When building a gaming PC, one of the most important decisions is whether to install games on an SSD (solid-state drive) or HDD (hard disk drive). The choice between SSD vs HDD can have a significant impact on game loading times, performance, and the overall gaming experience. This article will examine the pros and cons of using an SSD or HDD for PC gaming to help you decide which is best for your needs.
SSD vs HDD – The Basics
First, let’s break down the basic differences between SSDs and HDDs:
- SSD – Stands for “solid state drive.” SSDs store data on flash memory chips rather than magnetic platters like HDDs. This gives them much faster data transfer speeds, lower latency, and better overall performance.
- HDD – Stands for “hard disk drive.” HDDs use spinning magnetic platters to store data. They have slower transfer speeds but are cheaper per gigabyte compared to SSDs.
When it comes to gaming, an SSD’s faster speeds can translate to much quicker game and level load times. However, HDDs have a price-per-gigabyte advantage that allows for much higher storage capacities. This makes HDDs better suited for storing large game libraries.
SSD Benefits for Gaming
Here are some of the key benefits of using an SSD for gaming:
- Faster load times – The faster data transfer speeds of SSDs can significantly decrease load times for games and levels. This gets you into the action quicker.
- Faster boot times – Your operating system and games will boot up much faster with an SSD.
- Faster texture/object streaming – SSDs allow assets like textures and objects to load more seamlessly while gaming, with less popping or frame drops.
- Shorter game installation – Installing games is noticeably quicker on an SSD compared to an HDD.
- Faster game saving/loading – Saving and loading save files happens more quickly on an SSD.
- Improved frame rates – The faster data streaming on an SSD can lead to more consistent and higher average frame rates during gameplay.
- Faster patching/updating – Applying game patches and updates is quicker with an SSD.
For competitive and professional gamers where every millisecond counts, the speed advantages of an SSD can provide a tangible competitive edge. But even for casual gamers, the benefits are very noticeable and worthwhile.
HDD Benefits for Gaming
HDDs may be slower, but they still have some benefits for gaming use:
- Larger capacities – HDDs are available in much larger capacities of up to 10TB+, compared to 4TB on high-end SSDs.
- Cheap price per gigabyte – The cost per gigabyte of HDD storage is significantly cheaper than SSDs.
- Good for game libraries – The large capacities make HDDs well suited for storing a large game library.
- Good for older/less demanding games – The performance limitations of HDDs are less noticeable on older or less graphically intense games.
- Good for backup storage – HDDs work well as cheap backup drives for storing game backups.
While SSDs are better for active gameplay, HDDs are a cost-effective solution for simply storing a large gaming library. Even when using an SSD for your primary gaming drive, adding a supplemental HDD can provide tons of affordable storage for your entire game collection.
Ideal Gaming SSD vs HDD Setup
The best setup for gaming is to have both an SSD and HDD installed:
- Install your operating system and current/active games on the SSD. This gives you the speed benefits where it matters most.
- Install your game library and archives on the HDD. This provides tons of cheap storage capacity.
For example, a 1TB SSD coupled with a 4TB HDD gives you enough fast SSD storage for your OS and a dozen games, while the HDD stores your entire game library for whenever you need to swap games in and out of the SSD. This balances both speed and capacity.
SSD Recommendations
When choosing an SSD for gaming, you’ll want to consider:
- Solid performance: An SSD with good sequential read/write speeds over 500MB/s.
- Enough capacity: Go for at least 500GB – 1TB so you can install multiple games.
- PCIe NVMe interface: PCIe NVMe SSDs are faster than SATA SSDs.
- DRAM cache: SSDs with DRAM have faster write speeds.
- Good value: Go for SSDs with a good price-per-gigabyte.
Some top gaming SSD recommendations:
| SSD (1TB) | Interface | Sequential Read | Sequential Write |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 970 Evo Plus | PCIe NVMe | 3,500MB/s | 3,300MB/s |
| WD Black SN750 | PCIe NVMe | 3,470MB/s | 3,000MB/s |
| Crucial P5 | PCIe NVMe | 3,400MB/s | 3,000MB/s |
| Seagate FireCuda 520 | PCIe NVMe | 5,000MB/s | 4,400MB/s |
HDD Recommendations
For HDDs, the priorities are large capacities and a reasonable price-per-gigabyte. Some good options:
- Seagate Barracuda Compute 4TB – Cost-effective HDD with large 4TB capacity.
- WD Black 6TB – Good balance of capacity, speed, and value.
- Toshiba X300 10TB – One of the biggest consumer HDDs available at a reasonable price.
Game Loading Time Comparisons
Just how much quicker do games load from an SSD compared to HDD? Here are some real-world examples:
| Game | HDD Load Time | SSD Load Time | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battlefield 5 | 59 seconds | 25 seconds | 57% faster |
| World of Warcraft | 28 seconds | 14 seconds | 50% faster |
| Fortnite | 20 seconds | 11 seconds | 45% faster |
| GTA V | 112 seconds | 65 seconds | 42% faster |
As you can see, games load significantly quicker from an SSD across the board. The improvement is most dramatic on large open-world games with lots of assets to load, like GTA V. But all games see a tangible benefit.
