What with it being payday n'all, I was wondering if anyone has dropped an SSD into a pure gaming machine; all it does is boot and game, not even got Office on it, no e-mail or web browsing, nuffink. In that kind of machine, should I be looking at a full-fat 240GB SSD and have everything on that seeing as 240GB should be enough for any of the games I'm currently playing, or should I save the cash and have a 60/120GB boot SSD and a conventional disc for the game installs?
Gaming SSD
- Thread starter enigmo
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Vore
Vore
I run all my games off an OCZ Vertex 3 and it's a beast, just be mindful of what SATA controller you are connecting your SSD too in order to maximise performance.
I've got a C300 128GB which primarily boots and plays games. I didn't bother with anything higher than 128GB as I knew I wouldn't be playing that many games at the same time 
However I generally move my game clients between my ssd and 500GB Samsung F3 if I feel I want more space. I use Steam Tool for steam games and a straight cut and paste for anything else.
However I generally move my game clients between my ssd and 500GB Samsung F3 if I feel I want more space. I use Steam Tool for steam games and a straight cut and paste for anything else.So I take it you got one of the larger ones? It'll be off the P67 chipset of an Asus P8P67 (rev.B so no 6Gig problem). I like the reviews of the Vertex 3, but trying to work out what specs would benefit a gaming PC most was giving me a headache. For example, I imagine a machine that just boots Win7 and then Steam and then Serious Sam would do a lot of sequential reads, a few writes, and relatively little random of either... What I'm basically getting at is; granted that a Vertex 3 would be quicker than most drives out there, would I actually not see much difference between one of them and a Crucial M4 considering the use I'll put it to?
would do a lot of sequential reads, a few writes, and relatively little random of either... What I'm basically getting at is; granted that a Vertex 3 would be quicker than most drives out there, would I actually not see much difference between one of them and a Crucial M4 considering the use I'll put it to?I've got a C300 128GB which primarily boots and plays games. I didn't bother with anything higher than 128GB as I knew I wouldn't be playing that many games at the same time
I figured I'd not need much over 120GB. The 240GB idea is just so I can have an SSD I won't have to replace in three years! Is the moving of games much of a bother? In hindsight, do you wish you had a larger SSD and just had done with it?
As a pure games PC, buy a 2nd GPU or bigger screen over an SSD. With the exception of MMO's, games are the area where SSD's shine the least. Sure you will get the fast boot times, and games will load faster, but coming from a gamer with an SSD, I don't think they are worth the cost.
To put it in perspective, for the cost of a 240GB drive, you are looking at a complete Crossfire or SLI setup with some very fast cards. For the cost of a top end Sata III 240GB drive, you can throw in a new PSU to power them too. That's come crazy hardware you can buy over speeding up load times in between levels by a few seconds and the odd stutter as textures are loaded up.
Of course, if your PC is already tripped out to the max and you have the cash available, go for it and enjoy. Just don't expect it to rock your gaming world
To put it in perspective, for the cost of a 240GB drive, you are looking at a complete Crossfire or SLI setup with some very fast cards. For the cost of a top end Sata III 240GB drive, you can throw in a new PSU to power them too. That's come crazy hardware you can buy over speeding up load times in between levels by a few seconds and the odd stutter as textures are loaded up.
Of course, if your PC is already tripped out to the max and you have the cash available, go for it and enjoy. Just don't expect it to rock your gaming world
Of course, if your PC is already tripped out to the max and you have the cash available, go for it and enjoy. Just don't expect it to rock your gaming world
Ta for that
Good point, and very true, but sad fact is that this month might be last chance I get to have £350-£400 spare for a couple of years! I might be able to get £150 together a few months from now for a replacement gfx card or more RAM or whatever, but an SSD is basically now or not for years. But you make a good point; 240GB SSD, or chuck a couple of 560Ti cards at it 
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I agree on not getting a expensive ssd and instead getting a new vid card and monitor. A lot of this really depends on your current kit so having your specs would help a ton but for £400 you could get a good vid card and monitor or sli but I am not a fan of sli personally.
