How should I replace a failing 4TB game-storage drive?
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MellowQuasar27
My current PC uses a 1TB NVMe drive for the operating system and newer games, a 1TB SATA SSD for games I play occasionally, a failing 4TB hard drive for the rest of my library, and an 8TB hard drive for my media collection. I need to replace the failing 4TB drive, but 2.5-inch SATA SSD prices seem high. I also expect to need another NVMe drive eventually, preferably 2TB, and I had hoped to upgrade my CPU and RAM soon as well. Are SSD and NVMe prices unusually inflated right now, and what would be the most sensible storage plan? I can uninstall older games and download them again later, but I prefer keeping favorites installed for convenience and sometimes use older games for hobby game-design research.
Answers
A 2TB NVMe drive seems like the best longer-term purchase if you can afford it. It is often cheaper than buying two separate 1TB drives, and your motherboard has two NVMe slots, so using the second slot for a larger drive makes good use of the available space. Your full-size case also gives you flexibility when you eventually move to a newer motherboard with more M.2 slots. I would be cautious about used SSDs: even one with apparently good health can fail unexpectedly, and the savings may not justify the risk.
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You may not need to replace the entire 4TB with solid-state storage right away. Many game platforms let you keep ownership of a game while uninstalling its local files, so older or rarely played titles can be downloaded again when needed. For installed games, a practical split is large or frequently played games on NVMe, medium-sized games on the SATA SSD, and smaller or less demanding titles on a hard drive. Since you like keeping favorites installed and use games for reference, you could keep only those titles locally and defer the larger purchase.
MellowQuasar27: I can definitely use uninstall-and-redownload for some games, although I like keeping favorites installed and occasionally load older titles to study their mechanics and interface design.
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Storage prices are still higher than the lows seen previously, especially for SATA SSDs, since more flash production has shifted toward NVMe products. If you need capacity immediately, a used hard drive can be a much cheaper temporary replacement. Look for a seller that provides power-on hours and health diagnostics, then verify the drive yourself when it arrives.
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MellowQuasar27: That makes sense. I’ll check the used hard-drive market for an inexpensive short-term replacement, while aiming for a 2TB NVMe as my next major storage purchase.