Is SSD Good for Gaming: How many GB or TB do I Need

Do you want to know is SSD good for gaming and how many GB or TB do you need? You are on the right spot to know the answer of this question.

The capacity of the SSD for gaming that we need in our PC is important to know which unit to buy. We are going to see what is the capacity, approximately, that we may need to have the best SSD for gaming?

Is SSD Good for Gaming PC

Currently the two main solutions for primary storage in a gaming computer are SSDs and HDDs. The difference between these units is not only the form factor, it is also in the technologies on which they are based.

Also it determines a series of parameters dependent on the construction technologies. SSDs have really important benefits that we need to be aware of.

See Also: Benefits of Using SATA SSDs

HDDs are based on rotating magnetic disks and a read/write head, both of which are mobile. These types of storage units have mechanical moving parts.

We are now limited by the movement speed of these parts, which is a huge performance drop. These moving mechanical parts slow down the performance of the unit and at the same time create other inconveniences.

HDDs are very delicate (a blow can irremediably break them), they are very heavy, inefficient and noisy as well.

An alternative is SSD drives, which are based on memory chips and have no moving parts. With no moving parts and based on memory chips, read and write speeds are greatly increased.

For example SATA SSD which is 6-8 times faster than a SATA HDD. SSDs are also more resistant to shocks, are more efficient and do not generate the slightest noise.

SSDs have something negative and may suffer from temperature problems (especially in M.2 NVMe PCIe), which may lead to low performance.

Reasons for choosing SSDs for PC Gaming is simple: It reduces the games loading time. As it offer faster read and write speeds.

It can be seen in the games, in the execution of programs and even when we start the computer and load the operating system.

SSD or HDD: Where to Install Games

When buying gaming hard drives, we should think about the advantages of SSDs and their benefits, so that we can compare HDD vs SSD for gaming.

A solid-state hard drive has the main advantages of great speed, lower latency and better capabilities to access random data.

See Also: SSD Drive and Its Different types

But this does not answer our question. There are many games in which a normal hard drive can be perfect, even if we have a faster SSD.

Its capacity is not infinite and it does not have to be beneficial for us. So back to the question:  Where to install games, SSD or HDD and why?

We have overlooked when talking about speed: the loading of games with open worlds. Use of a traditional hard drive can cause serious problems for performance.

Not being able to load the maps, which are getting bigger and bigger, we will have annoying jerks and it will be really problematic.

That is why we must look for the best possible SSD for gaming PCs, which is cheap and of sufficient capacity, to “save us” from these performance problems.

What SSD capacity do I need for a Gaming PC

The most common capacities of SSDs currently range from 128GB to 4TB. A 128GB SSD drive could be said to be the most basic capacity for a gaming computer.

SSDs with capacities of 256GB, 512GB and 1TB are usually chosen for a Gaming PC as well. To choose an SSD drive we must take into account the following aspects:

1. Operating System

The average user will typically opt for Windows 10 for their gaming PC as it has more widespread gaming support.

Windows 10 requires between 16 to 20GB of capacity for its installation. We must count an additional 20-30% for the issue of drivers, updates and temporary files.

Windows 10 updates mean an increase in space needs. This also happens with the drivers, which with new updates usually take up more space.

See Also: Uses of an SSD Cache

Additionally, we have to take into account that Windows 10 updates generate temporary files. Normally these temporary files are to “uninstall” an update, if this update does not work correctly.

2. Additional Software

If we are going to play games with our computer, we will need a series of additional software. Although we use it for other tasks, such as studying or working, we will also need additional applications.

Office suite, Zoom or browsers take up extra space. Office can occupy about 5-7GB, depending on the number of elements that we install, but software like Zoom or the browser usually takes up a few MB.

Then we must take into account the software that we install for games. Apps like Steam, Epic Games Store, Uplay and other game stores also take up space. Additionally, we can install applications such as Discord, which also takes up a few MBs.

