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Invention

Solid-State Drive

Computer Engineering

A solid-state drive, or SSD, is a data storage device that uses integrated circuits to store data persistently rather than the spinning magnetic platters of a hard disk drive or the tape of a tape drive, and is also called a solid-state disk or solid-state device. Storage Technology Corporation built an early solid-state drive using volatile DRAM in 1978, with an initial capacity of 45 megabytes, well before flash-based storage existed. SanDisk introduced the first flash-memory-based solid-state drives in 1991, starting at a 20 megabyte capacity in a 2.5-inch form factor, and since 2009 most SSDs have used non-volatile NAND flash memory rather than DRAM, the shift that made SSDs practical for everyday consumer and enterprise use.

Facts
Partially Attested
Year
1978 2
Sources differ on which milestone counts as the SSD's invention. Storage Technology Corporation's STC 4305 of 1978 is described as the first solid state disk drive, built with DRAM, while SanDisk's 1991 prototype is described as the first flash memory based SSD. This row uses the earlier, broader milestone.
Significance
Unlike traditional hard disk drives, SSDs have no moving parts, giving them faster data access, reduced latency, greater shock resistance, lower power consumption and silent operation. 1
Sources
1. Solid-state drive, Wikipedia
  • Attributes section, comparison to hard disk drives
    Unlike traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), SSDs have no moving parts, allowing them to deliver faster data access speeds, reduced latency, increased resistance to physical shock, lower power consumption, and silent operation.
  • In Group: Computer Data Storage Devices and Media, A solid-state drive (SSD) is a type of solid-state storage device that uses integrated circuits to store data persistently.
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2. History (1978): Probably First SSD, StorageNewsletter
Page heading and first line
Quote, Page heading and first line
1978: STC 4305 First solid state disk drive
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