AS SSD Benchmark in German? Switch the Interface to English

You extract AS SSD Benchmark, double-click it, and the whole interface opens in German. The tool is not broken, you did not download the wrong file, and there is no separate English edition to hunt for. The program ships with German as its built-in default and English in a separate language folder, and when that folder is missing or separated from the executable, German is what you get. This guide explains why it happens, how to switch to English from the Language menu in seconds, and how to fix the folder layout so it never happens again.

The package you want is version 2.0.7316.34247 from the download page. The interface is only ever available in German and English; there are no other official language packs. If a site offers this tool in many languages as separate downloads, treat that claim with suspicion and prefer the standard package described here.

Why the interface defaults to German

AS SSD Benchmark was written by Alexej Schepeljanski, a German developer, and German is the language built into the executable itself. English is provided as external language files stored in a folder named en-US that sits next to the executable in the extracted ZIP. At startup the program looks for those language files beside itself. If it finds them, it can display English. If it cannot, because the folder is missing, renamed, left behind in the ZIP, or separated during a careless copy, it simply falls back to the built-in German. Nothing is damaged; the English files are just not where the program is looking.

That single mechanism explains every version of this complaint. Running the executable from inside the ZIP preview causes it, because the folder structure is not extracted to a real directory. Copying only the executable to a USB stick causes it. Extracting with a tool that flattens folders can cause it. In each case the cure is the same: restore the correct layout, then choose English.

The quick fix: switch from the Language menu

If the en-US folder is present next to the executable, you may not need to move any files at all. Open the program and look at the menu bar. One of the menus controls language, labelled with the language concept in German; open it and choose English. The menu only offers English and German, reflecting the two languages the tool actually ships with. The interface switches to English, and you can proceed to run your test normally.

German menu words are less frightening than they look in this small program. File operations, the Tools menu containing the Copy-Benchmark and Compression-Benchmark, and the View menu for switching between MB/s and IOPS are all in familiar positions. Even before switching, the result table itself, Seq, 4K, 4K-64Thrd, and Acc.time, is readable in either language, because those labels and the numbers do not change. Still, switch to English for settings and messages; guessing at dialogue boxes is no way to run a benchmark.

The permanent fix: restore the en-US folder

If the Language menu has no working English option, or the program returns to German every time, fix the layout. Close the program. Return to the original ZIP and extract it again, completely, into a fresh folder, choosing Extract All rather than dragging out the executable alone. Open the new folder and confirm with your own eyes that two things sit side by side inside it: the AS SSD Benchmark executable and the en-US folder.

• Executable and en-US folder in the same folder: correct. Run from here.
• Executable alone on the Desktop, USB stick, or Downloads: incorrect. Move the whole extracted folder instead.
• Executable still inside a ZIP preview window: incorrect. Extract first, then run.
• en-US folder nested inside another extra folder level: move the extracted contents so the language folder is directly beside the executable.

Now start the program from the corrected folder, open the Language menu, and select English. From then on, keep the folder together as one unit whenever you copy, back up, or carry the tool. This is the central rule of its portable design, covered fully in using AS SSD Benchmark portably. Deleting the en-US folder to tidy up or save a trivial amount of space is the one housekeeping step to never take.

What if English still does not appear?

Work through the boring causes in order, because one of them is almost always responsible. Confirm you extracted the ZIP fully and are not running from inside it. Confirm the folder is literally named en-US and sits directly beside the executable, not inside a subfolder. Confirm you are running the executable from that folder and not an older copy elsewhere via a shortcut or a pinned taskbar icon. Finally, download the ZIP again from the download page and extract a pristine copy, then compare its layout with yours; the download page lists the file size and hash so you can verify the package itself is intact.

Do not download random language packs from unrelated sites to fix this. The English files are already part of the standard package. A missing-language problem is a layout problem, never a reason to add files from strangers to a system tool you run against your drives.

Once English is working

With the interface in English, continue with a normal first run: select the correct drive at the top, leave the test size at 1 GB, press Start, and save your result. Running your first benchmark walks through that process step by step, and the main how-to-use tutorial explains every row of the result. The German-interface detour will have cost you two minutes and taught you the portable folder rule, which also protects you on every future computer and USB stick.

In short: German appears because English lives in the en-US folder and the program could not find it beside the executable. Switch via the Language menu when the folder is present, and restore the side-by-side layout when it is not. There is no English edition to download and no setting deep in Windows to change; the fix is the folder, every time.

AHCI vs IDE Mode: Check Your SSD Mode in AS SSD Benchmark

Another line at the top of the AS SSD Benchmark window quietly reports how your storage controller is talking to the drive, and it can explain a disappointing score all by itself. If that line points to a legacy IDE-style driver instead of an AHCI driver, your SSD may be running without features it was designed to use. This guide explains how to check the mode with AS SSD Benchmark, what AHCI and IDE actually mean, why Native Command Queuing matters, and, with appropriate caution, the general shape of changing the setting in the BIOS or UEFI if yours is wrong.

Checking is safe and read-only. Open the tool, available from the download page, select your SSD, and read the top information. No benchmark run is required for the check itself, although a before-and-after run is the best way to confirm any change helped. The companion top-area check, partition alignment, is covered in checking SSD alignment, and the two are usually reviewed together.

How to see your current mode in AS SSD Benchmark

In the information block under the drive selector, look for the controller or driver name displayed for the selected drive. Names referencing storahci or msahci indicate the Microsoft AHCI driver. Names from a chipset vendor can also indicate AHCI mode with a vendor driver. The warning sign is a name referencing pciide, which indicates the legacy IDE driver. AS SSD Benchmark highlights problem states in red in this area, similar to its alignment indicator, so a red IDE reference deserves attention while a green AHCI reference means this setting is already correct.

You can cross-check in Windows Device Manager under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers or Storage controllers, where the controller name will also reflect AHCI or IDE operation. Use both views if anything is unclear, and take a screenshot of the AS SSD window before changing anything, so you have a record of the starting state and a baseline benchmark to compare against afterwards.

AHCI and IDE in plain language

IDE mode, in this context often called legacy or compatibility mode, presents the modern SATA drive to the system in a way that mimics much older hardware. It exists so that very old operating systems and installers can still work. The cost is that features designed for modern drives are unavailable. AHCI, the Advanced Host Controller Interface, is the native way for a computer to talk to SATA drives. It was designed for them and unlocks their standard features.

