Archive article: April 2015. This comparison and its illustrations originate from 2015. Hardware specifications, prices and availability change; compare the current specifications of the products being considered for your EPoS system.

When choosing a new EPoS system for your retail operations you may be faced with the decision between a SSD drive and HDD drive.  But what is the difference? And which one is best for you? At RMS we want to make you aware of the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a particular type of drive.

SSD stands for solid state drive. Unlike an HDD, it has no moving mechanical parts. An HDD stores data on rotating disks accessed by a read/write head. When comparing durability, check the shock and vibration ratings for the particular drive and EPoS terminal.

Speed is one reason to consider an SSD for an EPoS system. Storage access, boot times and application loading depend on the drive, the rest of the system and the task being performed. Compare the proposed hardware with your actual retail workload rather than assuming a fixed speed increase or shorter transaction times.

Power consumption is another factor to compare. Check the specifications of the individual drives and the complete EPoS terminal, including any battery-life information supplied by the manufacturer. The overall cost should account for the purchase price, energy use and your business’s workload; a fixed battery-life gain or long-term saving should not be assumed.

Noise and heat output also depend on the hardware selected. An SSD has no spinning disks or moving read/write mechanism, but the complete EPoS terminal may contain fans and other components. Check the terminal’s specifications and operating requirements when assessing noise, cooling and suitability for your retail environment.

Budget and storage capacity were important considerations in this 2015 comparison. Compare the quoted price, usable capacity and compatibility of the particular drives available for your EPoS system, alongside performance and support requirements.

Overall, storage should be assessed as part of the complete EPoS system. Review boot and application-loading times, power use, physical durability, capacity and total cost against the demands of your retail operation.

If budget and capacity are priorities, compare suitable HDD and SSD options against those requirements. The choice should reflect the performance your applications need, rather than capacity or purchase price alone.

If speed and physical durability are priorities, include those requirements in the comparison and check the manufacturer’s specifications for the proposed drive and terminal. The most suitable option depends on the complete system and how your business will use it.

For more information about which type of drive is best for you when choosing an EPoS system for your retail operation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with RMS.