5 reasons why creatives are using SSDs to supercharge their workflows

Promotional image for the Crucial T700 Gen5 NVMe SSD.
(Image credit: Micron)

Whatever level you work at - whether you’re an independent creative, run a small business, or work for a big organization - it’s important to have the right tools for your creative projects. We’re talking about the components inside your computer; an SSD is a vital element of your PC, and having the best SSD you can get means that you’ll be able to get work done faster.

More specifically, we’d always recommend a Gen5 SSD for any creative professional. They’re the fastest, most reliable storage you can buy right now, available with high capacity to ensure you never run out of space for your files. We’ve got five reasons why you should get yourself a shiny new SSD to power up your creative workflow: read on to find out more.

 Load files faster

With a Gen5 SSD - such as Crucial’s new T700 - you can load up large files much faster than with older storage solutions. Thanks to sequential reads speeds of up to 12,400MB/s (that’s twice the speed of Crucial’s previous-gen SSD), you’ll never sit around waiting for a large video file to open up.

Since Gen5 SSDs like the T700 use the PCIe bus for accessing system file transfer bandwidth, rather than the outdated SATA bus format used by conventional hard drives and older SSDs, you’re getting the fastest transfer speeds possible - and that’s not just for opening files, but it lets you move them around your system faster too. Need to copy a file from one place to another on your desktop? Consider it done.

Promotional image for the Crucial T700 Gen5 NVMe SSD.

The Crucial T700 offers blistering transfer speeds thanks to the PCIe Gen5 format. (Image credit: Micron)

 Export at maximum speed

If you work in graphic design or photo editing, you’ll no doubt be familiar with the exporting process - and the fact that it can be a lengthy one. Exporting high-resolution images from your image editor of choice to a fixed file format can take a while, and the older your storage, the longer it’s going to take.

But with write speeds as fast as 11,800MB/s, saving data to your drive - whether it’s a file export from Photoshop or processing high-res video files - is as speedy as you could possibly want. A Gen5 SSD guarantees that your drive will never become a bottleneck to your PC’s performance.

 Store as many files as you want

As a brand of memory experts Micron, SSDs from Crucial come in a wide range of capacities to suit your exact needs, so you’ll always have enough storage space for your data – without needing to shell out extra cash for precious gigabytes you won’t use.

For example, Crucial’s T700 Gen5 SSD comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB flavors, which should be plenty of storage for anyone - even if you’re looking to save a bunch of huge 8K video files.

A man working at a PC with a selection of music editing equipment in front of him.

If you edit music or video for work, chances are you need plenty of storage capacity on your PC. (Image credit: Crucial)

 Enjoy enhanced reliability

There’s nothing worse than losing your files due to hardware failure. We’ve all been there; the files you need for work are trapped on a dead laptop hard drive, or a corrupted USB stick.

The most common risk factors for any type of computer component are heat and impacts - and Gen5 SSDs are more resilient to both, especially compared with conventional HDDs. An SSD has no moving parts, meaning it generates less heat while in use and also doesn’t run the risk of having something knocked loose if your PC takes a knock. They use less electricity to run, too.

For those who want to stay even cooler in the moment, the T700 is also available with a custom-designed aluminum and nickel-plated copper heatsink. 

 Rest easy knowing your files are safe

Modern Gen5 SSDs typically offer superior data security to older storage solutions - and the Crucial T700 is no exception. It supports the Trusted Computing Group ‘Opal 2.01’ security specification for high-end hardware encryption.

What this means is that even if someone manages to steal or otherwise access your actual device, your files will be shielded from attempts to break in thanks to permanently active encryption. This is a must-have feature for professionals, especially anyone working on branding or marketing material that needs to be kept under wraps!

Christian Guyton
Editor, Computing

Christian is TechRadar’s UK-based Computing Editor. He came to us from Maximum PC magazine, where he fell in love with computer hardware and building PCs. He was a regular fixture amongst our freelance review team before making the jump to TechRadar, and can usually be found drooling over the latest high-end graphics card or gaming laptop before looking at his bank account balance and crying.

Christian is a keen campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and the owner of a charming rescue dog named Lucy, having adopted her after he beat cancer in 2021. She keeps him fit and healthy through a combination of face-licking and long walks, and only occasionally barks at him to demand treats when he’s trying to work from home.