The headline feature is Native Command Queuing, or NCQ. Instead of handling read and write requests strictly one at a time in the order they arrive, a drive with NCQ can queue many requests, up to 32, and service them in the order that is most efficient for the drive. For an SSD juggling lots of small, random requests from Windows and several programs, that reordering is valuable, and it connects directly to the multi-threaded 4K-64Thrd test in AS SSD Benchmark, which loads the drive with many simultaneous requests. IDE mode also historically lacks hot-swapping support and some power and performance behaviours that AHCI provides as standard.

What difference it makes to your results

A drive stuck in IDE mode typically shows its weakness most clearly in the queued and random tests rather than in a simple sequential copy. Sequential speed can look deceptively respectable, while 4K-64Thrd results fall well short of what the same drive achieves in AHCI mode, because the queue that test exercises is being held back by the legacy path. That pattern, decent Seq with disappointing 4K-64Thrd and a pciide line at the top, is the classic fingerprint.

Not every modest score is a mode problem, and AHCI is not magic. An old, small, or nearly full drive will still be an old, small, or nearly full drive after the switch. The value of checking is certainty: it costs nothing to read the line, and if it already says AHCI, you have eliminated one entire category of explanation and can investigate free space, health, temperature, or the drive itself instead.

Before you change anything: the Windows warning

The general, cautious procedure used for this switch is well established. First, back up important data; any boot-related change deserves a backup. Second, while Windows is still running in the old mode, set Windows to load the AHCI driver at boot, using the documented registry or safe-mode method appropriate to your Windows version, following a guide written for that exact version. Third, restart into the BIOS or UEFI setup, change the SATA mode from IDE or Legacy to AHCI, save, and exit. Fourth, let Windows boot; it should now use the AHCI driver, which you verify in AS SSD Benchmark and Device Manager.

Details genuinely differ between Windows versions, laptop vendors, and RAID configurations. Systems using RAID mode, very old installations, or dual-boot setups need extra care, and some extremely old installations are better served by staying as they are or by a planned clean installation. If any step is unclear for your exact machine, stop and research that machine and Windows version specifically, or ask someone experienced. The check on this page is universal; the switch is machine-specific, and this guide deliberately gives the safe general shape rather than pretending one click sequence fits every computer.

Verify the change

After a successful switch, open AS SSD Benchmark again. The top information should now show an AHCI driver reference instead of pciide, without the red warning. Run a fresh benchmark at the same 1 GB test size as your baseline, following how to use AS SSD Benchmark, and compare especially the 4K-64Thrd row and the total. Save the new screenshot beside the old one. If Windows fails to boot after a change, return the BIOS setting to its previous value, which restores the original driver path, then review the Windows preparation step before trying again.

In short: read the controller line. AHCI shown in green means this classic problem is not yours. A pciide or IDE reference means the drive is running in a legacy mode without NCQ, and the fix, prepared in the right order, Windows first and BIOS second, with a backup, is one of the most satisfying free performance corrections an older SSD system can receive.

Check SSD Alignment in AS SSD Benchmark: OK vs BAD

Near the top of the AS SSD Benchmark window, next to the drive model and controller information, there is a small alignment indicator that many users ignore until a forum post tells them it says BAD in red. That indicator is one of the most useful free checks in the whole tool. This guide explains what partition alignment means in plain terms, how to check it in seconds using the top information area, what OK and BAD actually signify, and what to do next if yours is wrong. The focus here is checking and understanding; the fix itself has its own dedicated guide.

You do not need to run a full benchmark to check alignment. Open the tool from the download page package, select the drive, and read the top area. If you are completely new to the window layout, skim how to use AS SSD Benchmark first so the top information, result rows, and menus are familiar.

What partition alignment means

Your SSD stores data in physical blocks, and your Windows partition starts at a specific offset on the drive. Alignment describes whether that starting offset lines up neatly with the physical block boundaries underneath. When the partition is aligned, each logical block Windows writes maps cleanly onto the physical storage. When it is misaligned, writes can straddle boundaries, forcing the drive to do extra work behind the scenes: reading and rewriting more than the operating system asked for.

This mattered most in the era when systems were upgraded from hard drives, cloned from old installations, or set up with older partitioning tools that chose starting offsets suited to spinning disks rather than flash storage. A fresh, modern Windows installation on an SSD normally creates aligned partitions automatically, which is why most users today will see OK and never need to think about this again. Misalignment still appears on cloned systems, restored images, and drives partitioned years ago, which is exactly why a ten-second check is worthwhile after any migration.

How to check alignment in AS SSD Benchmark

Start the program and select the SSD in the drive drop-down at the top. Look at the information block beneath the drop-down. Among the model, firmware, controller, and capacity lines you will find the alignment status for the selected partition, shown together with its offset value. The tool expresses the result in the clearest possible way: a green OK when the offset divides correctly, or a red BAD when it does not.

• Select each SSD partition letter in turn if the drive has several; check the system partition especially.
• Read the status word itself, OK or BAD, rather than trying to judge the raw offset number by eye.
• Note the controller line at the same time; alignment and controller mode are the two classic top-area warnings, and they are checked together for a reason.
• Take a screenshot of the window if you are going to ask for help, so the exact offset and status are visible.

That is the entire check. No test file is written, no score is needed, and it works before you benchmark at all. If you see OK, alignment is not your problem and you should look elsewhere for any slowness. If you see BAD, you have found a real, fixable issue, and it is worth fixing before you judge the drive’s benchmark scores, because misalignment taxes exactly the small random writes that Windows performs all day.

What OK means, and what BAD costs you

OK means the partition offset aligns with the drive’s physical layout. Writes proceed without the extra boundary-crossing penalty. It does not guarantee the drive is fast or healthy; it removes one specific handicap so the other numbers in the window can be judged fairly.

BAD means the partition is misaligned. The practical costs are slower random write performance, extra write work for the drive, and benchmark results, particularly in the 4K write row, that undersell what the hardware could do if it were set up correctly. The drive is not necessarily damaged, and your data is not necessarily in danger, but the configuration is wrong and every day of use pays a small tax for it. This is a configuration problem, not a reason to replace the SSD.

