This FC0-U61 practice question tests your understanding of it concepts and terminology. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO of the following are characteristics of a solid-state drive (SSD) compared to a hard disk drive (HDD)?
Higher storage capacity
Why wrong: HDDs typically offer higher maximum capacities than SSDs.
Silent operation
SSDs have no moving parts, so they operate silently.
Lower cost per gigabyte
Why wrong: HDDs are generally cheaper per GB than SSDs.
Sensitive to magnetic fields
Why wrong: HDDs are sensitive to magnetic fields; SSDs are not.
Faster access time
SSDs have much faster read/write speeds than HDDs.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Silent operation
Option B is correct because SSDs have no moving parts; they use NAND flash memory to store data, which eliminates the mechanical noise produced by spinning platters and moving actuator arms in HDDs. This makes SSDs completely silent during operation, a key advantage in noise-sensitive environments like recording studios or quiet office spaces.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Higher storage capacity
Why it's wrong here
HDDs typically offer higher maximum capacities than SSDs.
Silent operation
Why this is correct
SSDs have no moving parts, so they operate silently.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Lower cost per gigabyte
Why it's wrong here
HDDs are generally cheaper per GB than SSDs.
Sensitive to magnetic fields
Why it's wrong here
HDDs are sensitive to magnetic fields; SSDs are not.
Faster access time
Why this is correct
SSDs have much faster read/write speeds than HDDs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume 'higher storage capacity' (option A) is a characteristic of SSDs because they are newer technology, but in reality, HDDs still dominate in raw capacity per dollar, and the question specifically asks for characteristics of an SSD compared to an HDD.
Detailed technical explanation
SSDs achieve faster access times (option E) because they use direct electronic addressing of NAND flash cells, resulting in latencies of 0.1–0.2 ms, compared to HDDs which require physical head movement (seek time) averaging 5–10 ms. This difference is critical in database servers or boot drives where thousands of random I/O operations per second are needed. Additionally, SSDs use wear-leveling algorithms and over-provisioning to manage cell endurance, which is invisible to the user but essential for long-term reliability.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
IT Concepts and Terminology — This question tests IT Concepts and Terminology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Silent operation — Option B is correct because SSDs have no moving parts; they use NAND flash memory to store data, which eliminates the mechanical noise produced by spinning platters and moving actuator arms in HDDs. This makes SSDs completely silent during operation, a key advantage in noise-sensitive environments like recording studios or quiet office spaces.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This FC0-U61 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U61 exam.
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