If there were one slogan the 21st century would stand by, it would be
‘Data is the King’. From tech. giants such as Facebook, Google etc. having
their user data stored in multi-storey server rooms to a small local
manufacturer keeping tab on his stock and earnings in a spreadsheet.
Aggregation and storage of data is the need of the hour. In fact, as per
estimate, Google could be holding at least 15 exabytes of user data in their
data centres, that’s 15 million terabytes of data!
Though, a routine user would never create/consume more than a fraction of data
these tech. giants hold, data still accounts for paramount importance in a
modern user’s life. Whether one is a professional content creator: programmer,
photo/video editor, analyst requiring to run performance intensive software
etc., or a relatively casual user requiring to perform day-to-day tasks such as
accessing and creating spreadsheets, power-point presentations, browsing the
internet with multiple tabs opened simultaneously, etc., almost every user
requires a sufficiently large capacity data storage device to store all of
one’s work/leisure related files and an ability to access that data instantly
at one’s disposal.
Unfortunately, when it comes to data storage devices, there is a huge sense of
uncertainty in the the minds of most users and they often find themselves
replacing their relatively new desktops/laptops in favour of a new one as soon
as their devices show signs of lag and delayed processing times. The belief
that a computer slows down because its CPU is no longer efficiently processing
the tasks thrown at it, stimulates the users into purchasing a new computer
with a more advanced CPU. However, we can not be farther from the truth. The
fact is, just by replacing/upgrading the component in which the data is stored
and from which it is accessed, one can add new life to one’s existing computer
that would serve one well for years to come.
This is when storage devices like Hard Disk Drive(HDD), Solid
State Drive(SSD) and RAM come to the rescue..
And today, we will make purchasing these three vital data storage devices a breezy process for all.
Now, if you are a frequent visitor to the posts on this blog, you might be probably aware that we take each topic from the grass root level and we will do the same with this post as well. We will begin with the permanent data storage device, wherein we will understand what purpose does permanent data storage device serve in a computer. Then, on the basis of their read/write speeds, we would classify permanent data storage devices in two categories - HDD and SSD, and learn about each of them in detail by testing them on various parameters including their working, data read/write speeds, form factor, connection interface etc. We would also discuss which among Internal and External iteration of these would serve one’s needs the best. Following which, we will proceed onto gaining insights about the RAM, which is a temporary data storage device. We would discuss the interplay between the RAM and the CPU, and learn why having lower than adequate quantity of RAM negatively impacts the computer’s performance. Post this, we would analyse the various parameters such as the type, generation and frequency one should opt the RAM in, that would be compatible with the existing RAM of one’s computer. After learning about the RAM, we would be inspecting the ways in which some manufacturers cut production costs and manufacture products that are built out of substandard components that often lead to loss of data stored on the storage device as well as cause other hardware components of the computer to be rendered useless.
Then, we will move onto deciding which are some of the best data storage devices - HDD, SSD, RAM available in the market that are not only built out of durable electronic components that can easily stand the test of time, but are also designed keeping computer thermals in consideration in a manner that the storage device produces low heat so as to keep the computer operating within optimal temperature range, thereby prolonging the shelf life of its components, and hence offering the most value for one’s money.
You might be glad to know that I am a web developer by profession and am clocking more than 5 years of work experience in the industry. Having been a technology enthusiast from a very young age, over the years, I have attained decent expertise about computers and their various electronic components. This post is an amalgamation of my knowledge, research and discussions on the subject with some of my colleagues.
So without further a do, let’s begin…
Permanent Data Storage Device
As the name suggests, this type of storage is non-volatile in nature, i.e. whatever data is present on the device, it is retained for a long-term - often permanently, unless deleted by the user, and even when the computer is turned off, the data is not lost and is ready to serve the user when the computer is restarted. All the documents, media, software, etc., that one stores/installs on one’s computer gets stored on the permanent storage devices.
Based on the technologies used in storing data and the data read/write speeds, permanent storage devices are available in two configurations-
- Hard Disk Drive(HDD)
- Solid State Drive(SSD)
HARD DISK DRIVE(HDD)
This is an electro-mechanical data storage device that uses magnetic storage to
store and retrieve digital information using one or more rapidly rotating
disks, known as platters which are coated with magnetic material. The platters
are paired with magnetic heads, usually arranged on a moving read-write arm,
which reads and writes data to the platter surfaces. A typical HDD has two
electric motors: a spindle motor that spins the platters and an actuator
(motor) that positions the read-write head assembly across the platters.
The platters of modern consumer-grade HDDs rotate at an RPM of 5400 or 7200.
Higher the RPM, better will be the read-write speeds and hence, better would be
the computer’s overall performance. The read-write speeds of a typical HDD is
in the range of 50–170 Mbps, which is significantly lesser than that of SSDs.