Why misalignment happens

The usual stories are cloning an old system from a hard drive to an SSD with tools or settings from the hard-drive era, restoring an old disk image onto new hardware, creating partitions with outdated utilities, or dual-boot and multi-system setups built over many years. In each case the system works, Windows boots, and nothing looks broken, which is why misalignment survives unnoticed until someone runs a tool that displays it. AS SSD Benchmark displays it for free at the top of its main window, one reason it remains a standard first check in SSD troubleshooting threads.

What to do if yours says BAD

First, do not panic and do not benchmark repeatedly hoping it changes; the status will not heal itself. Second, back up anything important on the drive, because any partition adjustment carries some risk if it is interrupted. Third, follow the step-by-step repair walkthrough in fixing an SSD alignment BAD warning, which covers the options from alignment tools to the clean-install route and how to verify OK afterwards. That guide assumes you have already confirmed BAD using the check on this page.

Finally, re-check with AS SSD Benchmark after any fix and run a fresh benchmark. Your 4K and total results should now represent the drive fairly, and you can compare them with your earlier screenshot to see what the handicap was costing. While you are in the top information area, also read the controller line using our guide to checking AHCI vs IDE mode, since a cloned older system that is misaligned sometimes also carries a legacy controller setting.

In short: look at the top of the window, read OK or BAD, and believe it. OK needs no action. BAD is a real configuration fault worth backing up and fixing properly, not a failing drive. Ten seconds in AS SSD Benchmark tells you which situation you are in, and that clarity is why this small indicator is checked before almost every serious SSD speed investigation.

AS SSD Benchmark Portable: Correct Use Without Installing

AS SSD Benchmark is portable: there is no installer, no setup wizard, and nothing to uninstall. You extract a ZIP, keep its contents together, and double-click the executable. That simplicity causes one classic mistake: copying only the executable to a USB stick or a new folder, then wondering why the tool opens in German or behaves like a different program. This guide explains the correct portable layout, how to carry the tool on a USB stick, and how to move it between computers without breaking it.

Get the ZIP from the download page, which points to the file served by the official site. The current and final version is 2.0.7316.34247. Everything below applies to that portable package and its familiar layout of an executable next to a language folder.

The one rule: keep the folder together

Inside the extracted folder you will see the AS SSD Benchmark executable and a folder named en-US containing the English language files. The executable looks for its language files next to itself. When it finds the en-US folder in the same directory, the interface can run in English. When the executable is alone, with no language folder beside it, the program falls back to its default language, German, because the author’s original interface language is German and the English text lives in that separate folder.

So the rule for every copy, move, backup, and USB stick is simple: always move the whole folder, never the executable alone. Treat the folder as the program. Rename the outer folder freely if you like tidy names, but do not rearrange its contents, do not move the executable out of it, and do not delete the en-US folder to save space; it is tiny and it is the difference between an English tool and a German puzzle. The language issue itself is covered step by step in fixing a German AS SSD interface.

Setting up a clean portable folder

Extract the ZIP into a dedicated folder in a stable location, for example a Tools folder on your data drive or on the USB stick itself. Extract it once, open the folder, and confirm you can see both the executable and the en-US folder side by side before you run anything. Then start the program from that location and confirm the interface language and that the correct drives are listed.

Avoid running the executable from inside the ZIP preview in Windows Explorer. It may appear to start, but its companion folder is not really beside it in a normal directory, which is another route to the German-interface surprise and to confusing, temporary locations. Always extract first, then run. That habit also means the folder you tested from is the same folder you later copy, with no doubt about which copy is the good one.

Carrying it on a USB stick

A USB stick is the natural home for this tool. Copy the entire extracted folder onto the stick, eject the stick properly, and you can walk to another Windows computer, plug in, open the folder, and run the executable directly from the stick. No installation on the host computer is needed, which is ideal for checking a friend’s slow laptop, testing a second-hand drive, or keeping a known-good benchmarking kit with your other utilities.

• Copy the folder, then verify on the stick itself that the executable and en-US folder are both present before you travel.
• Keep a small text note in the folder with the version, 2.0.7316.34247, so you never wonder which build is on an old stick.
• Run the tool from the stick, but select the computer’s internal drive in the drive drop-down if that is what you want to measure; the program’s location does not choose the test target.
• Eject properly after use, especially if you saved result screenshots to the same stick.

Remember that benchmark results belong to the drive selected inside the program, not to the drive the program sits on. Running from a slow USB stick does not make an internal SSD test slow, as long as you selected the internal drive. Conversely, if you deliberately test the USB stick itself, expect modest numbers; that is the stick being measured, not a fault in the tool.

What portable does and does not mean

Portable means the program does not require installation and does not depend on an installer having prepared the system. It still runs on Windows and still interacts with the system normally while it works: it needs a supported version of the .NET Framework present as many Windows tools do, it creates a temporary test file on whichever drive you benchmark, and that drive needs enough free space for the selected test size. Portable does not mean the test is read-only or that it works on other operating systems; there is no Mac or Linux edition of this tool.

It also means updates are manual and simple: there are none to chase. Version 2.0.7316.34247 from January 2020 is the final release, so a correctly kept portable folder today is the same tool you will use next year. If you download the ZIP again for a new computer, extract a fresh full folder rather than mixing new and old pieces together.

Troubleshooting portable problems

If the interface opens in German on a new machine, check the folder layout first, before changing any settings: is en-US really in the same folder as the executable you double-clicked, or did a shortcut or a partial copy separate them? Fix the layout, then use the Language menu to choose English. If the program does not start at all from a copied folder, re-extract a clean copy from the original ZIP and compare; a truncated copy from an interrupted transfer is a common cause, and the download page lists the file size and hash so you can verify the ZIP itself.

Used correctly, the portable design is the best thing about this tool: one small folder, carried anywhere, identical everywhere. Follow the main run workflow in how to use AS SSD Benchmark once your folder is in place, and your results from different computers stay comparable because the tool itself never changes.

