Table of Contents
- How Much Storage Do I Need For A Gaming Laptop?
- External Storage For Gaming Laptop/ Can I Use An External Hard Drive For My Gaming Laptop?
- Minimum Specs For A Gaming Laptop
- Is 1TB Gaming Laptop/1TB SSD Enough For Gaming?
- Why Do Some Gaming Laptops Have Both SSD And HDD Storage?
- Different Types Of Storage Devices Found In Gaming Laptops
- Internal Storage Vs. External Storage
- Storage Capacity For Common Games Sizes
- Do You Need Secondary Storage For Gaming PC?
- FAQs
- Conclusion
- Video Guide
The number of installed games and applications on a gaming laptop depends on its storage space. If you don’t have enough storage, you can only install a certain number of video games before you run out of room. Your gaming experience may be negatively impacted if you delete older games or other content you want to keep to install new games.
Therefore, it’s crucial to understand how much space is required for gaming to prevent accidentally removing data from your laptop before you are meant to. Additionally, it prevents you from overspending on storage space you won’t use.
How Much Storage Do I Need For A Gaming Laptop?
If you intend to install a few games, your gaming laptop must have 512 GB or more storage. But you need at least 1 TB of storage capacity for data if you want to install numerous AAA games or do extensive video editing.
Some gamers may find that even 1TB (Terabyte) of storage is insufficient, while others may find that 512 GB is more than sufficient. It depends on how much storage space the games you intend to install and other items you wish to put on your laptop will require.
Over 50 GB is occasionally needed for many well-known AAA games. You may install multiple of these games if your data storage system has at least 1 TB of space until you ultimately run out of room.
External Storage For Gaming Laptop/ Can I Use An External Hard Drive For My Gaming Laptop?
Yes, technically. PS4 and XBOX One-era games can be kept on USB hard drives. These games perform smoothly from the USB interface because they were created for the mechanical storage devices installed in the last-generation consoles.
External hard drives, commonly referred to as external hard drives, are small mass storage devices typically connected by Thunderbolt or USB.
Internally, these portable hard drives are internal HDDs in a USB enclosure, making it simpler to separate and reattach drives and safeguarding the delicate drives from knocks and bumps.
If you have a PC, these hard drives will work like any other storage device when hooked into your computer’s USB port. These drivers allow you to save game files and launch them quickly using shortcuts on your desktop.
Minimum Specs For A Gaming Laptop
Most of the time, newer is better, but only if you’re going large. When testing the lines first, these are the minimum specifications for a gaming laptop.
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5/Intel Core i5 (H series) (H series) |
| GPU | Radeon RX 480/GeForce GTX 1060 (NVIDIA) (AMD) |
| RAM | 8GB |
| (Display/Resolution) | 1920 x 1080 |
| Computer software | Windows 10 |
| SDD | 128GB |
| HDD | 500GB |
| USB ports | USB ports USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 port (two) |
| Video output | Compatible with HDMI 1.4 video output |
These are the prerequisites for a laptop designed for gaming. The idea is that you’ll perform more of the newest games. While not all games will run flawlessly, the majority of games will. You can select an older operating system if you believe playing older games will be your primary focus.
Most well-known games have an 8th generation Intel processor minimum requirement (or an equivalent without the i3) for the CPU. Consequently, while an i5 is minimal, you can upgrade or downgrade based on whatever games you plan to play more frequently.
Is 1TB Gaming Laptop/1TB SSD Enough For Gaming?
Yes. A 1TB SSD is more than plenty for the majority of gaming PCs. The quantity of storage space your system will require is entirely arbitrary. In other words, the quantity of SSD or HDD storage you require depends on the number of games or programs you intend to put on your PC.
It also depends on whether you plan to archive huge media assets on the storage, such as pictures, films, and other media types. It would help if you comprehended the ideas of hot and cold data regarding SSDs. An SSD should only contain the games and apps that are utilized the most frequently.
Why Do Some Gaming Laptops Have Both SSD And HDD Storage?
While the HDD delivers large storage capacity at a moderate cost, the SSD offers lightning-fast access rates at a higher price. When used in tandem, the SSD and HDD allow PC users to store media and other massive files on the less expensive HDD and instantly access their most crucial files via the SSD.
Using an SSD and an HDD simultaneously is unquestionably a fantastic idea. An SSD offers a variety of advantages, including low power usage and quick loading times. For this reason, many consumers wish to install an SSD with an existing HDD.
Compared to HDDs, SSDs have an advantage because they don’t have any moving parts. With an SSD inserted, games load faster and start-up. SSDs improve the performance of games that stream assets from storage.
Different Types Of Storage Devices Found In Gaming Laptops
You need to be well-versed in storage before determining how much is sufficient. So let’s discuss the several storage options offered on the market today.
- Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
If you have a great hard disc, you have extra memory to store your files or games. It improves gaming lag while speeding up the performance of your laptop.
The type of HDD you purchase will decide the primary storage capacity. Therefore, purchasing one with a low storage capacity won’t allow you to handle more data.
- Solid-State Drive (SSD)
The storage type determines the quality and functionality of your games. For many players, it also cuts down on waiting times. Standard HDDs are less expensive than SSDs.
