An HDD uses a spinning [...]]]> There are two primary types of Hard Drives – the computer’s mass storage device.  One is a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) and the other is a Solid State Drive (SSD).  The primary difference between the two is that the HDD has a higher capacity, while the SSD has the faster performance.

An HDD uses a spinning disk to access and store memory.  The speed of this disk is listed in RPMs which means that the higher the RPMs, the faster the drive.  The basic HDD starts at 5400 RPM and some drives go to 10,000 or even 15,000 RPM.  There will be some increase in noise with the faster drive, but many manufacturers attempt to make the faster drives as quiet as possible.  The size of HDDs can be found from 160GB to the very spacious drives of 2TB.

An SSD has no moving parts.  It uses flash memory and is more like a data stick or memory card.  These qualities give it a faster access speed and make it more fall resistant. Additionally it will be both cooler and quieter than an HDD.  The capacities of SSDs remain low unless you are willing to spend more money, though the price of SSDs has steadily decreased as demand has increased. The SSD shines particularly in boot time and starting applications.  The access speed of the SSD shaves time from the boot up process and can start applications almost instantaneously.  This has led people to use SSDs as their Operating System drive, while keeping an HDD for storage of media files.

Thus, choosing between an HDD and an SSD depends upon the needs of the computer system being built or upgraded.  HDDs continually outperform when it comes to size and price, but SSDs are faster, quieter, and cooler, even if more expensive.

The primary advantage is speed.  Without moving parts, the drive is able to access the date faster.  This allows [...]]]> A Solid State Drive (SSD) has no moving parts, utilizing flash memory to store and access data.  This is similar to a data stick.  This gives the SSD some advantages over a mechanical Hard Disk Drive (HDD).

The primary advantage is speed.  Without moving parts, the drive is able to access the date faster.  This allows for faster boot times, which is one of the main reasons that SSDs are becoming favorites as Operating System Drives.  Depending upon the model and the computer system running the drive, upwards of ten seconds can be saved from boot up time.  The Windows 7 promise of an eleven second boot up (not including the bios startup time) was demonstrated using a SSD.  Applications themselves, such as Word will load almost instantaneously.

Another advantage appreciated by computer enthusiasts is the low emission of heat.  Without moving parts, namely a spinning disk, the heat generated by the drive is minimal.  This allows for a cooler computer, which is very important in higher end gaming machines or for computer users who like to overclock their CPU.

The lack of moving parts also means that the drive is almost completely silent, which is something that can be appreciated by everyone.  An HDD using spinning disks can get very loud, especially the higher RPM drives used in performance machines.  An SSD is thus able to outperform even the higher RPM drives without any noise.

The high performance of SSDs and the added benefits of no noise and very low heat combine to make a versatile means of mass storage.  As time progresses, it is beginning to see more and more use in mainstream consumer devices.  It is only limited by the relatively small size and the price to size ratio.  However, SSDs continue to be very useful for laptops and netbooks and as Operating System Drives on Desktops, and the consensus is that once storage capacity is upgraded on SSDs they will replace HDDs.