I'm working on my first gaming build and originally planned to get a Crucial P510 2TB NVMe SSD. However, after a chat with my older brother, he suggested I get a smaller NVMe SSD (500GB or 1TB) for my boot drive and add a Samsung 870 EVO 2TB SATA SSD for storage. While I appreciate his advice, I'm concerned about the extra cost. I'll be playing games like Cyberpunk. Are there any real advantages or disadvantages to this setup?
4 Answers
Performance-wise, separating your boot drive and storage doesn't matter much. Some prefer the organization, but it's not essential. Just make sure to choose a good quality SSD. If you consider upgrading later, going for a single 4TB might be worth it down the road if you think you’ll need the space.
Honestly, your brother's advice is a bit outdated. There's no need to have a separate boot drive anymore. Back in the day, SSDs were small and had high costs. But now, with SSD prices being quite reasonable, just go for one large drive. SATA SSDs aren't much cheaper than NVMe drives, so it makes sense to stick with one big SSD.
I'd recommend going with a single 2TB Gen 4 SSD, ideally one with DRAM. Gen 5 isn't necessary unless you have specific needs, and separating your Windows install doesn't provide any significant benefit.
Your brother seems to be responding to older practices. When SSDs were much more expensive, having a separate boot drive made sense. Now, Gen 5 NVMe speeds won't provide any benefit for gaming, and Windows doesn't fully utilize those speeds either. Look for the largest NVMe drive within your budget, and if you happen to find a Gen 5, that's fine too. Just know it won't enhance your gaming performance.
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