However, they are an excellent investment because they deliver lag-free performance, reduce overheating, and enable significantly faster game loading.
- SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Drive)
Hard discs and hybrid solid-state drives make up a solid-state hard drive (SSHD). It operates slightly slower than an SSD but is quicker than any HDD. To combine the quick data transfers of an SSD with the large storage capacity and affordable price of an HDD, an SSHD was developed.
The most frequent computer actions are recorded and stored in small SSD-style memory. The standard HDD components are used when storing massive data on high-performance flash memory over an extended period. Overall, you get the best of two worlds, making it a more cost-effective option than HDD.
- M.2 SSDs
They function as a mini-SATA replacement thanks to their form factor. An M.2 SSD typically costs more than a regular SSD. With a width of 22 mm and a maximum height of 30 mm, the size is more adaptable than mSATA, which has a maximum height of 50 mm.
- SSD NVMe
Modern gaming laptops use NVMe SSDs since they are significantly faster than SATA 3 SSDs. The SATA interface’s maximum transfer rate is 600 m/s, but the NVMe interface’s maximum transfer rate is 3.5 GB/s.
Internal Storage Vs. External Storage
External drives are excellent for transferring information and providing raw storage capacity. Internal drives are ideal for quick file access, particularly when gaming. In contrast to internal drives, which can perform better and survive longer, external drives sometimes have a more significant storage cap and can be repaired more easily.
The overall performance of an internal vs. external hard disc depends on the data connection and rotational speed. Internal HDDs are typically 3.5 inches and rotate at 7200 RPM, while external HDDs are typically 2.5 inches and rotate at 5400 RPM.
Since internal SSDs have fewer factors restricting their speed than external SSDs, their reading and writing speeds may be faster. However, you can attain performance comparable for both drive types if you use all the modern interfaces, such as USB 3.0 or better.
Storage Capacity For Common Games Sizes
For most recent games, the original game files can range in size from 10 to 70GB. The maximum size for game install files usually is 50GB, but the typical range is 20–50GB. As a result, a typical PC game will require between 30 and 120GB of storage space. This estimate still holds if you download the install files individually as if you were using a mirror or torrent site to download something.
Once the installation is complete, direct installs from services like Steam typically destroy the original game files, leaving you with only the install files and the freed-up disc space.
Do You Need Secondary Storage For Gaming PC?
Yes, you will undoubtedly experience speedier load times in every game if you use the SSD as a backup storage device for all of your games.
However, if your collection is vast, you’ll need a drive with a higher capacity. Transfer all the data from the hard drive to the SSD if you’re purchasing a larger capacity SSD for gaming.
If you wish to install 20 games with an average size of 40 GB each, you may calculate that you will require 1 TB of storage space for games. Do not forget that the operating system, any installed programs, and files will require additional space.
FAQs
Is 256GB storage enough for a gaming laptop?
Yes, A 256GB SSD is a fantastic choice for a gaming laptop because it provides a tonne of storage capacity and is quick. It is pretty pricey, though, so for some people, the purchase might not be worthwhile.
If all you use your computer for is gaming, since solid-state drives are designed to load and access data at lightning speeds. Although I wouldn’t go crazy, you could manage to install several significant games. The SSD might not be a good choice if you quickly fill up a 250 GB Xbox 360 HD.
How much SSD should a gaming laptop have?
If you buy more than one gaming laptop, retain a minimum of 1TB. If you’re a casual gamer who enjoys playing one or two games, the default choice is 128 GB SSD. 1TB may not even be sufficient for many gamers. However, 512 GB of storage may be excessive for certain people.
Is 512GB storage good for gaming?
For gaming or any performance-related work, a 512 SSD is adequate. The operational file sizes for most PC games fall between 30GB and 50GB; for example, the Witcher 3 (a performance-intensive game) has an install file size of 50GB.
It’s sufficient for 512GB, 490GB, and 440GB of games. You’ll have issues if you frequently play more than five AAA games at once or if you tend to “collect” installed games.
How much GB storage should a gaming laptop have?
Gaming can consume a lot of RAM; thus, we advise 8GB even for tasks requiring ordinary productivity. If you can, choose a gaming PC with 16GB of memory. Typically, 8GB is included with laptops with a GTX 3050 or 3050 Ti. Some graphics cards that cost the GTX 3060 or more will have 16GB of RAM.
Conclusion
Your ability to pay will determine how much storage you can fit into a gaming laptop. Additional elements come into play, such as the number of games, software, or applications you receive. The most significant part is that you have many affordable options to select from that will help you have the ideal experience. You can pick a laptop in the cheap category if you only intend to play casual games or games that don’t require a lot of GPU power.
You’ll need to boost your spending and system requirements if you concentrate more on games with the highest settings (such as VR or 4K). Even while the bare minimum needs won’t ensure smooth operation for newer games, you’ll know what matters more. Additionally, you may determine what your target specs’ lowest threshold is.
Make sure your RAM doesn’t have a capacity that meets the minimum standards. Your operating system and the games will share it, so always choose a larger capacity than the bare minimum. Otherwise, the game can crash on your computer.
