gcsecomputerscience.co.uk
Analysis Score 0 / 18
System Rank Hardware Tester
1 [3 Marks]
A video editor needs storage for the OS and editing software. Speed is the priority.
(a) Identify the most suitable storage type.
(b) Justify your choice.
✅ Mark Scheme

Device: Solid State Drive (SSD) (1)

Justification:

  • It has the fastest read/write speeds. (1)
  • This means the software/OS will load quicker. (1)
Score yourself (Max 3):
2 [3 Marks]
A company needs to archive 100TB of old financial records (rarely accessed).
Identify the best storage type based on Cost and Capacity.
Justification:
💡Hint: 100TB is huge. Which is cheaper?
✅ Mark Scheme

Type: Magnetic (1)

Justification:

  • Lower cost per GB (cheaper for large amounts). (1)
  • High capacity (suitable for 100TB). (1)
  • Speed is not required (rarely accessed). (1)
Score yourself (Max 3):
3 [4 Marks]
A band sells albums on Optical Disc (CD) at a concert instead of USB drives.
Explain two reasons why CD is more suitable here (Cost & Distribution).
✅ Mark Scheme
  • Cost: Very low cost per unit, allowing more profit. (2)
  • Portability: Thin/lightweight, easy to distribute/hand out. (2)
  • Alt: Read-Only nature prevents accidental deletion.
Score yourself (Max 4):
4 [3 Marks]
A student travels by bus with a laptop (bumpy journey!).
(a) Which is more Durable: HDD or SSD?
(b) Explain why.
💡Hint: Think about mechanical parts.
✅ Mark Scheme

Device: SSD (1)

Reason:

  • It has no moving parts. (1)
  • Magnetic drives have moving heads that can break if dropped/bumped. (1)
Score yourself (Max 3):
5 [5 Marks]
Extended Response:
A wildlife photographer takes photos in a remote jungle and needs to backup work every evening.
Evaluate Magnetic vs Solid State for this scenario.
Consider: Capacity, Portability, Durability.
💡Hint: Jungle = Bumps/Drops. Photos = Large files.
✅ Mark Scheme

Indicative Content:

  • Durability: SSD is better as it has no moving parts. Jungle storage may be dropped or bumped. HDD is fragile.
  • Portability: SSDs are smaller and lighter than external HDDs, better for carrying.
  • Capacity: Magnetic has better capacity/price ratio, but SSDs are now large enough for photos.
  • Conclusion: SSD preferred due to risk of physical damage.
Score yourself (Max 5):