Laptop storage is one of the key features that buyers consider when buying a new laptop. If you are planning to buy a new laptop with better performance, you should consider getting one with SSD storage.
SSD is an abbreviation for Solid State Drive, and it offers better performance than the traditional HDD. It is faster, smaller, and consumes less energy than HDD. SSD has become more popular, and most high-end high-performance laptops come with SSD storage, or both SSD and HDD.
If you are planning to buy a laptop with SSD storage, you should be aware of the pros and cons of SSD, and how they compare to HDD. This article highlights the pros and cons of an SSD in detail so that you are better informed when making a buying decision.
What Are the Pros Of SSD?
If you buy a laptop with SSD storage, here are some of the pros you should expect:
It Is Faster
The speeds delivered by SSD are faster than HDD. SSD delivers a shorter booting time for your laptop. It is also faster in accessing files from the laptop. The SSD speeds are what make this type of storage more preferred in high-end laptops like gaming laptops, data analysis laptops, and media editing laptops.
It Is Quiet
A noisy laptop is not pleasant to work with. The SSD is compact and uses flash memory that does not move. The SSD has a quiet operation, and it does not produce movement sounds.
Size
The SSD is small and compact, while the SSD chips are flat and small in size. This makes SSD disks common in slim designs since laptops that use HDD require a bigger hard disk compartment than SSD.
Resistance To Damage
SSDs are more resilient to shock and do not get easily damaged due to impact since they have compact parts.
Power Consumption
SSD consumes less energy than HDD, and this can help your laptop last longer hours without requiring you to plug in to a power supply.
Cons Of SSD
They Are Expensive
Laptops with SSD are more expensive than HDD laptops. You may pay a higher price for a laptop with 256GB SSD, than a laptop with 500GB HDD, since the former will deliver fast speeds and better performance than the latter, all factors held constant.
Durability
Although SSDs have more resilience to damage, they are vulnerable to wearing out after continued use. A worn-out SSD is not repairable and risks the loss of files and data.
Data Recovery Is Impossible
You cannot recover data from a damaged SSD or permanently deleted files. If the SSD gets damaged, your data dies with it.
SSD vs HDD: Which is better?
Both SSD and HDD are decent storage options, but they are certain features that set them apart.
Similarities of SSD and HDD
The primary function of both SSD and HDD is to store data and files for your laptop. If you have two drives with equal capacity, you will get the same storage space in both. For example, 500GB SSD and 500GB HDD provide a storage capacity of 500 GB. No more, no less.
Differences Between SSD and HDD
HDD has moving parts which make it noisier than SSD. On the other hand, an SSD is compact and quiet. While HDD uses spinning platters to function, SSD uses memory chips.
Pros of HDD over SSD
Though HDD is an older storage option compared to SSD, it still scores some wins over SSD storage. Here are some of the pros of HDD over SSD.
Cheaper
HDD costs less than an SSD drive of the same storage capacity. For example, if you want to buy a laptop with 1TB storage, you will pay less for a laptop with 1TB HDD, than a laptop with 1TB HDD. The same applies when buying stand-alone external drives.
More space
HDD gives you the advantage of space, and you can get more space with HDD than SSD for the same budget. If you prefer more storage over speed, then HDD can be a better option than SSD.
Pros of SSD Over HDD
An SSD drive offers plenty of advantages over HDD. Some of these advantages include:
- Fast processing and loading speed
- Compact in size
- Less noise
- Lower power consumption
Is It Possible To Upgrade To SSD?
If you want to upgrade from HDD to SSD, an upgrade is only possible if your laptop has an SSD slot. Some laptops come with SSD and an extra bay for HDD. If your laptop does not have an SSD compartment, it is impossible to upgrade to an SSD. Instead, you can opt to buy a new laptop with an SSD disk, or both HDD and SSD.
If you have SSD storage, you can still upgrade to a higher-capacity SSD. For example, you can upgrade from 250GB SSD to 1TB SSD storage. You can achieve this by removing the current SSD chip, and replacing it with the new SSD chip.
FAQs
How Much HDD Is 256GB SSD Equal To?
256GB SSD is equal to 256GB HDD when space is concerned. However, a 256GB SSD delivers up to 4X faster speed than a 256GB HDD.
How Much SSD Is Enough For a Gaming Laptop?
The 512GB SSD is good enough for gaming. This space is sufficient for loading games and file storage. The 512GB SSD also offers incredible speeds needed for a gaming laptop.
Conclusion
The pros of SSD are more than the cons. Getting a laptop with an SSD gives you amazing laptop speeds. Laptops with SSD are also slimmer and lightweight. If you are sensitive to power consumption, SSD saves on power.
The major flaw with SSD is how expensive they are. Apart from the price, SSDs also make it impossible to recover lost files if they are broken. SSD is a great deal if you want faster speed and a slim laptop design.
