The fact that programs run faster from ssd media than from HDD is not news for a long time. But gamers are still wondering if they need to install a solid state device for gaming? It is logical that the launch speed will increase. But whether ssd affects gameplay, whether it can be better than a regular hard drive and whether it is worth paying more is not entirely clear. And what to do with restrictions on reading and rewriting – too. This article will help you figure it out.
Impact of an SSD drive on gameplay
This section will show you if the SSD is affecting your computer’s gaming performance. Here, aspects are considered that relate not only to the speed of the gameplay, but also the overall comfort of using the game assembly, namely:
- impact on FPS;
- influence on loading textures and levels;
- noise during operation.
FPS
The benefits of solid state drives are visible in large-scale open-world projects. Regardless of the video card and RAM capacity, a positive result is clearly visible. Memory is constantly loaded with new parts, which is not easy for a system with a classic HDD. The result of such loads is FPS drawdowns.
The SSD, on the other hand, tolerates such tests much easier, minimizing the number of delays. SSD disks do not have reading heads, which means that there is no need to spend time moving them to read information. As a result, the gamer gets a stable frame rate.
In the topic: What is an SSD disk – a device and 3 types of storage memory
Loading textures
In an online game, textures are not loaded at the beginning of the process, but only when a character approaches them. As a result, performance decreases, and this is especially noticeable to a gamer when his character moves through a well-traced area with complex architecture and design.
For a normal hard drive, loading textures in real time is tantamount to torture. The computer starts to seriously slow down, and, naturally, the gamer does not get any pleasure from the gameplay. Of course, this does not reflect in the best way on the player’s efficiency. In this sense, ssd is better, because while the textures are being loaded, the performance of the game does not decrease.
Fast loading of levels
Modern games have an impressive weight, and for good reason. There is a continuous processing of information, which is “thrown” into the RAM . In this situation, the boot process is also significantly accelerated by the SSD. This is especially acute in projects where the level of optimization is far from ideal.
When comparing the load times of Battlefield 3, for example, an SSD did the job nearly three times faster than an HDD. It will not be superfluous to take into account the fact that both drives were connected to the computer via the SATAIII interface.
Note : the speed increase is noticeable both in online and offline modes of various games.
Curious: TOP-10 SSD manufacturers
Silence during work
The lack of mechanics in solid state drives made them completely silent. Third-party sounds that can be heard when using hard drives will be a thing of the past with ssd. In addition, the lack of mechanical parts makes SSDs more resistant to damage.
Helpful: How to Check SSD Status in Windows and Mac – 10 Monitoring Programs
Which SSD to buy for a gaming computer
As you can see, in terms of gaming performance, ssd is better than HDD. Solid states have a positive effect on the speed of not only loading the OS, but also textures and levels. But in order not to be disappointed in the assembly of a gaming PC with an SSD, it is worth choosing the right media option. To do this, you need to look at the type of memory and characteristics.
| Memory types ssd drives | |
| MLC | A multilevel cell that is renowned for its stamina. The overwrite rate of an SSD with this type of memory varies between 3000-5000 times. An example is TRANSCEND 360. |
| TLC | An example is A400. A variant with a three-level cell, which has the same rewrite cycle as the previous type. These ss are cheaper, but wear out faster. |
| SLC | Single-level cell. Such discs are very durable – up to ten thousand rewriting cycles, are resistant to high temperatures and are characterized by high performance. However, solid-state devices with such memory are very expensive. |
| V (3D-NAND) | Samsung development. It differs from others in the location of the cells. Here it is vertical. Such disks are characterized by a large volume – four-terabyte models have already been presented, for example , this 860 EVO. |
For games, the best option is MLC or V, since TLC, although cheaper, wears out faster, and SLC is too expensive.
Note : there is a myth that nothing can be installed on ssd except the OS and programs due to the limited read-overwrite cycle. But this is not the case: even a mid-range SSD with MLC memory can live for 5 years if you write 20 GB of memory to it daily. So recording heavy games won’t limit the lifespan of the drive.
Come in handy: TOP 10 best SSD drives for 1 TB – Rating of 1000 GB SSD drives
What else to consider:
- Volume. It is selected individually based on the budget. But the minimum for games is ssd for half a terabyte , and this is provided that the computer also has an HDD storage. If we are talking about assembling a PC from scratch, in which it is not planned to install a hard disk, then you should take a closer look at the models of SSD drives with at least 1 TB.
- Connection interface. Affects the speed with which the device can process data. SATA and mSATA have 600 Mbps. The M2 has 3.8 Gb / s, while the PCIe 3.0 x2 has 1969 MB / s. Naturally, the higher the number, the better, but super-fast drives cost a lot.
Details: 9 Top Criteria for Choosing a Good SSD
Installing an SSD in a gaming build is definitely worth it. Games recorded on the media are loaded almost instantly, and the performance gain is felt well. However, if you play only occasionally, you can get by with a regular HDD. But avid gamers who are accustomed to the most smooth course of the game will not hurt.