Impact of SSD vs HDD on Frame Rates
In addition to faster load times, SSDs can provide a moderate boost to frame rates during actual gameplay. This is because the SSD can stream in textures and objects more fluidly with less hitching or stuttering compared to an HDD. Here are some average framerate comparisons between SSDs and HDDs:
| Game | HDD Avg FPS | SSD Avg FPS | FPS Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Wars Battlefront 2 | 89 fps | 115 fps | 29% |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider | 102 fps | 119 fps | 17% |
| Crysis 3 | 67 fps | 75 fps | 12% |
| PUBG | 71 fps | 80 fps | 13% |
The FPS bump will vary depending on the game engine and scenes, but on average you can expect 10-25% higher average frame rates from an SSD compared to HDD. This delivers a noticeably smoother and more responsive gameplay experience.
Game Storage Space Requirements
When deciding what capacity SSD or HDD you need, consider how large today’s modern games are. Here’s a look at storage space requirements for some popular games:
| Game | Storage Space |
|---|---|
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) | 175 GB |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 150 GB |
| Forza Horizon 4 | 100 GB |
| Gears 5 | 80 GB |
| Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order | 55 GB |
| Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | 25 GB |
As you can see, many of today’s AAA titles are absolute storage hogs, taking up 50GB or more. A decent sized SSD of 500GB – 1TB will be able to accommodate 5-10 games, while a large 4TB+ HDD can store a library of 30+ titles.
SSD vs HDD Lifespan and Reliability
Are SSDs or HDDs more reliable for long term gaming storage? Here’s a quick comparison:
- SSD lifespan – Modern SSDs can reliably operate for 5 years or more before performance degradation. Quality SSDs are rated for upwards of 1,500 TBW (terabytes written).
- HDD lifespan – HDDs typically operate reliably for 3-5 years before potential issues. They have higher failure rates than SSDs over time.
- SSD reliability – No moving parts makes SSDs more shock and vibration resistant.
- HDD reliability – More prone to failure from shocks due to moving magnetic plates.
Overall, SSDs have notable advantages in longevity and reliability compared to HDDs. An SSD used just for gaming will easily outlive the useful lifespan of the computer it’s installed in.
Should You Use an External SSD/HDD?
For console gaming, you can also consider using an external SSD or HDD. Here’s how they compare:
- External SSD – External SSDs connect via USB 3.0/3.1 or Thunderbolt. They provide similar speed benefits to internal SSDs.
- External HDD – External HDDs are good for extra game storage if your console is full.
- Drawbacks – External drives have slightly slower speeds than internal, and require managing an extra device.
Using an external SSD is a great way to take advantage of SSD speeds on a console. Xbox Series X/S and PS5 fully support external SSDs. However, internal drives are simpler to manage.
Bottom Line – SSD is Best for Gaming
In summary, while both SSDs and HDDs have benefits, SSDs provide the best gaming performance:
- Much faster loading, boot, and transfer times.
- Improved frame rates and smoother gameplay.
- Faster installing, patching and updating of games.
- More reliable and durable than HDDs.
For pure gaming performance, SSDs are by far the best choice over HDDs. The only major advantage of HDDs is their larger storage capacity potential. The ideal setup is pairing an SSD with an HDD, which balances speed and storage capacity.
Install your operating system, active games, and programs on the SSD to benefit from its speed. Use the HDD for storing your other games and backups as cost effective capacity.
SSD vs HDD Cost Comparison
One last consideration is cost. Here’s how SSD and HDD pricing compares for similar capacities:
| Drive Type | 1TB Price | 4TB Price |
|---|---|---|
| SSD (SATA) | $80 – $120 | $300 – $700 |
| HDD | $40 – $60 | $80 – $150 |
As you can see, HDDs are significantly cheaper in terms of dollars-per-gigabyte. However, the performance benefits of SSDs are well worth the premium over HDDs for your primary gaming drive. Use an HDD to supplement your SSD cheaply for overall storage capacity.
Conclusion
Installing games on an SSD will provide the best gaming experience compared to an HDD. The dramatically faster speeds of SSDs translate to shorter load times, faster boot ups, improved frame rates, and smoother overall gameplay. While HDDs are cheaper, their much slower performance makes SSDs the better choice for gaming.
The ideal gaming setup is pairing a 500GB – 1TB SDD for your operating system and active games, along with a higher capacity HDD to store your full gaming library. This balances high performance and affordability. Go with a quality SSD from a reputable brand for reliable performance and longevity.
In the end, if you want the absolute best gaming experience, you’ll want your games running from an SSD. The difference is immediately noticeable.