SSD

Storage guide (SSD)

6 min read

Storage is where everything lives: the operating system, your games, your files. It doesn't define your in-game FPS, but it does determine how long you wait for everything to load — from booting the PC to jumping into a match. Here's what to choose without overspending.

NVMe vs SATA: the real difference

Today almost all new storage is SSD (solid-state drive) — mechanical hard drives are now just for cheap bulk storage, not for a gaming PC. Within SSDs there are two types:

• NVMe: connects directly to the motherboard through an M.2 slot, no cables. It's several times faster than SATA — the difference is most noticeable when installing large games or loading levels with heavy texture streaming.
• SATA: uses the same connection as old mechanical drives. Still much faster than a mechanical disk, but slower than NVMe. In exchange, it's usually a bit cheaper.

For a new gaming PC, the general recommendation is to go straight for NVMe as your main drive (where the OS and your favorite games live) — the price gap isn't as big as it used to be, and the jump in load speed is worth it.

How many GB or TB do I need?

Current games keep getting bigger — it's not unusual for a single title to take up 80-150 GB. As a reference:

• 500 GB: the minimum today, and it already feels tight. Enough for the OS and a few large games at once.
• 1 TB: the comfortable starting point for most people. Gives you room for several games installed without constantly deleting and reinstalling.
• 2 TB or more: ideal if you play several heavy titles at once, or if you also store a lot of content (video, photos, projects).

A common trick: combine a fast, not-too-large NVMe (500 GB-1 TB) for the system and the games you play regularly, with a bigger, cheaper SATA drive for the rest. Many motherboards have room for multiple drives.

Why it doesn't affect FPS as much

It's a common mix-up: a faster SSD doesn't give you more frames per second while gaming — that depends on the processor and graphics card. What it does change is how long you wait: shorter load times, smoother texture streaming in large open worlds (less popping or blurry textures showing up late), and faster installs/updates. It's an experience improvement, not an in-game performance one.

Compatibility with the motherboard

Before buying, it's worth knowing that not every motherboard has the same number of M.2 slots, and they don't all run at the same speed (Gen3, Gen4, Gen5 — each generation is faster, but also pricier). If your budget is tight, a Gen4 NVMe is still an excellent choice today; the jump to Gen5 only really shows up in very demanding tasks, not so much in gaming.

In summary

For most people: an NVMe of at least 1 TB as the main drive is the sweet spot between price, speed, and space. If your budget is very tight, a 1 TB SATA drive is still a huge upgrade over a mechanical disk. And if you need more space than you can afford in NVMe, pairing it with a large SATA drive is a practical, affordable solution.