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What is the difference between an HDD and SSD?

What is the difference between an HDD and SSD?

If you’re looking at purchasing a new computer you’ve probably noticed that most computers are now loaded with an SSD or flash storage drive. So what exactly are HDDs and SSDs and what are their advantages?

What is an HDD?

An HDD (Hard Drive Disk) is a mechanical storage device which is used in computers. It has been around for decades and is still used today. Because it is mechanical and has moving parts which move data back and forth, it’s speed is limited and it is the most likely hardware component in a computer to fail. This technology has slowly been phased out and will likely become obsolete in the next 5-10 years.

What is an SSD?

An SSD (Solid-State Drive) is a flash-based storage device used in computers. This newer technology has no moving parts making it significantly faster and more reliable than it’s predecessor, the HDD. The SSD’s ability to access and read data allows a computer to boot up, launch applications, and open files almost instantaneously. It’s no wonder why all Mac laptops are now using this technology.

What is a Hybrid Drive?

A Hybrid Drive, like it’s name suggests, is a combination of both an HDD and SSD. Essentially, it is two physical devices(one HDD and one SSD) merged into one virtual partition. The SSD portion will automatically store the computer’s Operating System, frequently used Applications and Data allowing quick access to the information. All other data will be stored on the HDD portion. Although it is fast, since there are two drives including a mechanical drive(HDD), it is prone to more failures.

Is it possible to upgrade an HDD to an SSD on a Mac?

Yes, yes, and yes again! All Macs from 2001 and onwards have the ability to be upgraded to an SSD. Doing such will significantly increase the speed and reliability of the computer. If you find that your 2011 MacBook Pro has become sluggish and you’re not ready to buy a new computer, upgrading your storage drive to an SSD would be a wonderful option for you.

At Midtown Tech we will always take the time to help you make an informed decision.

2 thoughts on “What is the difference between an HDD and SSD?”

  1. I am going to go ahead and save this post for my sister for their study project for school. This is a beautiful site by the way. Where did you pick up the template for this web page?

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