A Solid State Drive (SSD) differs from a traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD) primarily in its method of data storage. SSDs utilize flash memory to store data, resulting in much faster read and write speeds compared to HDDs, which rely on spinning disks and moving read/write heads. This speed advantage leads to quicker boot times, faster file transfers, and improved overall system performance. Additionally, SSDs are more durable due to their lack of moving parts, making them less susceptible to physical damage, while also being more energy-efficient.