Bought an intel ssd for gaming machine, having 2nd thoughts

[Guest]

I bought a 120gb Intel X25-M SSD for my gaming machine, having second thoughts.

I figured that maybe some opinions here could save me time installing win7 and some programs onto the SSD, realizing it's not worth it, then having to reinstall onto my HDD.

The problem is that I can't install all my games onto my main drive, only a few, and also Steam doesn't support installing games onto different hard drives.

Is the speed upgrade of the OS and launching programs/a few games that I mostly play worth it or would you reccomend sticking with a Caviar Black 1tb as the system drive and just put everything on that?

 

[tecmo34]

It is worth it in my opinion...

I run an Intel X25M G2 80GB and install all my games on my WD 300GB VRaptor. I use my Intel for OS and Apps, and install games on my WD, than I have a storage drive for all other files and not important apps. SSD helps with load times in games but doesn't provide really in increase in FPS, so running off of a hard drive doesn't hurt much. I got the SSD for the overall responsiveness of my system, not for gaming.

 

[TheTech214]

I think you should keep the ssd for windows and buy the western digital caviar black for everything else. Make sure its the six gbs a second one.

 

[adampower]

Here, on the SSD forum, you will be hard pressed to find someone who isn't sold on SSDs.

It's worth it in my opinion.

There is the fact that gaming itself would not be impacted. But everything you do on your computer is impacted. You will get addicted to the ssd and will learn to hate every computer you come to which boots on a spinner. I'm tempted to stay home from work just so I don't have to sit in front of my computer.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

^5 +1 what tecmo34, TheTech214, and adampower said.

 

[AnUnusedUsername]

Steam doesn't natively support installing games to different drives, but there is a fairly simple workaround (http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=998110&page=2).
It doesn't get you any benefit from the ssd with games stored on the hdd, but it does allow you to keep steam games (and any other games) installed to the primary drive while taking up space on your storage drive.

Basically, unless you want to spend ~$400 on a ssd you aren't going to have enough space for more than windows and a game or two. Windows will be faster, but for the most part that'll be it. Whether you keep the drive depends on whether you care about windows booting faster more than you care about dealing with the hassle of multiple drives and very little space on the primary one, assuming cost isn't an issue anyway. If price is an issue: For games, if your system has any room for improvement anywhere else then that should come before a ssd. If you didnt play games or run any demanding programs, a ssd would be a better use of money than a better graphics card or processor (within reason, of course).