Based on their use and the purpose they serve, HDDs are primarily manufactured
in two configurations:-
- Internal
- External
Internal HDD:- As the name suggests, this configuration of HDD is installed within the chassis of a desktop or a laptop and primarily functions as boot up drive for the operating system. All the registry files required for successfully running the operating system are mostly stored on an internal HDD. This configuration of HDD sits inside its dedicated slot and is held in place by the means of screws. It is connected to the motherboard by the means of a SATA connector. An HDD that is installed in a desktop has a disk diameter of 3.5 inches, whereas, in a laptop, the diameter of the disk measures 2.5 inches. Depending upon the storage capacity of the HDD, one may save one’s documents, media files, and install one’s required software on this drive, apart from the operating system.
External HDD:- Unlike the Internal HDD that is installed inside the chassis of a computer, an external HDD connects with the computer externally via a USB port. By virtue of its easy connectivity with the computer, an external HDD is highly portable in nature and often functions as a mass data storage device which one can carry along if one is a frequent traveller and requires to make use of the data on the go or if one requires to share data of one computer with another. Another area where an external HDD shines is serving as a backup drive to the internal HDD. If in case data on the internal HDD gets corrupted for some reason, one can restore all of it by the backup made on external HDD.
(Image of an External HDD attached to a laptop)
SOLID STATE DRIVE(SSD)
This is a type of storage device that has no moving parts unlike an HDD which
relies on rotating platters and a read-write arm. Instead, an SSD makes use of
NAND type flash memory to store data. Instead of a magnetic platter, files are
saved on a grid of NAND flash cells. Each grid, also called blocks can store
between 256 KB and 4MB of data. When the user requests a file, the controller,
also known as processor of an SSD has the exact addresses of the blocks where
the specific data is written, and the data is almost instantly made available
to the user. There’s no waiting for a read/write head to find the information
it needs. SSD access times are thus measured in nanoseconds.
An SSD requires significantly less power to operate as compared to a
traditional HDD. This characteristic feature of SSD solves dual purpose in case
of laptop users: first, charge on the battery lasts longer, hence an improved
battery life is observed. This facet of SSDs is especially a boon for those who
travel frequently and have to go for longer duration without plugging the
laptop to the power socket and second, since battery life is enhanced, it needs
to be recharged less often. This results in less frequent recharges, thereby
enhancing shelf life of the battery.
Like HDDs, SSDs are also manufactured in two configurations to serve the varied
requirements of users. The configurations are:-
- Internal
- External
Internal SSD:- An internal SSD can be configured as an HDD replacement and can be installed in place of the HDD in the dedicated slot compatible with 2.5 inch drives. In this case, the SSD is connected to the motherboard by the same SATA connector that an HDD is connected to the motherboard with. An M.2 form factor of SATA based SSDs is also a popular choice in the market, apart from the traditional 2.5 inch one. Another iteration of internal SSD is the NVMe protocol based SSD that connects to the motherboard by the means of PCIe interface, which is a high-bandwidth interface. SATA based SSDs have a maximum read-write speed of 560 MBps and 530 MBps respectively which are immensely less than PCIe based NVMe SSDs that have a maximum read-write speed of 3500 MBps. Like an Internal HDD, an internal SSD too is mostly used as the boot up drive for the operating system with all the registry files essential for running the operating system stored on it. Due to significantly faster read-write speeds of SSDs as compared to HDDs, the boot up and application load times are significantly lesser.
External SSD:- This type of SSD appeals to the likes of those who have to work with huge file sizes, up in the range of several gigabytes, and are not comfortable with the relatively slow read-write speeds associated with HDDs. External SSD connects with the computer externally via a USB port. All the facets of external HDDs stated earlier, apply to external SSDs as well, with external SSDs exercising a distinct advantage of superior read-write speeds when compared to that of external HDDs.
Now, having gained insights on permanent data storage devices discussing their
working, configurations, read-write speeds etc., let us proceed to learn about
the next critical data storage device: the RAM, which retains data as long as
the computer is powered on, and is also called as temporary or volatile memory.
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY(RAM)
RAM is the primary memory of a computer. Whenever the user opens a file or an
application, it is fed from the computer’s HDD or SSD, into the RAM. Once the
RAM receives data, the CPU accesses the file or runs an application. In case
when multiple programs are open at the same time such that the total storage
capacity of the RAM is almost entirely utilized, the RAM might not be in a
state to hold on to any more programs or data. In such a scenario, when the
user opens another file or runs a new application, the RAM, in order to
allocate space to load the new data has to perform an additional task of
compressing or transferring some of the then relatively non-essential files
back to the HDD or SSD, thus slowing down the computer significantly.
This phenomenon is commonly observed in instances when multiple browser tabs
are open simultaneously, utilizing a major chunk of the RAM’s total storage
capacity. In such a scenario, when one revisits a tab that was opened a while
ago, the computer would freeze for a few seconds and the tab would often
reload. It is also not uncommon to find some resource intensive applications
occasionally crash due to shortage of RAM.
