Adding SSD to decrease load times - MSI GS70 6QE(Stealth Pro)

[Quade]

I am currently playing WH2 from HDD and it is painfully slow loading between campaign and battle and vice versa and also original load from menu (3+ minutes). I am using a MSI GS70 6QE(Stealth Pro) and want to add/upgrade SSD. See below photos. What is my best option?

Photos - https://imgur.com/a/nrIpjtm

1. Replace HDD with 2.5 inch SSD
2. Add m2 SSD
3. Other options?

According to the specs my laptop has 1 x 2.5" HDD + 1 x NVMe M.2 SSD by PCIe Gen3 X4 / SATA-SSD Combo

The current SSD is only 128gb and only has the OS and programs installed.

I was also thinking about upgrading RAM to 16GB (currently 8GB) - is it worth it?

Thanks

[Lady MacBeth]

Originally posted by Quade:

I am currently playing WH2 from HDD and it is painfully slow loading between campaign and battle and vice versa and also original load from menu (3+ minutes). I am using a MSI GS70 6QE(Stealth Pro) and want to add/upgrade SSD. See below photos. What is my best option?

Photos - https://imgur.com/a/nrIpjtm

1. Replace HDD with 2.5 inch SSD
2. Add m2 SSD
3. Other options?

According to the specs my laptop has 1 x 2.5" HDD + 1 x NVMe M.2 SSD by PCIe Gen3 X4 / SATA-SSD Combo

The current SSD is only 128gb and only has the OS and programs installed.

I was also thinking about upgrading RAM to 16GB (currently 8GB) - is it worth it?

Thanks

Assuming you have the budget for it, I would get either option 1 or 2 that you listed. 2 is technically better as far as transfer speeds go. Until I build a new computer I don't have m2 support though so I dont know what the real world effect is versus a sata 3 ssd. And I would go up to 16 gigs if its in the budget, rams priced a bit silly lately though so thats a thing.

[TheAlmightyProo]

Alrighty. I did one of these options to my similar laptop.
Mine has i7 4720HQ, older than yours but still as punchy, a GTX 970m, 16 Gb RAM, but DDR3, and came with an older 256 Gb m.2 and a decent enough 1 Tb HDD.

Tbh if the boot is fast as it should be, the better option (less trouble and probably cheaper) would be to swap out the HDD for an SSD, I'd go for at least 500 Gb, room for a few games, some standard media files you don't want cluttering the boot drive and a buffer space. Swapping the m.2 means DLing/reinstalling Windows and any other software you have on it, whether preinstalled or manual.

I swapped the HDD on mine for a 1 Tb 850 EVO. One of the best buys and changes I ever made, no regrets. The m.2 still starts up in quick enough time despite the age, 3 years, and being somewhat fuller than new.
As for the RAM, 8 Gb should stretch to running the game ok at an average (cut as many unnecessary/extraneous processes as you can) but 16 Gb is always nice to stretch it's legs. It's kind of worth it, maybe, but I'd definitely go for the SSD first though if both at once isn't doable.

[Maschinengewehr]

You want to increase load times?

[Ruinae Retroque Rursus]

Originally posted by Maschinengewehr:

You want to increase load times?

well spotted XD

[Quade]

Originally posted by TheAlmightyProo:

Alrighty. I did one of these options to my similar laptop.
Mine has i7 4720HQ, older than yours but still as punchy, a GTX 970m, 16 Gb RAM, but DDR3, and came with an older 256 Gb m.2 and a decent enough 1 Tb HDD.

Tbh if the boot is fast as it should be, the better option (less trouble and probably cheaper) would be to swap out the HDD for an SSD, I'd go for at least 500 Gb, room for a few games, some standard media files you don't want cluttering the boot drive and a buffer space. Swapping the m.2 means DLing/reinstalling Windows and any other software you have on it, whether preinstalled or manual.

I swapped the HDD on mine for a 1 Tb 850 EVO. One of the best buys and changes I ever made, no regrets. The m.2 still starts up in quick enough time despite the age, 3 years, and being somewhat fuller than new.
As for the RAM, 8 Gb should stretch to running the game ok at an average (cut as many unnecessary/extraneous processes as you can) but 16 Gb is always nice to stretch it's legs. It's kind of worth it, maybe, but I'd definitely go for the SSD first though if both at once isn't doable.

Thanks for the response. It looks like I have a spare m2 slot which supports NVMe (have a look at photo's 2 and 3 from the link in OP). Is the m2 faster than a SATA 3? They are similar in price but the NVMe m2 is more expensive.

[Quade]

Originally posted by Maschinengewehr:

You want to increase load times?

LOL fixed

[Quade]

Originally posted by Ming:

Originally posted by Quade:

I am currently playing WH2 from HDD and it is painfully slow loading between campaign and battle and vice versa and also original load from menu (3+ minutes). I am using a MSI GS70 6QE(Stealth Pro) and want to add/upgrade SSD. See below photos. What is my best option?

Photos - https://imgur.com/a/nrIpjtm

1. Replace HDD with 2.5 inch SSD
2. Add m2 SSD
3. Other options?

According to the specs my laptop has 1 x 2.5" HDD + 1 x NVMe M.2 SSD by PCIe Gen3 X4 / SATA-SSD Combo

The current SSD is only 128gb and only has the OS and programs installed.

I was also thinking about upgrading RAM to 16GB (currently 8GB) - is it worth it?

Thanks

Assuming you have the budget for it, I would get either option 1 or 2 that you listed. 2 is technically better as far as transfer speeds go. Until I build a new computer I don't have m2 support though so I dont know what the real world effect is versus a sata 3 ssd. And I would go up to 16 gigs if its in the budget, rams priced a bit silly lately though so thats a thing.

Also most importantly, do not play the game on dx12, campaign load times have been broken for months. Today to see if it had been addressed yet, I loaded into me, loaded quick save battle, conceded, loaded to me, reloaded the quick save, this took about 2 minutes and 45 seconds on my ssd. I redid this in the exact same sequence in dx12, and it took 7 minutes and 23 seconds.

Thanks for response. It looks like I have a spare m2 slot so I can buy an m2 ssd to avoid replacing the HDD which I can still use for general storage.

[Retsuo]

I would also recommend to replace the HDD for an SSD. I did that and its been the best upgrade I've ever had for my tower. Its significantly faster and basically silent.