So, You’re Building a PC for Video Editing, Considering you have already Chosen Your Motherboard and CPU Chosen, Let’s Dive deep and Take a Look at the Best SSD for Video Editing.
Table of Contents
Things to Consider When Choosing an SSD for Video editing [FAQ]
The Following are the List of Questions that You need to Know the Answer for Before Choosing the Best SSD for Video Editing.
- Things to Consider When Choosing an SSD for Video editing [FAQ]
- Best SSD for Video Editing ( Internal )
- A. Seagate Fire Cuda 530 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD ( Best Performance )
- B.T-Force CARDEA Ceramic C440 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD ( Best Budget PCIe 4.0 SSD for Video Editing )
- C. Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SN550 PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD ( best Value for Money )
- D. Teamgroup AX2 1TB SSD ( Best Budget SSD for Video Editing )
- Best External SSD for Video Editing ( Portable SSD )
- Conclusion
HDD Or SSD For Video Editing ( Do You Need An SSD For Video Editing? )
Yes, SSDs are quite Faster than the normal Hard Disk Drives and will significantly improve the Video Editing Experience.
The Import and Export Speeds are Extremely Fast in SSD (almost 5-20 Times) when Compared to a Generic HDD and also playback speeds are also very good when the footage is loaded from a SSD.
So, Which Type of SSD is better for Video Editing ? (SATA vs NVME M.2 )
Frankly Speaking SSD itself is better for Video editing irrespective of the Connection but however if you’re too choosy then Look at the Following Table for Difference between SATA vs NVME M.2 SSD for Video Editing
| Connection Type | Opening a Project | Imports and Exports Speed | Playback Speed (Depends on the Bitrate of Footage*) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDD | Slower | Slower | Average | Cheapest |
| SATA | Not Much Difference | Not Much Difference | Good | Good Value for Price |
| NVME M.2 PCIe 3.0 | Not Much Difference | Not Much Difference | Faster | A Little Pricey |
| NVME M.2 PCIe 4.0 | Not Much Difference | Not Much Difference | Snappiest | Very Expensive |
For example RAW Codecs have a very High Bitrate
while H.264 and H.265 are CPU intensive and have low Bitrates
As You have Observed from the Table Above, There is not much of Performance Difference between a PCIe 4 and PCI 3 M.2 NVME SSD but the price difference is very evident. So, it is better to purchase a SATA or PCIe 3.0 SSD over the PCIe 4.0
TBW – IMPORTANT METRIC when buying an SSD for Video Editing
Read and Write Speeds are only one side of the Story but People Often miss the most important Metric TBW, when buying an SSD Which Determines the Longevity of the SSD
Typically SSDs are Rated safe for 5 -6 Years after which Errors might Occur in The SSD making it Unsafe if you’re Working on a very important project.
More over Video Editors tend to Import and Export Footage into the Cache Drives for Short Time to Edit on. and this quickly decreases the lifespan of an SSD.
So, Keep a note on the TBW – Terabytes Written Which indicated the Total Amount of data you can read and write to an SSD before it can start showing errors
For Example: Samsung 980 PRO 1TB SSD has a TBW Rated for 600TB / 5 Years which means during its lifetime You can rewrite / Fill the SSD for up to 600 Times considering you are writing 1TB files Each Time.
In real world Scenario, This means You can rewrite up to 328GB (30% of Drives Capacity) Everyday for 5 Years before the it can show any errors.
Can I Use External SSD for Video editing?
Yes, You can Use an External SSD for Video Editing but its usability depends on the Connectivity of your PC or Laptop.
Typical Read And Write Speeds of SSD are around 500MB/s depending on the Model but the Practical Read and Write Speeds over the USB 3.0 Interface is around 400-450 MB/s so You will be Limited by the USB Speeds.
However if your System or Laptop has Thunderbolt 3 Port. It has a massive Transfer Speeds of around 5000MB/s and will be easily benefitted by the External SSD for Video Editing.
Majority of the Latest Laptops for Video Editing have at least a USB 3.0 Interface which enables us to Edit the Video on an External SSD.
How much SSD is Needed for Video Editing
Well It Depends on Your Work Flow, The Codecs You Work on and their Bitrates.
If you are Working on RAW Footage You are going to need Lots and Lots of Storage. Working on Compressed Formats like H.264 and H.265 doesn’t need as much of storage.
In a Typical Professional Video Editing PC Scenario, You can consider
=> 500 GB – 1 TB SSD for Operating System + Programs
=> 500 GB – 1TB SSD for Scratch Disk / Cache Drive
=> 1 – 2 TB SSD for Temporary Storage of Project Files
=> 2 -10 TB HDD for Footage Archive
However This an Optimal Scenario. if You don’t have Big Budgets Just get a Cheap SSD for Video Editing and Start from there.
How to Use SSD for Video editing
So you’ve Decided to use SSD for Video Editing but How do you configure SSD for Video Editing or How to use SSD for Video Editing?
Remember if you are a Professional or Starting Your Career Choosing 2 SSDs for video editing is optimal. As one SSD is used for Operating System and the Video editing software and the Other SSD for Media / Cache File also called as Scratch Disk.
We have written a Complete Guide on How to Setup Storage for Video Editing. Do check it.
