External SSD for gaming

[Zawbuck]

Hello everybody,

I would like to know if a external SSD could be used for gaming? Running the games of the external SSD hard drive that would be.
Would it result in faster load times in games than on my current hard drive 750GB HDD 5400 RPM. I have also heard that gaming will be ran more fluently when running the game from a SSD hard drive. Is this true?
I'm thinking of buying the Samsung EVO 840 SSD 120 GB as my external gaming hard drive.

I would love some imput here as I am not the biggest expert. Would anybody recommend me doing this or is it just useless?

 

[Jaxem]

Games won't run much differently once you're in the middle of playing, but load times to put the game into memory will be faster. As you say "external" i picture an SSD in a cheap 2.5" USB 2.0 enclosure and shudder, don't do that. If you can't hook it up via SATA, it's probably not worth it.

 

[Zawbuck]

Games won't run much differently once you're in the middle of playing, but load times to put the game into memory will be faster. As you say "external" i picture an SSD in a cheap 2.5" USB 2.0 enclosure and shudder, don't do that. If you can't hook it up via SATA, it's probably not worth it.

I have a laptop which I'm playing on. So it would have to be run through USB 3.0.
So you would NOT suggest me doing this?

 

[Jaxem]

Theoretically USB 3.0 could be fast enough for a modern SSD, the problem is most 3.0 controllers don't actually hit near the kind of speeds an SSD can do, so you can do it, but make sure you get a 3.0 controller that is pretty darn fast, no cheaping out 😉. Even if you do 'neck your SSD a little, it'll be much faster than your HDD.

 

[Zawbuck]

Theoretically USB 3.0 could be fast enough for a modern SSD, the problem is most 3.0 controllers don't actually hit near the kind of speeds an SSD can do, so you can do it, but make sure you get a 3.0 controller that is pretty darn fast, no cheaping out 😉. Even if you do 'neck your SSD a little, it'll be much faster than your HDD.

Could you suggest a 3.0 controller? So I know what to look for

 

[USAFRet]

Can you do it? Yes
Will it be 'faster' for being on an SSD? No. You would probably see zero difference if it was on an external SSD or on a regular external HDD.

1. Games don't really benefit from being on the SSD
2. Data on an external SSD pushed through the USB port is slow anyways.

 

[Jaxem]

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[Zawbuck]

Can you do it? Yes
Will it be 'faster' for being on an SSD? No. You would probably see zero difference if it was on an external SSD or on a regular external HDD.

1. Games don't really benefit from being on the SSD
2. Data on an external SSD pushed through the USB port is slow anyways.

It seems like it would be a waste of money to do then.
Thanks for the help guys.