Solid State Hard Drive

The invention of the solid state hard drive, or SSD is a great one.  Until now, all hard drives have relied on steel magnetic platters to store information.  These platters spin and a rotor picks up the information by moving back and forth.  They work just like a  record player.

The solid state hard drive uses chips to store the information which is accessible much faster for several reasons.  First, it doesn't need to wait for the information to spin by.  Second, it doesn't have to wait for the rotor to check the index, and last, it doesn't have to wait for the rotor position to line up with the information giving you the information you requested.

The SSD actually works much more like RAM to store information with one difference.  When you turn the power off, RAM loses any stored information.  The SSD will not.  It will continue to store information like a standard hard drive, with or without power.

Choosing a Solid State Drive

The first thing I will tell you when you are getting a solid state drive is to make sure you find any reviews available.  Because not all solid state drives work like standard drives, missing this step can cause you a great deal of headaches.

Second, because this technology is still relatively new, make sure you use a vendor you know and trust to buy your parts from.  This way, in the event of an RMA or if you get a drive that's dead when you get it, you have no worries getting it replaced.

Third, check the manufacturers website and see if there are any incompatibilities with the software you plan to use.  Specifically if you run Windows 7, make sure this drive will run with it.

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