Choosing the right SSD manufacturer, as a retailer, dealer, or bulk buyer in general involves considering multiple things rather than the SSD specifications. The selection criteria should include, but shouldn’t be limited to supply chain reliability, business support, latest technology adherence, pricing, etc. If your business revolves around SSDs or other storage devices, a good SSD manufacturer can severely impact your business if chosen wrongly. Alternatively, a good SSD manufacturer will give your business the boost it needs.
For example, if the SSDs coming from your manufacturer aren’t properly tested, they may end up dying within the warranty period. This will result in your sales dropping and customers distrust in your product. However, choosing the right SSD manufacturer isn’t as hard as you think and we are going to give you a 10-step method to choose the best SSD manufacturer. If you follow all the things we are going to discuss below, you will be able to pick the best manufacturer.
There are thousands of small and big SSD manufacturers all over the world. Now, you can start your research through the internet and dig deeper into any company to understand its working principles. Also, you can follow a system and apply it to different brands. This is the system we are going to reveal in this article. Let’s get started with the first step which is to understand any company’s manufacturing process and innovation.
1. Manufacturing Process and Innovation
The way a company manufactures its product dictates a lot of its reputation and product quality. Because you are going to do business with a brand, it is your responsibility and right to get deeper into understanding how they manufacture their products. Start off with gathering information about the machinery, staff, components, processes, etc. Then you can ask for other things to ensure your brand is capable of giving you what you are looking for.
Specifically, you can look at or research the assembly lines, engineers, R&D departments, production equipment, machinery, etc. Manufacturing starts from preparing the components for an SSD till its packaging. All the steps between these will decide the quality and reliability of the manufactured SSDs. But, how do you do that? Let’s shed some light on that as well.
1.1. Check for Certifications and Standards
The first and perhaps the most important thing to check is whether the manufacturer is compliant with industry standards like FCC, CE, RoHS, and ISO certifications. You can also check for the IS0 9001 and IS0 14001 certification. You can also check if the brand has any independent intellectual property rights. Having all these compliances would generally mean the company is taking care of the production standards.
1.2. In-house or Outsourced production
Consider working with the brands with their own production. It doesn’t mean outsourced production is bad because many big brands are doing so. Ideally, having its production means the brand will have good control over production quality, design, fabrication, and assembly. If your brand, in case, working with a third party for the production, you should definitely do some research on the OEM brand as well.
1.3. Firmware Development
Custom firmware often comes with better performance and optimizations. Because firmware plays many important roles like wear leveling, garbage collection, TRIM, etc., it remains the most important part of the software on any drive. Check how your SSD manufacturer is dealing with the firmware part of the drive. Check if they have their own firmware team or if they are outsourcing its development. Ask how frequently they release the firmware updates to improve their drive’s functionality.
1.4. Production Capacity and Scalability
If a brand is manufacturing its own drive, it would surely have some production capacity. But, how much it can scale when required is all up to your requirements. If you are going to give bulk orders, make sure to understand their ability to scale. Also, understand the time frames required to boost production when necessary.
2. Material Sourcing and Machinery
Material sourcing is a part of manufacturing but has extra importance when it comes to quality and reliability. For this, you may have to dig deeper into how your company operates, but with this information, you can be sure of the quality of the product being manufactured. For SSDs, if your brand uses any third-party brand to source the NAND chips, SMD components, DRAM chips, controllers, etc., you should gather this information. Machinery is the next important thing but it requires a little more technical knowledge. However, you can always use the internet to compare the modern machinery in the industry and the one your SSD manufacturer is utilizing. Let’s see what you can specifically look for.
2.1. NAND Flash and Controller Sourcing
NAND Flash and controller are the two main components of any SSD. Knowing how your SSD manufacturer is making or sourcing them is important. The reliability, performance, and quality of the SSDs would depend majorly on these two components. Confirm the usage of the NAND flash along with its memory cell levels like SLC, MLC, TLC, and QLC. NAND and controller can be sourced from different suppliers and that is completely fine. But, it is your duty to know where they are coming from.
