# Solid-State Drive A Solid-State Drive (SSD) stores data permanently in flash memory chips with no moving parts, unlike the older spinning hard disk drive (HDD). Because there is no mechanical arm seeking across a platter, SSDs are dramatically faster, more durable, quieter, and more power-efficient — the main reason modern laptops and phones boot in seconds. Unlike [[RAM]], an SSD keeps its contents when powered off; it is the "filing cabinet," not the "desk." ## Why it matters here Mostly neutral infrastructure, with two small footnotes relevant to the vault. First, data permanence and deletion: flash storage uses wear-leveling that scatters data across cells, which complicates secure erasure — a real consideration for [[Privacy]] and for anyone who assumes "deleted" means "gone." Second, soldered-in storage is part of the repairability story: when manufacturers fuse the SSD to the mainboard rather than using a removable module, a storage failure can total an otherwise-fine device and recovery becomes far harder — a [[Right to Repair]] and [[Planned Obsolescence]] concern. Beyond that, the SSD is foundational literacy rather than a contested term. ## See Also - [[RAM]] — temporary working memory, often confused with storage - [[Right to Repair]] — soldered storage as a repairability issue - [[Semiconductor]] — the flash-chip family the SSD belongs to