5 degrees Celsius (9F) rise in temperature. While this is unlikely to affect the majority of people, those with larger and faster drives could feel the effects. Enterprise SSDs in particular will be hardest hit. Consumer SSDs are generally capable of storing data for two years, whereas enterprise SSDs begin to lose data after a three-month period. If the temperature were to rise from 25C to 35C this period shrinks to just three weeks.

Over here in the UK it feels like the thermometer barely rises past freezing most days, but in hotter climes this could be a genuine issue.

So there you have it, we'd best start binning those $300 SSDs we've been splashing out on, it's time to make use of our rickety old hard drives once more. As always it's best to make backups onto long-term storage, just in case the worst happens.