How to Export AS SSD Results: Screenshot and XML Guide

A benchmark result you cannot find, prove, or explain later is only half useful. AS SSD Benchmark gives you two ways to keep a result from the File menu: a screenshot of the result window and an export to an XML file. This guide explains when to use each format, exactly what to save, what context to record alongside the numbers, and what to check before you share a result in a forum, with a seller, or with anyone helping you troubleshoot a slow drive.

The steps below assume a finished run in version 2.0.7316.34247. If you have not completed a run yet, follow running your first benchmark and come back when the main window shows all four rows and a total score. Get the tool itself from the download page if you need it.

Screenshot: the format most people should save

Open the File menu and choose Screenshot. The tool saves an image of its window showing the drive information at the top, the four result rows, and the scores. That single image is powerful because it contains the evidence helpers actually need: drive model and firmware, controller and alignment status, capacity, test results in their chosen unit, and the total score, all captured at the same moment under the same conditions.

Save the screenshot immediately after a run, before you change settings or run another test that overwrites the window. Give it a filename that identifies the drive and date rather than accepting a generic name you will not recognise in six months. Store screenshots for one drive together in a dated folder, so a timeline naturally builds up: first baseline, after a Windows reinstall, after moving the drive to a new machine, and so on.

Do not crop the image down to just the total score before sharing it. Cropping removes the top information lines that often contain the actual diagnosis, such as the wrong drive being tested, an alignment warning, or a controller running in a slower mode. A full-window screenshot lets someone help you. A cropped score mostly invites guesses.

Export to XML: the structured record

Also in the File menu, the Export option saves the result as an XML file. XML stores the values as structured text that software can read, which makes it useful for keeping precise records, building a personal log across many runs, or supplying exact numbers rather than reading them off an image. The values are the same results shown in the window; the export does not re-run anything or add new measurements.

A good habit is to save both formats for any run you care about: the screenshot for human eyes and quick sharing, and the XML with the same filename stem for the record. They take seconds to create together and cover both audiences. For a run you are only glancing at before re-testing on a quieter system, neither is necessary; export the run you are actually going to stand behind.

The context checklist: numbers alone are not enough

Two results with identical scores can mean different things, and two different scores can both be healthy, depending on context the window does not fully record. Before you share or file a result, note these items alongside it, in the filename, a small text note in the same folder, or your forum post itself:

• Test size: 1 GB by default, or 3, 5, or 10 GB if you changed it. Results at different sizes are not directly comparable.
• Display unit: whether the window was showing MB/s or IOPS from the View menu. State it when you quote numbers in text.
• Free space: roughly how full the drive was. A nearly full drive benchmarks differently from an empty one.
• What changed: new drive, new computer, driver or firmware change, Windows reinstall, or nothing at all since the last run.
• Conditions: anything unusual, such as a warm laptop, background updates running, or the drive connected through a USB enclosure rather than internally.

This checklist is also what separates a helpful forum post from a frustrating one. Helpers who can see the screenshot and read the context can often spot the issue immediately, for example alignment or controller mode visible at the top of the window. Without context they can only repeat generic advice, and you will be asked for exactly this information anyway.

Sharing results safely and honestly

Before sharing publicly, glance over the screenshot once. It shows drive model, firmware, and capacity, which most people are comfortable posting, and it does not contain your personal files or Windows username. Still, avoid adding unrelated screenshots of your desktop or file explorer that might show private folder names. Share the benchmark window, not your whole screen, when privacy matters.

Share honestly: post the run you actually got on a representative system, not the best of ten runs with everything else stripped away, and say if the drive was empty and freshly installed. An empty-drive result presented as a daily-driver result misleads everyone, including you later. If your score looks low, resist editing or re-running until it looks respectable; a low, well-documented result is exactly what gets a problem diagnosed. For the next steps when a total disappoints, our troubleshooting coverage starting with why an AS SSD score is too low works through the common causes in order.

Building a useful results history

Keep baselines for every drive you own, export after major changes, and resist deleting poor results; the poor ones are the diagnostic gold. Over time your folder becomes a personal reference that no review site can give you, because it tracks your drives, in your computer, under your workloads. When you replace a drive, the old exports let you verify that the new one is genuinely performing as it should in the same system.

In short: screenshot for sharing, XML for the record, both with the same clear name, and always with test size, unit, free space, and what changed written alongside. That small discipline is the difference between a pile of mystery images and a benchmark history that can actually answer questions. It connects directly to the main workflow in how to use AS SSD Benchmark, where saving the result is the final step of every proper run.

AS SSD Compression-Benchmark Explained: Reading the Graph

Under the Tools menu of AS SSD Benchmark sits the Compression-Benchmark, a graph that confuses many first-time users. Instead of one speed number, it draws lines that rise, fall, or stay flat as the test data becomes less compressible. That shape is the result. This guide explains how to run the test, how to read its graph in plain language, and why the compressibility of data can change the speed of some controllers while leaving others almost untouched.

Start with the standard tool from the download page and a normal main-window run first, following the main how-to-use tutorial. The compression graph is easiest to interpret when you already know your sequential read and write figures, because the graph is essentially a deeper look at how those sequential transfers behave with different kinds of data.

What compressible data means

Some data can be squeezed into a smaller representation without losing anything. A text file full of repeated words compresses a lot. A ZIP archive, a JPEG photo, or an encrypted file is already squeezed or effectively random, so it barely compresses at all. The Compression-Benchmark fills its test data with a controlled mix, moving from highly compressible content at the left of the graph to incompressible content at the right, and measures transfer speed at each step.

Why would a storage drive care? Some SSD controllers have historically used compression inside the drive as part of how they write data: if incoming data can be compressed on the fly, the controller writes less physical data than the computer sent, which can make the transfer finish faster and reduce writing work. Other controllers do not rely on that technique and handle every gigabyte the same way regardless of its content. The graph reveals which behaviour your drive shows, without you needing to know its internal design in advance.

How to run the Compression-Benchmark

Select the target drive in the main window, open Tools, and choose Compression-Benchmark. Press Start in the new window and wait. The test works through its data patterns and draws read and write lines across the graph, with data compressibility along the horizontal axis and speed in MB/s on the vertical axis. It can take a while, because it is running many passes rather than one quick measurement.

