

This difference from HDDs has a lot of implications, especially in size and performance. In an SSD, all data is stored in integrated circuits. SSDs got their name-solid state-because they use solidstate devices under the hood. In general, they are lower in cost and are practical for data that does not need to be accessed frequently, such as backups of photos, videos or business files. They are available in two common form factors: 2.5 inch (commonly used in laptops) and 3.5 inch (desktop computers).

HDDs are considered a legacy technology, meaning they’ve been around longer than SSDs. The arm moves the heads across the surface of the disk to access different data. It is similar to how a turntable record player works, with an LP record (hard disk) and a needle on an arm (transducers). The HDD has an arm with several "heads" (transducers) that read and write data on the disk. It has spinning disks inside where data is stored magnetically.

What Is an HDD?Īn HDD is a data storage device that lives inside the computer. Here's a quick guide on the best use for each and how to compare. Solid state drives (SSDs) and hard disk drives (HDDs) are the two main storage options to consider. The type of storage your computer uses matters for performance, including power usage and reliability. Utilizing the USB 3.0 ports on the PS4 should also have theoretically provided better performance than the internal SATA 2 connection.Choosing the right storage isn’t just about comparing capacity and cost. While the SSD was faster than the stock PS4 HDD, it wasn’t by a significant margin. Uncharted 4 provided interesting results. Each test is ran 8 times with the last four times being averaged. For these tests I will be using a few different games for each system and performing the noted loads four times and calculating the average time. I will be testing out the WD Blue SSD, internally and externally, compared to the stock drives that come with a PS4 and Xbox One. While this drive would primarily be used as a replacement for the PS4’s internal hard drive, they can also be used externally on both the PS4 and Xbox One with the use of a Sata to USB 3.0 adapter.
