Computer Hardware
HDD
Definition
A Hard Disk Drive (HDD), or hard drive, is an electro-mechanical data storage device that stores and retrieves digital data using magnetic storage and one or more rigid rapidly rotating platters coated with magnetic material.
Why It Matters
For decades, HDDs were the primary storage device for computers. While slower than SSDs, they offer a very low cost per gigabyte, making them ideal for storing large amounts of data where speed is not critical, such as backups or media archives.
Contextual Example
A user might have a fast SSD for their operating system and a large, slower HDD for storing their movie collection and personal photo archive.
Common Misunderstandings
- The mechanical nature of HDDs (with spinning platters and moving read/write heads) makes them slower and more fragile than SSDs.
- The speed of an HDD is often measured in RPM (Revolutions Per Minute), with higher RPMs generally indicating better performance.