General memory question.
General memory question.
You're just starting out with PC gaming and need some guidance. Since there are no dedicated GPUs, you're using a prebuilt system. Your motherboard has both PCIe 4.0 and 3.0 slots. You currently have a 1TB M.2 drive for the 4.0 port but want more storage for games. You're wondering whether to get another 1TB stick for the 3.0 slot or wait for a larger 2TB drive for the 4.0 port, which can be expensive. Regarding programs: keep your operating system and essential drivers on the faster 4.0 port, and save heavier applications like Photoshop or video editors for the slower 3.0 port. This way you get the best performance where it matters most. Thanks! Have a great day.
Add another drive. The gap between gen 3 and 4 isn't significant for a while.
I agree with this. If you're purchasing an additional drive, consider getting a solid-state drive instead. You'll likely notice minimal difference in performance for games—mainly in boot times—but most OS installations are on the SSD. Quick summary: opt for a 7200 2TB SMR HDD and stop chasing SSD advantages. Seagate Barracuda 2TB 7200 RPM 3.5in works fine.
Quick tip: You're mixing up memory and storage. It's not surprising they share similar units—memory includes RAM, video RAM (VRAM), and technologies like GDDR5, GDDR6, etc., while storage covers things like M.2 drives, SSDs, HDDs, USB sticks, and flash memory. There are differences in speeds between M.2 drives, but a high-quality 2TB PCIe 3.0 M.2 drive could be a solid choice for the lower slot if it fits your budget.
Linus's latest video showcased Sabrent's new PCIe 4.0 drive that can fully utilize a PCIe 4.0 x4 connection. It comes at a high price, but I expect more drives will match this performance soon. Avoid SMR drives—the write speeds are terrible. In games with fast travel options, it takes only a few seconds. My DRAM-free PCIe 3.0 SSD still requires about 2 seconds for fast travel, while a CMR 2TB Barracuda 3.5" drive takes around 15 seconds. You shouldn't use HDDs in the 3.0 slot; they only connect via SATA ports with cables. A 2TB drive offers ample space for medium to large Steam libraries.
Meh. It doesn't matter. Once you hit that threshold (and Gen 3 is well beyond it), it's hard to tell the difference. Refer back to the video where Linus compared a SATA SSD to several NVME options, and people chose the SATA drive as the fastest.
The comparison aimed to highlight differences between SMR and CMR drives. You mentioned using an M.2 SSD instead of a larger 2TB hard drive, which makes sense since hard drives are generally slower. I think the user likely needs CMR for better performance, not just because of file sizes. Just keep in mind whether your SSD supports HBM and how much of it is used or has been written to.