Run it on a quiet system with enough free space, just as you would the main test. Close heavy background work, let any earlier benchmark finish and the drive settle, and do not compare a graph from a busy system with one from an idle system. Keep the resulting graph image with your main screenshot if you are documenting a drive for troubleshooting or for a forum question, because the shape often explains arguments that a single Seq number cannot settle.

Reading the graph: flat, sloping, and stepped shapes

A flat line means speed barely changes from compressible to incompressible data. The drive delivers roughly the same sequential performance whatever you feed it. For most users this is the most predictable behaviour: the speed you see with ordinary mixed files is the speed the graph shows everywhere.

A line that starts high and slopes down to the right means the drive is faster with highly compressible data and slower once the data can no longer be compressed. The left side of that graph flatters the drive if your real files are mostly already-compressed media, archives, and encrypted data. Read the right side of the graph as the more realistic figure for that kind of workload, and read the gap between the two sides as the size of the compression effect.

An uneven or stepped line can appear when the controller changes strategy at certain points, or when other factors such as heat, free space, or background activity intrude during a long test. Do not over-interpret a single jagged run. Re-run once on a quiet, settled system and look at the overall shape rather than every small bump.

• Compare read and write lines separately; write is where compression effects usually show most clearly.
• Note the speed at the far right (incompressible) as your conservative sequential figure.
• Note the speed at the far left, but do not quote it alone as the drive speed without saying the data was highly compressible.
• Compare shapes between drives, not just peak heights; a slightly lower flat line can be better in real use than a high line that collapses.

Why this matters when comparing benchmarks

Different benchmark tools use different test data. A tool that tests mainly with highly compressible data can make a compression-assisted controller look exceptionally fast, while a tool using incompressible data shows the same drive in a more modest light. Neither result is fabricated; they are measuring with different material. This is a classic reason two honest benchmarks of the same SSD disagree, and why a single headline number, quoted without its test conditions, is worth so little.

For your own comparisons, keep the material constant. Compare your drives with the same tool and same settings, and use the main AS SSD test size consistently too, as explained in test size 1 GB vs 10 GB. When a manufacturer’s advertised speed looks far above everything you measure, check what data pattern and workload produced that figure before you assume your drive is faulty.

What the graph does not tell you

The Compression-Benchmark is about sequential transfers with varying data. It does not replace the random 4K rows that describe everyday responsiveness, and it does not measure health, temperature, or endurance. A beautiful flat graph on a drive with weak 4K results will still feel ordinary in Windows. Read it alongside the main window and, for file workloads, the Copy-Benchmark, which varies file shape rather than data content.

In short, the graph is a honesty test for sequential speed. Flat means what you see is what you get with any data. Sloping down means early, compressible numbers flatter the drive and the right-hand side is your realistic planning figure. Once you can read that shape, manufacturer claims, review charts, and your own results all become much easier to reconcile.

AS SSD Copy-Benchmark Explained: ISO, Program and Game

The main AS SSD Benchmark window measures synthetic speed: sequential, random 4K, and access time. The Copy-Benchmark answers a more everyday question: how fast does this drive copy real collections of files? It lives under the Tools menu, it is not part of the main Start button score, and it tests three familiar patterns named ISO, Program, and Game. This guide explains what each pattern contains, how to run the test, and how to read the two numbers it gives you for each scenario without confusing them with the main score.

You need version 2.0.7316.34247 from the download page extracted as a complete portable folder. If you have not run the main benchmark yet, do that first using how to use AS SSD Benchmark, because the copy results make more sense next to your Seq and 4K rows than they do on their own.

How to open and run the Copy-Benchmark

Open AS SSD Benchmark, select the drive you want to test at the top of the main window, then open Tools and choose Copy-Benchmark. A separate window appears with the three scenarios and a Start button. The test creates folders of test files on the selected drive and copies them using operating system cache functions, timing how long each copy takes and reporting both duration and speed.

Make sure the selected drive has a few gigabytes of free space and that no other heavy copy or download is running. Because this test copies within the same drive, it exercises reading and writing at the same time on that one device. That is different from copying from one SSD to another in daily use, where the slower of the two drives and the connection between them can limit the result. Keep that in mind when you compare copy numbers with real file transfers between drives.

The test takes longer than a glance at the window suggests, especially the Program scenario with its many small files. Let it finish all three rows. Stopping halfway leaves you with the least interesting part of the picture, because the contrast between the three patterns is the whole point of the tool.

ISO: two large files

The ISO scenario copies two large image files. Large, continuous files are the friendliest workload for any storage drive: the data flows in long sequential streams, there is little per-file overhead, and the drive can work close to its sequential capability. Expect ISO to show the highest copy speed of the three scenarios on almost every drive.

Read the ISO row as your best-case copy speed on this drive. It is relevant for moving disk images, large archives, virtual machine files, and big video files around on the same drive. If even the ISO copy is slow, look for a general problem: a nearly full drive, a slow connection for an external drive, heavy background activity, or a drive that slows sharply during sustained writes. Compare it with the Seq row from the main window; they will not match exactly, because one is a synthetic measurement and the other is a timed copy through the operating system, but they should tell a similar story.

Program: many small files

The Program scenario copies a typical program folder: a mix that includes many small files alongside larger ones. Every file carries overhead: it must be opened, created at the destination, written, and closed, and the file system must update its records for each one. Thousands of small operations turn a copy into a random, stop-start workload rather than a smooth stream.

Expect Program to be the slowest of the three, often dramatically slower than ISO on the same drive. That drop is normal and it is valuable information. It mirrors installing software, copying a development project with thousands of small files, or moving a photo library of small files. A drive with strong 4K random performance in the main window usually holds up better here than a drive that only shines in sequential speed. If Program is painfully slow while ISO looks fine, your bottleneck is small-file handling, not raw bandwidth.

Game: a mixed folder

The Game scenario copies a folder modelled on a game installation: a mixture of large data files and smaller files. It sits between the other two in character and usually in speed as well, closer to ISO when the large files dominate and dragged down by the small files mixed in with them.

For many users Game is the most realistic single row. Modern applications, game libraries, and project folders are rarely one giant file or thousands of tiny ones; they are a blend. When someone asks how fast this drive copies in real life, the Game row, read together with Program, is a more honest answer than the headline sequential number from the main window.

