How to know if I Have SSD or HDD in Windows 11 & Windows 10?

The hard drive is a crucial part of a computer because it saves all of the data that the CPU processes. The hard drive is often the slowest component in a computer, although it may be made quicker if the appropriate hard drive is used. In this guide, you will learn different ways to know if your drive is SSD or HDD in Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Hard drives come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Hard disc drives (HDD) were the ancient hard drives, and they are still widely used since they are less expensive than other options. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are a newer type of hard disc that is more costly but far quicker than traditional hard drives. 

SSD vs. HDD: What’s the Difference?

• HDDs: A ferromagnetic coating covers a set of platters in an enclosure. The individual bits are represented by the magnetization direction. Ahead (similar to how vinyl record albums function) reads and writes data as it travels quickly from one part of the disc to another. Because all of these components are mechanical, the hard drive is the slowest and most vulnerable component of any computer.
• SSDs: Solid State Drives (SSDs) are a type of contemporary storage technology. A solid-state drive (SSD) performs the same function as a hard disc. It does not, however, involve moving parts, and instead stores your data on flash memory chips. SSDs are known for their lightning-fast read and write speeds. A contemporary computer with a solid-state drive (SSD) boots up in a matter of seconds. SSDs use less electricity and generate no noise than HDDs.

  SSDs are excellent technology, but they are still costly. For the same price, a consumer SSD device usually has less capacity than a traditional hard drive. Flash memory wear-out is a common problem with older SSD models, but it appears to be a thing of the past with newer SSDs.

What Are the Advantages of SSD for Laptops?

Because SSDs are mechanically inert, they’re frequently utilized in laptops. Solid-state SSDs also consume less power, resulting in longer battery life. While some lower-cost laptops still have conventional hard drives (as a method for manufacturers to save money), most mid-range to high-end devices has SSDs.

Solid-state drives, unlike hard discs, do not have moving components and are shock-resistant. If you drop your laptop, the read/write head of an old-school hard drive is likely to move, potentially causing data loss. This isn’t the case with SSDs.

However, it isn’t always an either/or situation. “Hybrid” computers can be found in some situations. An SSD is used to store the system partition, which includes the operating system, application applications, and frequently used data. Other material is kept on a conventional HDD, which is larger and less expensive, and includes movies, photographs, and documents.

How to Know if The Drive is SSD or HDD in Windows 11 & 10

Here are the steps to know and determine if the drive is SSD or HDD in Windows 11 and Windows 10:

Method 1. Check If the Drive is SSD or HDD in Windows 11 via File Explorer

• Open File Explorer. You can press Windows key + E to open FE directly.
• Go to This PC Folder.
• Right-click on any drive and then select Properties. If you don’t see Properties, simply click Show more options and choose Properties.

Properties

• Go to the Tools tab and select Optimize under Optimize and defragment drive.

Optimize

• In this window, Check the Media type column. It shows the drive type for each of the installed drives. In my case, it’s a Hard disk drive (HDD).

SSD or HDD in Windows 11

Method 2. Check If You Have SSD or HDD using Task Manager

• Open the Task Manager either by using Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys.
• Click More details.
• Go to the Performance tab and here you’ll see whether it’s SSD or HDD.

Performance

Method 3. Find SSD or HDD via Windows PowerShell (Windows Terminal)

Another quick way to check the type of Hard Disk installed on a computer is by using PowerShell or Windows Terminal.

• Right-click on the Start menu and choose Windows Terminal (Admin). If you’re prompted click Yes.

Windows Terminal (Admin)

• Type the following command and press enter: Get-PhysicalDisk | Format-Table -AutoSize  or type Get-PhysicalDisk  
• Once the Command is Executed, it will list the Hard Disk type on your computer under Media Type Column (see below image).

Windows Terminal

Method 4. Find If Your Drive is SSD or HDD Using Disk Defragmenter

• Press Windows key + R to open Run. Type, dfrgui and press enter.

dfrgui

• Once, the Disk Defragmenter window is shown, look for the Media type column and you can find out which drive is a solid-state drive (SSD), and which one is a hard disk drive (HDD).

That’s it. These were the 4 methods to know if the drive is SSD or HDD in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

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