Did you know that each year, there are about 10-20 AAA games hitting the market, alongside 20-30 AA games, and an impressive number of indie games, numbering in the hundreds, if not thousands? As you gaze upon your current library of games and with a surge of exciting new games on the horizon, imagine the endless adventures awaiting you in the next year. The relevant question to contemplate is, ‘How much SSD do I need for gaming?. Welcome to wegamerger, we will explore this question from various dimensions so that you can arrive at an appropriate conclusion based on your gaming requirement
Before we consider How much SSD do I need for gaming? let’s check
Contents
- 1 What is the range of SSD capacities offered in the market?
- 2 Storage Requirements of 10 Popular AAA Games
- 3 Storage required for the Call of Duty series
- 4 Storage requirements of popular esports games
- 5 Storage requirements of AA Games
- 6 Storage requirements for indie games
- 7 Operating system (OS) SSD storage space requirement
- 8 Video editing software storage requirements
- 9 Live-streaming software storage requirement
- 10 Conclusion
- 11 FAQ
What is the range of SSD capacities offered in the market?
SSDs are available in a wide range of capacities, The most common SSD capacities available in the market today are:
128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB, 16TB
The next question
What's the available SSD capacity in a gaming PC?
The SSD capacity available in Gaming PCs ranges from 128GB to 2TB.
There is a general perception that SSDs with 512GB or 1TB are ideal for most gamers, which is grossly incorrect because each gamer is different and their need to explore and try new games varies hence same thump rule while considering SSD capacity is not applicable.
Let’s check
Storage Requirements of 10 Popular AAA Games
Here is a table of 10 popular AAA games with their storage requirements in GB on SSDs:
| Game | Storage requirement (GB) |
|---|---|
| Elden Ring | 60 GB |
| God of War (2018) | 70 GB |
| Grand Theft Auto V | 100 GB |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 150 GB |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 70 GB |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) | 175 GB |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | 130 GB |
| Spider-Man (2018) | 75 GB |
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 60 GB |
| Forza Horizon 5 | 110 GB |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 50 GB |
For all 10 Games, you will require 1050 GB to just store them. Even if you want to go with only 5 games still you might need somewhere between 400GB to 500GB. We are sure you might also want to enjoy other categories of games or other types of games. So answering the question ” How much SSD do I need for gaming? is not that straightforward and any general thump rule will disappoint you.
We know some of you love to play the Call of Duty series, let’s now just check
Storage required for the Call of Duty series
Given below are Call of Duty series games with their storage requirements
| Game | Storage requirement (GB) |
|---|---|
| Call of Duty (2003) | 1.4 GB |
| Call of Duty: United Offensive | 1.4 GB |
| Call of Duty 2 | 2.2 GB |
| Call of Duty 3 | 3.5 GB |
| Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | 7 GB |
| Call of Duty: World at War | 8 GB |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | 12 GB |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops | 8 GB |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 | 16 GB |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops II | 15 GB |
| Call of Duty: Ghosts | 40 GB |
| Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare | 50 GB |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops III | 60 GB |
| Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | 90 GB |
| Call of Duty: WWII | 100 GB |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | 100 GB |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) | 175 GB |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | 175 GB |
| Call of Duty: Vanguard | 175 GB |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022) | 175 GB |
Now let’s check
Storage requirements of popular esports games
Below, you’ll find the storage demands for well-known esports titles
| Game | Storage requirement (GB) |
|---|---|
| League of Legends | 9 GB |
| Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | 15 GB |
| Dota 2 | 25 GB |
| Valorant | 18 GB |
| Rocket League | 10 GB |
| Fortnite | 30 GB |
| Overwatch | 30 GB |
| Apex Legends | 25 GB |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) | 175 GB |
| Rainbow Six Siege | 85 GB |
| PUBG | 30 GB |
Having understood storage requirements for AAA, Call of Duty Series and esports games, let’s see
Storage requirements of AA Games
Below, you’ll find a table featuring several well-known AA games along with their respective storage requirements
| Game | Storage requirement (GB) |
|---|---|
| Control | 42 GB |
| Hades | 11 GB |
| Disco Elysium | 10 GB |
| Outer Wilds | 14 GB |
| Psychonauts 2 | 25 GB |
| A Plague Tale: Innocence | 12 GB |
| Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice | 25 GB |
| What Remains of Edith Finch | 7 GB |
| Firewatch | 2 GB |
| The Witness | 7 GB |
| Gone Home | 2 GB |
| Inside | 2 GB |
As you can see, most AA games have relatively modest storage requirements, which makes them accessible to a wide range of players.