2.2. Supply Chain
First of all, the materials gathered by your brand should comply with regulations like CFSI (Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative). This mainly includes the raw materials coming for the production are not coming from unethical operations. Look at whether the manufacturer is adhering to all the sourcing practices while manufacturing their SSDs. If there are multiple items being sourced from other places, you should have knowledge of all of them.
2.3. Quality of PCB and other components
Along with the controller and NAND flash, the quality of the PCB, Connectors, casing, and other small components on the SSDs matters a lot. Ensure that your manufacturer is using multi-layer PCB designs for better electrical conductivity, heat management, and durability. Other passive components like resistors, capacitors, and inductors, should be of a high quality and sourced from reliable brands.
2.4. Machinery used for manufacturing and testing
SSDs are highly complex data storage devices. To manufacture them, there is a need for advanced machinery. Machines for wafer fabrication like Ion implanters, Photolithography machines, and other etching equipment are not cheap. If your brand has all of them in-house, you are surely going for the right SSD manufacturer. Other machines for NAND Die assembly, PCB assembly, programming, packaging, etc should be there to make sure everything is manufactured with the latest technology and quality control.
3. Performance Testing and Quality Control
In this, you can look for batch-level quality control for the SSDs being manufactured. This mainly includes picking random units from each manufactured batch of the products. Another important thing is to check if the SSDs are subjected to burn-in testing, temperature/environment testing, etc. This is important because any SSD’s reliability depends on this.
3.1. Read/Write Speed verification and testing
Along with the company, it is your responsibility as well to confirm whether the SSDs match the advertised read/write speed. You can ask for the brands to share the test reports and benchmark scores to back their claims. This also includes taking the SSDs through various benchmarking software like CrystalDiskMark, Anvil Pro, PCMark, AS SSD Benchmark, 3D Mark, etc.
3.2. Burn-In Testing
Burn-in testing is perhaps the most important thing to make sure your SSDs can withstand heavy workloads for long durations of time. It is very important in detecting batch-level and individual defects in drives. In these tests, the drives are tested and observed under heavy stress where the tasks mainly include real-world operating situations. The main purpose of burn-in tests is to improve reliability, verify performance, and detect early failures. The failed drives will surely be discarded and if the issue is to be found in more than one drive from a batch, the complete batch could be discarded. However, the verification process might vary from brand to brand.
3.3. Data Integrity Testing
Error Correction Code, bad block management, garbage collection, SMART, and TRIM are the most important parameters here to check. There is a heavy role of firmware optimizations in these. So, you must check if your SSD comes with all these features. Also, it is good if your brand runs specific tests to make sure the SSD can store data with issues even in case of some software issues like bad blocks.
3.4. Compatibility Testing
Manufacturers should test SSDs on different types of devices to make sure they are working everything without any problems. Also, check for compatibility with different operating systems and interfaces. For example, an SSD should work through the USB as well using a suitable USB connection. All these things should be checked by your SSD brand and you should get the report of the results.
4. Pricing and Margins
When choosing an SSD manufacturer, pricing and margins play a very important role that impacts your business’s profitability. If you have to be competitive in your industry, you must also have a pricing edge over others. The first and most important thing is to compare the SSD prices of different brands available in the industry. For bulk orders, you should ask for extra discounts. The prices must be stable enough so that you can reliably plan your orders and estimate profits.
Calculate your profit margins on different SSD types and ensure that the margins are aligned with your investments, inventory expenditures, etc. Additional costs like shipping, taxes, packaging, and duties must be calculated.
One more thing is that lower-cost SSDs are not always the best for the end customers. If you have to run your business and grow it in the long run, there should be a perfect balance between price, performance, and reliability. So, don’t go for the brand where you find the prices too good to be true. You should expect good margins but without compromising on other important things like quality and performance. Also, there should be complete transparency of prices without any hidden costs.
The margins will vary depending on the type of SSDs, brand you are dealing with, location, and many other things. Lesser-known brands generally offer better margins compared to popular brands. However, for retail buyers, the margins for consumer SATA and NVMe SSDs are generally between 10 to 20%. For bulk buyers and resellers, the margins can be between 5 to 10%. Now, you can do your research and see where you are getting more profits and consider the brand that gives you better margins. However, do not forget to keep all the other things in consideration that we are discussing in this article. Don’t just rely on the better margins.
