Quicker to Preload and decrypt, or download at launch?

[Casper Raine]

My DL speed maxes between 12MB-15MB.

I do not have a SSD.

[VAIN06]

Both are the same isn't it? Pretty sure both are the same. Instead of waiting for the release & download & spend time for download you can jus preload & grab the last few mb data after release as it will be set to auto update by default.

[Jakeo10]

If you have an SSD then preload is faster depending on your internet speed of course.

[Smooth]

Let me do the math for since I like to do numbers:

You will be able to download the game in approx. 1.6 hours

De-encrypting on HDD can take up to 1.5 - 2 hours.

You are better off waiting for it to be released then download.

[Smooth]

Originally posted by Fainstrider:

Originally posted by Smooth:

Let me do the math for since I like to do numbers:

You will be able to download the game in approx. 1.6 hours

De-encrypting on HDD can take up to 1.5 - 2 hours.

You are better off waiting for it to be released then download.

Decrypting on an ssd takes minutes.

He said he does not have SSD. Did you even read the OP?

[Viper]

Preload is alwasy gojng to have you playing before downloading on release unless you have a really really fast internet connection and a real bad PC. Unpacking and decrypting is not going to take more than an hour. If you can download it in less than and hour wait.. Or if you have a top tier PC you better be able to download it in less than 20 minutes. My PC will unpack it and decrypt it in about 20 minutes.

[Lazy Lizardman]

Yea it just depends, since for me its the opposite and faster for me to download then to unpack on my PC for some reason.

[Pigeon Daddy]

I have it installed on an SSD. So faster for me, in that regard. My net's good, but it ain't THAT good lol. If on HDD, just wait to download.

[MajorStir]

I have all my storage on m.2. I also have a GB internet connection. D/L is faster than decrypting. At least that how it has been for the previous 100GB games that I have played.

[Ryan Fenton]

There's another factor.

Download will be the latest build.

Preload was likely baked before the launch patch.

If the launch patch is large - then downloading may be even quicker - since after decrypt, you'll still have to download and install the launch patch.

[Reborn]

Downloading is always quicker it doesn't matter if you have an ssd or not unpacking is based off a set rate locked to steam and is very slow. If you have decent internet just download it day 1 along with the confirmed 35 gig update.

[Pigeon Daddy]

Originally posted by Rebornscannon:

Downloading is always quicker it doesn't matter if you have an ssd or not unpacking is based off a set rate locked to steam and is very slow. If you have decent internet just download it day 1 along with the confirmed 35 gig update.

This is false. Decryption is based on read/write speeds.

[MkUltra]

Gigabit connection Master Race, FTW. No point in preloading and dealing with the decryption nonsense.

[RedIndianRobin]

Steam decryption is an absolute joke compared to others. I remember decrypting RDR 2 on Rockstar Launcher. Took 30 minutes to decrypt ~120gigs.

But Steam uses an old and traditional decryption model. To decrypt 70 gigs, it'll probably take close to an hour even thought I have an SSD. For me, I am better off waiting and downloading as it will take 30 minutes to download with my fiber.

[RyuHazuki]

Took me 10 minutes to decrypt Death Stranding and 2-3 hours to download it so i take it this is gonna be same.

[MasterDrake]

It took me 50 minutes to decrypt Death Stranding(69gb) with a i5-7500 on HDD