Tech
The best SSD in 2025
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
If you want your laptop or computer to function at the top level — whether you're using it for gaming or editing — a solid state drive (SSD) is a vital component. SSDs are faster and perform better than pretty much any hard drive available.
An SSD can help improve the overall speed of your computer as well keep your files and data as secure as possible. As tech heads will know, an SSD is a great way to upgrade your set-up. And it doesn't need to cost you a fortune.
But how do you find a SSD that works for you and your computer? And what makes one SSD better than another? That's part of the problem with buying hardware. There are so many specifications that the jargon is hard (unlike with an SSD) to keep stored in your brain.
If you're in the market for an SSD, read on for some useful information and a roundup of the best SSD options right now.
What is a solid-state drive?
An SSD is a storage device that uses blocks of memory cells to store data for easy access. SSDs tend to use flash memory, which makes them faster and more efficient than HDD options. Consequently, SSD has become the more popular means of storage — synonymous with the latest gen PCs and laptops.
What's the difference between SSD and HDD?
It's a matter of inner workings. Whole SSD uses memory chips and flash memory, the more traditional HDDs are built with mechanical moving parts, which is what makes them slower. It's worth remembering, however, that HDDs are cheaper and they can hold significantly more data than SSDs.
How much data can SSDs hold?
The amount of storage differs — each model tends to have multiple capacity options — but most of the SSDs you'll find on this list range between 1TB and 4TB.
Do you need an SSD?
The great thing about SSD technology is that it's a simple way to upgrade your PC and laptop. SSDs are especially good for laptop users because they're small, portable, and eat up less power. But it's always worth asking yourself if you actually need the upgrade.
SSDs are also good for gaming and video editing because they have fast load and response times and reduced lag. The only drawback is they have limited storage (and less storage for your cash) than HDD. Serious gamers might want to combine both SSD and HDD, using the HDD for files that are access less frequently.
What are the different types of SSD?
There are different kinds of technology that you'll find inside SSDs. It's worth knowing some of the jargon so you have a basic idea. The easiest way to say it is that there are two types of SSD – SATA and PCIe/NVMe SSDs. SATA is the older technology, which is fine for basic needs but not as fast as PCIe and NVMe. PCIe is a type of flash storage, while NVMe isn interface that accelerates data transfer speeds.
What is the best SSD?
Thankfully, with prices going down and quality going up, finding a high-quality SSD has become easier than ever. We did the research, keeping in mind functionality, storage, and price to bring you some of the top options on the market.
These are the best SSDs in 2025.
Thousands of private ChatGPT conversations have been appearing in Google search results because of the chatbot's "Share" feature, which the company recently removed following a backlash.
Fast Company reported this week that ChatGPT users may have inadvertently made their conversations with the AI chatbot public and searchable. The Fast Company report found nearly 4,500 ChatGPT conversations in Google search results, some of them regarding mental health struggles, relationships, and other personal and sensitive topics. Fortunately, the public conversations did not identify the users behind the posts.
How did these conversations end up on the web?
Until recently, ChatGPT users had the ability to share chats with friends, family, or coworkers by making them public. The function worked similarly to the sharing settings on a Google Doc, and users would be given a public link to the chat they could send to others. An additional option gave users the option to make the post "discoverable," and specifically discoverable by Google — whether users realized it or not.
When users created a shareable link to one of their conversations, a pop-up would appear that read: "A public link to your chat has been created." A checkbox also appeared under this message, labeled "Make this chat discoverable." And in fine print below this message, a warning appeared: "Allows it to be shown in web searches."
By checking this box, users were making it possible for their conversations to be indexed by Google, meaning Google's web crawlers could identify the page and make it eligible to appear in search results.
After Fast Company published its report, OpenAI removed the feature, with one company leader calling it a "short-lived experiment."
OpenAI Chief Information Security Officer Dane Stuckey explained on X how the feature worked — and where it ultimately went wrong.
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Even though ChatGPT users had to opt in for their chats to become public, the company decided the potential for user error was simply too high.
As Mashable has reported previously, OpenAI is required to save user conversations — even conversations users have actively deleted — because of an ongoing lawsuit from the New York Times. As part of this suit, OpenAI must retain all conversations indefinitely. (This does not apply to ChatGPT Enterprise or ChatGPT Edu customers, according to OpenAI.)
So, while ChatGPT users can toggle on a "Temporary Chat" feature that's similar to an incognito mode in a web browser, your chat data may still be retained.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
If there’s one thing STAY know for sure about Hyunjin from Stray Kids, it's that the K-pop star has a deep, poetic love for flowers.
Whether he's painting delicate blossoms in his studio or on the road, sharing poems that echo the beauty of nature, or adorning his space with preserved petals, Hyunjin has made it clear: flowers are more than just pretty — they're a core part of how he expresses himself.
So it's no surprise that floral phone cases are his actual accessory of choice. On Instagram, the dancer has shared mirror selfies snapped during his global travels on the group's dominATE World Tour, and in several, his iPhone is dressed in a floral-covered case. If you don't know what case we're talking about, pop over to Instagram to see the floral case in question.
These rich, botanical designs perfectly capture his dreamy, introspective energy. And the best part? You can shop the same aesthetic to match your own phone to Hyunjin's signature style.
Romance with an edge
Dark and dramatic, this matte black Roses and Thorns phone case from Casetify is adorned with deep red roses and subtle gold detailing. It's elegant, bold, and unmistakably Hyunjin-coded. The design balances softness with edge, much like Hyunjin's stage presence itself. It's a clear favorite in his rotation and gives off serious romantasy vibes.
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Floral nostalgia, Hyunjin-style
This one's for the romantics. With dainty bouquets in pink, red, and white set against a matte black background, the Vintage Flower Monday case from Casetify has a worn-in, dreamy vibe, like something out of a vintage diary. The delicate florals and washed tones feel straight from Hyunjin's sketchbook, capturing that quiet elegance he's so known for.
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Hyunjin’s elegant life hack: a magnetic cardholder
Technically not a case, but definitely 100-percent Hyunjin. This Butterfly Sunday by Monika Strigel magnetic cardholder stand from Casetify features butterflies and white florals, and it’s been spotted attached to his phone more than once. During a 2024 livestream, Hyunjin explained that he'd stopped using a wallet "a long time ago" but kept misplacing his cards. The Snappy™ was a game-changer. He even called the accessory "amazing," and this is the second design he's been seen using. Stylish and practical? Very Hyunjin.
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These floral cases and accessories are romantic, artsy, and effortlessly cool. Just like him.
This is your last chance to get the original lineup of Nintendo Switch consoles before the prices go up on Aug. 3.
On Friday, Nintendo announced that it would be raising prices on the Nintendo Switch 1, Nintendo Switch OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, and some Switch accessories. While the Nintendo statement didn't specify how much prices would increase, a popular Nintendo fan account on X spotted higher prices in effect at Target already. If these numbers are correct, then shoppers will soon face these prices:
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Nintendo Switch 1, originally $300, now $339.99
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Nintendo Switch OLED Model, originally $350, now $399.99
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Nintendo Switch Lite, originally $200, now $229.99
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Nintendo Joy-Con 2 controllers, originally $95, now $100
However, these higher prices haven't gone into effect at other retailers, which means gamers have about 48 hours to get the beloved console at the usual price.
As of this writing, all three of these consoles are available for sale at Walmart for their original prices. Unfortunately, the new Switch 2 landed with a higher price tag of $449. While it was consistently out of stock, a recent Switch 2 restock has changed that. But if that $449 price tag still gives you pause, you can still have a lot of fun on the original Switch, one of the greatest gaming consoles ever made.
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