Storage
Storage is the component in which computers and phones keep files permanently. The data stays there even when the device is switched off.
| In brief | The permanent memory component where files stay without being erased even when the device is switched off. |
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| Technical definition | A hardware unit that keeps data permanently on magnetic platters (HDD) or in flash memory cells (SSD), with capacity measured in GB and TB. |
| Everyday example | A "storage space is full" warning on your phone means photographs and applications have filled this permanent memory. |
| Why it matters | It is the physical home of every file and memory you keep; its type (SSD or HDD) directly affects the speed of the device, and its health affects the future of your data. |
| Common misconceptions |
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Permanent memory
Storage is where your operating system, your applications and your photographs and documents sit permanently. Its most important trait is permanence: the data is not erased when the device is switched off. In that respect it is separate from RAM, the temporary memory that works only while the device is on. In the classic comparison, storage is the filing cabinet and RAM is the working desk.
HDD and SSD: two technologies
A traditional hard disk (HDD) writes data onto spinning magnetic platters; it is cheap, but its mechanical parts make it slow and sensitive to knocks. An SSD (solid state drive) holds data in motionless chip cells; it is many times faster, silent and resistant to being shaken. The difference between a computer starting up in seconds and one taking minutes is usually the difference between these two. Every phone made today, and the great majority of new computers, use chip-based storage of the SSD kind.
How to choose capacity, and how long it lasts
Capacity is measured in gigabytes (GB) and terabytes (TB); 1 TB is 1000 GB. Photograph and video archives take up a great deal of room, so anyone keeping large collections may consider high capacity or the support of cloud storage. What should not be forgotten is that every storage device has a lifespan: disks can fail over the years. Keeping important files in more than one place — in other words backup — is the inseparable companion of storage.
Related terms: RAM, Cloud Storage, Backup, Hardware