Based on the information provided within the question it can be said that the search algorithm that is being described in this scenario is a Sequential algorithm. This is because sequential programming focuses on programming (or in this case searching for) a result by doing one step at a time as opposed to various functions running simultaneously.
HDDs usually wear down faster and give less performance quality than SSD but HDDs are still cheaper. If your aiming for budget , HDD is the right one for you.
