The hard drive is where your data is stored. Previously, all but the most high-end computers came with HDD (Hard Disk Drive), but developments in technology and the affordability of new innovations, means that many commercial laptops and desktops either come with an SSD (Solid State Drive) as standard, or can be upgraded to one at much lower cost than ever before.
There are pros and cons to both types of drive that the consumer must weigh up before deciding which type they want in their computer.
HDD
An HDD drive is comprised of many disks that are coated in a magnesium compound. When you use your computer, the disks are spun at high speed and drive heads move across them, reading data to allow you to open documents and run programs, or recording data, meaning you can save documents and mount new applications.Pros
The technology for HDD drives has been around for decades (six, to be precise) and so manufacturers have become very adept at producing them. This means they are relatively cheap. It also means that they can produce large data capacity drives for competitive costs, with some HDD drives allowing for 6TB of data recording.Furthermore, because this type of drive has been the default setting for computers for so long, they are integrated with the operating systems, meaning you don't need extra software to run them.
Cons
While capacity may be high, performance tends to suffer. The spinning disks often take several seconds to get up to speed, meaning it takes longer for your computer to boot up.The moving parts in the HHD drive are also tend to be more prone to overheating and damage than their SSD counterparts. The drive heads are very close to the spinning disks, so an unfortunate knock can push them out of alignment. Also, exposure to high levers of magnetism can cause inadvertent data loss.
SSD
An SSD drive does not use moving or magnetic parts. Instead, it comprises of a bank of flash memory chips (much like those in digital cameras and flash drives). A processor rather than drive heads accesses the data, which means the drive has no moving parts.Pros
SSD drives are faster than HDDs, meaning it takes less time for your computer to boot up. This is particularly true when rousing your machine from 'sleep' mode: most computers with an SSD are useable almost instantaneously. The data storage is comparatively stable, meaning the SSD is less likely to “forget” what is stored on it.Flash storage does not require a continual power source to maintain your data because it operates using floating gate transistors, meaning that the data will not deteriorate for many years, even if the drive is left unplugged.
An SSD is less prone to overheating, does not cause vibrations in your machine, and doesn't make any noise when in operation (unlike an HDD which typically has audible clicks and the noise of spinning). Should the drive fail, a good data recovery company like Easy Recovery Guildford should still be able to recover the data from an SSD in much the same way they would with a traditional HDD.
Cons
The relative newness of the technology means that while they are much cheaper than they were when they first came out, SSD drives still tend to be much more expensive than HDD varieties. The higher price has the knock-on effect of reducing the capacity, because you get less storage space for the same amount of money when buying an SSD drive.Whichever type of drive you choose, you will need to factor in other considerations, such as the performance and storage capacity you require, and the amount of money you have to spend. However, with more options on the market, the choice as a consumer has never been better.
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