Hard Drive or Solid State Drive? Which one is better for you?
If you have ever shopped around for a new computer or looked into upgrading the one you already have, you may have seen some references to solid state drives. While solid state drives aren't a particularly new technology, few people know of them and the benefits they have to offer. Below we will give an in-depth explanation of both types of storage technologies, and the differences between them. By the end of this blog, you should be able to easily identify which type of drive best meets your needs.
If your computer is older, it's much more likely to have a traditional hard drive. A traditional hard drive is one that has mechanical parts inside of it. These parts consist of a circular disk (called a platter) that spins inside. Another mechanical part, called the read-write arm extends over the platter. As the platter spins, the arm collects or deposits information. The faster the platter spins, the faster the hard drive can
exchange information with the operating system or the programs on the computer. Over time, these parts wear down, and the exchange of information becomes slower. Like anything with mechanical parts, this type of drive wears down with use. This means that it slows down as you add more things onto it. The advantage to this type of drive is that it tends to be cheaper, and they are often capable of storing larger quantities of data than a solid state drive.
Unlike the mechanical hard drives, the solid state drive has no moving parts. Think of it like a USB memory stick, just scaled up in size and slightly more technologically advanced. Because of this design, they do not slow down as you add more information to them. In fact, they don't slow down at all, ever! Also, these drives tend to be physically
smaller than traditional drives, and can often use more advanced connections in your PC to make them even faster. For example, many solid state drives use a SATA III port inside the computer, but can also use the much faster PCIe connection or M.2 port. The disadvantage with these drives is the cost, they tend to be more expensive than traditional drives. Also, the capacity tends to be smaller than what the mechanical drives are capable of.
Ultimately, you want to choose the type of drive that best meets your needs. If you're on a small budget looking for large capacities (more than 2tb), and don't mind slower speeds, than a traditional hard drive is probably best for you. However, if you're looking for a fast, reliable drive and don't mind spending a little bit more money, than a solid state drive is exactly what you need.
Looking to upgrade your computer? Call us here at RizTech, we can help. 330.952.1225.