A storage device that retains the operating system, applications, and files even when the computer is switched off.
Storage drives provide permanent data storage. Solid-state drives (SSDs) use flash memory and generally offer faster loading and transfer speeds, while hard disk drives (HDDs) use magnetic disks and can offer economical high-capacity storage.
Key Specifications
Type: NVMe SSD, SATA SSD, or HDD
Capacity: 256 GB to multiple TB
Interface: PCIe/NVMe or SATA
Read/write speed
Form factor: M.2, 2.5-inch, or 3.5-inch
Endurance rating for SSDs; rotational speed for HDDs
Common Uses: Operating system installation, application storage, document storage, database systems, backups, and large-file archiving.