No, loading your games on a hard drive will not ruin your games.

Summary

In this video, the speaker tests the performance of running **Cyberpunk 2077** from an older Seagate Barracuda hard drive (2019) to assess how it impacts gameplay. Despite the lower performance of the HDD, the game runs with minimal stuttering and at max settings, even at 4K and 1080p resolutions. The speaker emphasizes that while they don't recommend using outdated hard drives for gaming, a modern, high-performance hard drive is a viable option for storing older games. The test serves as a worst-case scenario to demonstrate that high-performance hard drives can still run modern games effectively.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video demonstrates testing a Seagate Barracuda hard drive (2019 model) for gaming performance.
• 😀 The goal is to show how games, specifically Cyberpunk 2077, perform when run off a hard drive instead of an SSD.
• 😀 The Seagate Barracuda used is not the fastest drive, but serves as a baseline for comparison to higher-end options.
• 😀 The test system includes a high-end gaming setup with a 13900K processor and an RTX 490 GPU, to see how the game performs at high resolutions like 4K.
• 😀 The speaker recommends using newer, high-performance enterprise-grade SSDs for running modern games, but tests with a hard drive to show what happens in worst-case scenarios.
• 😀 Cyberpunk 2077 is explicitly used in the test as it is one of the games that discourages using a hard drive and strongly recommends an SSD.
• 😀 Despite expectations, the game loads relatively quickly on the hard drive, with only minor hiccups during gameplay.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes that while SSDs are preferable for faster load times, running modern games on a hard drive can still provide an acceptable experience, especially for older titles.
• 😀 The video demonstrates that a hard drive can work fine for gaming, even for a demanding game like Cyberpunk 2077, provided the drive is not excessively old or low-performance.
• 😀 The test results show that stuttering and delays are minimal, with most issues being rare and not significantly affecting the overall gaming experience.
• 😀 The speaker clarifies that this test is not an endorsement of using a 6-year-old Barracuda drive for gaming but rather a demonstration of the potential for running games off a hard drive with acceptable performance.

Q & A

Why did the author choose a Seagate Barracuda hard drive for testing?

The author selected the Seagate Barracuda as a worst-case scenario for testing performance. It is an older, slower hard drive compared to the modern SSDs and enterprise-grade drives the author usually recommends, offering a baseline for how a typical hard drive would perform with modern games.

What were the main specifications of the test setup used in the video?

The test was conducted on a high-end build featuring an Intel 13900K processor and an NVIDIA RTX 490 GPU. This setup was chosen to push the limits of performance and observe how the Seagate Barracuda hard drive would perform even at 4K resolution.

What was the primary goal of testing Cyberpunk 2077 on a hard drive?

The primary goal was to see if running a modern game like Cyberpunk 2077 from a hard drive, which typically recommends an SSD, would result in performance issues or stuttering. The test aimed to evaluate whether a hard drive could handle such games effectively.

Did the hard drive cause significant performance issues while running Cyberpunk 2077?

No, while there was occasional minor stuttering or micro stuttering, the game ran surprisingly well on the hard drive. The performance issues were rare and did not substantially affect the overall gameplay experience.

Why did the author mention running Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p and 4K?

The author tested both resolutions to see if running the game at higher resolutions like 4K would cause more strain on the hard drive, potentially leading to more noticeable stuttering or slower load times. The results indicated that resolution did not significantly impact the performance of the hard drive.

What was the author's main recommendation regarding storage for gaming?

The author recommends using a small SSD for the operating system and modern games that require fast loading times. For older games or less performance-demanding titles, a high-performance hard drive like the Seagate Barracuda or a modern enterprise-grade HDD can be used without noticeable performance issues.

Was Cyberpunk 2077 chosen for this test because it is an easy game to run?

No, Cyberpunk 2077 was chosen because it explicitly states that it does not support hard drives and recommends using an SSD. The author used this game to test the limits of running modern titles off an older hard drive.

Did the author advocate for using old, slow hard drives like the Seagate Barracuda for gaming?

No, the author was not recommending using old, slow drives like the Seagate Barracuda. This was merely a worst-case test scenario. The author recommends using modern, high-performance hard drives or SSDs, especially for more demanding games.

What is the advantage of using a RAID setup for gaming storage?

The author suggests that using a RAID setup with multiple smaller hard drives could offer performance close to a SATA SSD, allowing for better speed than a single hard drive. It’s a cost-effective alternative if users cannot afford a high-performance SSD.

What does the author say about the impact of micro-stuttering on gameplay?

The author acknowledges occasional micro-stuttering but dismisses it as a minor issue that does not significantly affect gameplay. The author believes the rare stuttering is not a major problem unless the goal is to achieve the absolute best performance possible.