When it comes to modern gaming, SSD drives have become a must-have requirement. There are many benefits of using an SSD over a hard drive.
An SSD drive is best in every aspect compared to hard disk drives, such as Transfer Speed, Access Speed, life expectancy, and durability. An SSD drive can improve any low-end pc; you can assume how fast it is.
Usually, computer games do not take more than 100 GB. The storage you need depends on how you will use it. If you are playing 1 or 2 games and just run other software like photoshop, a 256 GB SSD will be enough to meet your needs.
But if you are an enthusiastic gamer, you should look for a 512 GB to 1 TB SSD. There is no doubt that SSD is much more expensive than HDD but worth its value.
Suppose you face problems while loading gaming or slow processing; getting an SSD will be a great idea here. You may have noticed how fast the professionals’ computers work; it is due to SSD.
No matter what processor or how much RAM is installed, an SSD drive will boost up everything. The full boot time of Windows with HDD is 20 to 25 seconds while an SSD only takes 7 to 10 seconds; you can assume its performance by clear difference.
A wide variety of laptops is available in the market that comes with a minimum 512 GB SSD. No computer uses its computer just for one task; therefore, high-end specs are installed on gaming PC.
The prices of the computer with SSD drives are a lot higher than the computers without it. SSD prices are triple the price of HDD with the same storage capacity.
Before going to How Much SSD Do I Need for Gaming, let’s compare SSD and HDD.
SSD vs. HDD
Following are some differences between an HDD and an SSD drive to help you better understand it and let you make a good choice in the future.
- HDD uses spinning disks to store, read, and write data, while SSD data is stored in integrated circuits.
- The SSD is highly durable as there are no moving parts in it, while the HDD relies on its moving parts.
- As the Data is retrieved directly through integrated circuits in SSD, it delivers more speed than HDD.
- SSD is very expensive storage, while HDD is much more affordable.
- SSD uses a modern structure interface that multiples the speed of transfer speed.
- Both the SSD and HDD are secondary memories and store data for longer terms.
- SSD can bear shocks, drops, vibrations, and extreme temperatures as there are no moving parts inside it. In contrast, the HDD can get completely corrupt with just slight hits.
- With a transfer rate of up to 500 mb/s, SSD is greater than HDD, which only offers a transfer rate of up to 150 MB/s.
- Some people assume SSD has a shorter lifespan as the NAND technology in SSD degrades with each read-write. In comparison, HDD drives can be used for cold storage of data.
- SSD is used for resource-intensive programs such as photo editing software and HDD, while HDD is great for basic computing tasks.
- The SSD is smaller in size and allows designers to design slim and sleek products. In contrast, HDD is thicker than some laptops also.
Is An SSD Needed for Gaming:
Yes, for an efficient gaming experience, SSD is a great idea. It does not mean that games cannot be played with HDD but will lack performance.
SSD Is the fastest type of secondary memory that you can get in the market. SSD has resulted in a game-changing for getting out most from your system.
The SSD, regardless of being so expensive, is becoming more and more popular due to its high performance.
An SSD Drive is a very important thing that will affect your gaming experience. The games load and are saved much faster with an SSD drive. Even if the game is not installed on SSD, but it will still improve the game experience.
If we see in the past, only RAM, a good processor, and Graphic cards were considered the main things for gaming, while now SSD has also become part of it.
It does not mean that games do not run on HDD but takes a lot of time for in-game loading and saving games.
If you are thinking of resolving your framerate issue with SSD, it will not work here. It is better to get a CPU or GPU to resolve graphics-related problems.
However, SSD will improve the game’s usability, performance, and other things in the game.
Is 256 SSD Enough for Gaming?
For 2 to 3 games and an operating system, a 256 SSD is enough and will run your games smoothly. The Graphics related issues are not resolved with SSD.
It depends on the requirement of the user. If the gamer only installs the operating system and game on it, it will be enough.
In case you are thinking of installing more than two modern games, you will need a bigger SSD.
In some way, we can say, 256 SSD is enough for light gaming. With the right hardware spec, you will experience your computer’s performance like never before.
A few games are hardly more than 100 GB; for a couple of games, a 256 SSD will not be a bad choice. These drives and expensive, but if you have a budget, you should get a 500 GB SSD; it will easily handle most of the stuff.
A user can install ten games of 20 GB size on a 256GB SSD drive, but it will not be a great idea as you may use your computer for other tasks. Filling up the SSD drive too much is not recommended. For light gaming, a 256 SSD is great.
How Much SSD Do I Need for Gaming? [Especially Light Gaming]
The games that are not so graphic intensive are considered light games. For light gaming, a 256 SSD drive is recommended as you can install multiple light games at once.
If you are not a regular gamer, a 128 will also be sufficient. But if you also do other computer tasks such as surfing, light editing or video making, etc., get a bigger SSD.
The light games will run more efficiently when installed on SSD. If you will use 128 GB for gaming, it is better to save all your other stuff in some other drive.
The things that need high data transfer speed, such as games and professional cyber or general software, are better installed on SSD.
On the other hand, the files needed to save, such as photos, videos, and software packages, should be stored on HDD.
Many users assume that they need both HDD and SSD drive to benefit, which is not right. You can also run the entire SSD system without HDD; SSD is also a type of memory like HDD.
The reason people use two drives is that SSD is expensive but fast, whereas HDD is cheaper but slower at the same time. For storage, HDD is a reliable memory, but for performance, SSD is incomparable.
How Much SSD do I Need for Windows 10?
For just using windows 10 for surfing or small tasks, a 32 GB SSD will be enough. You may have seen many Chromebooks with 32 GB or 64 GB SSD that runs smoothly.
For very basic computer use, 32 GB will be sufficient but if you are also installing other software on it, get bigger storage.
Windows only use 10 to 17 GB of space depending on the build version. The Windows Home version takes much less space to get installed compared to Windows Pro or Enterprise versions. The minimum requirement for installing Windows 10 is 16 GB.
It is recommended to get a minimum 128 GB SSD to run other basic software efficiently. In the future, maybe you need to install some heavy software on it.
Undoubtedly, these drives are more expensive than the traditional ones. If you have enough budget, get a large size SSD as it will result in beneficial in the future.
For basic computing tasks, a small storage SSD will perform great, but buying a large storage SSD will be chosen here if you need storage and performance.
The large capacity SSD can be pocket emptying; find an SSD within your budget range.
SSD and HDD are available in different sizes. In HDD, you can find one from a minimum of 80 to 120 GB to 6 TB, while the SSD is available from 32 GB to up to 4 Terabytes storage capacity. A 2 TB SSD can cost equal to a low-end laptop with HDD.
Conclusion
In short, SSD is worth its value and a great thing if someone wants to invest in a computer. It is much more reliable as well as durable than HDD, making it an even greater choice.
The quality of SSD may vary accordingly to their manufacturers. There are only a few Mb/s transfer rate differences between different build SSD, which is acceptable.
I hope this guide for How Much SSD Do I Need for Gaming was helpful to you.