Then in a couple months when you could scratch up £150ish buy a 64 of 128 gig SSD. You only really need it for a boot drive and maybe an MMO if you play any but again this is all a shot in the dark and frankly current system specs would make a difference in advice.
Then in a couple months when you could scratch up £150ish buy a 64 of 128 gig SSD. You only really need it for a boot drive and maybe an MMO if you play any but again this is all a shot in the dark and frankly current system specs would make a difference in advice.
Soldato
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I did a lot of looking into it and went 480sli instead. SSD's are being frequently updated and coming down in price so personally would go for gpu's too as a gamer.
Failing that i'd look into the agility 3 series but they are getting a lot of DOA's atm. Defo the best ssd buy around now that they are only a tad slower than the vertex, which would only be noticeable in benchmarks.
Failing that i'd look into the agility 3 series but they are getting a lot of DOA's atm. Defo the best ssd buy around now that they are only a tad slower than the vertex, which would only be noticeable in benchmarks.
Just in the middle of a part re-build actually, so using some stuff from my outgoing C2D system. Once it's all together, it'll be:
2600K, reasonably overclocked.
Gelid Tranquilo cooler
Asus P8P67 board (the standard one, so no SLI without a replacement)
2x500GB Seagates, RAID0
8GB G-Skill RipJaw C7 RAM
Now for the old stuff:
Radeon 4870 512MB
OCZ 600W GameXStream PSU
Samsung 22" TFT, but I'm very unlikely to want to replace this as it was the absolute best 22 I could find three years ago
I know the 4870 sticks out as crying for an upgrade being so old now, and I do want to replace it with an nVidia card (also do folding in other boxes), but its still something I can deal with in six months.
Surely a reason to avoid them? I'd rather have a slightly slower SSD that just works than one I can't be confident in.
How does it compare to the Crucial M4? I can't seem to see any benchmarks straight comparing Sandforce and Marval controlled SSDs when it comes to gaming.
SSD for anything other than OS are a waste of money! Do some research here first as you will find most PC games see little boost from SSD as they contain large data files which most mainstream SSD's do not offer any noticeable speed difference on. Only PC games which seem any noticeable benefit from SSD are games which contain lots of small files as this is where SSD's work well!
Just get a 40Gb HD for OS then spend the savings on other PC hardware like the best GPU you can afford etc etc.
Just get a 40Gb HD for OS then spend the savings on other PC hardware like the best GPU you can afford etc etc.
Soldato
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Don't know enough to really say. I'd argue that only in benchmarks can you really tell the differences between the ssds. Shame, I should have bought the 35 quid 30gb ssd on sale yesterday. I didn't because I figured I'd want a faster one but I doubt i'd notice.
Also corsair have just brought out some new ones that are cheaper than the agility 3 and literally no difference in performance. Quite close to the vertex 3.
Are those the Force 3s? They're very comparible in price to the M4s too...
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From your specs or "soon to be specs" I would say a vid card and smaller ssd would round that out very nice. You could easily get a Force 3 or M4(120-128 gig) and a 560 and have a cracking system. I mean 120 gigs is not only enough for windows and programs but if you run into a game that does need a fast HDD you would be covered although having that raid drive is more than enough for games even mmo's.
Since you have a good 22" you also really do not have need to go above a 560 and would have a great running rig.
Since you have a good 22" you also really do not have need to go above a 560 and would have a great running rig.
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Just pulled the trigger on a Force 3 120GB
And I'll look at whatever graphics card is the current sweet-spot in a month or so. I gather at the moment it's still the 560Ti and when I replace that it should still be a reasonable folder, so seems like a good enough upgrade path. With any luck I might get £20 for my 4870 second hand Thanks all - A large 240 really didn't make any sense on a gaming rig, not for the kind of money they still are.
Soldato
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At the moment the sweet spot is a 480gtx. But in a month there likely won't be any 480#s left. Prices are rocketing now on other sites up to £600 where they have literally 1 left.
