SSD vs HDD: Which is better?

If your PC or laptop needs more storage, should you install a solid-state drive (SSD) or a hard disk drive (HDD)? If you're a gamer, upgrading to the best SSD could solve all your storage demands and speed up your device. But, if all you want is more space, fitting an HDD might better suit your needs. So, the ultimate question is: SSD vs HDD, which is better?

• Is an SSD better than an HDD?
• Should I upgrade to an SSD?
• Is it better to play games on SSD or HDD?
• Are SSDs more reliable than HDDs?
• What is the lifespan of an SSD?

Is an SSD better than an HDD?

While an SSD and an HDD are both classed as a form of hard drive, there are two main differences between them:

• SSDs are faster but more expensive.
• HDDs are slower but cheaper.

As a general rule, SSDs are better than HDDs, and we almost always recommend upgrading to the best SSD you can afford in order to improve your computer’s performance.

An SSD or solid-state drive is significantly faster than its HDD counterpart due to the way an SSD stores, reads, and writes data. An SSD takes information and stores it electronically, which allows data to be written and retrieved with exceptional speed.

HDDs by comparison store information by writing to and reading from a spinning disk. This operation is performed by a mechanical arm which physically moves backwards and forwards as the disk rotates. The problem with this design is that the arm can only read whatever is immediately beneath the arm on the disk. An SSD doesn’t have this limitation, and is able to access all of the stored data immediately without waiting for a physical component to rotate to the correct location.

Should I upgrade to an SSD?

If you’re a gamer and want the best performance for your PC or laptop, it’s worth investing in the best SSD for gaming. It's also worth mentioning that game developers are increasingly making SSDs a requirement for their games, so it’s only a matter of time until HDDs won’t be compatible. So, if you only have an HDD right now, you may want to consider upgrading your HDD to an SSD to future-proof your device.

However, SSDs are expensive and more costly than HDDs on a gigabyte by gigabyte basis. A modern 1TB (1000GB) SSD can easily set you back $50 to $100+, while a 1TB HDD can cost as little as $25 or less.

While an SSD is definitely more expensive, we recommend you upgrade to an SSD as soon as possible. Ideally, you want a 500GB SSD or greater. But, if money is a concern, you have two options:

• Buy an SSHD drive - a solid-state hybrid drive is a hard drive that bridges the gap between an SSD and HDD. It’s cheaper than an SSD, and faster than a HDD.
• Get a HDD with a high RPM - RPM stands for rotations per minute. HDDs with higher RPMs can read and write data faster than HDDs with a lower RPM. For a modern computer, aim for 5400 or 7200 RPM HDDs, whichever is in budget.

Should you upgrade anything else in your PC? Rate your PC with our benchmark test to find out.

Is it better to play games on SSD or HDD?

Installing and playing games on an SSD will give you significant performance improvements over using an HDD. Gaming on an HDD can result in longer load times, and slower system performance. SSDs allow your computer to retrieve data much faster, which will make it much easier to play games, and load your operating system on boot.

If it's within budget, a great setup for most gaming PCs is to have two SSDs running side by side: one which stores your operating system (OS), and one which stores all of your game files. If you keep all of your game files separate from your boot files and main programs, you run less of a risk of filling up storage space which, ultimately, leads to your system slowing down. Of course, you can side-step this issue entirely if you can keep an eye on your storage management on a single SSD or HDD.

Are SSDs more reliable than HDDs?

An unsung benefit of an SSD over an HDD is the SSD’s resilience. Assuming you were to drop your computer, an SSD is less likely to be damaged than an HDD. This is because a number of HDD components can be irreparably damaged by the shock of a fall:

• The spinning disk can shatter or crack, making data recovery impossible.
• The arm can become misaligned or scratch the disk, making data recovery eye-wateringly expensive or impossible.

SSDs have no moving parts, making them more reliable, though they can still be damaged if subjected to enough punishment. As a general rule of thumb, try not to drop your laptop, PC, or HD, which I think we can all agree to be a sensible approach.

What is the lifespan of an SSD?

There’s a lot of debate over whether SSDs or HDDs last longer than the other, but the general consensus and our long experience with hard drives suggests that both SSDs and HDDs will last between 5 and 10 years. SSDs will gradually slow down as they are used because the electronic components within wear out and lose the ability to hold the same charge as they did when new. HDDs slow down due to mechanical wear over time, plus several points of failure in the disk, arm, and other components can lead to a complete failure of the drive after years of use.

However, given that most computers, particularly gaming rigs, have a lifespan of 5 to 10 years, dedicated gamers won’t need to worry about the lifespan of their hard drives so long as they keep a good backup of their data ready using cloud storage or an external drive. Ideally, you should have at least two backups of your most important files: one at home, and one kept elsewhere (be it the cloud, a fireproof safe, or a separate location). 

Luckily, cloning your SSD or HDD onto another device is incredibly easy, with various software options existing on the market (including free tools). In this sense, a cheap way of backing up all of your files is to store everything you use on a daily basis on an SSD, and backup everything to an otherwise unplugged HDD. If you've never made a backup before, you'll be kicking yourself if you lose all of your data. Fortunately, it's rarely a lesson one needs to repeat.