Difference between HDD and SSD

In this article, we shall discuss the important differences between HDD and SSD. The fundamental difference between HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and SSD (Solid State Drive) is that the HDD is a type of magnetic memory, whereas the SSD is a type of semiconductor memory.

Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

A hard disk drive (HDD) is a type of secondary storage device which is used for permanent data storage in computers. HDD is a magnetic memory. An HDD typically consists of several components including the disks/platters, spindle, and reader arm. Disks of an HDD are made of non-magnetic material like aluminium which is coated with a layer of magnetic material. The magnetic reader arm is used to write data to and read data from the disks. HDD has a storage capacity GBs (Gigabytes) and TBs (Terabytes).

Solid State Drive (SSD)

Solid state drive (SSD) is a type of permanent storage media used in computers to store data and information. SSD uses integrated circuits to store data. SSD is a modern storage device used in computers and laptops as secondary memory. The advantage of SSD over HDD is that it does not have any moving parts like disk platters, reader arm, etc. This makes them a more reliable and efficient storage device.

Differences between SSD and HDD

All the important differences between SSD and HDD are listed in the following table:

SSD	HDD
SSD stands for Solid State Drive.	HDD stands for Hard Disk Drive.
SSD is a semiconductor storage device.	HDD is a magnetic storage device.
SSD is faster.	HDD is slower.
SSD is a non-mechanical memory device. Hence, it has no moving parts.	HDD is a mechanical memory device having moving parts.
SSD is comparatively more shock-resistant.	HDD is fragile. It needs extra care.
SSD has electronic components in the form of ICs.	HDD has disk platters, reader arm, and a spindle as the major components.
SSD is available in compact sizes.	HDD is available in large physical sizes.
SSD is relatively expensive.	HDD is less expensive compared to SSD.
SSD is more reliable.	HDD is less reliable due to the presence of moving parts.
SSD has a noise-free operation.	HDD has noisy operation due to moving parts.
SSD consumes less power.	HDD consumes more power.
SSD generates less heat while operating.	HDD produces more heat.
SSD is more durable.	HDD is less durable.

Hence, this is all about the differences between solid-state drives and hard disk drives.