Storage decides how fast your PC starts, how quickly games load and how much you can keep on it. The good news: you don't have to choose just one type. Most well-planned builds use a fast drive for Windows and games, and a larger, cheaper drive for everything else.
The three types of drive
| Type | Typical read speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| M.2 NVMe SSD | PCIe 3.0: up to ~3,500 MB/s · PCIe 4.0: up to ~7,000 MB/s · PCIe 5.0: up to ~14,000 MB/s | Boot drive, games, editing projects |
| SATA SSD (2.5") | Up to ~550 MB/s | Extra fast storage, upgrading older PCs, game libraries |
| Hard drive (HDD) (3.5") | ~150–250 MB/s, with slow access times | Large, cheap storage: media, backups, archives |
Even the slowest SSD feels dramatically faster than a hard drive for everyday use, because SSDs respond almost instantly while a hard drive has to move a physical read head.
Your boot drive: an NVMe SSD
Install Windows and your main programs on an M.2 NVMe SSD. It slots directly into the motherboard with no cables, and it's the fastest option. For most people:
- 500GB is enough for Windows, apps and a couple of games, but fills up quickly.
- 1TB is the sweet spot for a gaming PC boot drive.
- 2TB is great if you keep many large games installed.
PCIe 3.0 vs 4.0 vs 5.0: does it matter?
For gaming and everyday use, the jump from a hard drive or SATA SSD to any NVMe drive is huge, while the jump from PCIe 4.0 to 5.0 is hard to notice. Good choices:
- PCIe 4.0 is the best value today and supported by almost every current board.
- PCIe 3.0 is fine for budget builds and secondary drives.
- PCIe 5.0 only matters for heavy file work, like large video projects. These drives run hotter and usually need the motherboard's M.2 heatsink.
A PCIe 4.0 drive works in a PCIe 3.0 slot, just at 3.0 speeds.
Adding storage: SSD or hard drive?
- Second NVMe SSD if your board has a free M.2 slot. Fastest and tidiest.
- SATA SSD for a large game library at a lower price per GB than NVMe in many cases.
- Hard drive for photos, videos, backups and anything you don't need instantly. 4TB and up is where HDDs make the most sense.
In our builder, the first drive you add becomes the boot drive. After that, "Add drive" adds extra storage, up to six drives. You can swap which one is the boot drive in the summary.
Things to check before buying
M.2 size and slots
Almost all desktop NVMe drives are M.2 2280 (22mm wide, 80mm long). Count the free M.2 slots on your motherboard. Some boards disable one or two SATA ports when certain M.2 slots are used, and the manual lists which.
DRAM cache and endurance
Drives with a DRAM cache stay fast during big file copies. Budget "DRAM-less" drives are fine for gaming and everyday use. Endurance is listed as TBW (terabytes written). Normal home use rarely gets close to it.
Hard drives: pick the right family
- Desktop drives (e.g. Seagate BarraCuda, WD Blue) are made for general storage in a PC.
- NAS drives (e.g. WD Red, Seagate IronWolf) are built to run 24/7 in storage servers, and are fine in a desktop too.
- Surveillance drives (e.g. WD Purple, Seagate SkyHawk) are tuned for continuous video recording in DVRs. They work in a PC but aren't designed for general desktop use.
- Enterprise SAS drives need a special controller and won't connect to a normal motherboard.
External and portable drives are a different category
USB drives are for backups and carrying files around. For the PC itself, buy internal drives.
Back up what matters
Every drive eventually fails. The classic rule is 3-2-1: three copies of important files, on two different types of storage, with one copy somewhere else (another location or cloud storage). A cheap external hard drive for weekly backups costs far less than lost photos or projects.
Frequently asked questions
Is NVMe noticeably faster than SATA for gaming?
Load times are a bit shorter, and newer games that stream data from storage benefit more. The bigger difference is between any SSD and a hard drive. Don't install games on an HDD if you can avoid it.
How much storage do I need for gaming?
Modern games often take 50–150GB each. A 1TB NVMe is a good start. Add a second 1–2TB SSD if you keep many games installed.
Do I need a heatsink for my NVMe drive?
PCIe 4.0 drives usually run fine with the motherboard's M.2 cover. PCIe 5.0 drives should always have a heatsink, especially in a hot room.
Can I use a laptop SSD in a desktop?
Yes, if it's an M.2 NVMe or 2.5" SATA drive. These are the same in laptops and desktops. Check the M.2 length (2280 is standard).