What's the difference between SSD and HDD storage?

An HDD is a spinning mechanical drive that reads data like a record player. An SSD stores data on computer chips with no moving parts, like a giant USB stick. SSDs are 5-10 times faster, more reliable, quieter, and use less power.

An HDD reads data from spinning magnetic platters using a mechanical arm—think of a record player looking for the right track. An SSD stores data on electronic chips with no moving parts—like a huge USB stick. SSDs are much faster in real-world use, more reliable because there's nothing to wear out, quieter, and use less battery power. They cost a bit more per gigabyte but have become standard in all new computers.