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Understanding the Differences Between Solid State Drives and Flash Modules
Often, the differences between SSD—solid state drive—and Flash are not easy to navigate. The terms are often used interchangeably, adding a level of confusion, but in reality, they are not the same. SSDs use Flash as a non-volatile form of storage that allows SSDs to deliver faster read and write speeds than hard drives. Although pricing on the surface may make hard drives appear significantly less expensive, when all factors are considered, SSDs with Flash may be more cost-effective solutions.
What is the difference between SSDs and Flash modules?
To understand the difference between SSDs and Flash modules, it’s important to first understand the differences between SSDs and hard disk drives, or HDDs. HDDs have spinning components and are one of the oldest devices for data storage, dating back to the 1950s. The disk inside a hard disk drive rotates like a record to read and write data, and the speed with which the disk spins determines how quickly it can process information.
SSDs are an alternative to HDDs that don’t have any moving parts. Instead, data are read and written using semiconductor parts and, most importantly, flash cards. The lack of spinning makes SSDs capable of reading and writing data much faster than HDDs. Flash modules are different from SSDs because they are storage components that can be used within them. NAND Flash memory is the mechanism through which SSDs store data.
What is the benefit of SSDs over HDDs?
SSDs are a more advanced technology than HDDs, and they offer many benefits. SSDs are smaller in size, and since there are no rotating parts, they use significantly less power. They also perform at a higher level than HDDs, particularly with small block transfers, and are most cost-effective when only small amounts of storage are required. For end users, the experience of using SSDs, such as the popular 2.5” form factor with SATA interface, isn’t different from using an HDD, except for a noticeable increase in battery life and performance speeds. Flash modules make this higher level of performance possible.
Delkin’s product team is pleased to answer your questions about SSDs and how they can fit into your application needs. Contact us, or visit our website to download tech specs of our industrial rugged storage products.
