Solid-state drive
Solid-state drive
Solid-state drive definition
Solid-state drive refers to a type of non-volatile storage device that stores persistent data on solid-state flash memory. Unlike traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), which use spinning disks and moving read/write heads, SSDs have no moving parts, which offers a range of advantages such as speed and durability. While SSDs are the dominant technology now for high-speed storage, new technologies such as MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory) capable of replacing SSDs are being developed.
See also: integrated drive electronics, thumb drive, storage capacity
Solid-state drive benefits over HDDs
- Speed. They have faster read and write speeds compared to HDDs, offering significant improvements in toot times, file transfer speeds, and application loading times.
- Durability. Without moving parts, SSDs are generally more resistant to physical shocks, making them suitable for various mobile devices.
- Noise. They don’t produce the noise associated with the spinning disks and moving heads.
- Power consumption. They consume less power than HDDs, leading to longer battery life.
- Heat production. SSDs produce less heat compared to HDDs.
- Form factors. They can be found in various form factors, including 2.5-inch, M.2, and U.2, which allows for innovative designs in computer and device manufacturing.
- Latency. They generally have lower latency than HDDs, which means they can deliver data more quickly.