3. Size of Games

The size of the games can vary a lot, so it is very difficult to indicate the amount of free space we need to install games and how to choose the capacity of our SSD for gaming.

We must bear in mind that Triple “A” games take up more and more space, mainly due to the better textures they use. To give you an idea, we leave you some samples:

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: al menos 230GB
• Final Fantasy XV: al menos 150GB
• Red Dead Redemption 2: al menos 150GB
• Grand Theft Auto V: al menos 100GB
• World of Warcraft: al menos 70GB
• Half-Life Alyx: al menos 70GB

We have to keep in mind that the games are also being updated. These updates can increase the space that games occupy, especially if new maps are included.

We can choose to install two units. Many users go for a 128GB or 256GB SSD for the operating system and applications.

See Also: What is Network Attached Storage SSD

Then they install a secondary large capacity HDD to install the games. The SSD will act as a kind of cache, which allows for better performance offered by HDDs.

Types of SSD for Gaming

Capacity is not the only factor to consider for gaming SSDs, the form factor is another important aspect.

Currently the main form factors we find are: 2.5-inch format SSD and M.2 format SSD. But we must also distinguish between two connection interfaces: SATA and PCIe.

Form Factor

1. 5-inch SSD

These types of units are quite common and are usually the most affordable. These units offer us versatility and good performance.

They are characterized by offering about 500MB/s of reading and writing, and capacities between 128GB and 4TB. This type of unit can also be used to give a second life to old laptops with 2.5-inch HDDs.

2.5 – inch SSDs typically require data cables and power cables. In portable equipment, it is unified in a rigid connection system. These types of drives usually use the SATA interface.

2. SSD M.2

We move on to a more compact type of units that are characterized by being mounted directly on the base plate. This type of unit does not require data and power cables, since it is unified in a specific port on the motherboard. M.2 drives are becoming more common in laptops, as they allow them to be lighter.

M.2 drives can make use of both the SATA interface and the PCIe interface. Physically the connection slot is the same, what changes is the type of pin configuration of the unit.

We should note that M.2 SSDs have temperature issues. They tend to get quite hot under heavy load and their performance drops noticeably to protect the drive. We can install passive heatsinks to avoid this problem.

Interface type

1. SATA

We can find both 2.5-inch and M.2 drives that make use of this SATA interface. 2.5-inch SSDs have a form factor that is very reminiscent of debit cards. On the other hand, M.2 format drives are elongated with a variable length.

See Also: RGB SSD for Power and Light Up the Gaming PC

The SATA interface has nothing to do with capacity. It has to do with the type of connection and the speed it offer us.

Normally it moves between 450-550MB/s of reading and writing, and may vary between manufacturers and formats.

2. PCIe

Much faster interface than the SATA interfaces and is only available for M.2 format drives. M.2 drives with PCIe interface make use of NVMe-type memory chips, which are faster than the NAND Flash used in SSDs.

Thanks to the NVMe speeds and the PCIe interface type, great read and write speeds can be achieved.

An NVMe PCIe 3.0 drive can offer between 2500-3000MB/s read and writes (about 6 times more than SATA interface).

NVMe PCIe 4.0 drives can deliver 5500-7000MB/s read and writes (11-14 times faster than SATA interface)

Note: Physically the NVMe PCIe 3.0 and NVMe PCIe 4.0 drives have no differences, so we must pay attention to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Conclusion

The type of interface we use will improve performance when running games. What really matters to us in this text is the capacity of SSDs for a gaming system.

The normal space operating system, cache files and other software is consume are up to 100GB on the storage unit. Taking into account that games take up more and more, it is recommended to opt for an SSD of at least 512GB.

If what we are looking for is the best possible performance, the best units are with a PCIe interface. Also, we must remember the temperature problems and if we do not want a drop in performance, we must acquire a unit that already has a heatsink or buy it independently.

What capacity have you chosen your SSD for gaming and what type of interface does it use?