What are Read & Write Speeds in SSD?

When searching for some sort of storage product, you've almost certainly come across Read & Write speeds. There are usually two numbers with a data per second measurement next to them. But what exactly do they imply?

Read/write speeds are a measurement of storage device performance. The read speed indicates how long it takes to open a file on a computer, while the write speed indicates how long it takes to save something to a storage device.

Maximum and sustained performance are two separate metrics within read/write speeds. These output metrics provide insight into the consistency and predictability of your media playback.

So, what's the difference between maximum and sustained efficiency?

Maximum efficiency refers to the drive's maximum speed over a limited period of time. This number could rise significantly, but the problem is that it is unsustainable. Consider an expensive sports car on a track. A Lamborghini Huracan, for example, has a maximum speed of 202 MPH, allowing the driver to reach incredible speeds, but you can only retain that speed for the duration of a fast drag race.

Sustained efficiency is a more predictable measurement, sustained performance gives you an idea of the average speed a drive will run over a longer period of time. If we go back to the Lamborghini example this would be similar to the average speed of the car over the duration of the race which will be slower for the sake of safety and longevity of the engine. Your sustained speed is what would win you a race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Is it possible to increase read/write speeds?

The simple answer is yes, but you must keep in mind that this is only for a brief period of time. You can use stuff like Flash Storage or caching to move small files at breakneck speeds, but if you try to maintain that speed for a larger file transfer, you'll never be able to keep up and risk blowing out your cache.