What is it?

Storage or Read Only Memory (ROM) is like the long-term memory of your computer. This is where all the information you've downloaded to your computer is kept while not in use. They come in a variety of types, each with their own ups and downs.

 

 

What specs should I look out for?

• Type: Internal storage devices come in 3 major types: HDD, SSD, and SSHD. These all fit into different spots in the case, but can all be used in the same system at the same time.

  • HDD: A Hard Disk Drive stores data on a spinning disk. These tend to be some of the cheapest storage devices based on their capacity and have much more capacity than other options, though they have comparatively low speeds and data can be lost if the disk is scratched.

  • SSD: A Solid State Drive is the primary contender for the HDD. Though its storage capacity is often lower and its prices higher, it offers faster access speeds, a smaller form factor, and better data security since there's no moving parts to be damaged. They come in three different form factors: 2.5-inch SSD, m.2 SSD, and Add-in Card. m.2 SSDs and Add-in Cards both plug directly into the motherboard, and the Add-in Card takes up a PCI-E slot.

  • SSHD: A Solid State Hybrid Drive combines a HDD and an SSD into one drive. Programs on an SSHD are normally stored on a HDD for higher capacity, and any programs that it detects are frequently used will be moved to an SSD for faster access. The main drawback of the SSHD is that it is much more expensive than the sum of its parts, so many people settle for manually organizing data on individual drives.

• Capacity: How much data a drive can hold. This is usually measured in either gigabytes or terabytes.

• Cache Space: A part of the drive's capacity dedicated for moving data to different parts of the drive. A larger cache allows for the a faster transfer of data.