Best SSD for Video Editing ( Internal )
| Product Name | Connection Type | Read/ Write Speeds in (MB/s) | TBW – Terabytes written (Longevity) | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Force CARDEA Ceramic C440 1TB SSD | PCIe 4.0 M.2 | 5000 / 4400 | 1800 | Link |
| Seagate Fire Cuda 530 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD | PCIe 4.0 M.2 | 7,300 / 6,000 | 1275 | Link |
| Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SN550 PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD | PCIe 3.0 M.2 | 2400 / 1950 | 600 | Link |
| TEAMGROUP AX2 1TB SSD | SATA III | 540 / 490 | 800 | Link |
| Western Digital 1TB WD Green | SATA III | 550 /495 | NA | Link |
A. Seagate Fire Cuda 530 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD ( Best Performance )
Good
- Excellent Performance
- Very Reliable
- Good Thermal Control
- Good Warranty
Bad
- Expensive
Seagate FireCuda 530 with an Excellent and Very Reliable Performance offers a very Good Endurance Rating when compared with the Peers like Samsung 980 Pro and shines in every aspect.
All in all if you’re looking for the best performance with that lasts long, Fire Cuda 530 is an excellent choice and the best SSD for Video Editing overall.
B.T-Force CARDEA Ceramic C440 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD ( Best Budget PCIe 4.0 SSD for Video Editing )
Good
- Good Performance
- Best in Class TBW (Longevity)
- PCIe 4.0 Connection
- Future Proof
Bad
- Poor DATA Management Software
- Average Thermals
- Pricing is Just Average
Bearing in mind the Price and The Performance
T-Force Cardea C440 is a very good SSD for Video Editing due to its Best in Class TBW and it offers a fast PCIe 4.0 Connectivity
Ceramic Cooling Solution is just average considering
the price but however Cardea C440 SSD preforms quite well under workload.
C. Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SN550 PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD ( best Value for Money )
Good
- Price
- Good Performance
- 5 Year Warranty
- Good Software Support
Bad
- Virtually None
WD Blue SN550 Offers Very Good Performance for the Price though it has a PCIe 3.0 Connection it Doesn’t decrease the performance in a noticeable way when compared with a PCIe 4.0 SSD.
If you’re Looking for Best Value for the Price SSD for Video Editing, then This is for You.
D. Teamgroup AX2 1TB SSD ( Best Budget SSD for Video Editing )
Good
- Price
- Good Endurance Rating
Bad
- 3 Year Warranty
Teamgroup AX2 is one the best budget SSD for Video Editing owing to this faster speeds when compared to a traditional HDD and its reliable Longevity.
It can be used as Project File Drive or as a main drive your budget doesn’t allow an M.2 SSD.
Best External SSD for Video Editing ( Portable SSD )
Honestly, unless you’re Working on Multiple Streams of High Bitrate RAW Footage, All External SSDs perform almost Equally when it comes to Video Editing.
However their speeds may vary with different types of Connections like USB 2.0 Vs USB 3.0 vs USB 3.2 vs Thunderbolt 3.0 that your Video Editing Laptop / PC supports.
Here are some of the Best Portable SSDs for Video Editing.
| Product Name | Recommended Connectivity | Read/ Write Speeds in (MB/s) | Additional Features | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SanDisk Extreme V.2 2 TB (Best for Rugged Use) | Thunderbolt 3 / USB 3.2 Gen 2 | 1050 MB/s | *Drop Resistant *Dust and Water Resistant | Link |
| SAMSUNG T5 Portable SSD – 2TB (Best Budget) | USB 3.0 & up | 550 MB/s | *Supports AES 256-bit hardware encryption | Link |
| SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD – 2TB (Best for Secured Projects) | Thunderbolt 3 / USB 3.2 Gen 2 | 1050 MB/s | *SSD with fingerprint and password security | Link |
| Sabrent Rocket Nano – 2TB (Best for Travel Video Editors) | Thunderbolt 3 / USB 3.2 Gen 2 | 1050 MB/s | *Very Small Footprint | Link |
SanDisk Extreme V.2 –2 TB SSD
Good
- Durability and Build Quality
- Superfast Transfer Speeds
- Good Management Software
Bad
- A Bit Pricey
SanDisk Extreme v.2 though a bit pricey but is easily one of the Best Portable SSD for Video Editing because of its High Transfer Speeds enabling editing multiple streams of 4k simultaneously and can Easily Handle the RAW Codecs with high bitrate Easily.
You might need a Compatible Thunderbolt 3 Port or USB 3.2 Gen 2 Port in Your Laptop or PC for Video Editing to utilize its full potential.
Recommended for Travel Video Editors because of its Rugged Build.
SAMSUNG T5 Portable SSD – 2TB
Good
- Value for Money
- Good Management Software
- Good Transfer Speeds
Bad
- Virtually None
Though its an Older Generation SSD, It still is a pretty good budget option when it comes to Video Editing on External SSD. It has Decent Transfer Speeds and works well even with older generation Laptops and PCs as well.
Samsung T5 SSD has a Bundled Management Software which is easy to setup.
SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD – 2TB
Pros
- Secured Fingerprint Access
- Great Transfer Speeds
- Looks Modern
Cons
- Pricey
- No IP Rating
Samsung T7 Touch is Expensive but it delivers on what it has promised i.e. Reliable and Fast Data Transfer Speeds with Finger Print Security
Bundled Software is easy to setup and using fingerprint sensor is Flawless.
All in all this is one of the best secured SSDs for Video Editing.
Sabrent Rocket Nano – 2TB SSD
Good
- Slim and Sleek
- Fast Transfer Speeds
- Strong
- IP 67 Rated ( rugged Model )
Bad
- Heating Issues
With the Size of a small Cigarette lighter, Sabrent Rocket Nano packs a Very Fast SSD with a Strong Aluminum case.
It is one of the Truly Best Portable SSD for Video Editing and is available in 500GB, 1 TB and 2 TB variants.
Conclusion
Whether You are Editing on a PC or Laptop, SSD is the Fastest Medium to work on and it has its merits and demerits. Hope you have got your answer for the Question Best SSD for Video Editing.
If you have any Questions, Feel Free to ask them in the Comments Section below.
