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Is Using 7200 RPM HDDs in RAID 0 a Good Idea for Gaming?

December 24, 2025 5 answers
Asked by TechWizard87
I'm currently dealing with slow load times while gaming, particularly after the holidays when I realized I didn't account for the need for a decent SSD in my partial PC rebuild. I've been gaming fine on an HDD, but more modern titles like Space Marine 2 handle terribly. I've seen that read/write speeds seem to be a bottleneck now, and I'm wondering if setting up two newer 7200 RPM Seagate HDDs in RAID 0 would be a viable solution. Is it worth it, or should I just invest in an NVMe SSD despite the rising prices? I've found mixed information online and would love some perspectives on this.
gaming Hardware HDD load times performance RAID 0 ssd

Answers

OldSchoolPlayer99
Setting up RAID 0 with HDDs can give you some speed, but it comes with serious risks. If one of those drives fails, you could lose everything. I’d recommend considering an NVMe SSD as it's way faster and more reliable.
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CasualGamer33
If you have the HDDs lying around, it might not hurt to set them up in RAID 0, but it’s definitely not the best option. An SSD, even a regular SATA one, is going to give you a much better experience. You’ll notice a significant difference in load times.
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SkepticalGamer88
RAID 0 is risky as one disk failure means you're done for. If you want a worry-free gaming setup, SSDs are just miles ahead. Old HDDs can handle backups but skip them for gaming unless absolutely necessary.
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GamerGuru10
Honestly, you really need an SSD for modern gaming. Yes, some games might work, but others could have really long load times, and some even won't function well at all. I get that prices are high right now, but if you want a decent experience, it's worth biting the bullet and getting an SSD.
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PracticalTechie22
RAID 0 can work for gaming, but it isn't worth the trouble if you have to purchase the drives. If you already own them, then sure, go ahead. But I'd say it’s smarter to invest in an SSD; the performance gain is just too significant to ignore.
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