How to Test M.2 SSD Speed on Windows? 3 Free & Tried Methods Available

Adding an SSD hard drive can make your system much faster. However, the system speed will drop if you don't monitor the disk health and timely resolve the issues. That's why you must regularly check the speed of your computer's hard disks. If you use an M.2 SSD and don't know how to test M.2 speed, this article will guide you.

Can I Test My M.2 SSD Speed

Yes, you can easily test M.2 speed on your Windows computer. Multiple built-in and third-party tools are available to test your computer's hard disk speed. With the help of these methods, you can check the speed of M.2, NVMe, SSD, HDD, USB, or any external disks. Why do you need to test M.2 SSD speed? Below are a few scenarios where checking disk speed is beneficial:

• Screen Freezing: If your computer's screen is freezing or getting stuck frequently, it can indicate a slow hard drive. Checking the M.2 speed will confirm if it is the culprit behind this issue.
• Slow Booting Time: The prolonged booting time of your system symbolizes a slow boot drive. If the M.2 drive is your system's boot drive, you should test its speed to discover potential issues.
• Sluggish File Transfer: An M.2 SSD is among the fastest hard drives. So, if you are experiencing a slow file transfer process when moving data, it is clear that there are issues with the hard disk affecting its speed.
• Subpar Software Performance: In case the speed of your M.2 drive is slowing down, the software will start having performance issues. You will see them glitching, getting frozen, and crashing, affecting your workflow.
• Lagged Gameplay: Are your gameplay riddled with lags, bugs, and screen delays despite the M.2 SSD? It indicates a severe speed issue with your hard drive. Testing the M.2 speed will clue you in on the potential problems with the drive.
• System Crashes: Your system can start crashing if the M.2 drive cannot handle the system load due to low speed. If the system crashes happen frequently, you should test M.2 speed before the hard drive is damaged beyond repair.

How Do I Test My M.2 Speed? 3 Free & Tried Methods

If you are facing any of the scenarios mentioned earlier, consider checking the speed of your M.2 drive. Before running a speed test, you should stop using the targeted drive to get accurate test values. To test M.2 speed, multiple methods are available. Choose one of the following three guides to test the speed of the M.2 SSD in your computer:

#1. Test M.2 Speed Using Disk Speed Test Freeware

#2. Test M.2 Speed Using CMD

#3. Test M.2 Dynamic Speed Using Task Manager

Want to know which method is the best and most accurate? We recommend you use Method #1 as it is a straightforward way to follow and provides the most precise and detailed speed test results. It is not to say that other methods are not suitable. However, the comparison table below will reveal that the method is much better than others:

Guide 1: Test M.2 Speed with Free Disk Speed Test Software

The first method used a reliable third-party tool to test M.2 speed. While many tools claim to be the most accurate, only a few get passing marks. During our search, we found EaseUS Partition Master Free to be the best free disk speed test software. It has an amazing feature called "DiskMark" that can accurately test the speed of all hard drives.

After downloading EaseUS Partition Master for free, you can test the disk speed of all your internal or external hard drives.

Steps to Test M.2 Speed via EaseUS Partition Master

EaseUS Partition Master has a straightforward and quick process to test M.2 SSD speed. Follow the steps given below to test M.2 speed on your computer:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master. And click the download button to activate the "DiskMark" feature under the "Discovery" section.

Step 2. Click on the drop-down box to choose the target drive, test data, and block size.

Step 3. Once everything is configured, click "Start" to begin the disk test. Then, you can see the Sequential or Random read/write speed, I/O, and Delay data.

These are the hard drive that can be speed-tested using this nvme speed test software:

• SATA HDD
• SATA SSD
• M.2 SSD
• NVMe SSD
• SD Card
• USB
• External HDD, SSD, USB

EaseUS Partition Master Free is also equipped with other stunning features, pick up one and fix your problems immediately.

• Check SSD health on Windows 10
• Resize/Move Partition
• Check and repair partition errors
• Format disk

Guide 2: Test M.2 SSD Speed Using CMD

Using Command Prompt is also a way to accurately check the disk speed of your M.2 SSD drive. You can try this method if you have a little know-how of CMD and how to run commands. In Command Prompt, you will need to run a WinSAT command to test a hard disk speed. For example, use the following step to test M.2 speed using CMD:

Step 1: Start by running the Command Prompt as administrator. You can do it by using the search bar to look for Command Prompt and clicking "Run as administrator."

Step 2: In the CMD, run the "winsat disk -ran -write -drive X" command. The "X" here represents the name of your drive.

The command lines are complex, and the process is difficult to master, especially checking SSD speed in cmd. Most Windows beginners rather turn to a Command Prompt alternative tool for help.

Guide 3: Check M.2 Dynamic Speed Using Task Manager

Windows Task Manager is another tool to help you check the M.2 speed. Since it is where all the currently running processes and apps are located, it can be a good indicator of drive health. You can use the following steps to check M.2 dynamic speed using the Task Manager on Windows:

Step 1: Open the Windows Task Manager using the "Ctrl + Shift + Esc" shortcut key. Now, click the "Performance" tab to view the performance of major computer components.

Step 2: Here, navigate to your M.2 SSD and tap it. You can see the write and read speeds of your M.2 drive in the adjacent window.

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Conclusion

We can conclude that testing the M.2 speed is extremely beneficial if your computer's performance is degrading. This article contains three easy ways to test M.2 speed to help you out. If it is your first-time testing disk speed, EaseUS Partition Master is the way to go. With its help, not only can you check disk speed and improve ssd read and write speed, but you can also resolve potential disk issues.

FAQs About M.2 Speed Test

A slow computer performance despite M.2 SSD can be very annoying. Testing M.2 SSD performance can provide clues about the problems behind your system's sluggish performance. To further help you understand this issue, below are answers to a few FAQs about M.2 speed test:

1. Can I check my SSD speed online?

No, you cannot check the SSD speed online. While multiple tools are available online to test disk speed, they need to be downloaded and installed first. The best free tool to test SSD speed is EaseUS Partition Master.

2. How to run the SSD speed test on Windows 11?

If you have Windows 11, you can use the following step to run an SSD speed test via CMD:

Step 1: Use the "Win + R" key to launch the Run function and type "cmd." Now use the "Ctrl + Shift + Enter" key to run it as administrator.

Step 2: Run the "winsat disk -ran -write -drive Y" command to check SSD speed with "Y" representing your drive name.

3. How do I run SSD speed test online?

It is not possible to check SSD speed online. It is likely false even if you see some tool or website claiming to do so. You will need to download a third-party tool like EaseUS Partition Master to run the SSD speed test. If you don't want to use CMD, then go for EaseUS Partition Master, as it is the most reliable tool available for free.