It turns out that a cheap SSD with QLC memory can be turned into an SSD with SLC memory. An enthusiast did it with a Crucial BX500, reducing the volume by four times

Such a drive will be more reliable

Many modern cheap SSDs are based on QLC memory, which has reduced durability compared to TLC or older memory types. It turned out that you can take such a drive and actually turn QLC memory into SLC.  

The author of the channel Gabriel Ferraz – Detetive Virtual de Hardware did this using the example of an affordable Crucial BX500 512 GB drive. After certain manipulations, it seemed to turn into a 120 GB SSD, but with SLC memory.  

The essence of the modification is to flash the Silicon Motion SM2259XT2 controller using the MPtools application. After this, the software will detect the drive as 120 GB based on SLC memory.  

According to the tests and calculations of the author, the TBW indicator after these manipulations increases by about 3000%, to 4000. That is, the SSD, in theory, will last many times longer. 

As for changes in data transfer speed, due to the limitation of the SATA III interface, they are virtually absent, but delays are reduced.