In addition to solid and mechanical hard drives can also be used

Today, Xiao Bian decided to address some questions in the comments section. One of the small partners asked whether SSDs and traditional mechanical hard drives have significant differences in terms of performance. Xiao Bian believes it's important to discuss this topic further since people generally prefer to save money whenever possible.

First off, to answer the small partner's question, the performance of mechanical hard drives cannot be compared to SSDs. The biggest difference lies in the response time, continuous read/write speeds, and 4K file handling capabilities. SSDs far surpass mechanical hard drives in these aspects. Even if one were to use an i5 processor with a mechanical hard drive versus an i7 paired with an SSD, the difference in speed would be quite noticeable.

To summarize briefly, the trend indicates that SSDs will continue to dominate. As of early 2017, Xiao Bian has been emphasizing that prices are unlikely to decrease this year. The latest reports suggest that the price hikes for SSDs might persist through the third quarter, with no signs of a downward trend until at least the first half of next year. The reasons behind this are complex, but based on the current market situation, Xiao Bian predicts that the upward pressure on prices may ease somewhat by this time next year. Prices might stabilize or even drop in the fourth quarter. Therefore, if you have an immediate need, don't hesitate—buy one. However, if your budget is constrained, Xiao Bian has a few suggestions for smaller budgets to consider.

Option 1: Hybrid Hard Drives

Hybrid hard drives essentially add a certain amount of solid-state flash memory (such as 8GB) to a mechanical hard drive and use a specialized caching mechanism to enhance performance. For instance, when loading games, they load large files quickly, particularly when reading repeatedly, where the caching effect becomes more pronounced.

In terms of performance, the read capabilities of hybrid drives are nearly identical to SSDs. The most noticeable improvement is seen when booting into the operating system—there's virtually no difference compared to SSDs. However, when it comes to writing files, hybrid drives fall short, with write speeds often being sluggish, resembling that of regular mechanical hard drives.

Naturally, hybrid drives are more affordable than SSDs, making them a viable option for those with tighter budgets.

Option 2: Intel Rapid Storage Technology

Intel’s Rapid Storage Technology is a fantastic tool for improving performance without breaking the bank, though older motherboards may not support it (Intel platforms only). Essentially, as long as you have a small-capacity SSD (even a used one), you can boost your computer’s performance, giving your mechanical drive SSD-like capabilities. The underlying principle is similar to hybrid drives, but the implementation differs slightly. For detailed instructions, check out Xiao Bian’s guide titled “Accelerate Your Mechanical Drive!”

Additionally, starting with the 200-series chipset, Intel’s Rapid Storage Technology has been enhanced to include a dedicated mode, available exclusively for 200-series chipsets and 7th-generation Core processors. This can significantly improve disk performance, sometimes even matching SSDs. However, the overall cost remains relatively high.

Option 3: PrimoCache Software

If options one and two seem too expensive, Xiao Bian has a budget-friendly alternative, though it offers the least performance. It’s more of an auxiliary measure. “Learn How to Turn Your Mechanical Drive into an SSD!” describes how to use memory as a cache to assist with read/write operations on the auxiliary drive. Keep in mind that while this method has minimal overhead, it requires sufficient memory—if your RAM is limited, it may not be feasible.

In conclusion, the best solution remains straightforward: if your budget allows, go for an SSD. But if you’re on a tight budget or timing isn’t ideal, the three alternatives provided by Xiao Bian are worth considering. Currently, Xiao Bian is sticking with Option 2, finding the performance satisfactory and the cost reasonable—a decent compromise (since there’s an old hard drive in service, there’s no rush to switch to a hybrid).