- published: 27 Jun 2014
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A solid-state drive (SSD), sometimes called a solid-state disk or electronic disk, is a data storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to store data persistently. SSD technology uses electronic interfaces compatible with traditional block I/O hard disk drives. SSDs do not employ any moving mechanical components, which distinguishes them from traditional magnetic disks such as hard disk drives (HDDs) or floppy disk, which are electromechanical devices containing spinning disks and movable read/write heads. Compared to electromechanical disks, SSDs are typically less susceptible to physical shock, are silent, and have lower access time and latency, but are, at present market prices, more expensive per unit of storage.
SSDs share the input/output interface technology developed for hard disk drives, thus permitting simple replacement for most applications.
As of 2010[update], most SSDs use NAND-based flash memory, which retains data without power. For applications requiring fast access, but not necessarily data persistence after power loss, SSDs may be constructed from random-access memory (RAM). Such devices may employ separate power sources, such as batteries, to maintain data after power loss.