Storage requirements for indie games
Below, you’ll find a table showcasing various beloved indie games and their storage needs
| Game | Storage requirement (GB/MB) |
|---|---|
| Minecraft | 2 GB |
| Stardew Valley | 1 GB |
| Celeste | 300 MB |
| Undertale | 200 MB |
| Among Us | 250 MB |
| Cuphead | 2 GB |
| Hollow Knight | 9 GB |
| Dead Cells | 2 GB |
| Hades | 11 GB |
| Spelunky 2 | 3 GB |
| Disco Elysium | 10 GB |
Now that we’ve explored various games’ storage needs on gaming PCs, let’s turn our attention to the storage requirements of other crucial components
Operating system (OS) SSD storage space requirement
| Operating system | Approximate Storage requirement (GB) |
|---|---|
| Windows 11 | 64 GB |
| Windows 11 Pro | 64 GB or more |
| Windows 11 Enterprise | 64 GB or more |
| macOS Monterey | 35-40 GB |
| Ubuntu 22.04 | 25 GB |
| Chrome OS | 16 GB |
Video editing software storage requirements
Below are the storage requirements for popular video editing software on SSD
| Software | Storage Requirement (GB) |
|---|---|
| Adobe Premiere Pro | 20 |
| DaVinci Resolve | 20 |
| HitFilm Pro | 20 |
| Final Cut Pro | 20 |
| Vegas Pro | 20 |
| CyberLink PowerDirector | 20 |
| Wondershare Filmora | 20 |
| Movavi Video Editor | 20 |
| VideoPad Video Editor | 20 |
| Shotcut | 10 |
| OpenShot | 10 |
The storage requirements listed in the table are approximate and are calculated based on the typical or default installation sizes for the video editing software mentioned. It’s essential to note that these needs can differ based on various factors, such as the specific software version, any extra plugins or resources, and the operating system in use.
We understand that a lot of you are avid live gaming streamers, so we can’t overlook this aspect. Hence let’s see
Live-streaming software storage requirement
Here are a few popular programs for live game streaming, along with how much storage space they need
| Software | Storage requirement (GB) |
|---|---|
| OBS Studio | 10 GB |
| Streamlabs OBS | 10 GB |
| XSplit Gamecaster | 10 GB |
| Twitch Studio | 10 GB |
| vMix | 20 GB |
| Wirecast | 20 GB |
Conclusion
Having examined the storage prerequisites for various games, video editing and streaming software, operating systems, and the necessity for additional space for numerous applications, it’s clear that there’s no one-size-fits-all rule like ‘SSDs with 512GB or 1TB are perfect for most gamers.’ Instead, each of us must meticulously evaluate our unique storage needs and address the fundamental question: ‘How much SSD do I need for gaming?’
If you fall into the category of a casual gamer, competitive gamer, streamer, or someone deeply involved in video editing, we hope you have gained valuable insights to help you decide on your SSD requirements based on your unique needs and gaming setup
FAQ
Can I use HDD in place of SSD to install games?
Installing games on an HDD is not recommended due to significantly lower read and write speeds compared to SSDs. This can result in longer load times, slower texture loading, and potential in-game lags, particularly in open-world or graphically demanding games, where HDDs may have difficulty loading high-quality textures in real time, impacting image quality and causing pop-in textures.
Should I store Streaming video recordings on SSDs or HDDs?
SSDs are excellent for storing video recordings if you need quick access to your files and are working on video editing or need fast retrieval. They provide fast read and write speeds, which can be beneficial for video editing tasks. However, if you’re primarily looking to archive video files for later use, HDDs present a more budget-friendly choice. HDDs provide cost-effective storage for all files that don’t need frequent access
Is 2 TB storage too much for a Gaming PC
As we have seen earlier, for gamers who primarily play AA or indie games, 2TB or even 1 TB storage capacity would be too much. However, if you’re heavily into AAA gaming, video editing, and streaming, opting for a 2 TB storage capacity is a practical decision. It offers the flexibility to maintain a broad game library and manage your media and project files without the constant worry of storage constraints. Ultimately, the perfect choice depends on your unique gaming requirements