5. Supply Chain and Global Availability
To ensure on-time deliveries, consistent product availability, and global supplies, you should understand your SSD manufacturer’s supply chain capabilities. The production capacity, as we discussed above can have a major role in ensuring you are getting your products on time. It is good if your brand has serving locations in multiple parts of the world. Check if your brand has regional warehouses, good logistics partners, and localized support. Understand how fast your company can fulfill your orders and multiply their production scale.
5.1. Inventory Management
It could be tough to find but you can go for the brands offering Just-In-Time (JIT) basis supplies because it reduces your need to have a large inventory to ensure proper further supplies. Ensure that your chosen SSD brand keeps sufficient stock of the popular models to avoid delays when there are big demands. The brand must have a dedicated staff and system for restocking of inventory of their most popular products. Not only for their own products but for maximum risk mitigation, the brand must have contacts with other raw material providers for NAND flash and controllers, etc.
5.2. Transportation
Understand the process and mediums of transportation of supplies i.e. sea frights, air frights, or express deliveries. This will impact the delivery time and hence your supply chain and product availability. If importing, your brand must be able to handle everything related to customs documentation and compliances. A good tracking system can also help you properly time your deliveries and plan further things for your customers.
All in all, a good geographical reach, transportation, and inventory management will result in you fulfilling your customers’ demands on time and keep them coming back to you. Not having the most popular products in your inventory when demand will negatively impact your business in the long run.
6. Warranty and After Sales Support
Electronic components tend to fail mostly without any prior warnings. SSDs specifically come with warranty periods i.e. 3 years or 5 years. First of all, check for the warranty periods, MTBF, and TBW ratings of the SSDs you are going to order. Now, understand how the brand is going to handle those warranty requests. Check what are the coverage scopes i.e. coverage for NAND failures, controller issues, etc.
If there is a drive failure, understand what would be the process of initiating warranty claims. A simple and easy Return Merchandise Authorization process for warranty would make things easier for the end customers. If there is going to be a product replacement, understand the time frame and process of returns.
For support, there should be a dedicated support team and if possible, regional support and service station. Having 24/7 support is crucial. Check for Zero-cost repair and the Dead On Arrival policies of the brand. There should be ad dedicated dealer support in case you have any issues with your products or orders.
7. Brand Reputation and History
It is pretty easy to check the brand’s reputation on its official websites, internet reviews, and social media pages. A good brand will always highlight its best qualities to the audience. You should check the About page of the brand along with the product range. On the internet, you can search for reviews of their products and customer ratings.
7.1. Longevity in the Market
Check brand legacy and track record along with its total active years in the SSD manufacturing field. You can research for company’s founding data and its evolution till today. Most companies would highlight their milestones on their official websites as well. On a website, you can easily go through their About Us page to know more. You can also check for dealer reviews and feedback.
For more precise information on their performance and growth, you can check their annual growth reports, market share, and R&D expenditures. For private companies platforms like Crunchbase, Owler, CB Insights, etc.
7.2. Drive Failures
SSD’s failure rates should also be researched before making the final decision. Product consistency and reputation in the industry are important because if they are missing, everything is just a waste of your money and efforts. Although the failure rates in the hands of end consumers are hard to evaluate, most brands would do internal testing to calculate MTBF or MTTF. You can ask for those reports to see what percentage of drives failed during these tests.
7.3. Industry Recognition
You should also look for recognitions and awards that the manufacturer has received from popular tech organizations or media outlets. On the internet, you can simply do research for any brand and its partnerships with different brands, dealers, and resellers. You can use Google, YouTube, Instagram, X, and other social media platforms for this research. A good brand will have good industry recognition with transparent reviews and feedback from users and retailers.
7.4. Partnerships and Endorsements
It isn’t always necessary for a brand should partner with other big brands to highlight its efficacy and trust. But, if your chosen brand has some partnerships and has been endorsed by other brands, it is surely a good signal for you. To check these, you can simply visit their website or social media pages. On the websites, the brands would mention the other brands they have worked with.
