Question Having games and your OS on the same SSD

[Zihabou]

Hello guys,

Since I've got a 2TB SSD build, I am logically installing games on the second one, and let my OS alone on the first, with regular programs and utility. Tho with the size of games nowadays, it'll run out of space eventually. Some games are also ercommended to be run on the same drive as the OS, mainly online games.

When passing by my storage overview, I was also thinking " what a waist to have a 1TB SSD with only a 100gb of programs and OS out of those 1TB, just because I' ve read somewhere that it's better to let the OS alone" .

So, not mixing games and main drive, myth or reality ? I assume it can be better for the lifespan of the drive, obviously, but those huge space exist for a reason right ?
Would it be better to get a 250gb ssd on the side just for the OS ?

 

[kanewolf]

Hello guys,

Since I've got a 2TB SSD build, I am logically installing games on the second one, and let my OS alone on the first, with regular programs and utility. Tho with the size of games nowadays, it'll run out of space eventually. Some games are also ercommended to be run on the same drive as the OS, mainly online games.

When passing by my storage overview, I was also thinking " what a waist to have a 1TB SSD with only a 100gb of programs and OS out of those 1TB, just because I' ve read somewhere that it's better to let the OS alone" .

So, not mixing games and main drive, myth or reality ? I assume it can be better for the lifespan of the drive, obviously, but those huge space exist for a reason right ?
Would it be better to get a 250gb ssd on the side just for the OS ?

It may be outdated thinking. With spinning disks there could be a more major impact. SSD and NVMe have made that thinking obsolete, IMO. Just maintain the maximum 80% full philosophy for your SSDs.

 

[CompuGuy71]

Most folks get a smaller size SSD for their boot drive. For example my boot SSD is only 256GB but it is NVME while my storage is a 2 TB SATA drive

 

[Nighthawk117]

Hello guys,

Since I've got a 2TB SSD build, I am logically installing games on the second one, and let my OS alone on the first, with regular programs and utility. Tho with the size of games nowadays, it'll run out of space eventually. Some games are also recommended to be run on the same drive as the OS, mainly online games.

When passing by my storage overview, I was also thinking " what a waist to have a 1TB SSD with only a 100gb of programs and OS out of those 1TB, just because I' ve read somewhere that it's better to let the OS alone" .

So, not mixing games and main drive, myth or reality ? I assume it can be better for the lifespan of the drive, obviously, but those huge space exist for a reason right ?
Would it be better to get a 250gb ssd on the side just for the OS ?

Nothing wrong with games on your OS drive. I have some on mine too, I just wouldn't fill the SSD up completely because having free space helps with wear levelling.

 

[Eximo]

Been running that way since about 2010, single SSD for all functions.

I have other systems with the typical OS SSD and large storage drive.

Games are only written the one time, there isn't much going on but reading things into memory. As long as you have sufficient VRAM and System Memory, little is written to the drive most days.

 

[Bob O' Goobo]

With the arrival of SSD's I don't split up OS, files and games anymore. It was a concern with mechanical drives. Plus I just don't have time to care anymore

 

[Bob.B]

Hello guys,

Since I've got a 2TB SSD build, I am logically installing games on the second one, and let my OS alone on the first, with regular programs and utility. Tho with the size of games nowadays, it'll run out of space eventually. Some games are also ercommended to be run on the same drive as the OS, mainly online games.

When passing by my storage overview, I was also thinking " what a waist to have a 1TB SSD with only a 100gb of programs and OS out of those 1TB, just because I' ve read somewhere that it's better to let the OS alone" .

So, not mixing games and main drive, myth or reality ? I assume it can be better for the lifespan of the drive, obviously, but those huge space exist for a reason right ?
Would it be better to get a 250gb ssd on the side just for the OS ?

Some folks like one disk other folks like many.
Using ssd's you probably won't see a diff.
The only thing that strikes me using one disk is it's a single pipe for everything.

I suppose you set it up both ways and run your stuff see if you can see a diff.

My pref is a small disk for the OS and apps and a big disk for data.

 

[USAFRet]

Either way.

Some people prefer one large drive.
Others, like me, prefer individuals. 1 drive for the OS and applications, other drives for other data.

With SSD's, performance is not affected (with almost ALL applications or games).
There are some edge cases with large data sets where it may impact.

 

[PsychoPsyops]

Either way is fine and neither way will impact performance much. Personally, I like having everything on one drive, aside from my backup files and itunes library, which is on a separate drive. And I say itunes library because the amount of music/movies I have and will build up over time will probably need more space.

 

[geofelt]

Opinions vary.
I see nothing wrong with all on a single C drive.
Start using it.
There is no performance impact between using one or two drives.
As to longevity, once a ssd is 500gb in size endurance is no longer the issue it was.
Similarly, sata, or pcie will perform well enough that any differences will not be noticeable to you.

Regardless, plan on some sort of EXTERNAL backup of what you value.

 

[Zihabou]

Thanks guys, this was really helpfull. I encountered a new issue today tho. I hope you can enlighten me on this one too. Cheers !