What You Need to Know about 128GB Solid-State Drives
If you are looking to add another storage drive to your computer, then a 128GB solid-state drive is a possible option. The 128GB is just enough storage space for backups, boot-ups, and large games or programmes. You can find whatever storage solutions you need on eBay.
Why should you buy a solid-state drive?A solid-state drive is composed of something called flash memory, which has a few distinct advantages. It is fast, responsive, and has low latency (the delay time in accessing the data). It is also highly resistant to physical movements and disruptions, which is one of the main reasons SSDs are quite common in portable tablet and laptop computers. You are less likely to experience sudden breaks in the data transfer process because the drive is being jostled around. Even in desktop computers, however, solid-state drives are useful because they speed up booting and loading times. Gamers, artists, and other professionals won't have a problem loading large assets.
What is the difference between an internal and external drive?An internal drive generally acts as either the main long-term storage solution or, if you have multiple slots in your computer, a secondary or backup drive. It will connect to one of the main bus interfaces somewhere on the motherboard. An external storage drive is, at best, a secondary or tertiary drive. It typically connects thru the USB port and is easy to transport between computers.
How do you choose the right solid-state drive?These are the most important factors you should consider in your purchase:
- Form factor: For internal drives, there are generally two or three different form factors. The 3.5-inch drive is intended for desktop computers. The 2.5-inch drive is intended for laptop computers. The 1.8-inch drive, though far less common, is intended for the smallest notebooks and computers.
- Interface: You will need to make sure that the solid-state drive matches the internal interface in your computer. The most common interfaces are SATA, m.2, and PCI Express. SATA itself is divided up into standard SATA, mini-SATA, and micro-SATA. The sizes are physically different, so they are not compatible with each other unless you use an adaptor. There are also multiple versions of SATA, from 1.0 to 3.3. All versions are compatible with each other but operate at different speeds.
- Data Transfer Speed: The transfer speed is typically the result of both the speed of the bus interface and the design of the drive itself. It may vary between different models.
