HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and SSD (Solid State Drive) are two types of storage devices used by computers and other electronic devices to store digital content and data. However, they work differently and even have their own characteristics.
Therefore, if you have doubts about whether to choose between one type of storage or another, it is important that you first know what the advantages and differences are between both technologies.
In this article, you will find a detailed comparison that will allow you to make the best decision based on what you are looking for at the moment.
HDD vs. SSD
While it is true that both units fulfill the function of storing your data, you need to know which one suits you best, whether due to its speed, consumption, speed or other factors.
Technology
HDDs are traditional hard drives that use rotating platters covered in a magnetic material, and that is where they tend to store the corresponding information.
This has an arm that includes a read/write head which moves over these plates and in this process is able to both read and write information. This is a technology that has been used for decades, and although it has proven to be reliable, it has limitations due to its mechanical components.
In contrast, SSDs are solid state drives that as such have no moving parts.
This is a more recent technology that uses flash memory to store data. This way, it offers faster access and tends to considerably reduce the risk of mechanical failures.
Storage
In terms of storage, you should know that HDD hard drives can provide greater storage capacity at a more affordable price. In fact, it is very common to find HDDs on the market between 1 TB and 10 TB. These are perfect if you need to save large amounts of data and don’t want to spend so much money.
SSDs, on the other hand, have increased their capacity over time, but they may be more expensive per gigabyte. These types of SSD drives are usually available in average sizes from 256 GB to 4 TB.
In addition, they can be a good alternative for you as long as your requirement is to access your data in a faster way, but keep in mind that they are not so suitable for storing large quantities of files.
Energy consumption
Since HDDs have several mechanical components, they tend to consume more power. This could become a serious problem, especially if you buy a portable device such as a laptop where battery life is extremely essential.
Meanwhile, SSD drives have no moving parts and therefore use less energy when operating. The result is a longer battery life for your device, as well as less heat generation in the device itself.
Speed
The data transfer speed of an HDD can range from 50 to 150 MB/s. However, you should know that this speed will largely depend on how fast the platters spin, which can be on average 5400 or 7200 RPM.
However, this speed is much lower when compared to SSDs, which tend to be faster, offering transfer speeds that can range from 200 to 550 MB/s. Of course, the model you buy and the type of connection (SATA or NVMe) will greatly influence this. But, in the end, it will give you practically instantaneous data access speeds and you will enjoy better performance.
Boot time
In this case, an operating system installed on an HDD may take 16 seconds or more to boot. This is because the platters need to reach an adequate speed before the corresponding data can be read.
Now, on SSDs, the boot time of an operating system can be about 7 seconds on average because this unit does not need to wait for any mechanical component to move to start working.
Vibration and noise
The moving parts of hard drives are capable of producing vibrations and noise, although you should know that it will not be excessive enough to cause any discomfort.
However, constant movement can make these discs prone to physical damage, especially in the event of impacts or falls.
The situation is completely different with SSD drives, which are completely silent and do not vibrate at all. This feature makes the drive much more durable and represents a considerable advantage if you use it in laptops.
Prices
In terms of price, SSD drives are more expensive than HDDs.
A 240 GB SSD, for example, can cost around 30 euros, while a 1 TB HDD can cost around 50 euros on average.
However, over time the price difference between one option and another tends to narrow.
Conclusion
The final decision on which hard drive to use between HDD and SSD will depend largely on what you are going to use it for. Because if it is for online gaming, an SSD would be the most recommended option since it will give you a good data loading speed, which translates into a much smoother experience.
However, if your intention is just to store a lot of files regardless of speed, and you don’t have that much money to invest, you might want to go for an HDD.
Of course, you can also consider combining both. For example, you use an SSD for your computer’s operating system and important applications, and an HDD for mass storage. This could be another effective solution, although it means spending more money.
