M.2 NVME vs SSD SATA vs HDD: Specs | Hashrate |test
At the time of creating your own configuration PC da gaming, or in the process of updating some components, it is advisable to carefully evaluate the options available regarding storage devices. In fact, storage space is not the only factor to consider. The choice between mechanical hard disk (HDD) and the most recent and performing SSD, of type M.2 NVMe The SATA, is critical.
To maximize performance, in fact, it is necessary to carefully evaluate the read and write speeds of the memory device on which you are going to install your games. By choosing a high-performance storage device, it will be possible to minimize the loading times of games, especially the most “heavy” ones, with obvious advantages related to a better gaming experience.
The choice of memory peripherals of your gaming PC passes through several factors. First, you need to evaluate it storage space you need, also in consideration of the space occupied by modern games. Subsequently, it will be necessary to verify theand performance of the chosen unit, to avoid excessive lengthening of loading times and, more generally, a deterioration in in-game performance.
To complete the analysis, the economic factor. Mechanical hard drives are cheaper, with the same GB of storage space, but definitely less powerful than M.2 NVMe and SATA SSDs. These two versions of SSD also have different performances and prices that will be evaluated in order to choose the best solution for your PC.
Below, therefore, we will see which are the real performance at stake of the various memory devices available for a gaming PC. In this way, the choice between HDD and SSD M.2 NVMe and SATA it can be done with more elements in your possession.
Which to choose between HDD and SSD (SATA or M.2)?
Loading times are closely related to the performance of the disc where the game data is saved. Combining high-end hardware with a particularly slow disc will significantly affect loading times and, therefore, the experience of using the game.
The choice between mechanical hard disk HDD and an SSD, of the SATA or M.2 NVMe type, therefore assumes afundamental importance to create a good and, above all, balanced configuration for a gaming PC capable of satisfying your needs to the maximum.
The performance differences, both in terms of reading and writing speed, between mechanical hard drives and SSDs they are huge. Choosing an HDD instead of an SSD, regardless of the type, means slowing down all read and write operations from the storage device. For modern PCs, in fact, a mechanical hard drive can represent a real bottleneck.
The GB / € ratio continues to be favorable to HDDs but the difference is narrowing from year to year. In the meantime, however, as SSD performance improves, the performance gap between SSDs and mechanical hard drives continues to increase.
The comparison between SATA SSD and M.2 NVMe it exhibits less marked differences. Even if the M.2 guarantee performances clearly superior to the SATA, this difference, at least as far as the games are concerned, is little noticeable and translates into a few seconds of difference in terms of loading times. SATAs are generally cheaper than M.2s.
The benchmarks in play
The best way to choose the best solution between HDD hard disk, SATA SSD and M.2 NVMe SSD as a storage device for your gaming PC is represented by areal performance analysis of these memory media in play.
I loading times in PC games they are strongly linked to the type of memory used for archiving. The transition from mechanical hard drives to SSDs, both SATA and M.2, is a real generational leap. The confirmation comes from the game benchmarks.
The SSD M.2 NVMe are, on average, the solutions capable of guarantee the shortest loading times. The performance differences with SATA SSDs, at least when it comes to loading in games, are not as noticeable. The switch from M.2 NVMe to SATA, in fact, it involves, on average, a + 8% increase loading times.
For a 10 second loading, therefore, the difference between these two solutions will be less than one second. On balance, therefore, the differences between M.2 and SATA, although undoubtedly present and very evident in other types of tests, are limited and in some cases marginal in the loading times in the game.
The situation changes radically by switching to mechanical hard drives HDD. In this case, switching from an SSD to a hard drive means going back several years in time. If with games from 1-2 generations ago, the differences in loading times are limited, with modern games the limitations of mechanical hard drives are all noticeable.
Benchmarks confirm that a particularly demanding game experiences enormous load times when installed on an HDD. Switching from HDDs to M.2 NVMe SSDs reduces loading times to a third. Even switching from a HDD to a SATA SSD allows you to save many seconds during loading.
Even with a high-end configuration, with a latest generation game, a mechanical hard drive risks significantly dilating loading times with the result of having to wait tens of seconds more each time before you can really start playing. play.
M.2 NVME SSD vs SATA SSD vs HDD: do prices make a difference?
The benchmarks confirm how much a mechanical hard drive risks limiting performance with the latest generation games. When choosing the storage devices, however, it is also advisable to take into account the cost and the need to have enough space to install your own games. Many titles, especially triple AAA titles, require tens and tens of GB for a full installation, and any additional content will only take up the space needed.
A new gaming PCtherefore, it cannot fall below a certain threshold as regards the actual storage space available. In order to manage a certain amount of titles, it will be necessary to have at least 1 TB of space available. A 1TB SSD, SATA or even more M.2, can cost more than twice as much as a 1TB mechanical hard drive.
It will be very important, therefore, to make the most of the offers of the moment to identify affordable SSDs to buy to complete your setup, making sure you have enough space to install the games you need. Focusing on “old” mechanical hard drives risks being a limitation to the entire system, dramatically increasing loading times and worsening the gaming experience.
Increasing the budget for storage devices can really make a difference and ensure the ability to minimize loading times, increasing the responsiveness of the entire PC, especially during gaming sessions. For a gaming PC, being able to rely on SSDs is essential to be able to offer complete and satisfactory performance in any context.
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