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Gaming PC buyer's guide: Everything on SSDs for gamers
Joule Performance Editorial | 07/17/2024 | Categories: Gaming, Hardware, Buyer’s Guide | Advertisemente
Are you planning on putting together your own gaming PC, but are confused by the choice and all the terminology around SSDs? Don’t worry! We’ll help you find the right SSD for your set-up. This guide will give you all the important information about the different SSD types, what you need to look out for when choosing and which SSDs are best suited to your gaming PC.
Why is an SSD important for gaming PCs?
You’ve just started your favorite game. You’re ready to immerse yourself in the game world, go on an adventure or play the next match with your team. And then ... endless loading times. Your friends are already in the middle of the game, and you’re still waiting. Frustrating, right?
This is exactly where the right SSD comes into play. A fast SSD can drastically reduce the loading times and give you a more fluid gaming experience. Find out now which SSD is the right choice for your gaming PC.
SSD or HDD: Which is better for gaming?
SSD and HDD both store data, but work very differently:
- An SSD (solid state drive) uses flash memory. This means that SSDs have no moving parts, making them resistant to vibration and noiseless. SSDs are a bit more expensive than HDDs and are usually available with 1 to 8 TB (→ more about capacity).
- Unlike SSDs, a HDD (hard disk drive) has rotating disks and a write/read head, so it works mechanically. HDDs are cheaper to buy and are available with up to 20 TB of memory.
These differences make SSDs faster, more robust, quieter and more energy-efficient than HDDs. For gamers, this means: quicker loading, fewer waiting times and longer service life. In short: SSDs are the better choice for gaming PCs.
HDD are well suited as cheap “data tombs” for files where speed is unimportant. For example for documents or a music or video collection.
Capacity: How much memory do gamers need?
The capacity you require for your SSD largely depends on which type of games you’re playing and how many games you’d like to have installed at one time:
An SSD with 500 GB may be enough for gamers who mainly play small indie games. These games generally take up less space and 500 GB is enough to have multiple titles installed at once without running out of memory.
Things are different for AAA games. Titles such as "Call of Duty", "Red Dead Redemption 2" or "Cyberpunk 2077” can easily take up 100 GB and even 200 GB+ per game. If you’d like to have a number of these games installed, an SSD with 1 TB or more is advisable.
Recommendation for different types of gamer:
- Gaming beginner: Plays occasionally, only a couple of games → 500 GB+
- High-end gamer: Plays new games regularly, growing collection of games → 1 TB+
- Enthusiast/creator: plays lots of AAA titles, in addition to recording or streaming → 2 TB+
Important: Please consider that the operating system also takes up memory. You should allow for at least 25 GB for Windows 11.
These are just rough guides. The rule for memory is: Better to have too much and not need it (at first). If your budget allows, ideally choose a little bit more memory when configuring your PC.
SSD types: Differences between SATA, NVME and M.2 SSDs
What are SATA SSDs?
SATA (or S-ATA) is the oldest and most common SSD type. SATA SSDs use the same connection as HDDs. With a standard size of 2.5 inches, they fit into most desktop PCs and many laptops.
Advantages:
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Speed: Faster than HDDs.
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Costs: Cheaper than NVMe SSDs.
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Compatibility: Widely adopted and compatible with most PCs
Disadvantages:
- Speed: Slower than NVMe SSDs (max. 600 MB/s)
What are NVMe SSDs?
NVMe technology is newer than SATA. NVME SSDs use a PCIe interface, i.e. a more modern connection. An NVME SSD can execute a lot of commands simultaneously instead of one after another in the case of SATA. This makes them up to 11 times faster.
Advantages:
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Speed: Very fast, ideal for high-end gaming and professional applications.
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Performance: Offers the best loading times and data transfer rate.
Disadvantages:
- Costs: More expensive than SATA SSDs.
Tip: There are also differences with PCIe! These are easy to see in the comparative image below. Most gaming mainboards have PCIe 4.0, some beginner boards only have PCIe 3.0. You can use an NVME SSD in any case. But the speed may be limited by the mainboard. So ensure that the mainboard and SSD are the best possible fit for each other.
What are M.2 SSDs?
M.2 is not a memory type, but a form factor. This means: There are both M.2 SATA SSDs and M.2 NVME SSDs (Caution: Risk of confusion). All M.2 SSDs have the following in common: They are small, flat and long, and are connected directly via an M.2 slot on the mainboard, without additional cables.
