Add More Storage To a Gaming PC is the inspiring question. If your current storage is almost full, you may experience slowdowns, crashes, or be unable to install new games or applications. Adding more storage can resolve these issues by providing more space for your files and data. This article will answer all your queries regarding adding more storage to your gaming pc, like how to add more storage to your gaming PC, Why should you extend your gaming PC’s storage, how will it affect the gaming performance, etc.
Why Do You Need More Storage In Your Gaming PC?
There are several reasons why you may want to add more storage to your gaming PC:
- Game size: Games are becoming larger, requiring more storage space. Adding more storage will allow you to install more games without having to delete older ones.
- Game saves and mods: Many games have large save files and mod support which takes a lot of storage space.
- Recording and streaming: Recording and streaming gameplay require a lot of storage space, especially if you plan to save the recordings for later editing or sharing.
- Media storage: If you use your gaming PC as a media center, you may need more storage to store your music, videos, and other media files.
- Virtual machine and software development: If you use your gaming PC for developing software or running virtual machines, you may need more storage to store the necessary files and programs.
7 Ways To Add More Storage To a Gaming PC
Here are some ways you can add more storage to a gaming PC
Extending Hard Drive Partitioning
Hard drive partitioning can help expand storage by creating additional partitions on the same physical hard drive. The amount of storage expansion will depend on the total capacity of the hard drive and the size of the partitions created. However, partitioning does not increase the total capacity of the hard drive, it simply divides the available space into separate partitions.
Steps to Extent Hard drive partitioning
Follow the below-mentioned steps to extend the hard drive partition on a gaming PC
- First, you need to back up important data to another device.
- Open the Disk Management tool in Windows by typing in “Diskl Management Tool” in the start menu.
- Now click on “Create and format hard disk partitions”.
- Right-click on the partition you want to extend and click on “Extend Volume”.
- Follow the wizard to complete the process.
- After completing the process, restart the PC and open my PC to ensure that the partition was successful.
USB Flash Drive
A USB flash drive can be used to add more storage to a gaming PC. It is suitable for less demanding games and applications, or for storing files and documents. However, it may not be the most suitable option for high-performance gaming, as USB flash drives typically have slower read/write speeds compared to traditional hard drives or solid-state drives (SSDs).
SD Card
An SD card can be used to add more storage to a gaming PC, but it may not be the most suitable option for high-performance gaming. Using an SD card for storage expansion can be suitable for storing less demanding games and applications, or for storing files and documents. Additionally, it is important to consider the capacity of the SD card and the size of the games and applications to be stored to ensure there is enough space.
USB Hard Drive
A USB hard drive can be a suitable option for extending storage in a gaming PC. External hard drives offer larger storage capacities and faster read/write speeds compared to USB flash drives, making them a better option for high-performance gaming.
Secondary Hard Drive
If you are looking for ways to add more storage to your gaming PC, an SSD is a good choice. Using an SSD can help improve performance and provide a more responsive gaming experience. SSDs offer faster read/write speeds compared to traditional hard drives, which can help improve the performance and load times of games and applications. When choosing an SSD for storage expansion, it’s important to consider factors such as the capacity of the drive, the interface type (e.g. SATA, NVMe), and the read/write speed.
Cloud Storage Services
Cloud storage services can be a good option for extending storage in a gaming PC, especially for storing files and documents. However, for high-performance gaming, cloud storage may not be the best option as the speed and reliability of the internet connection can affect game performance. Using cloud storage for gaming requires a fast and stable internet connection to ensure quick and seamless access to game files. Additionally, the amount of storage available through cloud storage services is limited by the size of the plan you purchase, and the cost of these plans can add up over time.
Network Attached Storage
A Wi-Fi hard drive can be used to add more storage to a gaming PC, but it may not be the most suitable option for high-performance gaming. For gaming, an external hard drive or solid-state drive (SSD) with a wired connection may be a better choice. Wi-Fi hard drives typically have slower read/write speeds compared to traditional hard drives or solid-state drives (SSDs), and the speed and reliability of the Wi-Fi connection can affect game performance. Additionally, Wi-Fi hard drives are connected wirelessly, which can cause issues such as lag or disconnection that can impact the performance of games.
Impact of Storage Space on Your Gaming Performance
The storage space of a device can impact gaming performance in several ways:
- Loading times: Faster storage devices such as solid-state drives (SSDs) can significantly reduce loading times for games.
- Performance: If the storage space is full, it can lead to slower game performance due to increased disk fragmentation and reduced available space for game files.
- File corruption: Running out of storage space can also lead to file corruption and decreased stability for games.
Therefore, having a fast and sufficient amount of storage space can improve the overall gaming experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you optimize the storage space of your gaming PC?
You can optimize the storage space of your gaming PC by following the below-mentioned actions regularly
- Uninstall unused games and programs.
- Move large files to external storage.
- Disable Hibernation and System Restore.
- Use the Disk Cleanup tool regularly.
- Use a disk defragmenter.
- Enable compression on large files.
- Store game installations on a separate drive.
How much storage is enough for my gaming PC?
The average storage requirement for a gaming PC is 500 GB to 1TB, but it can vary depending on the size and number of games you have installed. Some modern games can take up to 100GB of storage space, so having a larger storage capacity (2TB or more) can provide more flexibility and accommodate more games. It’s recommended to have an SSD for the operating system and frequently used games for faster load times, with a larger traditional HDD for less frequently used games and data.
How does adding more storage to my gaming PC help?
Adding more storage to your gaming PC can help in the following ways:
- Increased storage capacity: Having more storage allows you to store more games, files, and applications without running out of space.
- Improved performance: Installing a solid-state drive (SSD) can significantly improve the performance of your gaming PC, including faster load times and improved responsiveness in games.
- Better organization: Adding more storage can help you keep your files organized and separated, making it easier to manage your files and data.
- Reduced system clutter: Installing a larger hard drive can reduce the amount of clutter on your system by allowing you to store files that were previously taking up space on your system drive.
Conclusion
You can add more storage to your gaming PC depending on your needs and the current storage capacity. You can add more storage to your gaming PC by installing an internal hard drive or an SSD, using an external hard drive or SSD, adding a secondary hard drive through a USB connection, using cloud storage services, using a Wi-Fi hard drive, etc. When adding more storage to a gaming PC, after considering factors such as the capacity of the drive, the read/write speed, and the interface type, you will be able to select the best suitable option for extending your gaming PC’s storage.