How to read the results table

Each scenario reports a time and a speed in MB/s. Use the speed to compare scenarios and drives, and the time to sanity-check the experience: it is literally how long that copy took. Read the three rows as a profile, not as three separate scores to average. A healthy profile usually slopes downward from ISO through Game to Program. A profile that is flat and low everywhere points to a general limit. A profile with a strong ISO and a collapsed Program points to small-file weakness.

• ISO high, Game mid, Program low: the normal pattern; the spread shows the cost of small files.
• All three low: check free space, background load, connection type for external drives, and sustained-write behaviour.
• Program unusually close to ISO: a strong result; small-file handling is a strength of this setup.
• Results vary wildly between runs: something else was using the drive; re-run on a quiet system before concluding anything.

The Copy-Benchmark produces no total score and does not change your main AS SSD score. That is a feature. It keeps a practical, file-based measurement separate from the synthetic score so you can use each for what it is good at. Save the copy window alongside your main screenshot when you document a drive, especially if your real workload is file-heavy.

Copy-Benchmark vs the Compression-Benchmark

The other Tools menu test, the Compression-Benchmark, varies the data itself, testing how speed changes as data becomes more or less compressible. The Copy-Benchmark instead varies the shape of the workload: large files, small files, and a mix. Drives can look different under each lens. Reading both gives a fuller picture, so continue with the Compression-Benchmark explained when you are ready.

Used well, the Copy-Benchmark stops an argument that synthetic numbers often start. Instead of debating whether a drive is fast in the abstract, you can point to how long it took to copy a program-like folder on your own system. That is slower to run than the main test, but for upgrades, external drives, and troubleshooting slow file operations, it is often the more persuasive evidence.

AS SSD Test Size: 1 GB vs 3 GB vs 5 GB vs 10 GB Explained

In AS SSD Benchmark you can choose a test file size of 1, 3, 5, or 10 GB, and the default is 1 GB. New users often assume bigger must be more accurate, or worry that 1 GB is somehow cheating. Neither is quite right. The test size changes how long the test runs, how much data is written, and how much of a drive’s sustained behaviour you see. This guide explains what actually changes with each size, when the default is the right choice, and when a larger file tells you something the default cannot.

Whichever size you pick, get the tool from the download page and compare results only against results taken at the same size. A 1 GB result and a 10 GB result from the same drive are not interchangeable, and mixing sizes is one of the easiest ways to create a fake problem or hide a real one. If you are new to the workflow itself, start with how to use AS SSD Benchmark first.

What the test size actually controls

The synthetic tests create a test file of the chosen size on the selected drive and measure reading and writing against it. Sequential speed is measured over that file, the random 4K tests work within it, and the write access time uses the test file as well. Choosing 10 GB does not change what Seq, 4K, or 4K-64Thrd mean, and it does not unlock extra tests. It gives the drive a larger workload, which takes longer and can expose behaviour that a short test finishes before revealing.

Think of it like timing a car. A short sprint tells you how quickly it accelerates. A longer run tells you whether it can hold that pace. Both are real measurements, but they answer different questions. Most people asking is my SSD working properly need the sprint and the standard comparison numbers. People investigating slowdowns during long copies, game installs, or video work may need the longer run as a second step.

The 1 GB default: fast, standard, and comparable

Use 1 GB for your baseline, for quick health checks after a change, and for any comparison with screenshots you find in reviews or forums. It finishes in a few minutes on most SSDs, writes the least data, and is the size used in the overwhelming majority of shared results. If a review does not state its test size, it almost certainly used the default, although you should still treat unstated settings with caution.

The limitation of 1 GB is that it is short. Some drives can deliver very fast bursts for a short workload and then settle to a lower sustained speed during a long write, as internal buffers fill and the drive has to work harder to keep up. A 1 GB test may finish inside that fast opening phase. That does not make the result false; it makes it a short-workload result. It tells you little about a 40 GB game install.

3 GB and 5 GB: the middle ground

The 3 GB and 5 GB options are a compromise. They take noticeably longer than 1 GB and push past the shortest burst behaviour, without the time and write volume of a full 10 GB run. They are a reasonable second test when your 1 GB sequential write looks fine but real-world large copies feel slow, or when you want a more demanding check on a drive with plenty of free space.

You still cannot compare a 5 GB score directly with a 1 GB score as if the settings matched. Keep a separate record for each size, label screenshots clearly, and re-run at 1 GB when you need the standard comparison number. Middle sizes are diagnostic tools, not replacements for the baseline.

10 GB: sustained writes and drives that slow down

Choose 10 GB when your question is specifically about sustained performance: large writes that start fast and then drop, drives that feel fine in short tasks but crawl during installs, or checking a drive you plan to use for video capture or large project files. The longer write gives buffers time to fill and the drive time to settle into its sustained pace, so the sequential write row in particular may come out lower than at 1 GB. That lower number is information, not an error.

The costs are time and writes. A 10 GB run takes much longer, needs at least 10 GB of free space plus working room, and writes considerably more data. On an old drive, a nearly full drive, or a laptop running hot, those costs matter. Do not run 10 GB repeatedly in a loop. Once or twice to answer a sustained-performance question is enough, then return to 1 GB for routine checks.

How size affects each row differently

Sequential write is the row most likely to change with size, for the sustained-write reasons above. Sequential read usually changes less, because reading does not fill write buffers in the same way. 4K and 4K-64Thrd are about random access patterns rather than long continuous transfers, so their results tend to move less with file size, although a larger file and a fuller drive can still add some variation. Access time for writes uses the test file, while read access time is measured differently, so do not expect every row to shift by the same proportion.

The Compression-Benchmark is a different lens on a related question: it varies how compressible the data is rather than how large the file is. If your concern is that results change with the type of data, read the Compression-Benchmark explained alongside this guide. Size and compressibility are separate variables; change one at a time when you are diagnosing.

A practical testing routine

• Baseline every drive at 1 GB on a quiet system and save the screenshot.
• If large real-world writes feel slow despite a good baseline, run once at 5 GB or 10 GB and compare mainly the sequential write pattern.
• Free space, close background work, and let the drive cool between large runs so heat does not confuse the comparison.
• Record size, free space, and date with every saved result; never compare totals across different sizes.
• Return to 1 GB for follow-up checks so you can track change over time against your original baseline.

