What Are Internal Solid State Drives and Which Type Performs Better?

Choosing the right storage for your computer can feel overwhelming with all the technical terms floating around. You need reliable, fast storage that won’t slow down your workflow.

SSD stands for Solid State Drive, a storage device that uses flash memory and integrated circuits to store data without moving parts, offering significantly better performance than traditional hard drives (HDDs) in speed, durability, and energy efficiency. [2][3]

Understanding what SSDs are and how they compare to other Understanding what SSDs² are and how they compare to other storage options helps you make informed decisions about your system’s performance needs

SSD stands for "Solid State Drive," referring to its construction using solid-state electronics with no moving mechanical parts, unlike traditional hard drives that rely on spinning disks and mechanical read/write heads. [2][3]

The term "solid state" comes from electronics, describing devices that use semiconductors rather than mechanical or moving parts [3]. This fundamental difference defines everything about how SSDs work and perform. Early computers relied on mechanical storage systems, but SSDs represent a shift to purely electronic data storage.

SSDs use SSDs use integrated circuits and flash memory² to store data persistently

Flash memory was actually invented in 1980 by Fujio Masuoka at Toshiba, with the first commercial SSD appearing in 1991 when SanDisk released a 20 MB drive for IBM laptops [3]. The technology has evolved dramatically since then, with modern SSDs offering capacities up to 100 TB and speeds exceeding 14,000 MB/s.

The solid-state designation also appears in other electronics like solid-state amplifiers and solid-state lighting (LEDs). In all cases, it indicates the absence of moving parts and reliance on semiconductor technology. For storage specifically, this means data access through electronic pathways rather than mechanical positioning systems.

Which Is More Good: SSD or HDD?

Determining which storage type performs better depends on your specific needs, but the technical advantages clearly favor SSDs in most scenarios. After years of testing both technologies in demanding applications, the performance differences are substantial.

SSDs significantly outperform HDDs across most metrics, with SSDs achieving read speeds over 7,000 MB/s compared to HDDs’ maximum of around 200 MB/s, while also offering better durability, lower power consumption, and silent operation. [1][3]

The performance gap between SSDs and HDDs is dramatic across multiple dimensions. SSDs copy files at speeds exceeding 500 MB/s, with newer models reaching 3,500 MB/s or higher, while HDDs typically transfer data at only 30-150 MB/s [1]. This means tasks that take minutes on HDDs complete in seconds on SSDs.

Read and write operations show similar disparities. SSDs execute these processes at 50-250 MB/s, while HDDs manage only 0.1-1.7 MB/s for the same operations [1]. The mechanical nature of HDDs creates this bottleneck – disk rotation speeds are limited to 4,200-7,200 RPM, physically constraining performance compared to electronic SSDs.

Access times reveal another crucial advantage. SSDs typically achieve access times below 0.1 milliseconds, while HDDs require 2.9-12 milliseconds depending on the drive type [3]. This difference impacts system responsiveness, especially during boot-up and application loading.

Durability considerations favor SSDs significantly. HDDs contain mechanical parts that can fail if dropped or subjected to vibration, while SSDs have no moving components to break [1][3]. However, SSDs do have limited write cycles, though modern wear leveling technology extends their lifespan considerably under normal usage.

Cost remains HDDs’ primary advantage. As of recent data, HDDs cost around $0.02-0.03 per gigabyte compared to SSDs at $0.08-0.10 per gigabyte [3]. For massive storage requirements where speed isn’t critical, HDDs still provide better value.

Power consumption also favors SSDs. High-performance SSDs use about half to one-third the power required by HDDs [3]. In laptops, this translates to significantly longer battery life. SSDs also generate less heat and operate silently, improving overall system efficiency.

For different use cases, the choice becomes clearer:

• Gaming and Professional Work: SSDs provide faster loading and better responsiveness
• Mass Storage Archives: HDDs offer better cost per gigabyte for large, infrequently accessed files
• Laptops and Mobile Devices: SSDs deliver better battery life and shock resistance
• Budget Builds: HDDs provide more storage capacity for the same investment

Is SSD a Memory or RAM?

Understanding the distinction between SSD storage and system memory helps clarify how computer components work together. This confusion often arises because both technologies store data electronically.

SSDs are storage devices, not memory (RAM). While both use electronic components, SSDs provide long-term, non-volatile storage that retains data when powered off, whereas RAM serves as temporary, volatile memory that loses data without power. [2][3]

The fundamental difference lies in their roles within computer architecture. SSDs serve as your computer’s long-term storage, housing the operating system, applications, and files permanently [2]. When you save a document or install software, it goes to the SSD. RAM, conversely, acts as temporary workspace where your processor accesses data for active use.

Here’s how they work together in practice: when you open a program, your processor transfers the application data from your SSD to RAM for quick access [2]. The SSD-to-RAM transfer speed becomes critical here, which is why SSD performance impacts overall system responsiveness. Once in RAM, the processor can access data much faster than if it had to repeatedly read from storage.

Both technologies use semiconductor components, which creates the confusion. SSDs use NAND flash memory in metal-oxide-semiconductor integrated circuits [3]. RAM typically uses DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) technology. While both are "solid-state" in that they have no moving parts, they serve completely different functions.

Volatility represents the key technical distinction. SSDs use non-volatile memory, meaning data persists without power – hence why your files remain after shutting down your computer [3]. RAM is volatile, losing all content when power is removed. This is why unsaved work disappears during unexpected shutdowns.

Performance characteristics also differ significantly. RAM operates much faster than SSDs for active data access, with typical RAM achieving access times measured in nanoseconds compared to SSDs’ microseconds. However, SSDs provide vastly more storage capacity than RAM in typical systems.

Some advanced systems blur these lines with technologies like Intel’s Optane, which uses 3D XPoint memory that bridges the gap between storage and memory performance [3]. These hybrid approaches aim to combine the speed of RAM with the persistence of storage, though they remain distinct from traditional RAM in most implementations.

Conclusion

SSDs represent solid-state storage technology that dramatically outperforms traditional hard drives in speed and reliability, serving as permanent storage rather than temporary memory.