To get a better gaming experience, of course, a high-volume SSD drive is the best option. But what is the perfect size to run demanding games smoothly? Is 500GB SSD enough for gaming, or does it need to be more like 1TB, 2TB, or even more ?. Its simple answer is that if you’re talking about HHD hard drive, the answer is probably not; even HDD is not suitable for gaming. Although, it is much cheaper but not very responsive and fast like Solid State Drive.
While the best SSD drive is sufficient in that size but there are still some things to understand whether 500GB is enough or not. Like what types of games you’re going to play on your laptop or desktop computer and how much space they will take. For example, let say each game you want to play takes around 10GB storage, then you can run 50 games on a 500GB hard drive.
But hold on, what if it’s the primary hard drive in the system. Of course, you’ll install an operating system on it, let say windows 10, which takes around 20GB space for installation. Also, there is a need to install other application software like videos player, browser, office app, and other daily routine software. They’ll require plenty of space for setup also. So first, you’ve to determine what your actual requirements are. And then, you can decide wheatear a 500GB SSD is enough for gaming or not.
Why do you need to care about size while buying an SSD for gaming?
It is not rare to see people buy a PC with a small SSD drive and then end up purchasing another internal or external drive because they didn’t realize how fast games would take up space on their computer. If you’re looking to save money, it’s better to start with 500GB instead of buying more expensive options like 1TB and 2TB sizes drive.
Of course, having limited space like 128GB or 256GB will not work with big games and will force you to delete old files. However, this isn’t always necessary to delete some files to run games on a small-size drive. Still, you can enjoy old games on small best internal SSD drives like 120GB.
But storage should be able to run games in the background without taking up too much memory while other programs are running in the foreground. However, this won’t work if you’re playing modern games that take up all of your available memory space.
How much SSD do I need for gaming?
If you’re still confused about which size drive you should buy for gaming, let me clear it. Actually, the amount of SSD space needed for gaming differs from person to person depending on a few different factors, the main ones being the type of games you’re going to play. For more lighthearted casual games with simple graphics, an 128GB SSD will suffice. This is because these games can usually run from memory without any problems.
However, if you plan on playing big blockbuster RPGs or strategy games that require a lot of storage space and need something with a little more performance to keep up with textures and loads in cities or dungeons, then 256GB or 512GB or even 1B, 2TB SSD drive would be suggested.
512GB SSD vs. 1TB SSD; which one is good for gaming?
In my opinion, 512GB is a good amount of storage for gamers. I say this because games these days are getting bigger and bigger. So 128GB and 256GB are not going to work with modern games. Even soon, games may be between 10-40 GB in size. But we don’t know for sure. That’s why it’s harder to tell you a 1TB SSD is good than a 512GB.
But if you’re on a good budget then go with 1TB. Because, since more data will be lying around on the drive when you start installing games, there will be not enough space to house everything due to the lack of space resulting in low performance.
Therefore having more room is better for your gaming experience. But the majority of your cash should probably go towards getting SSD with 500-512GBs of storage if you want something that’ll do just enough. But if your budget allows, then 1TB is a perfect storage solution for games.
Some Best 500GB SSD Drives for Gaming
1 WD_BLACK 500GB SN850
If you need the best 500GB SSD drive, then WD_BLACK SN850 is a perfect storage solution for gamers. It’s designed to deliver insanely fast read/write speeds up to 7000/5300MB/s (1TB model)). This means that your games will load faster than ever before.
You can also download WD_BLACK Dashboard software to customize and control your gaming experience on Windows only. And if you want the best performance possible from your PC or console, then this is the drive for you. With its sleek Heat sink design, it minimizes thermal throttling so that you can push the boundaries of performance even further while playing favorite games. And now it’s also compatible with PS5 consoles.
2 Crucial MX500
MX500 easily upgradeable solid-state drive from Crucial is available in 2.5″/7mm with M.2 interface. It comes in different storage capacities from 500GB up to 4TB for storing all your modern games, movies, music, and more. It uses an innovative Micron 3D NAND technology that stacks the memory cells to provide higher density and more efficient performance over the drive’s lifespan.
It provides hardware-based data encryption security and power loss immunity, making it the most secure and durable drive. Loaded with technologies like Adaptive Thermal Protection and Power Loss Immunity, the Crucial MX500 protects your data and maintains your data integrity in the event of a power loss.
It also includes Crucial Storage Executive software for monitoring and optimizing drive performance. Great for gaming, productivity applications, and creative projects, the Crucial MX500 lets you focus on more important things.
3 Samsung Electronics (MZ-V8)
Samsung’s 980 SSD offers high read/write performance and temperature control, ensuring you get the most out of your system. The SSD has impressive sequential read/write speeds up to 3,500 MB/s and 3,000 MB/s, respectively. It maintains a temperature of 41°C or lower, making it an excellent video editing, graphics designing, and gaming tool.
Whenever the temperature levels rise above a manageable 38°C, a security feature in the M9 Series automatically throttles the drive’s performance to prevent the drive from overheating. The Samsung 980 is a fantastic option for gamers, graphic designers, and anyone who wants a conveniently designed, high-performance SSD.
4 Crucial P5 Internal SSD
Crucial P5 SSD is the best SSDs for the ultimate storage solution for the current generation of PCs. This SSD is designed for tech enthusiasts, professional designers, and serious gamers looking to take their desktop, notebook, or workstation to the next level. Built to harness the full potential of our 3D NAND technology, it delivers fast sequential reads and writes of up to 3400 and 3000MB/s, respectively, and up to 560K/550K IOPS for random reads and writes.
The Crucial P5 also features our leading-edge QLC technology, resulting in different storage capacities like 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The Crucial P5 is a highly secure SSD drive that uses AES 256-bit encryption techniques to encrypt your data. And with Adaptive Thermal Protection, the Crucial P5 automatically manages temperatures with intelligent monitoring and cooling features to ensure your SSD maintains optimized performance, so you can work and play without interruptions.
5 PNY XLR8 CS3030 500GB
Upgrade your OS boot speeds and application loads with the PNY XLR8. Using the Gen3x4 interface, this drive delivers the fastest data reading and writing speed of up to 3,500MB/s seq. Read and 2,000MB/s seq. The write rate is much faster than traditional SATA SSDs.
The endurance of this SSD comes from its “Nevada” flash type that is the fastest and most reliable type of flash memory. This drive also has high-quality components that are made to last. The XLR8 CS3030 comes with a 5-year warranty.
