I've been using a 1TB SSD for my games, but it's starting to fill up and isn't enough anymore. My motherboard only has one slot for an SSD, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to upgrade my storage. I can't afford a 2TB SSD right now, so I'm considering getting either an HDD or a secondary SSD. What would you recommend for gaming storage?
5 Answers
Don't forget to check if your motherboard has extra ports available! You might be able to use an adapter for additional SSDs if you have PCIE lanes free.
Just a heads up, try to avoid using an HDD for games if you can help it. SSDs are just so much better for load times and overall performance in gaming. I’ve had great luck with a 1TB SATA SSD paired with a couple of big HDDs for everything else, it works really well.
I also think getting a 2.5 inch SATA SSD is your best bet. Most motherboards can support multiple SATA drives, which is awesome for gaming. It keeps things quick and quiet. Just install your OS and frequently played games on the faster drive.
Since you have the option for SATA drives, I suggest going with a SATA SSD if it fits your budget. They are usually faster than HDDs and great for games, although they might be slightly slower than NVMe SSDs. In my system, I use a mix of an NVMe SSD and a SATA SSD for games, and I find the difference in load times isn't huge, maybe just a couple of seconds. But overall, you'll appreciate the speed of an SSD for gaming compared to an HDD.
That's true! For gaming, a SATA SSD can still improve loading times significantly compared to HDDs. If you use an SSD for your most played games and the HDD for backups or older titles, you’ll get the best of both worlds.
If you're tight on cash, I recommend a SATA SSD, as it's a good balance between performance and price. While not as fast as NVMe, for gaming, you only notice about a second or two difference in load times, which isn't a dealbreaker. Just keep your latest games on the SSD and use a regular HDD for anything less demanding.
Exactly! Plus, SATA SSDs are often cheaper and still very effective for gaming. They use the same technology as more expensive models and work great for bulk storage too!
Yeah, SSDs are way quieter than HDDs and far more reliable too. I have a large SSD for my main games and HDDs for media storage.