Should I Spend More on a Faster NVMe Drive for Gaming?

Goremans on 16/09/2022 - 10:42
Last edited 16/09/2022 - 21:50 by 1 other user

Hi all, edit at end

Recently purchased an Asus gaming laptop. Looking to buy a SSD to fill spare slot. Looking around at 2TB drives m.2 NVMe gen 3.

Q. Why would I spend more on a faster NVME drive for gaming?

Even basic NVMe drives typically run much faster than 2.5 sata ssd's. And the basic or entry drives run cooler.

Example: 2TB Western Digital Green read write around 3000mb/s) VS 2TB samsung 980 evo/plus etc cost a lot more and have heat / thermal issues.

If the Samsung won't increase FPS performance and only give me marginally better load times (for me 5-10 seconds is marginal), and the added extra heat to internals, wouldn't I be better off with the Green drive? Or a similar (preferably
3D stack) entry m.2?

Am I missing something? 😕

Edit>Sorry i just re-read my post and I should have been clearer.

Im trying to decide between an 'entry level NVME VS a 'higher tier NVMe'.

Say a P2 vs a 970 evo . Both 2TB, both gen 3.

The Samsung cost significantly more. It is faster read write random etc, possibly last longer, maybe more reliable. But considering even basic NVME is way way faster than Sata, AND basically no benifit in real world FPS. I really cant go wrong with something like a P2 or WD green or blue for much cheaper.

Gaming Computer Component SSD

Comments

  • Hybroid on 16/09/2022 - 10:48
    +6

    Storage doesn't improve FPS performance. It provides faster reads/writes only for gaming (and some other non-gaming related features) and has become the go-to form factor due to size.

    There's no real world difference for gaming over using a standard SATA SSD.

    • Goremans on 16/09/2022 - 11:33

      Ok cool, good to know. I would prefer a sata 2.5 as i have some not being used. The laptop doesnt have any slots only extra m.2. Cheers

  • KaTst3R on 16/09/2022 - 11:26
    +2

    To show off your e-penis. You wont notice any practical differences when gaming.

  • AndyC1 on 16/09/2022 - 11:32
    +1

    The OS will load faster.
    The game exe will load faster.
    The game graphics and sound will load faster.

    The FPS once the graphics is loaded into DRAM and VRAM the game will not be any faster.

    • derrida derider on 16/09/2022 - 12:55

      All that loading (and saving too) will not just be faster - it will be much much faster. Once you move to it you will realise how much game time you've wasted waiting for those old HDDs - you will NOT want to go back. Though its true that while you are in the actual game the benefits are minor.

      • blonky on 16/09/2022 - 13:44
        +2

        Op is comparing SATA SSDs vs NVME SSDs, not HDDs.
        NVME will be marginally faster in load times but likely not worth the additional cost

        • Goremans on 16/09/2022 - 21:48

          Sorry i just re-read my post and I should have been clearer.

          Im trying to decide between an 'entry level NVME VS a 'higher tier'.

          Say a P2 vs a 970 evo . Both 2TB, both gen 3.

          But the Samsung cost significantly more. It is faster read write random etc, possibly last longer, maybe more reliable. But considering even basic NVME is way way faster than Sata, i really cant go wrong with something like a P2 or WD green or blue.

      • Agret on 16/09/2022 - 14:44

        Game loads won't be much faster between a sata ssd and an nvme ssd, storage isn't really the bottleneck there. Your CPU has to load and process the data which takes more time than streaming in the data from an SSD. We're talking a couple seconds on initial load and no difference at all afterwards

  • Guybrush57 on 16/09/2022 - 11:36

    A new Windows feature called DirectStorage will make use of fast NVMe drives.

    • FireRunner on 16/09/2022 - 14:49

      With consoles getting high speed storage, developers will likely make more use of it with streaming assets. It’s hard to say when it will be widely adopted or even if old SATA SSDs will struggle with it.
      I think you’ll be fine with any NVMe for now and in near future. If it does become an issue, NVMes will only become better and cheaper as time goes on

  • Goremans on 16/09/2022 - 12:37

    Thanks for comments peeps. Going to find largest m.2 for $.

    As mentioned, i would prefer sata 2.5 becuase i have some extra sitting around, but only have a spare m.2 slot on the laptop.

    Mind you if i was building one of my old custom desktops im sure i would find all sort of reasons as to why I 'need' a super fast drive..

    Thanks again

  • sonnyboy on 18/09/2022 - 22:09
    +1

    This review has some examples of game loading times. Compares HDD, SSD and NVME. Couple of games show a small difference for SSD/NVME but for the most part there isn't anything in it.
    https://www.techspot.com/review/2116-storage-speed-game-load…

    • Agret on 18/09/2022 - 22:43

      What has become blatantly clear from this test is that it doesn't matter what sort of SSD you have for gaming, so long as it's an SSD of some sort.

      I dunno how they come to that conclusion, they used a 5400rpm data archival hard drive. The article writer even mentions he expected it to be extremely slow. Why aren't they comparing to a 7200rpm CMR drive which would be way better for loading games? They only included a single hard drive model but multiple SSD models.

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