Hello everyone, I just bought a WD Elements SE SSD 2 TB. I tried to copy a 2 GB video into it and noticed it’s very slow, varying from 1-5 Mbps. However, when I transferred a file out of this SSD, the transfer speed was 400 mbps. I tried using Crystal Disk Mark to see what’s wrong, but both the write and read speeds were 400ish Mbps. I use the cable that comes with it and plug it into a 3.2 port on my laptop (pretty sure it has ss logo). What seems to cause it to be so slow?
This issue could be due to SLC cache exhaustion, where the fast cache fills up quickly and the drive writes directly to slower NAND memory.
Though CrystalDiskMark shows 400 Mbps, it tests short bursts that don’t reflect real-world sustained writes.
What you need to ensure is that the drive is formatted to NTFS or exFAT and not corrupted. Also, background processes, antivirus scanning, or using a USB hub can slow down transfers.
1 Like
Hey @minatonamikaze,
@Ellinor_William, made a good point about SLC cache exhaustion causing slow write speeds during large file transfers, and it’s true that CrystalDiskMark only shows short burst speeds, not sustained performance.
Just adding a few things—if your SSD is formatted in FAT32, that can slow things down too. Format it to NTFS or exFAT instead.
Also, avoid using USB hubs and plug the drive directly into the USB 3.2 port. Background apps like backup tools or real-time antivirus scans can also affect speed. Try copying different types of files to see if the issue happens every time—it’ll help narrow down the cause.
