Similar to your CPU and GPU, your storage device (HDD and SSD) can significantly affect the performance of your gaming PC. SSDs (solid-state drives) are considered the new storage standard. However, there are still units that use HDDs (hard disk drives).
An SSD upgrade can reduce your PC’s loading time and improve responsiveness. However, using HDD still has its advantages. So whether you’re considering keeping your HDD or want to upgrade it to an SSD, this article will help you decide.
Solid State Drives (SSDs)
SSD uses flash-based memory to store its data. Its design enables it to read/write faster than HDDs. With less latency, it has lower access time and has higher gigabyte storage.
Why Upgrade to SSD?
Here is are the following reasons why you might want to upgrade your storage from an HDD to SDD:
- Durability
Heat can cause major hard drive failure. And since HDDs have a design that needs continuous motion, it generates heat. Because SSDs don’t have moving parts, they don’t produce heat. Thus they are more durable and more shock-resistant. They are also resistant to wear and tear.
- Faster Loading Times
SSDs have faster loading times than HDDs. Thus, installing an SSD in your gaming PC can offer shorter boot times. It can deliver immediate data transfer and have higher bandwidth.
Thus, SSDs can offer faster boot-up speed. In fact, according to TechBuyer.com, the SSD storage has an average system boot-up speed of 10 to 13 seconds. However, HDD storage has an average boot-up speed of 30 to 40 seconds.
SSDs also deliver faster application/program loading times and improved system responsiveness.
- Energy Efficient
Another advantage that SSDs have over HDDs is that they require less power to run because they have no moving parts. In fact, technical tests show that SSDs use 50% less energy than HDDs. This also helps you save electricity and cut off a certain percentage of your monthly bill. It also reduces the heat generated by your gaming PC.
- Less Weight
SSDs are built way smaller than HDDs; thus, they weigh less. Installing them on your gaming PC can save you lots of space for other important components. They are also the perfect storage for gaming laptops as they can make the unit lighter.
- No Noise
SSDs are engineered with flash technology. They run quieter and don’t produce vibrations like their HDD counterparts. This creates a calmer working environment and a better gaming experience for you.
Hard Disk Drives (HDDs)
HDDs are designed with spinning magnetic media to store data. It holds data similar to a record player using an actuator arm by a read/write head. Due to its storage process, they have slower read/write speeds. It also has higher access times. However, they have lower gigabyte storage.
Why Keep Your HDD?
Here are the following reasons why you should choose to keep HDD as your unit’s storage device:
- Affordability
HDDs are more affordable compared to SDDs. For example, an HDD like the SAS-3Gbps HDD is cheaper than SSDs with the same storage capacity. This is because the production cost of HDDs is relatively lower; thus, their market prices cost less.
- Availability
HDDs are readily available in the market, whether in physical stores or online shops. You can buy external or internal hard drives easily. This is because many computers are still using HDDs as their storage device. External HDDs have also experienced a surge in demand. They are preferred as an alternative storage unit for laptop users.
- Larger Storage Capacity
Although they may be cheaper than SSDs, HDDs have a larger storage capacity than the former. SSD’s highest capacity is 4TB of data, while HDD’s highest capacity is 10 TB. That’s 6 times higher and means more storage, especially if you want to install many video games in your unit.
- Storage Reliability
It is common to lose data, especially during an unexpected power loss. And losing data can frequently happen to volatile memory devices. And this can be a shared experience after opening a particular application or loading an operating system.
HDDs are engineered to be non-volatile. Thus, it can manage to retrieve data even during a power outage. This protects your valuable data on your gaming PC. New HDDs are, in fact, equipped with an extra protective design for shock resistance.
- Longer Life-Span
HDDs are engineered with a higher read-write cycle, which means their data is written directly on its platter disk. The platter disks on your hard drives are built with high durability, which means they rarely deteriorate. This is why HDDs can last for a longer time than SSDs can only handle a limited number of writes. Furthermore, repetitive read/write cycles can wear out the flash memories of SSDs.
SSDs vs. HDDs
The big difference between HDD and SSD is their technology to store and retrieve data. While HDDs are more affordable and cheaper to buy, you can get more storage space. SSDs, on the other hand, are incredibly faster in processing data. They are also lighter and use less power.
But at the end of the day, your needs will determine which storage device will work best for your gaming PC. If you wish to upgrade your gaming PC to have faster loading times and a quieter process. They don’t also generate much heat, which helps prevent your unit from overheating. SSDs also use less energy, saving power and reducing your electric bill.
If you want to play video games that need high storage capacity, then HDD is the best option. They are more affordable and provide increased storage capacity compared to SSDs. They have longer life spans as well. Another reason you might want to stick to HDD as your storage device is because it is less likely to lose data. They are non-volatile storage devices and store data even during a sudden power loss or error.