The question "which is better, SSD or DDR4?" is fundamentally flawed because they serve entirely different purposes in a computer system. It's like asking which is better, a car's engine or its tires. They are not comparable in a direct "better vs. worse" sense.
Understanding the Roles
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SSD (Solid State Drive): SSDs are a type of non-volatile storage. This means they store data even when the power is off. They are used for persistent storage of the operating system, applications, and files. SSDs offer significantly faster read/write speeds compared to traditional HDDs (Hard Disk Drives).
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DDR4 (Double Data Rate 4th Generation): DDR4 is a type of volatile memory, also known as RAM (Random Access Memory). RAM is used for temporary storage of data that the CPU is actively using. When the power is turned off, the data in RAM is lost. DDR4 provides incredibly fast access speeds, much faster than SSDs, but it is only used for short-term data handling.
Speed and Latency
| Feature | DDR4 (RAM) | SSD |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Extremely Fast | Fast |
| Latency | Very Low | Higher than RAM |
| Volatile | Yes | No |
| Data Retention | No | Yes |
| Use Case | Active Data | Persistent Storage |
DDR4 has much faster throughput and lower latency than even the fastest SSDs. To quantify this as the provided reference said, DDR4 is about ten times faster and has 1/1000th of the lag time of an SSD. The key difference is that DDR4 requires constant power to retain data.
Why You Need Both
You need both SSDs and DDR4 to have a functional and efficient computer. The operating system and applications reside on the SSD for persistent storage. When you launch an application, the necessary data is loaded from the SSD into the DDR4. The CPU then accesses the data from the DDR4 because it is much faster. When you save your work, it is written back to the SSD.
Conclusion
It is incorrect to say one is simply "better" than the other. SSDs and DDR4 are complementary technologies that work together to provide both fast performance and persistent data storage. They fulfill different essential roles within a computer system. Choosing one over the other isn't a viable option; you need both for a functioning computer.
