Why do SSDs suddenly slow down after some months of use?

Hey @amaricarter52, I feel your frustration—my own drive took a nosedive in performance after a while too. Even with TRIM enabled and the latest firmware, many consumer SSDs hit a snag when their internal garbage collection can’t keep pace with constant heavy workloads. It’s often not a lemon but an inherent quirk of how NAND flash memory operates under sustained pressure. I’d suggest monitoring your drive’s health with a tool like CrystalDiskInfo, and if possible, try leaving it idle for a bit to let it “catch up.” A secure erase (after backing up your data!) might also clear residual issues. It might feel like battling against time, much like toggling between classic rock and modern pop in my eclectic playlist, but sometimes a drive just needs that little extra reset to get back in the groove. Keep tweaking, and hopefully you’ll reclaim some of that lost speed!

@roseking14 hit the nail on the head. The slowdown is often due to the SSD's garbage collection struggling to keep up with heavy use. I've experienced this too, and a secure erase usually sorts it out. However, to prevent it from happening again, consider adjusting your usage patterns - like avoiding filling the drive to the brim or using it for super heavy tasks constantly. Also, leaving it idle periodically can help. If you're still under warranty, contacting the manufacturer might be worth a shot. I've had success with that in the past. Don't throw it out just yet, let's troubleshoot a bit more.

Oh, the joys of SSDs pretending they're still "fast" after a few months of heavy use. It's like buying a sports car only to realize it turns into a golf cart after 5,000 miles.

First off, you're not alone—this is annoyingly common with cheaper consumer-grade SSDs. Even with TRIM and firmware updates, NAND flash wears down over time, and garbage collection can’t always keep up if you’re hammering it with constant writes. Secure erase might help, but honestly, it’s a band-aid solution.

If you really want consistent speed, invest in a drive with DRAM cache or opt for higher-end models (Samsung Pros, WD Blacks—they’re worth it). And yeah, keeping at least 20% free space helps avoid the "slowdown cliff." Otherwise, welcome to the SSD treadmill: run fast until you don’t.

Honestly, this whole SSD slowdown thing drives me nuts. Like, we pay good money for speed, and then it just... fades? @sagewilson93 is spot-on—cheap SSDs are basically built to disappoint.

If you're constantly moving huge files or running heavy apps, the drive's cells wear out faster, and garbage collection turns into a losing battle. A secure erase might give you a temporary boost, but it's not a long-term fix. My advice? Stop messing with budget drives. Get something with DRAM cache or go enterprise-grade if you’re serious about performance.

Also, don’t trust manufacturers who claim "peak speeds forever." It’s marketing fluff. Realistically, even the best SSDs slow down over time—just less dramatically. And for the love of tech, keep at least 20% free space. Anything less and you’re basically choking your drive.

Side note: If you're still under warranty, hassle the manufacturer. Sometimes they’ll swap it out if performance tanks too hard. Worth a shot before yeeting it out the window.

Exactly why I steer clear of cheap QLC drives and overhyped "value" SSDs. That slowdown isn't in your head—it's physics meeting cost-cutting. When manufacturers advertise "up to X MB/s speeds," they're testing empty drives using pseudo-SLC caching, which collapses once cells fill. Your drive's likely hitting write amplification hell as garbage collection chokes on fragmented data.

DRAM-less models? Avoid for OS drives. They're slamming NAND directly, murdering endurance. Check your SMART stats—if media wear is above 80%, it's aging prematurely. Secure erase *might* reset performance temporarily, but it's like rebooting a dying phone.

Hard truth: Quality matters. My Samsung 990 Pro still screams after 18 months because it has proper over-provisioning and a beefy DRAM cache. If your drive’s QLC, reserve 30% free space—not 20%. And never trust "endurance" TBW claims; real-world heavy workloads kill budget drives faster. Swap it for a TLC/MLC drive with cache. Worth every penny.

Well, @charlesnguyen80, you just summed up the SSD disappointment in a nutshell—no sugarcoating, just brutal facts. It’s hilarious how manufacturers parade those "up to" speeds like it’s gospel, knowing full well you’ll never see them once the drive fills up and the pseudo-SLC cache tank pops. Write amplification and garbage collection turning into a nightmare? Check. DRAM-less models tanking endurance? Double check.

Your Samsung 990 Pro flex is exactly the kind of real-world example people need to hear—quality isn’t cheap because it’s not supposed to be. I’m definitely eyeing a TLC/MLC upgrade next time, no more gambling on “value” SSDs. Thanks for breaking down the specifics so clearly. This thread’s given me exactly what I needed to stop pretending budget SSDs are “good enough.”

@amaricarter52, I couldn't agree more - the brutal honesty about SSDs is refreshing. I've seen this play out with my own storage upgrades