Pimp My Netbook

When comparing netbooks, you have probably noticed that there are two types of storage devices available to choose from;

• Solid State Drive (SSD)
• Hard Disc Drive (HDD)

They both have the same function, which is to store and hold data, but the way in which each one works is different. Additionally, each one has its own advantages, which will be discussed here.

Let’s deal with where the main differences lie;

Method of operation

• SSDs have no moving parts. They are made from a number of flash memory chips put together to create the storage capacity of the drive.
• HDDs have lots of moving parts. A spindle reads/writes data to the disc as it spins around thousands of times per minute. You may have seen 5400rpm in a HDD specification. That means that the disc spins around at 5400 revolutions per minute - much like a record player, but much faster!!!

Speed

• In the speed stakes, SSDs tends to win hands down - particularly when performing tasks such as booting up a computer or opening applications. HDDs are slower, as they have all those moving parts to put into action, therefore taking longer to access data.

Reliability

• Which of the two drives is more reliable is open to debate, but given the fact the SSDs don’t have any moving parts which could fail, it could be argued that they are more reliable. HDDs can suffer problems with their moving parts, but even so, the chance of failure is still very low.

Durability

• SSDs are without a doubt more durable than HDDs. As they have no moving parts, they are able to function normally under the most testing conditions. Even if a machine was vibrated intensely, the SSD would still function without any problems. The same couldn’t be said for HDDs because any shaking would affect the reading of the disc by the spindle, causing errors.

Cost

• HDDs are the winner by a home run in terms of cost. As SSDs are still a fairly new technology, the cost is still relatively high. For example, an 80GB SSD drive would cost around $530, whereas an 80GB HDD would cost around $45 - around 10 times less!

Capacity

• Due to the nature of SSDs at the present time, the maximum capacities available are nowhere near as big as their HDD counterparts. This should change in the future, as the technology becomes tweaked and improved upon.

Battery Life

• As SSDs have no moving parts, they offer longer battery life because they use less power. HDDs have various moving parts, use more power, and therefore battery life is less.

So, there’s an explanation of the main differences between SSDs and HDDs. 

If you want to see some of the differences demonstrated, then take a look at the video below produced by Samsung. It compares their own SSD and HDD against each other.

Related: PC Advisor, Brighthub, Tech E Blog

written by Admin Istrator \\ tags: Comparing SSD and HDD, Hard disc drive, HDD, HDDs, Netbook hard disc drive, Netbook solid state drive, Netbook storage, Solid state drive, SSD, SSD versus HDD, SSD vs. HDD, SSDs