SSD or HDD, which one is best for you
In choosing a storage device for a computer or laptop you will find two types of storage devices, namely SSD or HDD. There are many differences that can be seen from these two types of storage drives, ranging from how they work, performance, to prices that are different from one another. This article will provide information that might be used for you in choosing an SSD or HDD.
What is SSD?
Solid State Drive or SSD is a digital data storage hardware commonly used on a computer or laptop. SSD works using flash memory technology as well as on a flash disk or SD card which is commonly used on smartphones. This technology works by writing & storing digital data on a collection of interconnected flash memory chips. Transistor technology on each SSD memory chip uses an FGT or floating gate transistor system that allows SSDs to store data even without using power that is continuously connected.
advantages and disadvantages of ssd
With the above technology, SSD increases the speed of reading and writing data higher than ordinary mechanical hard drives. SSD can read/write digital data up to 6 Gbps, even on SSD technology with NVME format the speed can reach 20 Gbps. SSD also has another advantage, namely low power consumption, which is 2-3 watts.
But of all the advantages, this one storage disk has its drawbacks. The price is relatively more expensive compared to ordinary hard drives, making the storage capacity on the SSD will be lower when compared to conventional hard disks that are more affordable.
In addition to the relatively high price, the storage capacity available in the market is not large. From our findings, the largest capacity of SSDs that can be found in e-commerce Indonesia is 4TB at a pretty fantastic price, which is around 13 million.
Types of SSDs
Along with the development of the technology used in SSD, more and more SSD variants are available in the market today. The type of SSD is divided according to the data storage protocol system, the bus interface (how to communicate with the computer) and the form factor or the physical size of the device. Here are some types of SSDs that you can find.
SSD types are divided into protocol systems, bus interfaces, and form factors.
SATA SSD is the type of solid drive that is most often encountered on the market today. This is because the input bus interface used by this SSD is a SATA connector, the same as that used on all computers or laptops that use HDDs for storage media. The SATA SSD itself measures 2.5 inches the same as one type of hard disk drive size. The maximum transfer speed produced by this type is the lowest of all existing SSD types, limited to 600 MB per second. This makes the price of this SSD the most affordable and most in demand for those who will upgrade their old storage media without adding more pocket to buy a new computer motherboard.
- MSATA SSD
The MSATA or Mini SATA SSD is a mini version of the SATA SSD. The MSATA SSD has a form factor or a physical size smaller than a SATA SSD. The interface connector is SATA which produces the same performance as the larger version. The mSATA SSD is commonly used on old devices with limited space on the motherboard.
- SSD M.2 SATA
SSD M.2 SATA is an SSD that has a form factor or physical size coded M.2, which is actually smaller than the form factor of the two types of SSDs above and usually has a special slot on the computer motherboard. However, the interface or bus interface still uses the SATA connector so that the resulting read and write speed is still the same.
This SSD is an SSD that has the size of the M.2 form factor but has NVME or Non-Volatile Memory Express interface technology. This data storage protocol technology is a technology that replaces the AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) operating mode on SATA technology. NVMe makes the SSD speed increase drastically up to 3 times that of its predecessor. You can see the details at Table SSD speed below.
- SSD PCIe 3.0 NVMe
As the name implies, the NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD is a solid state drive that has an NVMe data storage protocol with a 3rd generation PCIe connector. This PCIe connector is commonly used for graphics cards on computer motherboards so that the resulting data transfer speed also increases significantly.
- SSD PCIe 4.0 NVMe
This type is the next version of the above type using 4th generation PCIe connector. PCIe 4.0 is a connector developed specifically for SSDs so that this type of SSD is the fastest.
- SSD SAS
SSD SAS is an SSD that uses SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) interface connectors. This type of SSD is commonly used for server or data center purposes and is very rarely found in the market.
- SSD U.2
Just like the SSD SSD, the U.2 SSD is an SSD that we can’t find in general in Indonesia because of its usage specifications. SSD U.2 uses PCIe or NVMe interface connectors specifically designed to replace conventional HDDs used for servers or data centers.
