The short answer to the question “is 1TB SSD enough for gaming?” is a yes. 1TB SSD is more than enough for most gaming systems.
However, the storage space you need for your system is entirely subjective. In other words, the amount of storage you need, SSD or HDD, depends upon how many games or programs you wish to install on your PC.
It also depends on whether you intend to use the storage for archiving large media, photos, videos, etc.
Regarding SSDs, you must understand the concepts of hot vs. cold data. Only the most commonly used games and apps should be stored on an SSD.
But as far as gaming is concerned, 1TB is more than enough.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Difference Between Hot Data vs. Cold Data
SSDs are often used for the most frequently used data – hot data.
This is a pretty neat concept to take note of. HHot data and cold data are terms used in data centers but also apply to PCs.
Hot data is data that you frequently use. In other words, games you often play can be considered hot data.
Cold data is data that you rarely use. So, in other words, if there is a game you haven’t played in a long time, i.e., six months or more, that can be considered cold data.
Game installation files and other media files, such as your videos, your archive of TV shows, photos, software installation files, etc., can all be considered cold data.
Essentially, SSD should ONLY be used for hot data.
SSD vs. HDD – Hot Data vs. Archiving
SSDs are expensive. They are almost four times as expensive per GB compared to an HDD.
In other words, you can get a 2TB HDD for the price of 512 GB SSD.
The following table shows the cost of some popular SSDs and HDDs.
| Model | Type | Cost | Cost/GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSD | WD Blue NAND (1TB) | SATA M.2 SSD | $110 | $1.1 |
| SK Hynix Gold S31 (1TB) | SATA 2.5″ SSD | $100 | $0.1 | |
| Samsung 980 Pro | Gen 4 NVMe SSD | $150 | $0.15 | |
| HDD | WD Blue 7200 (1 TB) | 7200rpm HDD | $35 | $0.035 |
| WD Black 7200 (1 TB) | 7200rpm HDD High Performance | $65 | $0.065 |
- Note that the prices are subject to change.
Given the high costs of SSDs, it would be unwise to use the storage space for merely archiving.
My point is. If games are mainly the only applications you wish to fill your storage space with, then 1 TB SSD is more than enough.
However, if you wish to store large miscellaneous files you would rarely use, having a combination of SSD and HDD would be wiser, i.e., 512 GB SSD + 2TB HDD.
Also Read: Do You Need HDD and SSD Both?
With that said,
Is 1TB SSD Enough for Gaming?
Yes, a 1 TB SSD is more than enough for gaming. But do not believe me. Let us look at some sizes of the latest AAA games.
| Game | Size (GB) |
|---|---|
| Resident Evil Village | 45 GB |
| Battlefield 2042 | 49 GB |
| Elden Ring | 60 GB |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 70 GB |
| Grand Theft Auto 5 | 72 GB |
| Gears of War 4 | 112 GB |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops III | 113 GB |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 150 GB |
| Destiny 2 | 165 GB |
- The disk space is subject to change depending on future updates and patches.
If you take an average of the games listed above, that comes to about ~ 93 GB average per game.
The operating system takes up about 20GB of space. But you also have about 100 GB of software and various apps and files on your PC.
That would mean you can still easily install 7 – 9 modern AAA games on your PC with a 1 TB SSD.
Now, it is doubtful that you would play all 7-9 games simultaneously. This brings me back to the point of hot data vs. cold data.
So for an average gamer, 1 TB SSD can be overkill.
Also Read: is 512GB SSD Enough for Gaming?
Is 1TB SSD Enough for Gaming AND Streaming?
If you stream games on platforms such as Twitch or YouTube live, the storage space you need becomes increasingly subjective.
Again, if you only want to archive your Twitch or YouTube Streams for editing purposes, the 1 TB SSD space will diminish quickly. FHD videos of hours of gaming footage take up a lot of space, let alone if you are streaming on 4K.
Hence, for simply archiving footage, HDDs are recommended due to their lower price point.
If you stream your games but do not archive your footage, then the 1 TB SSD should be good enough.
SSDs are NOT All the Same
It should also be noted that not all SSDs are the same.
There are two kinds of SSDs, SATA SSDs, and PCIe NVMe SSDs.
PCIe NVMe SSDs are far superior in performance compared to SATA SSDs.
Read in Detail: What is The Difference Between SATA and SSD and HDD and NVMe?
Final Words
So basically, with the current sizes of AAA games, the answer to the question “is 1 TB SSD enough for gaming?” is a definite yes.
A 1 TB SSD can be used to install between 7 – 9 AAA games which is more than overkill for an average gamer.
There are high chances that you will only have 3-4 AAA games installed at a time. This would mean you’ll have plenty of space for storing miscellaneous files, software, media, etc.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Is 1 TB SSD Enough for School and Gaming?
1 TB SSD is overkill for school and gaming.
School-related software, such as Microsoft Office, does not occupy much space. In addition to that, school-related work and files also do not occupy much space.
You will have the entire 1 TB for gaming (minus the space the operating system and other essential apps occupy).
2. Can You Move the Steam Games Installation Folder?
Yes, you most certainly can move steam games from one drive to another using this method as described by Steam.
So if you have a combination of SSD and HDD on your PC, you can move a game you do not frequently play to your HDD for archiving while freeing up space on your SSD to install a newer game.
The game on the HDD will still be playable but will not see the benefits of the faster SSD performance.
3. How does the type of game being played affect the amount of storage space needed, and are certain types of games more storage-intensive than others?
The amount of storage space required for a game can vary significantly depending on the type of game being played.
Games with large open worlds, complex textures, and high-resolution graphics will typically require more storage space than simpler 2D or retro-style games.
Additionally, games that receive frequent updates or have large downloadable content (DLC) packs will also require more storage space over time.
It’s important to consider the storage requirements of each game individually when determining whether a 1TB SSD is enough for gaming.
4. How does the lifespan of an SSD compare to that of a traditional hard drive, and what steps can be taken to ensure the longevity of an SSD used for gaming?
While SSDs have a reputation for being less durable than traditional hard drives, modern SSDs can last for many years under normal use.
The lifespan of an SSD is determined by the number of write cycles it undergoes, so minimizing unnecessary writes and properly managing the drive’s free space can help prolong its life.
It’s also important to use an SSD that is appropriately sized for the amount of data being stored and to avoid filling the drive to capacity, which can reduce its performance and longevity.
Finally, choosing a high-quality SSD from a reputable manufacturer can also help ensure that it will last for many years of gaming.
Also Read: is 4GB Graphics Card Enough for Gaming?
Also Read: Does SSD Improve Gaming Performance?
