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SSD vs HDD for gaming: the answer in 2026

The SSD vs HDD question for gaming PCs is settled in 2026: SSD is essential. But which type? What capacity? Does HDD still have a place?

Why HDD is no longer suitable for gaming in 2026

Loading times on HDD are 3–8× longer than on SSD for modern games. In Baldur's Gate 3, HDD loads 90–120 seconds between areas; NVMe SSD loads in 5–15 seconds.

Some recent games (Fortnite, Cyberpunk with DirectStorage) are designed for NVMe SSDs.

Which capacity SSD for gaming?

1 TB: the recommended standard in 2026. Price: €50–80 (NVMe PCIe 3.0).

2 TB: ideal for large game libraries. Price: €90–130.

Example PCs on Amazon related to this guide

Three desktops then three laptops from the PC4Games catalog in a range that fits the topic — each link opens Amazon (affiliate).

Desktop PCs — top picks

Pick 1$425 – $975

STGAubron — tower, NVIDIA GeForce, Windows

RTX 4060 · i5-13400F · 16 GB RAM

See on AmazonOpens in a new tab
Pick 2$425 – $975

STGAubron — gaming computer desktop, Windows

RTX 4060 · i5-12400F · 16 GB RAM

See on AmazonOpens in a new tab
Pick 3$425 – $975

STGAubron — desktop computer, GeForce, mid-tower

RTX 4060 · i5-12400F · 16 GB RAM

See on AmazonOpens in a new tab

Gaming laptops

Pick 1$425 – $975

Acer Nitro V 15 — Intel Core i5-13420H, NVIDIA GeForce, ANV15-51-51H9

RTX 4050 · i5-13420H · 16 GB RAM

See on AmazonOpens in a new tab
Pick 2$425 – $975

FIREBAT — 16" 2560×1600 display, expandable RAM/SSD, RGB keyboard

RTX 4060 · Ryzen 7 7735HS · 16 GB RAM

See on AmazonOpens in a new tab
Pick 3$425 – $975

ASUS — 15.6" gaming laptop, 165 Hz IPS-level display, NVIDIA GeForce

RTX 4050 · i5-13420H · 16 GB RAM

See on AmazonOpens in a new tab

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