Which type of data storage drive utilizes a spinning platter?

The type of data storage drive that utilizes a spinning platter is the Hard Disk Drive (HDD). HDDs store data on magnetic disks, commonly referred to as platters, which rotate at high speeds. Data is read from and written to these platters by a moveable arm that accesses the information stored on them. This mechanical movement is what differentiates HDDs from Solid State Drives (SSDs), which have no moving parts and use flash memory to store data.

Understanding this fundamental difference is important for recognizing the characteristics and performance metrics of each storage type. HDDs are typically known for their larger storage capacities at a lower cost, but their performance can be slower compared to SSDs due to the time it takes to spin the platters and move the read/write heads.