Hard Disk Drive vs Solid State Drive

HARD DISK DRIVE VS SOLID STATE DRIVE

HDD -The traditional spinning hard drive is the basic storage on a computer. The information on it doesn't "go away" when you turn off the system, as is the case with data stored in RAM. A hard drive is  a metal platter with a magnetic coating that stores your data. A read/write head on an arm accesses the data while the platters are spinning that is relayed output for either viewing and/or listening.

SSD-   Basically does everything a hard drive do, but data is instead stored on interconnected flash memory chips that retain the data even when there's no power present. The chips can be permanently installed on the system's motherboard (as on some small laptops and ultraportables),or on a PCI Express (PCIe) card (in some high-end workstations and an increasing number of bleeding-edge consumer systems), or in a box that's sized, shaped, and wired to slot in for a laptop or desktop's hard drive (common on everything else). These flash memory chips are different than that which is used in USB thumb drives, and are typically faster and more reliable. SSDs are consequently more expensive than USB thumb drives of the same capacities.

Pro/cons – In regards to dollar per gigabyte SSDs are more expensive than hard drives. For instance a 1TB internal 2.5-inch hard drive costs approximately $40 to $50, but a SSD of the same capacity starts at $230. That is about 4 to 5 cents per gigabyte for the hard drive and 23 cents per gigabyte for the SSD. So depending on your budget the final factor could come down to price. The HHD is typically way more less expensive than the SSD.

Capacity - SSD units top out at 4TB and are rare and expensive. It is more common to find 500GB to 1TB units as primary drives in systems.  500GB is considered a "base" hard drive in 2016, pricing and budget desires can push that down to 128GB for a lower-priced SSD-based systems. Multimedia users will require even more, with 1TB to 4TB drives common in high-end systems. This comparison comes down to funds once again. If funds are not an issue the SSD is the way to go. If you are adhering to a strict budget the traditional hard drive will suffice.

Speed - An SSD-equipped PC will boot in less than a minute, and often in just seconds. A hard drive requires time to speed up to operating specs, and will continue to be slower than an SSD during normal use. A PC or Mac with an SSD boots faster, launches and runs apps faster, and transfers files faster. The SSD is the obvious winner in this comparison.

Durability - A SSD has no moving parts, so it is more likely to keep your data safe in the event you drop your laptop bag or your system is shaken about while it's operating. Most hard drives park their read/write heads when the system is off, but they are flying over the drive platter at a distance of a few nanometers when they are in operation. If you're rough on your equipment, an SSD is recommended. Considering I have lost many files due to dropping and/or shaken PC and/or Laptop I can appreciate the SSD durability over the hard drive.

Size - Form Factors: Hard drives rely on spinning platters so there is a limit to how small they can be manufactured.  SSDs have no such limitation, so they can continue to shrink as time goes on. SSDs are available in 2.5-inch laptop drive-sized boxes, but that's only for convenience. SSDs will continue to grow considering most of us are more appeal to smaller and less bulky devices.

Overall comparison - Hard drives win on price, capacity, and availability. SSDs work best if speed, ruggedness, form factor, noise, or fragmentation (technically part of speed) are important factors to a buyer. If it weren't for the price and capacity issues, SSDs would be the hands-down winner. In regards to the capacity issues it only a issue due to how expensive it is to purchase bigger storage space. The final assessment is that depending your expertise and agenda sticking with a HDD is logical if you are a casual PC/Lap Top user. If you make a living with the usage of PC/Lap Top devices investing in a SSD would be beneficial.

To further this comparison I added some typical needs that a buyer might consider when purchasing either a HDD or SDD. Once again the determining factor comes down to need and lifestyle.

HDDs
• Enthusiast multimedia users and extensive downloaders: Video collectors need space, and you can only get to 4TB of space inexpensively with hard drives.
• Budget buyers:  Plenty of cheap space. SSDs are too expensive for $500 PC buyers.
• Graphic arts and engineering professionals: Video and photo editors wear out storage by wear and tear. Replacing a 1TB hard drive will be less expensive than replacing a 500GB SSD.
• General users: General users are a toss-up. Folks who prefer to download their media files locally will still need a hard drive with more capacity. But if you mostly stream your music and videos online, then buying a smaller SSD for the same money will give you a better experience.

SSDs
• Road warriors: People who are rough on their devices will love the durability of SSD. The toughness and extra security of files is helpful for those who are constantly on the go.

• Speed demons: If you need things done now, spend the extra bucks for quick boot-ups and app launches. Supplement with a storage SSD or hard drive if you need extra space.
• Graphic arts and engineering professionals: Yes, I know I said they need hard drives, but the speed of an SSD may make the difference between completing multiple tasks for your client or just one. These users are prime candidates for dual-drive systems.
• Audio engineers and musicians:  SSD’s are quieter for recording.

The average price for an 1TB internal hard drive was between $49-$75.

The average price for an 1TB SSD $260 and possible beyond $2000.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404258,00.asp

Video of HDD vs SSD

http://www.pcmag.com/videos/2015/02/17/021715-ssd-vs-hdd-whats-the-difference