Kane99 Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 So I've noticed my PC can't play the newer Cyberpunk DLC due to being required to have an SSD, same with Starfield. I have an SSD, but I don't have enough space on it. I want to get an external SSD since I don't think I have another slot for an SSD. Are external SSDs worth it? I want to pick one up soon so I can play some games. I don't expect to be able to play all new games though, my PC is started to get dated when it comes to newer gen gaming. I doubt I could play something like GTA VI on my current setup. Are external SSD's just as good as internal SSDs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shagger Posted December 4, 2023 Share Posted December 4, 2023 54 minutes ago, Kane99 said: Are external SSD's just as good as internal SSDs? The sort answer is no, they are not. The whole point of SSD's and new games requiring them is that they can load the game data so much faster from thier storage into the computer memory. Normal HDD's (Hard Disk Drives) are limited on how fast they can be read and written be to because they spin a reel of magnetic tape and the read/write mechanism always has to wait for the same data point of the tape to come back round again. Yes, the tape spins at 1000's rpm (Typically 7200rpm), but that still limits what is possible. CPU's have long since been able to read and write data faster than a HDD. SSD's, or solid state drives, have no such limitation because they're exactly that, solid state. It's just static memory storage chips stacked on top of another that a CPU can access all area's of almost instantaneously. And because there no moving parts, the don't wear or break down and use less power. However, an external SSD looses this advantage because, just like how the limitations of a HDD's mechanism limits haw fast they can be read/written to, a USB port, even USB 3.1, can't carry as much data as quickly as a SATA or PCI-E connector that internal SSD's plug into. This is what's known an throttling. A modern CPU is "throttled" by a HDD because the HDD can't keep up. Likewise, a external SSD is "throttled" by a USB port because the USB port cant keep up. So do yourself a favour, buy a new, larger internal. They're not nearly as expensive as they were even a few years ago. I'd suggest you keep your smaller SSD to use as your boot drive, store you operating system and core programs then use the second, larger drive to store games. This is a link to a 2TB drive I put in my laptop and it's never missed a beat. I actually paid around double this 1.5-2 years ago, that's how fast they're coming down in price. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Factor-Intelligent-Magician-Software/dp/B08PC5ZYB1/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1UIVLED5X8NZO&keywords=samsung%2B2tb%2Bssd%2Binternal&qid=1701718511&sprefix=samsung%2B2tb%2Bssd%2Caps%2C75&sr=8-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.23648568-4ba5-49f2-9aa6-31ae75f1e9cd&th=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenfreak Posted December 5, 2023 Share Posted December 5, 2023 You'll definitely need to upgrade to a SSD for gaming in the future, if not now. Thankfully SSDs have gone down in price recently, and you might even be able to pick one up for pretty cheap with it being the Holidays. Many stores have deals going on right now, it's best to take advantage of them. If not, wait until tax season if you live in the US since many stores will also have good sales during this time since they know people will be spending their tax refunds on goods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality vs Adventure Posted December 5, 2023 Share Posted December 5, 2023 I bought an internal SSD hard drive for my ps4 and honestly there is no difference from the manufacture drive. Just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NightmareFarm Posted December 5, 2023 Share Posted December 5, 2023 Yes it has become an industry standard following the release of the 9th gen consoles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shagger Posted December 5, 2023 Share Posted December 5, 2023 8 hours ago, Reality vs Adventure said: I bought an internal SSD hard drive for my ps4 and honestly there is no difference from the manufacture drive. Just saying. Well, that's on a console that doesn't have a particularly fast CPU functionality. It was optimised to work with a HDD that's slow even for a HDD (It was a 5400rpm HDD as opposed the the typical 7400rpm), so yeah, an SSD was going to make a massive difference. On a PC, the difference is night and day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dismal_Bliss Posted December 5, 2023 Share Posted December 5, 2023 SSD is the way of the future. Regarding if an external SSD will be fast enough, that probably depends on whether it plugs in or draws it's power from the port it's plugged into, and the quality of the cable being used for the connection, and whether that speed is sufficient for the game. An internal SSD is going to outshine an external one for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debashis Posted December 13, 2023 Share Posted December 13, 2023 External SSDs are a good option if you want to expand your storage without the need for an additional internal slot. They offer similar performance to internal SSDs and are portable, making them convenient for gaming on the go. However, keep in mind that your overall system specs, including your GPU and CPU, will also impact your gaming capabilities, so upgrading your PC might be necessary for more demanding games like GTA VI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
