Image via Wikipedia An SSD provides data storage functionality just like an ordinary hard drive does in your computer, but it uses next-generation technology that makes it faster, smaller—and more expensive.
Left: SSD; Right: hard drive |
As improvements in technology allow us to make our computing devices even lighter and faster than ever before, hard drives are beginning to have to compete with solid state drives (SSDs) that use cutting-edge “flash” technology to read and store information. The newer flash-based technology differs in that it’s completely electronic—meaning that SSDs don’t contain spinning disks and movable read/write heads that can slow down or delay operations. Instead, SSDs use microchips to contain data.
You’re probably already familiar with small flash-based storage devices that you can plug into a USB port on your PC to transfer a few files and tote around in your pocket. SSDs take this to the next level with much higher
capacity—enough to replace the hard drive in some instances.
Flash-based storage can already be found as an alternative to a hard drive in some newer lightweight laptops and tablet PCs: if you've recently purchased a new netbook or ultraportable PC, you may already have an SSD inside. Even if you don't currently own a device with an SSD, as the trend toward lighter and more portable computing devices continues, you'll definitely see SSDs becoming an increasingly commonplace and affordable data storage option. Tech enthusiasts and early adopters are increasingly purchasing SSDs separately to swap into existing PCs or laptops as an aftermarket performance-boosting upgrade.
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