Table Several types of SSDs
| SSD type | Form factor size | Capacity | interface protocol | Reading speed (MB/s) | write speed (MB/s) | Power consumption (wattage) | Year of manufacture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SATA SSD | 2.5″, 3.5″ | 120GB-4TB | SATA | 550-600 | 500-550 | 2-3 | 2005 |
| MSATA SSD | MSATA | 120GB-2TB | SATA | 550-600 | 500-550 | 1-2 | 2009 |
| SSD M.2 (SATA) | M.2 | 120GB-4TB | SATA | 550-600 | 500-550 | 1-2 | 2013 |
| SSD M.2 (NVME) | M.2 | 120GB-4TB | NVME/PCIE | 3,000-7,000 | 1,500-5,500 | 2-5 | 2013 |
| NVMe SSD (PCIE 3.0) | Add-in Card | 250GB-2TB | NVME/PCIE | 3,000-4,000 | 2,000-3,000 | 5-10 | 2015 |
| NVMe SSD (PCIE 4.0) | Add-in Card | 500GB-2TB | NVME/PCIE | 5,000-7,000 | 4,000-5,000 | 5-10 | 2019 |
| SSD SAS | 2.5″, 3.5″ | 300GB-16TB | SAS | 1,200-2,100 | 600-1,500 | 7-15 | 2005 |
| SSD U.2 | U.2 | 480GB-30TB | NVME/PCIE | 2,500-3,500 | 2,000-3,000 | 3-7 | 2015 |
What is HDD?
definition and understanding hdd
HDD or Hard Disk Drive is an electro-mechanical digital data storage device on a computer or laptop. Unlike SSDs, HDDs work by rotating magnetic disks at high speed. Therefore hard disks are more prone to shocks and impacts than SSDs.
HDD advantages and disadvantages
However, the hard disk has its own advantages. One of them is the storage capacity which is much larger than the SSD. In the NAS type HDD, the storage capacity can reach 16 TB. In addition, the price of the hard drive is more affordable than its competitors.
On the other hand, HDDs also have drawbacks compared to SSDs. One of the main factors is the slower data transfer speed. Due to the mechanical limitations required by the hard drive to access data, the transfer speed that can be achieved by this storage device is only around 100-250 MB/s. Further HDD also requires higher power consumption than SSD.
Types of HDDs
There are several types of hard disks that can be found in general in Indonesia. Here are some hard disk types:
2.5-inch HDD
A 2.5-inch hard disk drive is one of the most common in Indonesia. This type of hard drive is widely used in various desktop or laptop computers.
3.5-inch HDD
A 3.5-inch HDD is also a hard disk that is commonly encountered in general in Indonesia. Because the form factor or size is quite large, this type of hard drive is the type that is most often found with a very large capacity. A 3.5 inch hard drive is not only used in general on a computer or laptop but is also used as a storage medium in a NAS system (Network Attached Storage) or a centralized storage network (HDD NAS), a server system or central data storage (HDD Enterprise) and for surveillance system storage CCTV camera (HDD Surveillance).
Hybrid HDD or SSHD
Hybrid HDD or Solid State Hybrid Drive (SSHD) is a type of hard disk by combining SSD (Memory Flash) technology with mechanical hard disk devices in one device. This makes the data that is often accessed will be stored by flash memory and increase the speed of access and store data that is rarely used on HDD systems. SSHD provides higher data transfer speeds than regular HDDs but not as fast as SSDs. SSHD can also be an alternative storage option because the price offered is relatively lower than the SSD with the same capacity.
Table Common types of HDD types
| HDD type | Form factor size | Capacity | interface protocol | Data transfer speed (MB/s) | Power consumption (wattage) | Year of manufacture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDD 2.5″ | 2.5″ | 500GB-5TB | SATA | 100-150 | 1-2 | 2008 |
| HDD 3.5″ | 3.5″ | 1TB-16TB | SATA | 150-250 | 3-8 | 1990’s |
| HDD Enterprise | 3.5″ | 2TB-18TB | SAS | 200-250 | 7-15 | 2005 |
| NAS HDD | 3.5″ | 1TB-16TB | SATA | 150-250 | 3-8 | 2010’s |
| Surveillance HDD | 3.5″ | 1TB-16TB | SATA | 150-250 | 3-8 | 2010’s |
| SSHD 2.5″ | 2.5″ | 500GB-2TB | SATA | 150-200 | 2-3 | 2012 |
| SSHD 3.5″ | 3.5″ | 1TB-4TB | SATA | 150-200 | 3-5 | 2012 |
Comparison between SSD and HDD
When compared, there are differences in the performance of accessing data that is quite significant in these two types of storage media. It can be seen in the two tables above that the SSD far outperforms the HDD data transfer speed. This causes the boot speed of the operating system that uses an SSD as the system storage media to be faster. For power consumption, the SSD is also lower in power than ordinary hard disks. Likewise with its resistance to shocks. SSDs are more stubborn to shocks because there are no moving components in them. In terms of price HDD is much more affordable than SSD with the same capacity.
