IDC Unveils PC Storage Study

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Debates over solid state drives (SSDs) versus hard disk drives (HDDs) are numerous and, for the most part, tend to confuse the potential impact SSDs will have on real world PC performance. To elucidate this impact and to determine where today's drive technologies excel and where they don't, IDC partnered with a third party, independent laboratory to compare and contrast six different storage devices (two traditional mobile PC hard disk drives, two solid state drives, and two hybrid hard disk drives) in a single setting, under a common set of tests, and with identical computing platforms. Some of the results from this benchmark study were predictable, while others were unexpected.

"Although overall test results indicate that traditional disk drive technology is going to be around for years to come, both hybrid and SSD technologies will experience increased adoption rates as price points decline, technology improves, and use-cases evolve," said David Reinsel, group vice president for storage and semiconductor research at IDC. "The results have led us to several significant conclusions that we believe will be eye-opening for those that have anything to do with storage device technologies in PCs."

IDC