Please Stop Buying the Wrong SSD

TL;DR

Many popular SSDs omit a DRAM cache chip without disclosing it, hurting performance and reliability — especially as your OS drive fills up.

Key Points

• 1.DRAM cache stores the flash translation layer, a critical data map. Without it, the SSD must use slower alternatives like host memory buffer (using system RAM) or storing the map on NAND itself, both of which underperform dedicated onboard DRAM.
• 2.Manufacturers frequently hide whether their drives include DRAM. WD, SanDisk, Seagate, MSI, Corsair, Crucial, and NetApp have all failed to disclose DRAM presence on product pages, forcing buyers to consult third-party sites like TechPowerUp or physically remove stickers.
• 3.WD's product naming is deliberately confusing. The SN850X has DRAM; the SN770 and SN7100 do not; the SN750 does but the SN750 SE doesn't; and the WD Blue SA510 only includes DRAM in the 2TB size — not smaller capacities of the same model.
• 4.A DRAM cache matters most for OS drives and DirectStorage gaming. As drives age and fill up, DRAM-equipped SSDs maintain better responsiveness during background tasks like updates or virus scans, and may benefit games using DirectStorage asset streaming.
• 5.Samsung, Kingston, and Acer Predator disclose DRAM status transparently. SanDisk has begun specifying cache in its new Optimus line datasheets, and the advice is to vote with your wallet by choosing brands that clearly communicate what's inside their drives.