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A solid-state drive (SSD) is distinguished from a traditional hard disk drive (HDD) primarily due to its use of non-volatile memory technology. SSDs utilize flash memory to store data, which allows them to retain information even when the power is turned off. This technology results in faster data access speeds, quicker boot times, and improved overall performance compared to HDDs, which rely on magnetic disks and mechanical components to read and write data.

The characteristics of SSDs, such as faster read/write speeds, increased durability due to the lack of moving parts, and lower power consumption, are all directly linked to this non-volatile memory technology. In contrast, traditional HDDs, which contain spinning platters and read/write heads, are subject to mechanical wear and tear, which can affect their performance and longevity over time. Thus, the defining feature of SSDs is their reliance on non-volatile memory rather than mechanical parts, making this the correct answer.