Steam Games on SSD or HDD?

[AndrewDafuqq]

I'm building a PC and I'm not sure where I should install my games on, HDD or SSD.

I'm sure that the SSD runs faster and I want my games and OS to boot up and load fast.
So my plan is to install the OS on the SSD with some of my primary games I'm going be playing alot and my other games and other large files on the HDD. The SSD is 240GBs and the HDD is 1TB.
I'm pretty sure you can change the game install location when you download the game.

or should I just put all my games on the HDD and only the OS on the SSD. I might even lower the price on the SSD if I have to do that.

Thanks in advance.
Reply ASAP

*EDIT* I'm thinking of getting a 120GB SSD just for the OS and a few programs now, I'm pretty sure 7200RPM is fast enough for games and I don't have to wait THAT long.
Is this a good idea?

 

[zifn4b]

I'm building a PC and I'm not sure where I should install my games on, HDD or SSD.

I'm sure that the SSD runs faster and I want my games and OS to boot up and load fast.
So my plan is to install the OS on the SSD with some of my primary games I'm going be playing alot and my other games and other large files on the HDD. The SSD is 240GBs and the HDD is 1TB.
I'm pretty sure you can change the game install location when you download the game.

or should I just put all my games on the HDD and only the OS on the SSD. I might even lower the price on the SSD if I have to do that.

Thanks in advance.
Reply ASAP

I have a setup like this. I put all my games on the HDD. If you look in Steam settings under Downloads->Content Libraries. You can specify multiple folders. That way when you install a Steam game, if there is a game in particular that loads levels slow you can put it in on the SSD if you want.

 

[sizzling]

I have a 240gb SSD, with Win 10, Office, Black Ops 3 with DLC and a few other programs which load on startup I am about 75% full on my SSD. Everything else including about 40 steam games are on HDD

 

[AndrewDafuqq]

I'm thinking of getting a 120GB SSD just for the OS and a few programs now, I'm pretty sure 7200RPM is fast enough for games and I don't have to wait THAT long.
Is this a good idea?

 

[RARRAF]

there is not much performance gain having games on ssd only with load time's and its hardly noticeable get a nice big hard drive have your OS on ssd by all means and a few bits 120gb

 

[AndrewDafuqq]

Thanks for the help and fast replies everyone, I know now that I'm going to get a 2TB Harddrive and a 120GB SSD only for the OS and a few programs.

 

[sizzling]

A normal HDD is fine. In multiplayer games I have had a few on SSD now and it is 'nice' to be one of the first in when a round starts but not important. I don't play Battlefield but apparently it does help there as those in first take the good vehicles.

I have a 240 and wish I had bought a 500 or greater. I would not get less than 240, it gives you the option for 1 or 2 favourite games and everything else can go on HDD.

 

[AndrewDafuqq]

A normal HDD is fine. In multiplayer games I have had a few on SSD now and it is 'nice' to be one of the first in when a round starts but not important. I don't play Battlefield but apparently it does help there as those in first take the good vehicles.

I have a 240 and wish I had bought a 500 or greater. I would not get less than 240, it gives you the option for 1 or 2 favourite games and everything else can go on HDD.

I'm probably only going to put CS:GO and GTAV on the SSD, especially GTAV, and of course the OS. It should take up 105 GBs (CSGO = 20GB, GTAV = 65GB, Windows 10 = 20GB) and that leaves me with 15GB, that should be enough for a few applications and programs.

 

[ikissfutebol]

What's all this fancy talk about? I thought we were told 640 kb was all the storage we would ever need?!?!?!

 

[USAFRet]

I'm thinking of getting a 120GB SSD just for the OS and a few programs now, I'm pretty sure 7200RPM is fast enough for games and I don't have to wait THAT long.
Is this a good idea?

At current prices, a 250GB is generally a better buy, for price vs size.

 

[USAFRet]

I'm probably only going to put CS:GO and GTAV on the SSD, especially GTAV, and of course the OS. It should take up 105 GBs (CSGO = 20GB, GTAV = 65GB, Windows 10 = 20GB) and that leaves me with 15GB, that should be enough for a few applications and programs.

The OS will be more than 20GB, once you start applying updates, etc.
And of course you need to leave about 15% free for TRIM to do its thing.

 

[AndrewDafuqq]

I'm probably only going to put CS:GO and GTAV on the SSD, especially GTAV, and of course the OS. It should take up 105 GBs (CSGO = 20GB, GTAV = 65GB, Windows 10 = 20GB) and that leaves me with 15GB, that should be enough for a few applications and programs.

The OS will be more than 20GB, once you start applying updates, etc.
And of course you need to leave about 15% free for TRIM to do its thing.

15GB just for the Windows updates and etc seems enough

 

[Ray Calderon]

I'm building a PC and I'm not sure where I should install my games on, HDD or SSD.

I'm sure that the SSD runs faster and I want my games and OS to boot up and load fast.
So my plan is to install the OS on the SSD with some of my primary games I'm going be playing alot and my other games and other large files on the HDD. The SSD is 240GBs and the HDD is 1TB.
I'm pretty sure you can change the game install location when you download the game.

or should I just put all my games on the HDD and only the OS on the SSD. I might even lower the price on the SSD if I have to do that.

Thanks in advance.
Reply ASAP

*EDIT* I'm thinking of getting a 120GB SSD just for the OS and a few programs now, I'm pretty sure 7200RPM is fast enough for games and I don't have to wait THAT long.
Is this a good idea?

Great question Andrew! I just did a search for "do you install games on the SSD or HDD drive" and found your post, Thanks for your ques, and a BIG thanks to Tom's HARDWARE and the GREAT answers.

 

[USAFRet]

Great question Andrew! I just did a search for "do you install games on the SSD or HDD drive" and found your post, Thanks for your ques, and a BIG thanks to Tom's HARDWARE and the GREAT answers.

Remember...this thread is several years old now.
Prices for SSD's have changed drastically. $130 USD for a 1TB SSD makes it a lot easier to dispense with spinning drives completely.