Six Reasons to Store Your Games on an SSD

They are increasingly rapid, more dependable, and becoming less expensive daily. If you need justification for transitioning to SSDs in your gaming PC, here are six reasons.

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Accelerated Loading Durations

One of the most notable advantages of SSDs compared to HDDs is their markedly superior data transfer speed. This facilitates rapid file transfers, which consequently results in reduced loading times in games.

In general, SSDs exhibit around fourfold superiority over HDDs regarding both read and write speeds. Although the precise metrics will differ depending on the specific HDD and SSD being compared, SSDs generally offer a significantly faster user experience.

This is accomplished in part due to the PCIe interface utilized by SSDs, in contrast to the slower SATA connector employed by HDDs. Comparing a SATA SSD to a SATA HDD, the data transfer speed metrics will favor the SSD, resulting in a substantial enhancement in performance. If you perceive an overwhelming number of options, we provide a curated selection of the premier PCIe 4.0 SSDs for gaming.

This is particularly evident in AAA or open-world games that require the retrieval of substantial files from the storage device. If you are utilizing an outdated HDD for game storage, it is likely that you will experience considerable delays while waiting for maps or stages to load. Utilizing an SSD can conserve significant time over the long term that would otherwise be expended on loading screens.

This also advantages multiplayer games. Certain games, such as Valorant, do not initiate a map for all players on a server until every participant has completed loading. Although a satisfactory frame rate may sustain your gameplay, loading times might significantly affect your entire gaming experience.

Enhanced In-Game Performance

A further consequence of an SSD's rapid data transfer rate is enhanced in-game performance. Consider upgrading your PC. In this scenario, a high-speed SSD is among the simplest, most significant, and economical enhancements that will noticeably improve your PC's performance, hence reducing interruptions during gameplay due to asset loading issues.

Given that contemporary AAA titles can execute numerous minute read-and-write operations during gameplay, transferring substantial amounts of data—ranging from hundreds of megabytes to several gigabytes—enhanced data read and write rates are crucial.

Nonetheless, be aware that putting your game on an SSD does not guarantee an increase in FPS. The combination of your PC's CPU and GPU significantly influences game performance; nevertheless, using an SSD can enhance latency and mitigate lag or stuttering during gameplay.

Enhanced Visuals

Although installing an SSD will not enhance the visual realism of 720p games, the improved load times and enhanced in-game performance contribute to superior overall visual fidelity.

Contemporary game textures typically employ a system where objects display a low-resolution texture at a distance, which is subsequently replaced by a high-resolution texture upon closer proximity. The utilization of an SSD significantly accelerates the interchange between low-resolution and high-resolution textures, enabling the game to load and switch textures more rapidly.

Although your frames per second (FPS) will likely remain constant, the game's visual quality is expected to improve due to the expedited loading of assets. Any frayed edges, misplaced or substandard texturing, and other visual anomalies will be minimized. Your CPU and GPU are significant factors, but an SSD contributes to overall cohesion.

Superior Reliability Compared to an HDD

In contrast to HDDs, SSDs lack internal moving components. This enhances its shock resistance and durability, offering significantly superior reliability compared to an HDD.

When utilizing an HDD, numerous aspects must be considered. Due to the presence of mechanical components, these drives are prone to deterioration over time. The internal assembly of an HDD is quite fragile, indicating that even a minor impact can render the disk inoperative.

While SSDs should not be handled carelessly, they provide significantly greater endurance and long-term reliability compared to HDDs. The typical lifespan of a solid-state drive (SSD) is from 5 to 10 years, whereas a hard disk drive (HDD) typically lasts between 3 to 5 years. They are also less prone to corruption or internal component failure.

A More Tranquil System

While HDDs are not particularly loud, they do produce sound due to the mechanical components rotating within the drive shell. An HDD typically generates approximately 20 to 40 dB of white noise during operation. The attributes that enhance the reliability of SSDs over HDDs also contribute to their silent operation, as they include no moving components.

The auditory issue may be exacerbated by the presence of a very loud or antiquated HDD. The sounds emitted by the HDD may be obscured by the PC's fans; nonetheless, if your objective is to use your gaming PC with minimal noise, opting for an SSD is advisable.

Enhanced Power Efficiency

Regardless of whether you utilize a gaming PC or laptop, it is likely that you possess a power-intensive CPU and GPU. During gaming, both components experience strain and consume maximum power to deliver optimal performance. Depending on your power supply, this may not provide sufficient overhead for other components to operate well.

SSDs consume significantly less power than HDDs and exhibit superior performance in such scenarios. An SSD consumes between one to four watts of power, whereas an HDD can reach up to 20 to 25 watts during startup, then stabilizing at a lower range of four to nine watts during normal operation.

In addition to the above mentioned reasons, there are several more, minor ways in which SSDs can improve your gaming and general PC user experience. SSDs provide superior speed, reduced power consumption, enhanced durability, and diminished maintenance requirements relative to HDDs, rendering them the optimal selection for every PC application.

Given the persistent decline in SSD prices and the increasing affordability of higher-capacity drives with accelerated data transfer rates, now is an optimal moment for an upgrade if you have not yet done so.