Nowadays, it is usual for newer computers to have extremely fast storage systems. Along with this trend, there has also been a lot of confusion and going back and forth between SSD vs. HDD, NVMe vs. M.2, and cloud storage vs. local servers. In order to make the proper decision, we need to first understand what these options are all about. In this article, we are going to talk about the different basic storage types available for use and the variations when it comes to our choices.
The two primary storage options
Modern desktop computers provide a wide range of data storage options. Solid state drives (SSD) and hard disk drives (HDD) are the two primary types of drives. The latter was first developed in the late 1950s and is the traditional form of data storage device. From then on, it has undergone a lot of development and upgrade, which gave rise to newer platforms such as SSDs. That does not, however, imply that HDDs are totally irrelevant in the present era.
One difference between hard disk drives and SSDs is the price-to-storage ratio. HDDs tend to offer a better ratio, which means you typically get more storage for your money. However, they are incredibly slow by today’s standards. Additionally, they have moving elements, which increases the risk of mechanical failure and shortens their lifespan.
Having said that, HDDs are typically a much better option for cold storage. This refers to the process of keeping files that are not being accessed on a regular basis. SSDs, although they are a lot faster as compared to HDDs, are not suitable for cold storage because you cannot take advantage of the speed benefit. SSDs are typically used for daily and routine processes, which require fast loading times and minimal hiccups. HDDs, depending on how it is maintained, could last for more or less five years.
Which is faster?
When it comes to speed, a typical SSD outperforms an HDD by a wide margin. There are, however, various SSD varieties, namely SATA (serial advanced technology attachment) and NVME (Non-Volatile Memory Express). We have mentioned earlier that a standard SATA SSD can perform up to ten times faster than an HDD. As opposed to putting them in an HDD, installing your operating system in an SSD speeds up system startup. Since retrieving and writing files are so much faster on an SSD, game loading times are also significantly faster. A fast storage device can occasionally be used by various software types to pre-load portions of the program that would not have been possible with an HDD’s speed.
What type of SSD should you buy?
Unlike the difference between SSDs and HDDs, the difference between NVME and SATA is not that drastic. And, unlike the difference in value, one would argue that the benefit you get by going with NVME is marginal at best. The key consideration when deciding between these two types of SSD is what you intend to use it for. For most types of uses, including casual gaming, programming, and basic photo as well as video editing, SATA is already sufficient. However, if you are looking for the absolute bleeding edge tech and if you are really concerned about load-up times, then you should definitely go for an NVME option. NVME is particularly beneficial to producers or professional editors and programmers because they tend to maximize the use of NVME through frequently accessing different files.
Should you get an SSD or an HDD?
It is actually preferable to use both at the same time. An HDD for your cold, weighty files and an SSD for your complex, power-hungry apps. Of course, this varies on a case-to-case basis. However, achieving a balance between cost and performance typically entails combining the two, where you maximize the value of the drives. HDDs cost less and have a higher capacity per unit, but they are also big, noisy, and have shorter lifespans. SSDs are faster, quieter, and more portable, but they cost significantly more per unit of storage.
