How important is SSD to your gaming desktop performance?

A solid-state drive usually referred to as an SSD, is an electronic disc drive based on solid-state architecture. SSDs are manufactured with NAND and NOR flash memory to store non-volatile data and dynamic random access memory (DRAM). A solid-state drive (SSD) and a magnetic hard disc drive (HDD) have the same goal. However, they operate differently and have their own distinct features.

The critical difference between SSD and HDD is that HDDs read and write data at a slower rate, while SSDs do it at a faster rate. In terms of I/O operations per second (IOPS), HDDs support fewer I/O operations per second (IOPS), whereas SSDs support more. Moreover, HDDs are prone to failure due to moving parts, whereas SSDs can withstand vibrations of up to 2000 Hz.

When it comes to the storage on your gaming desktop, you want something small and compact capable of fast accessing and loading all of your game data. Today SSDs have gained popularity in comparison to the traditional hard disc drives. This article will explain everything about solid-state drives (SSDs) and their capabilities in comparison to hard drives (HDDs) and provide you with some reasons why you should consider SSD when choosing a gaming PC.

Why is SSD crucial for your gaming PC?

  • Loading times are substantially faster

Solid-state SSDs access data far faster than hard disc drives. An SSD’s principal role is to store and load data or read and write. An SSD is capable of performing these tasks quickly. This can have a significant impact on several quite evident aspects of games. For instance, loading screens are a significant one. An SSD is not a must for a gaming PC.

However, an SSD will assist in speeding up game loading times. Rather than waiting for a game to load, an SSD allows your gaming desktop to load a game faster, reducing your time. If you have the budget, upgrading your gaming PC’s hard drive to an SSD might be a wise investment. With an SSD, all programs would load faster, and hang-ups associated with prolonged gaming would be eliminated.

  • SSDs excel at Multi-Tasking

While gaming, your motivation is not limited to the game itself. Windows performs frequent reads and writes to disc, which can significantly stress a mechanical drive, worsening the issues stated previously. Hard drives are notoriously bad at multitasking and, in certain situations, can slow to a standstill as heads scramble across the platters. SSDs excel at multitasking, which a hard disc will never be able to match. This is another reason why adding an SSD to your gaming desktop boosts performance compared to HDD, allowing you to focus on your game rather than your system.

  • Ideal for high-performance gaming desktop

When it comes to the overall system performance of gaming PCs, an SSD might make your setup feel significantly faster than it actually is. As a result, solid-state drives (SSDs) have become an increasingly important component of the top gaming desktops on the market. Although it helps you load into games more quickly, it is also one of the best ways to make your entire desktop experience more pleasurable. You’ll get the best gaming experience if you combine a good SSD with an equally decent graphics card and the fastest gaming processor available.

3 Best SSD options for your Gaming desktop

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1. SAMSUNG 980 PRO 1TB NVMe

SAMSUNG 980 PRO 1TB – Image credit: AnandTech

Samsung’s new SSD 980 is a new contender in the existing Gen3 storage market. Its simple DRAMless design makes it a more cost-effective option for consumers seeking a value-oriented solution. Despite this, performance was not adversely affected in the manner observed with other similar SSDs in the past.

Pros

  • AES 256-bit hardware encryption
  • 980 Pro-like durability and 5-year warranty
  • Good performance
  • No DRAM design
  • Better than Intel SSD 670p in 4K random reads

Cons

  • The current lineup has a maximum capacity of 1TB, 
  • Slow write speeds when the SLC cache has been deleted.
  • There is no upgrade over 970 SSDs in terms of overall performance.
  • Light workloads

2. WD Black SN850

WD Black SN850 – Image credit: Katharine Castle

The WD Black SN850 1TB drive is the fastest PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD available. It may not win every trial in every benchmark, but it is unmatched in real-world benchmarking.

Pros

  • Results are unmatched in PCMark 10 testing
  • Identical to its claimed read/write speeds
  • Suitable for use with or without a heatsink
  • RGB lighting
  • WD Black Dashboard software

Cons

  • A little costly 
  • Requires a PCIe 4 compliant machine for optimal performance
  • Several AS-SSD benchmark scores are low.

3. Samsung 970 EVO Plus

Samsung 970 EVO Plus – Image credit: Windows Central

For gaming rigs or high-end PC upgrades, Samsung’s SSD 970 EVO Plus costs less than its predecessor but offers similar performance. It is one of the best SSD you got at a lower price.

Pros

  • The cost per gigabyte is aggressive.
  • Excellent performance when it comes to data writing.
  • Numerous capacity options are available.
  • Excellent rating for dependability.

Cons

  • Random throughput is slightly slower

Why should you consider using RAID for a gaming desktop?

AID is an abbreviation for Redundant Array of Independent Disks or Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks, a storage technology. RAID enables data to be stored on many disc drives concurrently, while a RAID configuration appears to Windows 10 as a single disc. RAID is a method of configuring two or more hard drives to function in unison on a single computer system.

Several iterations of RAIDs are suitable for gaming PC performance, such as RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10. RAID 0 enables users to benefit from faster read and write rates, resulting in increased performance. Speeds are proportional to the number of drives in the RAID 0 array; hence, a four-disk RAID 0 array is four times faster than a single drive.

As a result, RAID 0 is more rapid compared to other RAID levels. However, it does have a significant disadvantage. It lacks fault tolerance. To be more precise, if a single disc fails, RAID 0 will also fail simultaneously. The array data will then be corrupted or lost, similar to incorrect Outlook data.

If you just want rapid speed for gaming desktop, investing in RAID 0 is a good decision. And you must acknowledge its shortcoming and back up RAID 0 at regular intervals. But mainly, RAID 1 is used for data redundancy, not gaming performance. Instead of using hardware RAID, the suggested RAID 1 is the best way to use WINDOWS’ built-in RAID function for NVME discs.

Conclusion

It is essential to select the solid-state drive (SSD) instead of HDD while building a gaming PC. In addition, a high-quality SSD should be used to prevent future maintenance issues. At VOLTA, we know what works well and what seems to last the longest once it comes to gaming peripherals. Our gigs are created with the finest SSD components, so look at them. Check out VOLTA’s gigs with SAMSUNG 980 PRO here.

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All articles must have disclaimer at the end that this article is the opinion of the author and does not represent the opinion of Volta PC.

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