{"id":594,"date":"2021-08-09T17:57:47","date_gmt":"2021-08-09T17:57:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pcgearhead.com\/?p=594"},"modified":"2022-05-24T17:35:00","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T17:35:00","slug":"how-much-storage-do-i-need-for-a-gaming-pc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pcgearhead.com\/how-much-storage-do-i-need-for-a-gaming-pc\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Storage For Gaming PC is Needed? The Straightforward Answer"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you’re building a gaming PC but are struggling with the question “how much storage for a gaming PC is an optimal amount of storage?” If so, you’ve landed at the right place because that’s exactly what I’m going to guide you about.<\/p>\n

However, to sum things up, we recommend a minimum of 1TB storage space for convenience in the long run. When it comes to storage type, since SSDs are much costlier, the combination of a 128GB SSD and 1TB HDD works best.<\/p>\n

Want further information and a definitive explanation of why these are our recommendations? Then, the straightforward guide below is waiting for you. Let’s get started.<\/p>\n\n

How Much Storage for Gaming PCs is Good Enough?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Many of the gamers choose a 512GB or 256GB hard drive space when getting started with gaming. They have the theory of not installing a ton of games but only a few that they like the most. And that’s the same mistake that I made.<\/p>\n

Believe me, you cannot play a single game forever. You’ll get frustrated and exhausted. So, the consistent switching up of games is typical for gamers.<\/p>\n

So, if you’re wondering how much harddrive do I need at this point?<\/p>\n

The point is not to look for your current needs for storage, but to make a decision that benefits you in the long run. Also, if you’re into playing the latest games (also known as the AAA titles), make sure to go for a minimum of 1TB hard drive space.<\/p>\n

But now comes the point of deciding between SSDs and HDDs. What are they, what sets them apart, and which one should you go for? That I’ve discussed in detail below.<\/p>\n

Summary: <\/strong>A minimum of 1TB storage space is recommended for convenience in the long run.<\/p>\n

Willing to build a gaming PC? Read our throughout guide on building a super gaming PC<\/a> for complete information.<\/p>\n

AAA Titles Are Beefier and Heavier<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Are<\/p>\n

Are you a hardcore gamer who loves to try the latest games? Are you into games like Cyberpunk, Destiny 2, and Red Dead Redemption 2?<\/p>\n

Then, it’s hardly recommended to never go for a small hard drive as they won’t be able to hold your games for long.<\/p>\n

“Why?”<\/p>\n

The latest video games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Quantum Break, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare consume a lot of storage. A lot.<\/p>\n

Here’s a small breakdown of the sizes of a few hardcore games:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
No.<\/th>Game Name<\/th>Storage Requirement<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>Hitman 2<\/td>Around 149GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>Red Dead Redemption 2<\/td>Around 150GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>Destiny 2<\/td>Around 165GB (with DLCs)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>Quantum Break<\/td>Around 178 GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>Call of Duty: Modern Warfare<\/td>Around 231 GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>Final Fantasy XV<\/td>Around 148GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>ARK: Survival Evolved <\/td>Around 112 GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>Gears of War 4 <\/td>Around 112.3GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>Borderlands 3 <\/td>Around 116 GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>Microsoft Flight Simulator <\/td>Around 127 GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

Do you see? This type of game will not go easy on your hard drive.  So, make sure you don’t go easy in this aspect when building a gaming rig. If we look into a 500GB storage drive, it will barely store a couple of large games.<\/p>\n

So again, 1TB of storage is the minimum recommendation for gaming.<\/p>\n

But not all video games cost that much storage, the Indie games are much smaller and easier to store:<\/p>\n

Here’s what I need to tell you more. If you’re dealing with overheating, then you must check this article. It will help you reduce the overheating problem<\/a> and eventually enjoy a better gaming experience.<\/p>\n

Are Indie Video Games Smaller?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Are<\/p>\n

Indie games are generally developed with low specifications in mind. In simple words, programmers try to limit the resources of the games but the simple mechanics of the games are still interesting and engaging.<\/p>\n

The most exciting part is, Indie games are much smaller compared to AAA titles like Destiny 2. For instance, here’s a small breakdown of the storage size requirements of a few Indie games:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
No.<\/th>Game Name<\/th>Storage Requirement<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
1<\/td>Hades<\/td>Around 15GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>Stardew Valley<\/td>Around 500MB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>Celeste
\n<\/td>		Around 1200MB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>Cuphead<\/td>Around 4GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>Hollow Knight<\/td>Around 9GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>Among Us<\/td>Around 250 MB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>Gunpoint<\/td>Around 700 MB <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>Oxenfree<\/td>Around 3GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>Telling Lies<\/td>Around 4GB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>Dead Cells<\/td>Around 500MB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n

See? If you’re into Indie games, the storage might not be a problem. A hard drive of 512GB and even 256GB will work well as you might be able to store dozens of Indie games.<\/p>\n

But it doesn’t mean you should go with the lowest storage considering this, some Indie games (like Hades) still cost 20GB and even 30GB storage. So, a minimum of 512GB storage is still recommended.<\/p>\n

What Storage Options Do I Have?<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"need<\/p>\n

When it comes to choosing a storage drive, there’s another very important factor to consider other than the storage capacity. And it’s the type of storage.<\/p>\n

Following are the major ones you can come by:<\/p>\n

1) Hard Disk Drives<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Hard<\/p>\n

Hard disk drives, also known as HDD and traditional storage drives, are outdated storage options for computers. Compared to the later storage devices (which we will discuss below), the hard disk drives are much slower.<\/p>\n

The reason behind their mediocre read and write speed is the outdated working principle where particles move to read and write data. This is why HDDs only offer a read and write speed of 80-160MBs only.<\/p>\n

Another big disadvantage of HDDs is the slower boot-up time. On HDDs, Windows can take over a minute or more to get your computer ready for operation. The same is with opening various software on Windows.<\/p>\n

However, these disadvantages of HDDs lead them to a significant benefit which is their affordability. Yes, a 1TB HDD will only cost you around $50.<\/p>\n