Advantages:
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Speed: M.2 NVMe are the fastest SSDs at present
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Form factor: Space-saving, ideal for compact systems
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Connection: No cable required
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Versatile: Available as SATA and NVMe variants
Disadvantages:
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Costs: M.2 NVMe SSDs are often the most expensive SSDs
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Connection: Special slot required
You can see the maximum speeds of HDDs and all SSD types compared here:
Checklist for gamers: This will help you find the ideal SSD?
How are you going to find the right SSD for your gaming PC from this wide choice of different SSDs? This short checklist will help you clarify the 4 most important points:
- ☑ Capacity: If you mainly play indie games, or one or two of your favorite games, 500 GB SSD could be enough for a start. If you install a number of games or large games, opt for 1 TB or more (→ more on capacity)
- ☑ Speed: If you care about maximum speed, it’s worth investing in an NVMe SSD, better still an M.2 NVMe. If your budget is tight, an SATA SSD is a cheap alternative, and is still significantly faster than a HDD.
- ☑ Compatibility: Does your mainboard support PCIe 4.0 or higher to fully utilize NVMe SSDs? Does it have a slot for an M.2 SSD? If you’d like to use multiple SSDs, for example to separate Windows, games and other files, make sure there are enough connections.
Tip: You’ll automatically receive a notification in our PC Configurator if components are not compatible. For example, if you select an M.2 SSD, but the mainboard doesn’t have an M.2 slot. This means you're always on the safe side.
- ☑ Durability: “All my games are gone!” - loss of data is every gamer's nightmare! To prevent this from happening, look out for high quality and established brands, who are known for good SSDs, when making your selection.
Optimal SSDs for gaming PCs: Samsung
So which SSD is the right one for your gaming PC? One brand has stood out positively for years in the test reports and customer reviews: Samsung. Our experience with thousands of systems assembled and tested also confirms why Samsung SSDs have a permanent spot at the top of the gaming world.
ATX 3.0 is the latest technology for gaming PC power supplies.
- Expertise: Samsung has been the undisputed market leader for flash memories for over 20 years. Samsung SSDs incorporate decades of experience and a deep understanding of the needs of gamers.
- Product variety: Samsung offers a wide range of SSDs, including SATA, NVMe and M.2 models. Samsung has a suitable SSD for you, no matter what you’re looking for. You can get specific recommendations using the quick Samsung SSD finder: Which SSD is right for me?
- Reliability: Samsung SSDs are known for their long life and unbeatable reliability. This means your games and files are kept safe. Samsung also offers a 5 year guarantee on SSDs.
- Speed: Anyone looking for blazing speed for gaming PCs, look no further than Samsung. The 990 PRO SSDs especially developed for gamers are the current fastest PCIe 4.0 SSDs in the world. Samsung offers fast SSDs for any budget, not just in the high-end range.
Recommendation: Samsung SSDs for gaming PCs
Budget gaming PCs:
Samsung 870 EVO SATA – 500 GB
The Samsung 870 EVO offers an outstanding balance between price and performance. It’s a good choice for price-conscious gamers who are looking for fast loading times and high reliability. 500 GB is an ideal start for Windows and a couple of selected games.
Seasonic Focus GX, ideal for Nvidia RTX 4070 graphic cards
Gaming PC beginners:
Samsung 990 EVO NVMe M.2 – 1 TB
The Samsung 990 EVO impresses with its high speed and capacity. Ideal for gamers who want a significant increase in performance compared to SATA SSDs and who need space for multiple games.
Seasonic Vertex GX, ideal for Nvidia RTX 4080 graphic cards
High-end gaming PCs:
Samsung 990 PRO NVMe M.2 – 2 TB
The 990 PRO is the king of M.2 SSDs. The perfect choice for enthusiasts as it offers maximum speed for demanding AAA games. The 2 TB variant is ideal for a large game collection, streaming/recording and professional applications.
Seasonic Prime PX, ideal for Nvidia RTX 4090 graphic cards
Our commitment to trust
Sponsored - Yes. Bought - No! At Joule Performance, we know how important trust is when choosing the components for your gaming PC. That’s why we only choose sponsors for our guides, whose products we can fully and completely get behind - from years of experience, verified in strict tests and confirmed by thousands of customers in their day-to-day. We aim to give you valuable knowledge and helpful recommendations for your best gaming experience!
