What is an SSD?

[Meovyle]

Title.
Does it boost the gaming or something...?

[MaddDoktor [Linux]]

Автор сообщения: vadim

You can consider SSD as faster version of HDD with several limitations (limited number of writes, impossibility to secure delete files, necessity to always keep some free space, etc) . It doesn't affect FPS at all, but allow to load games or levels faster. It uses the same tech as USB-flash or SD cards.

I run Linux and booting from mSATA SSD card (from a failed laptop) in a SATA enclosure boots Linux faster than from my hard drive. The only difference it would make for gaming would be initial load time, or loading levels. It would have nothing at all to do with frames per second.

It is possible to securely erase files. TRIM (Win7 or newer, or fstrim run from cron in Linux) periodically automatically clears blocks of deleted files for faster write speed or security-erase (using hdparm in Linux or a utility in Windows) can totally clear all blocks of the entire drive in a matter of seconds.

This is not a complete test, but just an example on an old PC with SATA2 currently downloading a game to sdb. It makes more of a difference than that because it basically eliminates head seek time, so there is no delay between loading multiple or fragmented files (and no need to ever defrag):

$ sudo hdparm -t /dev/sda
/dev/sda:
Timing buffered disk reads: 370 MB in 3.01 seconds = 122.91 MB/sec

$ sudo hdparm -t /dev/sdb
/dev/sdb:
Timing buffered disk reads: 732 MB in 3.01 seconds = 243.34 MB/sec

[Mossy Snake]

What's an SSD? A miracle, that's what. While it has little effect on gaming, it boosts boot-up time tremendously. As a comparison, I've tested my laptop (HDD) and a friend's (SSD) to see what would boot faster. Mine took 5 minutes, his took 12 seconds.

Granted I have a 5400 RPM drive, but the difference is gigantic.

[vadim]

Автор сообщения: MaddDoktor Linux

TRIM (Win7 or newer, or fstrim run from cron in Linux) periodically automatically clears blocks of deleted files for faster write speed or security-erase (using hdparm in Linux or a utility in Windows) can totally clear all blocks of the entire drive in a matter of seconds.

TRIM doesn't delete anything at all. It only marks page (not physical block) as unused. Yes, you can securely erase whole drive. But not specific file. BTW, TRIM has nothing with secure erase and secure erase couldn't be "matter of seconds". Run "hdparm -I /dev/sdX" to check, where X - letter of your SSD on SCSI bus.

Автор сообщения: MaddDoktor Linux

so there is no delay between loading multiple or fragmented files (and no need to ever defrag)

That isn't so. You told about file fragmentation, which really doesn't matter for SSD. But it has very little impact on HDD performance also. Have you noticed UNIX filesystems nearly have no defrag utilities? Almost onnly exception is e4defrag for ext4 which shouldn't be used at all at normal circumstances. But SSD has in-block fragmentation which cause seriuos performance degradation.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Makes everything better. Otherwise all u have is a slow PC when OS is on HDD

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Автор сообщения: vadim

Автор сообщения: NoOnions (Kebab)

Do you mean a Hybrid drive? Tiny SSD that caches the HDD? With a SSD your machine will boot and load Windows in seconds - HDDs are great for value and capacity but if you cannot see a difference I'd be amazed. Levels load so much faster if installed on a SSD.

No. I meant that I have both SSD and HDD (one or several). No. It doesn't load Windows faster. To be precise, it doesn't load it at all. No. It doesn't load levels faster. Because they already cached in RAM. When I have enough RAM, I can not worry about disk subsystem at all. I only need to be sure that all blocks will be properly cached before first usage.

You must have a terrible system if that is true.

SSDs load the OS in like 3-5 secs on all my machines. Even an 2011 Laptop that is not ubber-expensive or great specs.

The point is, the OS running SSD kills off a ton of system bottleneck. The system multi-tasks like lightning now; even with Games installed to 2nd HDD.

[claups]

Solid State Drive way faster than your average WD hdd. And also 2x more expensive but well worth it. It's best if your OS is in the SSD for a 10 sec boot up depending on your pc. It's basically like a hard drive but on steroids that doesn't ever run out.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Yes but u also dont need everything on SSD; so something like 250-275 GB is generally fine.

[claups]

Also games that demand more cpu power like arma 3 are best to be downloaded on SSD's it'll improve your fps by 5 maybe 10 it all depends.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Автор сообщения: clap

Also games that demand more cpu power like arma 3 are best to be downloaded on SSD's it'll improve your fps by 5 maybe 10 it all depends.

No it won't however it helps not have pop-in or stutter from that.

[R3dAlert93]

Автор сообщения: TinyDeskEngineer

Title.
Does it boost the gaming or something...?

Its basically loads things up quicker, i have my windows 7 intalled on an SDD and it is much more quicker than i had it on my HDD. Sometimes i use my SDD for gamming and get better game performance.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Yea OS on HDD = u click and you wait...
OS takes minutes to load, etc...

SSD = seconds to load up OS
when you click apps, there is zero waiting, it splashes and its loaded up, done

[Meovyle]

1 Day not online 38 new messages I know what is is now...
Stop writing....
And i cant delete this section

[Washell]

You can unsubscribe, top right.

[Meovyle]

Автор сообщения: Washell

You can unsubscribe, top right.

Ok thx, learned something new in steam... :)

[Martin Harris]

Автор сообщения: TinyDeskEngineer

Автор сообщения: vadim

You can consider SSD as faster version of HDD with several limitations (limited number of writes, impossibility to secure delete files, necessity to always keep some free space, etc) . It doesn't affect FPS at all, but allow to load games or levels faster.

Nah.. dont need to buy thx
Look this is a helpfull guy...

If you put your OS on an SSD it will load alot faster, It kinda improves loading times