Solid State Hard Drives – Are They Worth It?

Just as our server technology has evolved so have our hard drives. More recently, solid state drives (SSDs) have generated a lot of buzz.

More recently, solid state drives (SSDs) have generated a lot of buzz. Offering a few advantages over their magnetic counterparts, solid state drives are quickly becoming a viable option for consumers. Are they worth it?

SSDs & Semi-Conductor Technology

Solid state hard drives (SSDs) store data through the use of semi-conductors. Though they can cost substantially more than your traditional magnetic hard drive, they offer a few advantages:

Lower Power Consumption

– SSDs consume less power because they have no moving parts. This attribute makes them less susceptible to physical shock and latency.

Faster Data Access

– In normal situations, data is written and read from random locations on the disk. The lack of moving parts in SSDs cuts down on random read and write latency functions.

Increased Reliability

– While the point can be argued, the lack of moving components makes SSDs less susceptible to head crash. They store, read and write information slightly differently than magnetic hard drives. For this reason, they are less susceptible to the problems magnetic hardware experience.

Once Again, Cost The Determining Factor

If you keep up on computer related news, SSDs aren’t really new. They have been around for quite a while and seem to have at least one inhibiting factor: price. Up until recently, SSDs cost up to 20 times more than the conventional hard drive. That’s usually enough to differ even the most die hard aficionado from making the plunge.

Industry bloggers agree that while they may offer faster processing speeds, and arguably better reliability, SDDs may not always be the best choice for your application. An article from Cnet suggests you run a SSD on your laptop but not your desktop. That might be due, in part, to the limited amount of space as found in your laptop. Conventional desktop users have the luxury of using and installing multiple drives. Which is best for your application? It all depends on your application and of course, your wallet.