8. Variety of SSDs
This again depends on your specific needs but having different types of SSDs in the brand portfolio is always beneficial. This includes having different generations of SSDs specifically in the NVMe category. For SATA SSDs, there should be drives with high storage capacities such as 4TB and 8TB. Along with that, check for different form factors in the M.2 section. If there are enterprise SSDs in the SSD portfolio, that is very beneficial for your business.
8.1. Variety in NVMe drives
NVMe drives are currently the most popular as system drives. They are expensive compared to the SATA drives and hence have much profitability. These are forward and backward-compatible and there are many generations that are selling altogether in the market. Check if your brand at least has Gen 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 drives in its portfolio. Also, check how many drives are there in each specific category. More drives would mean a wider price and performance range for your users. This would not only help you fulfill the different demands of your customers but also have a wider portfolio of drives to showcase your expertise in the industry.
8.2. Variety in storage capacities
Some years back, it was hard to find SSDs with more than 2TB of storage space. They were extremely expensive and mostly the SATA drives had bigger storage capacities. But, now 8TB NVMe SSDs are pretty common. These are expensive and generally have more margins for the sellers. Look for all the storage capacities available with your SSD manufacturer and go for the one that can provide you with a range of these big and small capacities.
8.3. Other storage products except SSDs
Not only the SSDs, but most brands also offer SD cards, flash drives, enclosures, and other accessories. So, if you find all these varieties of products, it is a signal that your brand is working on its product range and not dependent on any single product. Some brands will have hard drives, enterprise SSDs, and PCIe Add-In Cards in their product list which is always a good thing for you.
9. Bulk Order Capabilities
As a dealer, you know the importance of fulfilling bulk order demands on time. If the products are readily available from the manufacturer’s end, you always have peace of mind. However, if there are delays, especially with sudden and unexpected orders, it can harm your business negatively. So, a very important thing to consider when choosing an SSD manufacturer is to understand their ability to handle bulk orders. Know their highest limits for specific products and see if you are satisfied with them.
9.1. Scalability and Speed
The production speed may have to be scaled for some time in case of big orders. Check if your SSD manufacturer can do it. If you think those limits are under your expectations, it is good to have a good talk over it or just not have a deal. In most cases, any SSD manufacturer would not work with a single dealer and there are times when the product demands are higher, especially during the sales and festival seasons. In those periods, if you don’t get the products in your hand in time, you will miss out on a lot of business and profit opportunities. thing
9.2. Packaging and Transportation
Once your bulk orders are prepared, the SSD manufacturer should be able to package it with the proper car and transport it at the same speed. Understand the transportation timelines and mediums as we discussed earlier. In times of tight timelines, the scope of mistakes increases. So, it all comes down to how your company would scale its production.
10. Research and Development
Digital storage is continuously changing and upgrading industry. With the new PCIe generations, the speed of SSDs is increasing and the latency is decreasing. On the same form factor, we are seeing huge performance boosts which all is a result of the rigorous R&D that these brands are doing. Your SSD manufacturer should also have a good R&D team with professionals working in the department. This will make sure the company can withstand the upcoming changes and provide you with the best storage devices to compete in the markets.
10.1. Material Innovation
New and improved materials not only help in improving performance/reliability but also reduce prices and increase margins. Your brand should be invested heavily in raw material innovation whether it is about sourcing better materials or creating them. This would allow you to have a competitive edge over other brands in various areas. Only a good research and development team can do this. So, it becomes a very important step to check how your company is doing all these new innovations and improving their products.
10.2. Prototyping and Testing
There should be continuous proof-of-concept developments for new SSD models. Before releasing the final product, the company must work on the ideas and technologies to have reliable final product. Testing during the prototyping process is very important. For this, again, there should be a dedicated department and setup. New products can surpass the existing products in terms of pricing, performance, thermals, reliability, and many other things.
Conclusion
Choosing the right SSD manufacturer is never a single-step process because you are probably going to do serious business with serious money. Keeping all the things that we discussed above in mind before choosing your SSD manufacturer will help you make a wise decision. There can be many other things to check and they can be subjective. But, this checklist is essential and you should definitely keep it in consideration to choose the best SSD manufacturer. OSCOO has been working as an SSD manufacturer and supplier since 2004. We have worked with hundreds of dealers all over the world. You can get in touch with us and learn about our fast and reliable SSDs.
