SSD: What is it and what are its advantages? | Syntex.cz

What is an SSD and what are its benefits

While SD cards are fine for storing smaller amounts of data, you usually need a more powerful calibre when shooting videos. And that's an SSD that can store large amounts of data quickly. What is it, what are its benefits and when is it worth choosing?

What is an SSD?

An SSD - solid-state drive - is a modern storage device that is the successor to magnetic hard disk drives (HDDs) that contain mechanical moving parts. However, SSD drives are nothing new, you would even find the first one back in 1976. But it's only in recent years that they've become so affordable that their use has spread massively among mainstream consumers; until then, only the military or space projects could reach them.

SSDs don't contain any moving parts, which makes them very resistant to mechanical influences and you don't have to worry about taking them out in the field. Instead, SSD cards have memory chips in them that make it easy and fast to write and erase data.

SSD benefits

That being said, SSDs don't have mechanical moving parts that could be damaged by being carried around, so they're very durable. Another indisputable advantage is the fast transfer, read and write speeds, typically 550 MB/s, so you can work with 4k video without any worries. SSDs also don't have a motor and are up to three times more energy efficient than platter drives.

When to choose SD and when to choose SSD?

When considering external storage for video recording, you need to consider the following:

- Speed: External SSDs generally offer faster read and write speeds compared to SD cards, resulting in smoother writes and faster downloads.

- Capacity: External SSDs generally have a larger capacity compared to SD cards, so you can store more video footage without having to constantly replace memory cards.

- Cost: The main disadvantage of SSDs is their high price. However, if you require reliable, high-speed storage, they are worth investing in.

- Power consumption: SSDs can require more power compared to SD cards, which can have a negative effect on battery life, especially for longer recording sessions.

- Compatibility: Last but not least, it's also important to make sure your recording device is compatible with your chosen external storage device.

In conclusion, the choice between an external SSD and an SD card mainly depends on your specific needs and video recording requirements.