Monday, July 7, 2008

Some Advantages of a Solid State Hard Drive

By David Green

A solid state drive is a computer storage medium which uses solid state memory to store data, a conventional hard drive which is based on a revolving magnetic disk.This article will discuss the tpe of solid state hard drive which is based flash memory.

At the moment, the majority of computers don't use solid state hard drives, but more computers are gradually coming onto the market which use these types of drive (also called SSD's).

They are typically used in laptops which are intended for use in various extreme environments, but now are also starting to be used in some mainstream computers.

Conventional drives are based on a rotating disc, which, due to it's mechanical nature, might be more susceptible to damage than an SSD, with subsequent loss of data.

Why Go With A Solid State Hard Drives?

* Less Noisy - Due to not having moving parts, there is nothing to make noise, as there is with physical hard drives.This is ideal for someone who is easily sidetracked by noise, when struggling to work.

* More protection from vibration - When computers or laptops are moved a lot, the hard drive can more easily become damaged due to shock and vibration. Solid state hard drives are less sensitive to vibrations and don't require extra protection.

* Speed - For random memory access operations, SSD's are much faster than their mechanical counterparts because there is no moving head which has to move to the correct position. However, when large amounts of data are read sequentially, the two are more on a par with each other. Generally, computers with solid state drives can boot faster and load applications faster than their mechanical counterparts.

* Less sensitive to temperature extremes - Most computers work best when they are in areas that meet very specific temperature requirements. When the temperature is too hot, computers can overheat and stop working, for example. Solid state hard drives are not as sensitive so they can keep working well even in more extreme temperatures.

* Lighter - For smaller capacity SSD's, the weight is less than for mechanical hard drives so the computer doesn't weigh as much either. That makes it simpler to walk around carrying such computers. Additionally, the time between battery recharges is typically longer.

Prior to purchasing a computer with a solid state hard drive, keep in mind that they are usually somewhat more costly at the moment. But as the technology keeps getting better, the price of these devices will probably continue to go down.

One more thing to consider is the limited life of SSD's. Even if they are not vulnerable to the type of deterioration that can wear down a standard hard drive, they cannot be written to forever. As a result, just as hard drives with moving parts, they can finally wear out.

In many cases, a laptop based on a solid state hard drive is an excellent option, because the prices are getting more attractive, and their memory sizes are constantly becoming larger.

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