nvme-cli as a Linux alternative to CrystalDiskInfo
Updated
Our verdict
nvme-cli is a capable tool for reading SMART data and health status on NVMe drives, making it a solid replacement for CrystalDiskInfo if you only use NVMe SSDs and are comfortable with the command line. It reports temperature, power-on hours, and overall health. However, it does not support SATA or other non-NVMe drives, so users with mixed drive types will need additional tools. It lacks GUI and automatic notifications. Best suited for experienced Linux users focused on NVMe hardware.
- License
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 3.1
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Reads SMART attributes from NVMe SSDs
- Reports drive health status (using SMART data)
- Displays temperature and power-on hours
- Supports multiple NVMe drives simultaneously
- Provides low-level controller information
What is different
- nvme-cli is command-line only, no GUI
- Only works with NVMe drives, not SATA or other interfaces
- No built-in alerting or background monitoring
- Does not show health as 'Good/Caution/Bad' with color codes
- No automatic startup or system tray presence
Opening your CrystalDiskInfo files
CrystalDiskInfo saves drive data in its own format (e.g., .cdi files), which nvme-cli cannot read or import. nvme-cli does not export data to any structured file format by default; output is plain text. Users must manually log or redirect CLI output to a file. There is no direct compatibility between the two tools' data files.
Switching from CrystalDiskInfo to nvme-cli, step by step
- Install nvme-cli using your distro's package manager (e.g., sudo apt install nvme-cli)
- Run 'nvme list' to see all NVMe drives
- Use 'nvme smart-log /dev/nvme0n1' to check SMART data for a drive
- Check temperature and power-on hours in the smart-log output
- Set up a cron job or script if you want periodic monitoring
Key features of nvme-cli
- Read SMART health information
- Display controller and namespace details
- Update firmware
- Create, delete, and resize namespaces
- Perform secure erase and format operations
- Set and get feature flags
- Support for NVMe over Fabrics
- Works on all major Linux distros
How to install nvme-cli on Linux
sudo apt install nvme-clisudo apt install nvme-clisudo dnf install nvme-clisudo pacman -S nvme-clisudo zypper install nvme-cliFrequently asked questions
Can nvme-cli monitor my SATA SSD like CrystalDiskInfo does?
No, nvme-cli only works with NVMe drives. For SATA SSDs, use smartmontools with 'smartctl'.
Is there a GUI alternative that does what CrystalDiskInfo does on Linux?
Yes, tools like GSmartControl provide a GUI for SMART data and support both NVMe and SATA drives.
How do I get alerts if my NVMe drive fails?
nvme-cli doesn't do alerts. Use smartmontools with email scripts or systemd services to monitor and notify.