Then on the side of the life of the HDD, it can be used longer. HDDs usually can last up to 5 years in use while SSDs are much lower depending on usage. This is due to the limitations of the literacy cycle in the flash memory system which causes failure in certain parts of the SSD system. However, this is very dependent on the conditions of use of HDD and SSD such as temperature and shocks on the hardware.
When to use SSD or HDD?
SSD and HDD have their own advantages and disadvantages, therefore it would be wiser if you know the purpose of using these two types of storage media. If you need storage media that is used for speed such as computer operating system storage or SSD game programs is the best choice. Meanwhile, if you want to use storage media to store large files for archives of music movies or other data, conventional hard drives can be a wise choice. For this reason, it is very important to pay attention to what is the purpose of these two types of storage media.
Factors Affecting SSD and HDD Performance
Here are some factors that affect the performance of these two storage devices.
storage capacity
Both SSD and HDD will be greatly influenced by the storage capacity used. We recommend leaving a quarter of the total storage media capacity not to be used so that the performance and reliability provided can always be optimal.
component quality
Component quality is also one of the factors that affect the performance of SSDs and HDDs. Choose SSDs and HDDs with brands that you already know well to maintain the quality of the components.
environmental conditions
In addition, environmental conditions also contribute to the performance of these two types of storage media. For SSD, please use it in a non-high temperature environment so that the system components in it are not damaged. Likewise with the HDD to be more careful in accessing this storage because even though it is resistant to high temperatures, the HDD is very vulnerable to surrounding shocks.
How to choose between SSD and HDD?
As a material for consideration in choosing an SSD or HDD as a storage medium, there are several factors that can be used. First consider the needs and purposes in using an SSD or HDD. If it is used as a large storage archive, you should choose HDD or if it is used as a computer operating system storage, SSD is the best choice. Also consider the budget and specifications of the storage media that you specify. Therefore looking for reviews and recommendations on the internet will be very helpful.
What is the effect of SSD and HDD on PC/Laptop performance?
In its performance, the SSD is very annoying when it is used to store computer and laptop operating systems because the data access speed of the two media is very much different. We highly recommend choosing SSD as the main storage medium for operating systems, heavy games and maybe applications installed on your computer. HDD can be used as a place to store data for movies, music and other archives that do not require fast access.
How to install SSD or HDD on PC/Laptop
- Preparation and equipment needed
Prepare a screwdriver plus and minus that fits your computer or laptop case. Also find out if the size of the form factor of the SSD or HDD is correct with the device to be installed. Some SSDs require special space on the motherboard system. So be sure to find out in advance.
- installation process
The process of installing an SSD or HDD is quite easy (plug and play) but varies from case to case. At least you’ve seen your computer or laptop case manual to make it easier. Remove the case cover on the computer or laptop and exchange or install the SSD or HDD in the available slot.
- how to transfer data from hdd to ssd
This process can be done with backup software such as Ease US Todo Backup and other backup software.
How to care for SSD or HDD?
- First turn off the computer used.
- Clean the computer case every 2 months with a dry brush.
- Please do it carefully and keep it from bumping if you want to clean the HDD
- SSD should be used at a cool room temperature to avoid damage
Can I use SSD and HDD together?
You can integrate SSD and HDD in one computer system. Our advice is to use an SSD for your computer’s operating system and HDD as a storage medium. By integrating these two types of storage media, in addition to saving more budget, you also get more optimal computer performance.
FAQ
What is the difference between SSD and HDD?
There are many differences between SSD and HDD, the most visible is the data access speed, storage capacity and price.
Which is better, SSD or HDD?
Depends on the needs and purpose of use. If it is used to access data quickly, SSD is the right choice and if you want to store archive data with a lot of HDDs, it can be a wise choice.
How long is the SSD or HDD service life?
3 years more for SSDs and HDDs 5 years or even more but the service life is greatly influenced by several factors. such as temperature and environment.
How to choose the right SSD or HDD?
Determining the goal is the first step to do after that perform some comparison of specifications and prices.
Does the SSD or HDD affect the performance of my PC or laptop?
greatly affect the performance of your PC and laptop. We recommend that you choose a storage media that is appropriate for its purpose and function so that the computer’s performance is more optimal.
