TBW means terabytes written. On an SSD specification sheet, it is an endurance rating that indicates the amount of data the manufacturer rates the drive to write over its warranty life. It is not the drive’s storage capacity, and it does not predict the exact day a particular SSD will stop working.

For creators, the figure is one part of comparing drives used for footage, project files, editing cache and exports. Check the exact model’s specifications and warranty: ratings and terms differ between products. Samsung’s SSD Q&A explains TBW, while its warranty page says coverage ends when the stated time period or TBW limit is reached, whichever comes first.

What TBW tells you

An SSD receives writes whenever data is saved to it. TBW puts a rated total on those writes. A higher TBW rating means the manufacturer specifies a higher written-data threshold for that model, but compare drives in the context of their capacity, intended workload and warranty details.

The number is not an extra pool of space you can fill with video. A 2 TB drive with a particular TBW rating still has 2 TB of nominal capacity; the TBW figure describes rated writing endurance across the product’s warranty terms. It also is not a guaranteed failure point: actual drive health depends on the product and how it is used.

How it relates to editing

An editing setup can write source footage, optimized or proxy media, cache files, project versions and rendered exports. How much writing happens depends on the application, settings, project and workflow, so there is no single daily TBW number that applies to every video editor.

If you want to understand your own drive usage, check the manufacturer’s documentation and available drive-health tools. Samsung, for example, says its Magician software reports drive health. Monitoring is useful context, but it does not replace maintaining backups of original footage and project files.

What to check before buying

Look up the exact SSD model rather than comparing a product family headline. Confirm its capacity, interface compatibility, rated TBW and warranty conditions. Make sure the drive fits your computer or enclosure and supports the workflow you need; endurance is only one specification among several.

TBW can help you interpret an endurance rating, but it cannot guarantee a drive’s lifespan or protect your files if a device is lost, damaged or fails. Keep a separate backup of important footage and project files, and check the drive maker’s current health and warranty documentation for the model you own.

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