In short: 1 GB is not a toy setting and 10 GB is not the real test. The default is the standard for quick, comparable benchmarks. Larger sizes are for a specific sustained-write question, they cost time and writes, and a lower sequential write at 10 GB usually reveals how the drive behaves over a long workload rather than proving it is broken. Choose the size that matches your question, label it, and compare like with like.

Run Your First AS SSD Benchmark: Step-by-Step First Test

Your first AS SSD Benchmark run should be boring in the best possible way: a quiet computer, the correct drive selected, the default 1 GB test size, and a saved screenshot at the end. This hands-on guide tells you exactly what to close before you start, how long to expect the test to take, what to watch while it runs, and how to keep the result so it is still useful months later when you compare a new drive, a firmware change, or a Windows reinstall.

You do not need to tune Windows or change any advanced settings for a first run. In fact, changing settings before you have a baseline makes the result harder to interpret. Get one clean baseline first, following the general workflow in how to use AS SSD Benchmark, and only then experiment. If the tool is not on your computer yet, get it from the download page and extract the whole ZIP folder before you continue.

Before you start: a five-minute preparation checklist

Preparation matters because AS SSD Benchmark measures the drive while Windows is live. Anything else using that drive at the same time competes for its attention and lowers or scatters the numbers, especially in the random 4K tests. A few minutes of tidying up gives you a result you can trust and repeat.

• Close heavy programs: pause game downloads and updates, video renders, large file copies, cloud sync uploads, and virtual machines stored on the target drive.
• Let Windows settle: after booting, wait a few minutes for startup programs, indexing, and update checks to finish before you run the test.
• Check free space: make sure the drive has comfortably more free space than the test file. At the default 1 GB size, several gigabytes free is a sensible minimum; a nearly full SSD is slower and less consistent.
• Plug in laptops: run on mains power with a balanced or high-performance power plan, so power saving does not throttle the system mid-test.
• Note the drive temperature context: a drive that has just finished a huge copy job may be warm. Let the system idle briefly if you have just hammered it.

You do not need to disconnect from the internet or disable security software for a normal first run. Keep the setup close to how you actually use the computer, just without active heavy work in the background. That balance gives a realistic baseline rather than an artificial best case that you will never reproduce in daily use.

Extract and open the tool correctly

Extract the ZIP you downloaded into its own folder and keep the executable and the en-US language folder together. Double-click the executable; the tool is portable and does not install anything. If the window opens in German, do not panic and do not reinstall. Use the Language menu to switch to English, and check that the en-US folder sits next to the executable. Our companion guide to the German interface and how to switch it to English explains why that happens.

At the top of the window, select your SSD from the drive drop-down. Verify the model name and capacity shown under the drop-down. Many computers list several drives, including USB sticks and external drives, and testing the wrong one is the most common first-run mistake. It wastes time and produces a confusingly slow or fast result that has nothing to do with your main SSD.

Settings for a first run: change nothing

Leave the test size at 1 GB. Leave all the synthetic test checkboxes selected. Leave the display in MB/s. Those defaults are what most published screenshots use, which makes your result easy to compare. The main window covers sequential speed, random 4K speed at one thread, random 4K speed across 64 threads, and access time. Together they give a balanced picture: sequential for large transfers, 4K for everyday responsiveness, 4K-64Thrd for heavy multitasking loads, and access time for latency.

Do not start with the 10 GB size to be thorough. A bigger file takes longer, writes ten times as much data in that test, and answers a different question about sustained behaviour. It has its place, and we explain the trade-offs in test size 1 GB vs 10 GB, but a baseline should use the size everyone else uses for a quick comparison: 1 GB.

Press Start: what happens and how long it takes

Click Start. The program creates its test file on the selected drive and works through the read tests and write tests in order. The result table fills in row by row, and the running score appears at the end. On a typical SATA or NVMe SSD at 1 GB, expect a few minutes from start to finish. Older or nearly full drives take longer. A mechanical hard drive can take far longer, sometimes approaching an hour for the full set, because random access and access time tests are painfully slow on spinning disks.

While it runs, leave the mouse and keyboard alone as much as you can. Do not browse a drive-heavy photo library, do not start a game, and do not run Windows Update. If you notice the system was busy anyway, for example a sync client started uploading, it is better to abort, let the system settle, and restart the test than to keep a polluted result and wonder later why it looks odd.

Watch the access time and 4K rows with realistic expectations. New users often focus only on the big sequential number because it looks impressive and is the number used in advertising. In everyday Windows use, the 4K row and access time often explain how snappy a system feels far better. A first run is as much about learning which row matters for which task as it is about the score itself.

When it finishes: check the result before you save it

First, confirm the run completed every row and shows a total score. A partial run after an abort is not a baseline. Second, glance at the top information again: does the controller line and alignment status look normal, and was the correct drive tested? Third, ask whether the pattern makes sense. Sequential much higher than 4K is normal. Access time in milliseconds should be a small fraction for an SSD and much larger for a hard drive. If one number looks wildly out of line compared with the others, run the test once more on a quiet system before you draw conclusions.

Small run-to-run variation is normal. A few percent difference in sequential speed or 4K speed between two runs on different days is not a problem. What matters is a consistent pattern or a large drop. That is why a saved baseline is valuable: without it, you have only a feeling that the drive used to be faster, and feelings do not diagnose anything.

Save the screenshot and the XML the right way

From the File menu, save a screenshot of the finished window and export the XML result. Give the files useful names that include the drive and date, for example the model plus the year and month, and store them together in a benchmarks folder. Keep the context notes with them: test size, free space, and anything unusual about that day, such as a new driver or a fresh Windows install.

A screenshot is best for sharing in a forum post or comparing side by side. The XML export keeps the structured numbers. A dedicated guide to exporting AS SSD results shows both options and what to include when you ask others for help. When you do share, include the full window, not a cropped score alone, because helpers need to see the drive model, controller, and alignment lines at the top to give useful advice.

What to do next

Keep your baseline and use the computer normally. Re-run the same 1 GB test after a major change, such as moving the drive to a new computer, changing controller mode in the BIOS, or freeing a large amount of space, and compare like with like. If the new total is far lower and repeats across runs, work through alignment and controller checks next rather than re-running the benchmark ten times hoping for a better number. A good first run is not the highest run; it is a clean, documented run you can repeat.

