Business System Consultation Center - Our Business System ColumnVol.99 2020.04.01 Takahashi Minoru

HDD or SSD? The difference, in one word, is speed

Thank you for your interest and continued support.
This is Takahashi from the Marketing Plan Research Laboratory.


This column covers the basics of personal computers.
While there are many detailed articles available online,
I’ll share the simple explanation we always use.


・HDD (Hard Disk Drive)
This is a type of storage device primarily used in computers.
Data (0s and 1s) is recorded in minute detail using magnetic force on metal disks, and it is used to store data such as Excel files.
In principle, it works similarly to records or CDs.


・SSD (pronounced "ess-ess-dee")
A type of storage device with the same purpose as an HDD.
It is like a larger version of a USB flash drive; it does not require a disk
and instead records data on internal semiconductors to store data such as Excel files.


・Advantages and Disadvantages of HDDs
◎ Low cost per unit of storage
× Easily damaged if dropped (relatively unsuitable for portability)
△ No set design lifespan; some units have lasted over 10 years
〇 Tends to show "warning signs" such as "unusual noises" or "extremely slow performance" before failing
〇 There is a possibility of recovering data even after failure (through specialized services, costing 100,000 to 1,000,000 yen)


・Pros and cons of SSDs
◎ Extremely fast performance
〇 Rarely breaks due to being dropped
× High cost per unit of storage (though prices tend to decrease as technology advances over time)
× They have a limited design lifespan (limited number of write cycles) and are built to eventually fail
× It’s hard to notice “warning signs” before failure
× In most cases, data is completely lost when it fails and cannot be recovered


I’ve listed various points above, but ultimately, which one do I recommend?
・For portable devices like laptops, SSDs are better
・For file servers (internal shared folders), an HDD is better
・For small desktop PCs, SSD
・For medium to large desktop PCs, go with an SSD if your budget allows
・Regardless of which one you choose, a backup configuration—whether scheduled automatic or manual on-demand—is essential


Please feel free to use this as a reference for your selection.


That's all, Thank you for reading.

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