SSDs are more rugged and typically more resistant to physical shock, run silently, have lower access times and less latency (no read/write head to move) vs their spinning disk counterparts. SSDs tend to be more reliable than hard disks and offer greater protection in hostile environments.

SSDs have no moving (mechanical) components. This distinguishes them from traditional electromechanical magnetic disks such as hard disk drives (HDDs) or floppy disks, which contain spinning disks and movable read/write heads. Compared with electromechanical disks, SSDs are typically more resistant to physical shock, run silently, have lower access time, and less latency.