SSD

A Solid State Drive (SSD) is a type of storage device that uses NAND-based flash memory to store data. It is similar to a traditional hard disk drive (HDD) in that it is used to store files and programs, but it operates differently and has several advantages over an HDD.

Unlike an HDD, which uses spinning disks to read and write data, an SSD uses NAND-based flash memory chips. This allows for faster data access speeds, as the drive does not need to wait for the disks to spin to the correct location. SSDs also consume less power and produce less heat than HDDs, and are more durable as they have no moving parts.

Another advantage of SSDs is that they can boot up and launch programs much faster than HDDs. They also provide faster data transfer speeds and I/O performance, which is beneficial for systems that are used for demanding tasks such as gaming, video editing, or running a database.

SSDs are available in various form factors including 2.5-inch and mSATA, and now increasingly popular NVMe drives that uses the PCIe interface to deliver even faster speeds. SSDs can be used as the primary storage device or as a secondary storage device in conjunction with a traditional HDD.

However, SSDs tend to be more expensive than HDDs of the same capacity, but prices have been decreasing over time, making them more accessible to the general public.