When people start coming into our shop requesting something with regular frequency, it is usually the time to devote a blog post to. More are more people are asking when they purchase a custom built computer or a previously owned commercial grade desktop or laptop about getting an SSD (Solid State Drive). Other people have asked about swapping out their current hard drive for an SSD during a repair. Apparently SSDs have hit a low enough price point to “make sense” to upgrade to and the benefits are getting out beyond the tech community to the general public. As a result, for this month’s blog I’ll share some reasons SSDs might be a good fit for you. 
Background Both SSDs and hard drives do the same thing: They boot your system, and store your applications and personal files. (Joel Santo Domingo, PCMag, SSD vs. HDD: What's the Difference?, June 9, 2017, https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404258,00.asp). SSDs cost more than hard drives in terms of dollar per gigabyte. As Joel Santo Domingo with PCMag points out, a “1TB internal 2.5-inch hard drive costs between $40 and $50, but as of this writing, an SSD of the same capacity and form factor starts at $250. That translates into 4 to 5 cents per gigabyte for the hard drive and 25 cents per gigabyte for the SSD (Joel Santo Domingo, PCMag, SSD vs. HDD: What's the Difference?, June 9, 2017, https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404258,00.asp). However, even at this price point, SSDs are in the reach of most people to upgrade to. Further, the benefits can end up saving one considerably more than the difference on price per gigabyte in a short period of time. One benefit it speed. A PC equipped with an SSD will boot in less than a minute, and often in just seconds. A hard drive needs time to speed up to operating specs, and will continue to be slower than an SSD during ordinary use. A PC or Mac with an SSD boots almost instantly, launches and runs apps faster, and transfers files faster. Whether you're using your computer for gaming, school, or business, the extra speed may be the difference between finishing on time and failing (Joel Santo Domingo, PCMag, SSD vs. HDD: What's the Difference?, June 9, 2017, https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404258,00.asp). If you are a graphic arts or engineering professional, consider this: The speed of an SSD may make the difference between completing two proposals for your client and completing five (Joel Santo Domingo, PCMag, SSD vs. HDD: What's the Difference?, June 9, 2017, https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404258,00.asp). 3 More Time & Money Saving Benefits of SSDs
- Audio engineers and musicians: SAVE TIME EDITING. If you're recording music, you don't want the scratchy sound from a hard drive intruding. Go for quieter SSDs.
- Road warriors: People who shove their laptops into their bags indiscriminately will want the extra security of an SSD. That laptop may not be fully asleep when you violently shut it to catch your appointment or next flight. This also includes professionals who work in the field, like utility workers and university researchers.
- Power: An SSD doesn't consume electricity spinning up a platter from a standstill. As a result, none of the energy consumed by the SSD is wasted as friction or noise, rendering them more efficient. On a desktop or in a server, that will lead to a lower energy bill. On a laptop or tablet, you'll be able to get out more minutes (or hours) of battery life. Saving a year on a laptop battery might just pay for a SSD (depending on your usage) (Joel Santo Domingo, PCMag, SSD vs. HDD: What's the Difference?, June 9, 2017, https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404258,00.asp).
These are just some benefits of getting an SSD in a new desktop computer, laptop computer or upgrading one into your current computer. SSDs do cost more, but at a price point that seems to be in most people’s reach these days, plus the benefits often help pay for itself. If you are having trouble determining how SSDs fit into your computer needs, contact me via phone or email: 763-441-3884, techs@rbsmn.com. In addition SSDs, we sell the best desktop and laptop computers. RB’s Computer Service can provide strategies and managed IT service agreements to help prevent Ransomware attacks. We sell the best commercial grade firewall routers, business computers, computer parts, computer monitors and provide computer repair, iPhone and smartphone repair and tablet repairs to customers and clients throughout central Minnesota and St. Cloud.