A hard disk drive (HDD) is an electro-mechanical device that uses magnetic storage on rotating platters to store and retrieve digital data.
The primary storage device holds the operating system and various other applications. When users start up the system or open an application, all the crucial files and applications from the hard drive will be transferred to the computer’s RAM for quick access.
Hence, a computer’s operation is dependent on the presence of a hard drive. Currently, laptops and computers continue to depend on hard drives for storing files and photos, creating system clones, or backing up and restoring data.
Let’s learn more about the type of hard drives you can use on your computer –
1: PATA or Parallel ATA
Compaq and Western Digital launched the PATA hard drive on the market in 1986. It can transfer data at speeds up to 133 MB/S and can hold up to 80GB of data.
A drive interface is utilized for connecting devices and hard drives to the computer. Each PATA hard drive utilizes either 40 or 80 wire ribbon cables, transmitting data in parallel through 16-bit pockets. It had a significant impact on the technological advancements of contemporary society.
Yet, its functionalities are currently unable to satisfy people’s needs, causing it to become obsolete over time.
2: Regular Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
The hard drives external function by storing data on rotating disks. The drives contain mechanical parts and produce minor magnetic fields to control areas on the disk. The arrangement of these areas signifies the electronic information stored on the gadget.
External hard drives, aside from the internal storage in a desktop, can be used for backing up or carrying files. Using disks is a more cost-effective solution for handling large quantities of data.
This is the reason why cloud services typically select them. Consequently, hard drives continue to be the leading device when it comes to the total amount of data stored worldwide.
3: SSD or Solid-State Drive
In contrast, solid-state drives are devices that are electronic. SSDs utilize a circuit assembly to distribute electrical charges across a grid of NAND flash memory cells.
The existence or non-existence of an electric charge in a cell is represented by a 0 or 1 in the raw data. SSDs outperform HDDs as they lack moving components, leading to decreased access times. They also have the option to link to newer, high-speed lanes for quicker transfer speeds.
Nevertheless, the high performance has a downside, as the drives deteriorate over time from the wear on their cells. As a result, they may reach a stage where data writing is no longer possible.
4: Hybrid Drive
A hybrid drive combines the storage technologies of both an HDD and SSD into one unit. Commonly referred to as a solid-state hybrid drive (SSHD), the gadget aims to combine storage capacity with speed. Most of its information is stored on magnetic disks.
However, the drive boasts a larger cache compared to a standard disk. Information saved in the flash memory cells of the cache remains, allowing for faster retrieval of accessed files.
Even though SSHDs use a combination of technologies, they still cannot achieve the same level of speed as SSDs, which have also become more affordable. Due to this, these drives have not been widely accepted.
5: SATA
SATA remains the most frequently used interface for hard drives. Introduced in 2003 as an enhancement to PATA, it utilizes slender, pliable cables. SATA drives are connected to the motherboard using a 7-pin connection.
The interface of the latest generation (SATA III) has the potential to reach speeds and capacities of 20 TB and 600 MB/s. Even though laptops no longer utilize disks, the interface remains common for desktops and external hard drives.
Solid-state drives can use the SATA interface too. People commonly describe SATA SSDs as a form of hard drive. Solid-state drives have the same 2.5-inch form factor as most disks, but they outperform their mechanical counterparts by a significant margin.
On the same interface, an average SATA SSD outperforms an HDD by three to five times in speed. These versatile gadgets are a great option for individuals who primarily surf the internet, watch videos online, and use basic software.