How to Use AS SSD Benchmark: Complete Beginner Tutorial

AS SSD Benchmark is a small, freeware Windows tool by Alexej Schepeljanski that measures how fast a solid-state drive reads and writes data. The final version is 2.0.7316.34247, built in January 2020. It does not need to be installed, it does not use the operating system cache for its synthetic tests, and it shows its results in four clear rows plus a total score. This tutorial walks you through the complete workflow: getting the file safely, extracting it correctly, choosing the right drive, running the full test set, reading the four result rows, and saving your result so you can compare it later.

If you have never run the tool before, do not worry about changing any settings on your first run. The defaults are sensible for most drives: a 1 GB test file, all synthetic tests selected, and results shown in MB/s. You can change the test size and the display unit later once you understand what each row means. For a guided first run with extra preparation tips, see our step-by-step guide to running your first benchmark.

Step 1: Download and extract the portable package

Start from the download page, which links to the file served by the official site, alex-is.de. The download is a small ZIP archive. Save it to a folder you can find again, such as Downloads, and check the file size and hash listed on that page if you want to confirm the file is intact before you open it.

Right-click the ZIP and choose Extract All, then pick a plain folder such as Desktop\AS-SSD or C:\Tools\AS-SSD. Inside you should see the AS SSD Benchmark executable together with a language folder named en-US. Keep those items together in the same folder. The program is portable, so there is no installer and no setup wizard. If you move or copy the tool later, copy the whole folder, not just the executable, otherwise the interface may start in German. That portable layout is explained in detail in our guide to using AS SSD Benchmark as a portable tool.

Step 2: Start the program and check the top information

Double-click the executable. No installation happens; the main window opens directly. If Windows asks for confirmation, allow the program to run. At the top of the window you will see a drop-down list of drives, the drive model and firmware, the controller or driver name, the partition alignment status, and the total capacity of the selected drive.

Read that top area before you press Start. Confirm the drive letter and model match the SSD you actually want to test. It is easy to leave an external USB drive or a secondary hard drive selected by mistake. Also note the alignment and controller lines: green OK indicators are what you want to see. If something there looks wrong, finish the run first and then investigate, because the benchmark numbers alone will not tell you whether alignment or controller mode is the cause.

Step 3: Choose the drive and the test size

Use the drive drop-down at the top left to select the target drive. Only select a drive that has enough free space for the test file. The default test size is 1 GB, and you can choose 1, 3, 5, or 10 GB from the size selector. For a first test, and for most comparisons with results you find online, leave it at 1 GB. Larger files take longer and write more data to the drive, and they are mainly useful when you want to see how a drive behaves during longer, sustained writes.

Make sure the checkboxes for the synthetic tests are selected if you want the standard score. The full set includes sequential, 4K, and 4K-64Thrd tests for both reading and writing, plus access time. The separate Copy-Benchmark and Compression-Benchmark are found under the Tools menu and are not part of the main Start button run. Leaving them for later is normal.

Step 4: Run the full test set

Click Start and leave the computer alone while the tests run. The program creates a temporary test file on the selected drive, runs six synthetic tests, and fills in the read column and the write column as each test completes. A typical SSD finishes in a few minutes. A hard drive can take much longer, because the same tests that are quick on flash storage are slow on spinning media, especially the random 4K and access time tests.

Do not use the drive heavily during the run. Opening documents is harmless, but copying large files, installing a game, or running another benchmark at the same time will distort the numbers. If a test seems stuck, give it time first, particularly on a nearly full drive or a hard drive. You can stop a run with the Abort button, but a stopped run does not produce a comparable total score.

Step 5: Read the four result rows

When the run finishes you will see four rows. Seq is sequential read and write speed in MB/s, measured with the 1 GB test file by default. It describes large, continuous transfers such as copying a large video file. 4K is random reading and writing of 4 KB blocks at a queue depth of one. It is closer to the small, scattered access that happens when Windows and programs load many small pieces of data. 4K-64Thrd spreads the 4K work across 64 threads, which shows how the drive handles many simultaneous requests. Acc.time is access time in milliseconds; lower is better here, unlike the speed rows where higher is better.

Below the rows the tool shows a read score, a write score, and a total score. As a simplified guide, the read score is described as Seq Read × 0.1 + 4K Read + 4K-64Thrd Read, with a similar simplified pattern for write. Treat that as a simplified explanation, not a precise formula to reverse-engineer every point. The important lesson is that the total is weighted heavily toward random performance, so a drive with a spectacular sequential number can still receive a modest total if its 4K results are weak. For a fuller walkthrough of every row and score, read how to read AS SSD scores.

You can switch the display between MB/s and IOPS from the View menu. MB/s is easier for most people to compare. IOPS, meaning input/output operations per second, is useful when you are comparing random performance figures quoted by drive makers or other tools. The underlying result is the same; only the unit changes. Note which unit a screenshot uses before you compare it with someone else’s result.

Step 6: Save and export your result

Save the result before you close the program. From the File menu you can take a screenshot of the result window and export the result as an XML file. The screenshot is the easiest format to share and to keep in a folder with your build notes. The XML file stores the numbers in a structured form. When you share a result, include the drive model, capacity, how full the drive was, and the test size, because all of those affect the numbers. Our dedicated guide to exporting AS SSD results covers the menu options and sharing checklist in detail.

What to do with your result

A single run is a snapshot, not a verdict. Run the test two or three times at different moments and compare the pattern rather than obsessing over a small difference in one row. If sequential speed is close to what you expect for your interface but 4K is unusually weak, look at controller mode, alignment, free space, and background activity before you assume the drive is failing. AS SSD Benchmark measures performance only. It does not show SMART health, temperature, or remaining life, so use a health tool alongside it when you are worried about the condition of a drive, not just its speed.

That is the complete basic workflow: extract the whole portable folder, select the correct drive, run at 1 GB, read Seq, 4K, 4K-64Thrd, and access time together, and save a screenshot plus an XML export. Once that feels familiar, explore the Copy-Benchmark and Compression-Benchmark from the Tools menu to see how your drive handles real file patterns and compressible data.