In such scenarios, enhancing the primary memory of the computer by either
replacing the existing RAM with a higher storage capacity one or by
supplementing the existing RAM by adding another similar or higher storage
capacity one in the vacant RAM slot, would enhance the performance of the
computer significantly.
RAM retains the data fed into it as long as constant power supply is provided
to it, i.e. as long as the computer is powered on, RAM can store data. Once the
computer is turned off, all the data residing on RAM is wiped clean. For the
same reason, when a computer is turned on after a shut down, none of the
files/applications that were previously launched by the user are running.
Inside the chassis of a computer, RAM is installed into its dedicated memory
slot known as DIMM(Direct In-line Memory Module) slot, or more
commonly known by the term ‘RAM slot.’ Most consumer grade desktops are
configured with a UDIMM type of RAM. Whereas in laptops, a SODIMM configuration
of RAM finds its application. A SODIMM RAM is nearly half the size of a UDIMM
RAM and is configured in laptops because of the limited space available inside
its chassis.
(Image of RAM getting installed in its DIMM slot)
The processor and the motherboard of almost all modern computers are designed to operate on a DDR(Double Data Rate) RAM. Currently, the fourth generation of DDR RAMs, i.e. DDR4 is serving millions of computers worldwide, although DDR3 - the previous generation of RAMs is also widely prevalent. However, it is imperative to note that none of the generations of RAM is backward or forward compatible, i.e. if the existing RAM doing its duty in one’s computer is, say, DDR3, one would have to necessarily opt for a new RAM of the same generation. One may refer to one’s computer’s specifications to determine the generation of RAM it is built to operate on.
Another aspect associated with RAM is its frequency. Frequency of RAM is measured by how many cycles of data exchange with CPU it can perform per second. For instance, if RAM is rated at 2400 MHz, it performs 2.4 billion cycles of data exchange per second. The more of these cycles that happen per second, the more data can be exchanged with the CPU, facilitating a smoother, lag free user experience. Again, when considering to upgrade the existing RAM of one’s computer by supplementing/replacing it with a higher capacity one, it is wise to decide on a RAM that is rated at the same frequency as that of the existing one.
Now, having understood the purpose of RAM in a computer and the factors that determine the choice of RAM one should opt for, let us proceed to analyse the ways in which some manufacturers (names not taken) cut production costs and produce products that are built out of substandard components that often lead to loss of data stored on the storage device as well as cause other hardware components inside the computer chassis to be rendered beyond repair.
COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES
- Poorly soldered connections between circuit elements on the data storage device. Data storage devices make use of billions of transistors, resistors and capacitors to store the user data. These billions of circuit elements require to be soldered in place on a PCB(Printed Circuit Board). The entire process of fabrication needs utmost precision, which requires deploying hundreds of robots and skilled work force. This adds to the overall cost of production. Hence, to reduce manufacturing costs and to increase profits, some manufacturers resort to making use of relatively inexpensive machinery and materials which are usually not as accurate in soldering the connections between the numerous circuit elements, and the soldering technique deployed is often sub-par. As a result of this, solder joints between the circuit elements come apart and the data storage device fails only after a few months of use, and along that, often the entire user data stored on the device is lost. The consumer is thus left duped and requires a new storage device, thereby giving recurring profits to the manufacturer.
- Little to no thermal considerations. High operational temperatures have severe negative repercussions on the shelf life of a data storage device and on the performance of a computer. Thus, to safeguard the device from the influence of intense heat, such circuit elements are to be used that have low electric resistance and high thermal tolerance. However, circuit elements with these characteristics are slightly costly to manufacture and procure. So, to reduce manufacturing costs further, those manufacturers resort to installing low-grade components in the products they manufacture that generate high amounts of heat when power is supplied to them. The heat, apart from impacting the device, dissipates to other components, inside the chassis of the computer, as well, thereby shortening their operable life too.
So, having discussed the ways in which some manufacturers resort to cutting manufacturing costs in order to increase their profit margin, let us proceed to zero down on some of the best data storage devices available in the market that are not only built out of durable electronic components that can easily stand the test of time, but are also designed keeping computer thermals in consideration in a manner that the storage device produces low heat so as to keep the computer operating within optimal temperature range, thereby prolonging the shelf life of its components.
Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.
HDDFor Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice(External), Best Choice 4, My Preferred Choice(Laptop Internal), Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, My Preferred Choice(Desktop Internal), Best Choice 7 and Best Choice 8
SSD
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice(2.5 inch SATA Internal), Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice(M.2 SATA Internal), Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, My Preferred Choice(External), Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, My Preferred Choice(M.2 NVMe Internal) Best Choice 8 and Best Choice 9
RAM
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice(Laptop), Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice(Desktop), Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12
