It can be an overwhelming task trying to decide what type of storage to get for gaming PC. With so many types of storage to choose from it can be hard to determine which is the best. Fortunately, there are a few tips to help guide your decision-making.
The first thing to consider when shopping for storage for gaming PC is speed. A fast hard drive is imperative for a successful gaming experience. It is recommended to get a hard drive that has a read/write speed of 7200 rpm or higher. Solid-state drives (SSDs) are generally faster than traditional hard drives, but they tend to be more expensive.
The next factor to consider is capacity. Most gamers prefer to get at least 500GB so they can store many games, their saved progress, and visuals such as screenshots and videos. That being said, many gamers like to go for the game for much larger storage solutions. Some prefer to have 1TB drives, however, the largest currently on the market is about 16TB.
The most important aspect of storage for gaming is reliability. Data integrity and consistent performance are essential for gamers. Because of this, gamers should lean towards hard drives from reputable brands and typically purchase drives with a warranty.
Price is often the determining factor when it comes to storage for gaming. High-end drives are usually much more expensive than their counterparts. It is usually recommended to get a relatively inexpensive hard drive and use it in tandem with a faster SSD boot drive.
SSDs
Solid-state drives (SSDs) are the most reliable type of storage for serious gaming. They are usually much faster than traditional hard drives, which makes them great for gamers who want to maximize their gaming performance. The only downside to SSDs is that they are much more expensive than hard drives, which can be a deal-breaker for some gamers.
The great thing about SSDs is that you don’t have to choose the highest capacity to get the most out of them. Because of their incredibly fast read/write speeds, it is possible to get away with only getting a small amount of storage. In fact, many gaming rigs only use 128GB of storage, simply to hold the operating system and a handful of games.
The biggest concern for many gamers regarding SSDs is the lifespan. Although SSDs have improved significantly over the years, they are still prone to failure. Fortunately, most manufacturers now offer warranties with their SSDs that can last up to five years.
Hard Drives
Traditional hard drives offer the best bang for your buck and are usually the most affordable option when it comes to storage for gaming. They are far from the fastest type of storage, but they are reliable and quite affordable when compared to SSDs. For most gamers, a hard drive with a read/write speed of 7200 rpm is more than enough for their needs.
The main downside to hard drives is that they tend to be somewhat slow in comparison to other types of storage. This can be especially noticeable when loading demanding games and large levels. Fortunately, hard drives have fallen considerably in price over the years, making them a viable choice for many gamers.
When purchasing a hard drive, it is important to consider the capacity. While some gamers may prefer to only get a small drive, it is usually a good idea to get at least 1TB of storage so you can install plenty of games without running out of space.
Another benefit to hard drives is that they tend to be more reliable than SSDs. Although SSDs have improved significantly over the years, hard drives are still generally more dependable. As such, it is recommended to get a drive with a warranty, just in case of any unforeseen issues.
Hybrid Drives
Hybrid drives, also known as solid-state hybrid drives (SSHD), are a great option for gamers who don’t have the budget for an SSD but want the performance of one. These drives combine the best of both worlds – a fast, reliable hard drive and a large amount of storage.
Hybrid drives use a combination of flash memory and traditional spinning disks. The flash memory acts as a cache and can store frequently accessed data. This greatly speeds up the read/write process, as the data is retrieved faster than on a regular hard drive.
The biggest issue with hybrid drives is that they tend to be expensive. Although they are significantly cheaper than SSDs, they are still considerably more expensive than traditional hard drives.
The other issue is that the performance of hybrid drives is usually not quite up to par with SSDs. Although they do provide a noticeable improvement over regular hard drives, they won’t offer the same speeds as SSDs. However, for most gamers, this is rarely an issue, as the performance difference is often negligible.
External Drives
External hard drives are a great option for gamers who need extra storage but don’t have the budget for an internal drive. Most external drives are relatively affordable and offer a good amount of storage for the price. The biggest downside is that they tend to be slower than internal drives.
Another benefit to external drives is that they can often be connected to multiple devices, such as a laptop, desktop, and even a gaming console. This makes them great if you want to share games between devices or if you want to access your games on the go.
The biggest issue with external drives is that they are not as reliable as internal drives. This is because they are more susceptible to physical damages and power outages. As such, it is important to back up your data on an external drive.
External drives are usually the best option for gamers who are looking for a cheap, expandable storage solution. However, they are not always the fastest and are more prone to data loss, so it is important to make sure you back up your data regularly.
NAS
Network-attached storage (NAS) is a great option for gamers who want to have a large amount of storage that is easily accessible from multiple devices. NAS boxes are essentially external hard drives with built-in networking features.
NAS boxes can be connected to multiple devices on a network and are great for storing your data and streaming content. They are also relatively affordable and can be had for around $100. The downside is that they tend to be somewhat slow, as they rely on the local network to access the data.
NAS boxes can also be used to create a private cloud if you want to access your data from anywhere. This is great for gamers who travel often and want to access their data on the go. The downside is that this usually requires additional hardware and software, which can add to the cost.
Overall, NAS boxes are a great option for gamers who want an easily accessible, expandable storage solution for their gaming PCs. They offer a number of advantages, such as being able to access your data from multiple devices, creating a private cloud, and backing up your data.
