2TB SSD + 4TB HDD for $310 or 4TB SSD for $400 for Gaming Library?

[mav91890]

Trying to decide between either getting a 2TB SN850X & 4TB WD Black HDD for $310 or 4TB SN850X SSD for $400. Originally was going to go for 2TB SSD & 4TB HDD but the hard drive was DOA when I got it.

 

What would you guys do? Only going to be used for game files. 

[Electronics Wizardy]

Id get a single larger ssd. Easier to manage in the OS, all games will load fast, and a HDD is becoming too slow for games slowly. And if you need more storage you can always add anouther ssd.

[OhioYJ]

How much space do you need? Honestly I don't think an extra 2 TB is going to be a deal breaker, so the all SSD route seems like the better route. You can always add more later if you need to.

 

This is coming from someone who's entire game library is still on a a HDD.

[mav91890]

Just now, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id get a single larger ssd. Easier to manage in the OS, all games will load fast, and a HDD is becoming too slow for games slowly. And if you need more storage you can always add anouther ssd.

My bad, already have a 1tb sn850x for the OS and have an old intel nvme 1tb drive as well. Was starting to lean towards the 4tb ssd.

[SorryBella]

15 minutes ago, mav91890 said:

Trying to decide between either getting a 2TB SN850X & 4TB WD Black HDD for $310 or 4TB SN850X SSD for $400. Originally was going to go for 2TB SSD & 4TB HDD but the hard drive was DOA when I got it.

If you ask me in 2020, ill go for the former. But if your game libraries are comprising of those that can take the massive bandwith the nvme SSD can afford you (Control, Cyberpunk, and Forspoken being the few in my mind), you should go for the full SSD plan. You could try to use the intel nvme as a caching drive for the HDD so you can alleviate the access time issue of HDDs, but at that point to me its putting lipstick on a complicated pig.

[OhioYJ]

9 minutes ago, SorryClaire said:

But if your game libraries are comprising of those that can take the massive bandwith the nvme SSD can afford you (Control, Cyberpunk, and Forspoken being the few in my mind), you should go for the full SSD plan.

You know people bring these up all the time. I played all the way through Control and Cyberpunk, both installed on a 22 TB WD Gold drive, never noticed anything?  (Control might have been on the 18 TB Gold drive? Either way, regular HDD) Am I just not being observant enough or something? I never really noticed any problems.

[SorryBella]

4 minutes ago, OhioYJ said:

Am I just not being observant enough

Yes. Texture pop-in is a common occurence on my 5400rpm skyhawk drives, its so unplayable that i have to move it to my SSD.

[mav91890]

18 minutes ago, SorryClaire said:

Yes. Texture pop-in is a common occurence on my 5400rpm skyhawk drives, its so unplayable that i have to move it to my SSD.

maybe wouldn't be as big of an issue with a 7200 256mb cache hdd

[OhioYJ]

Just now, mav91890 said:

maybe wouldn't be as big of an issue with a 7200 256mb cache hdd

Nothing jumped out at me as noticeable while playing. My Steam library is fairly extensive (there's a reason it's on HDD). Don't get me wrong, I won't deny a SSD would be better / faster. I'm just saying, I haven't noticed anything while using a HDD (that being said also note, I'm using a faster HDD as far as HDD go).

[mav91890]

3 minutes ago, OhioYJ said:

Nothing jumped out at me as noticeable while playing. My Steam library is fairly extensive (there's a reason it's on HDD). Don't get me wrong, I won't deny a SSD would be better / faster. I'm just saying, I haven't noticed anything while using a HDD (that being said also note, I'm using a faster HDD as far as HDD go).

I had a 7200/64mb cache wd black hdd last build and didn't really notice anything either except for long load times in certain games like GTA V

[OhioYJ]

3 minutes ago, mav91890 said:

I had a 7200/64mb cache wd black hdd last build and didn't really notice anything either except for long load times in certain games like GTA V

Yeah load times is pretty much what I've noticed. I used the black drives for a long time until I couldn't get them in large enough sizes. Good drives.

[mav91890]

2 minutes ago, OhioYJ said:

Yeah load times is pretty much what I've noticed. I used the black drives for a long time until I couldn't get them in large enough sizes. Good drives.

For sure, WD is normally my go to. Pretty sure the reason the 4tb black hdd was doa was due to newegg packaging and UPS roughing it up. I just purchased the 4TB SN850X and should be more than enough.