Do games really need SSD for running? You will find answer in this article. More information like the HDD vs SSD for gaming, best SSD for gaming, etc., will be shared as well.
Do games really need SSD for running? If you're playing modern games, especially large open-world titles, using an SSD can make a big difference. SSDs help games load much faster—sometimes 2 to 5 times quicker than a hard drive (HDD). They also improve in-game performance by reducing stuttering and texture pop-in, especially in games that load assets as you move through the world. This means smoother transitions between levels and a better overall experience. For competitive games, faster loading can even give you an edge by getting you into the match before others.
However, SSDs don’t boost frame rates. What they really improve is loading speed, texture handling, and how quickly your system starts. Older or turn-based games still run fine on an HDD. So if you're only playing older titles or have a tight budget, an HDD is still usable—especially for storing games you don’t play often.
When choosing storage for a gaming PC, many people ask: should I use an HDD or an SSD? While it won’t change how good your game looks or increase FPS, it does affect how fast your games load and how smooth they feel. For example, in big games like Cyberpunk 2077 or GTA V, an SSD can make loading screens much shorter and help the game run more smoothly. Here’s a simple comparison to show how HDDs and SSDs perform for gaming.
| Feature | SSD | HDD |
|---|---|---|
| Loading Times | Loads games in seconds | Can take up to a minute to load large games |
| In-Game Smoothness | Reduces lag and stuttering, especially in open-world games | May cause hiccups or slowdowns when loading new areas |
| Access Speed | Very fast – finds data almost instantly | Slower – uses moving parts to find data |
| Transfer Rates | 3,000–7,000+ MB/s (for NVMe models) | 100–200 MB/s |
In short, SSDs give you a faster, smoother, and more responsive gaming experience.
If your games load slowly, stutter during gameplay (especially open-world titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or GTA V), show frequent loading screens, or if your system takes too long to start—an SSD can make everything run much faster and smoother, and it’s now the standard for new gaming PCs.
To move everything like programs, videos, pictures, documents, and music—from your HDD to an SSD, you can use a tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant. It offers a safe and easy way to transfer your data by cloning your old hard drive to the new SSD. There are two ways to do this:
🌟 Clone Disk Quickly – This method only copies the data you're using, so you can move everything even if your SSD is smaller than your HDD.
🌟 Sector-by-Sector Clone – This method copies every part of the drive, even unused or deleted data. It's helpful if you want a full backup, including lost files.
No matter which method you choose, the tool helps your SSD work better after the move. Your system and programs will still start up normally. You can also use this tool to move just a few apps instead of everything. You can download the free demo to get started and see how easy it is to transfer your data from an HDD to an SSD.
The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Open the installed AOMEI Partition Assistant, click "Clone" in the main interface, and select "Clone Disk".
Step 2. Choose the hard disk that you need to clone as the source disk like SSD and click "Next".
Step 3. Select the destination disk to store the data on the source disk, and then click "Next".
Step 4. Then, you can check the source and destination disk in the next window or change to "Sector to Sector clone", and click the "Confirm" button to continue if there is no problem.
Here, you can also click the "Settings" button to adjust the partition size on the destination disk or tick "4k alignment" to Optimize the performance of SSD if the target disk is an SSD drive.
Tip: If you want to clone Windows to a smaller drive, the "Clone without resizing partitions" button will be greyed out. Then, a Note about how to boot OS from the destination disk will pop up. Read and keep it in mind.
Step 5. After returning to the main interface, check the pending operation and click "Apply" and "Proceed" to commit the operation.
If you’re ready to change from HDD to SSD, or upgrade your SSD, choosing the right one is important. Top options offer not just speed, but also long-term reliability and compatibility with modern systems. Whether you’re building a new gaming PC or just improving an older one, these SSDs deliver excellent value and performance. Here are some top SSDs to consider:
🔥Samsung 990 Pro – Best overall SSD with extremely fast speeds (7,450/6,900 MB/s) and high reliability.
🔥WD Black SN850X – Great performance at a reasonable price, perfect for serious gamers. To know Samsung 990 Pro vs WDBlack SN850X, you can click to get details.
🔥Seagate Game Drive SSD – Designed to last and perform well with newer consoles and PCs.
Look for features like PCIe 4.0, DRAM cache, and high read/write speeds if you want top-tier performance. Even mid-range NVMe SSDs are much better than HDDs for gaming.
Do games really need SSD for running? While SSDs aren't indispensable for running games, they significantly enhance the gaming experience by drastically reducing load times, improving in-game smoothness, and providing a more responsive system. For modern, open-world titles or competitive gaming, an SSD can make a noticeable difference, offering faster load times and smoother transitions between levels. Older games or those on a budget can still perform well on an HDD, but for the best overall gaming experience, upgrading to an SSD with AOMEI Partition Assistant is highly recommended.