I recently built a gaming PC, but my M.2 SSD doesn't have enough storage and SSDs are extremely expensive where I live. I'm considering adding a 1TB Western Digital hard drive advertised as 7200 RPM with "6Gb/s SATA." How can I tell whether an HDD will be good enough for my needs, and what does the 6Gb/s SATA specification actually mean?
3 Answers
A 7200 RPM HDD is fine for media, backups, documents, and games you don’t play often. It will be noticeably slower for modern games, though, since many stream assets while you play. Expect longer loading times and possibly stuttering or freezes in especially demanding titles. If you can afford it, an SSD is much better for games, even if you use the HDD for everything else.
Check the specific model rather than buying based only on RPM and SATA speed. A 1TB or 2TB WD Blue 7200 RPM drive can work well for general storage, but avoid models using SMR if possible because sustained writes and reorganizing lots of data can be painfully slow. Also compare current prices, since HDDs may not be dramatically cheaper in your area.
The 6Gb/s SATA label describes the interface standard, not the speed you should expect from the hard drive. SATA III can theoretically transfer up to about 750 MB/s, but a mechanical HDD will usually top out around 150 MB/s. Most modern SATA drives use the same interface, so it shouldn’t be a major deciding factor.
Would it be practical to keep less frequently played games on the HDD and move them to the SSD when I want to play them?