Speed: SSHD (7200rpm) VS. HDD (7200rpm) Seagate

ichigo1000 · Oct 20, 2013

Hello, i am having a problem. Please answer these questions.

1. Are SSHD worth for gaming?
2. Is there a noticable speed between SSHD and HDD?
3. After using up the SSHD cache, will the speed be identical to HDD?
4. Is SSHD's HDD inside slower than HDDs?
5. Lifespan between these two?
6. Which one is better for gaming, are the load times similar?

I cannot afford an SSD so it is between these 2.

popatim · Oct 20, 2013

And SSHD is an HDD with a 4 or 8 gb ssd used as cache. You have no control over what the ssd stores in its cache, it uses an built in algorithm to determine which frequently used files it will cache. As such, they make great boot drives.

1: Maybe. If you use the game enough it will cache some of the files and might lead it to load faster but will have almost no impact once its loaded

2 & 3: Depends. Once you get past what the SSHD has cached its a regular drive. So in the case of a laptop drive which I believe are all 5400rpm's, a 7200rpm would provide better performance. There is a 7200rpm desktop model which would provide roughly equal performance.

4: depends what drives you are comparing.

5: indeterminable at this point.

6: You should be able to answer this yourself at this point. Even an SSD would have little impact on gaming beyond load times. They don't make your processor any faster or your graphics card more capable. I could show you Rift from an SSD, the map loads quickly while you wait for the server to tell your pc whats around you are where and what graphics to load for them.
LoL - you stand there in an empty town watching things beam-in (trekkie style.)

ichigo1000 · Oct 20, 2013

popatim :

And SSHD is an SSD with a 4 or 8 gb ssd used as cache. You have no control over what the ssd stores in its cache, it uses an built in algorithm to determine which frequently used files it will cache. As such, they make great boot drives.

1: Maybe. If you use the game enough it will cache some of the files and might lead it to load faster but will have almost no impact once its loaded

2 & 3: Depends. Once you get past what the SSHD has cached its a regular drive. So in the case of a laptop drive which I believe are all 5400rpm's, a 7200rpm would provide better performance. There is a 7200rpm desktop model which would provide roughly equal performance.

4: depends what drives you are comparing.

5: indeterminable at this point.

6: You should be able to answer this yourself at this point. Even an SSD would have little impact on gaming beyond load times. They don't make your processor any faster or your graphics card more capable. I could show you Rift from an SSD, the map loads quickly while you wait for the server to tell your pc whats around you are where and what graphics to load for them.
LoL - you stand there in an empty town watching things beam-in (trekkie style.)

for number 4, they are both seagates. 7200rpm sshd and 7200rpm hdd

photonboy · Oct 20, 2013

popatim is completely correct.

I've been testing this in a variety of games. Here's my results:

SSHD's are meant mainly for laptops where there is only space for a single drive. The SSD portion is meant to cache Boot and other files that would speed things up. The HDD portion if 2.5" is going to be much slower.

SSD's make little difference as said except for LOAD TIMES of games.

SSD's do make a big difference for games like SKYRIM though when you frequently jump around the map.

Summary of results:
1. SSHD's are ideal for laptops and a lower budget (an SSD is optimal but costs more).

2. SSD's provide faster initial game load and subsequent level/map loads (1.5 to 2.5 typically).

3. HDD's are still ideal from a budget point of view. Nor is in-game performance affected much (except maps/levels).

Other:
There are exceptions due to poor coding. There are Assassin's Creed games that run slightly smoother for example due to the texture-loading during gameplay being smoother (there's a video online).

STEAM 2nd folder:
You can add a 2nd folder to Steam and assign that to an SSD such as the 120GB Samsung 840 EVO which costs $100 or even a cheaper older SSD someone's giving away for dirt cheap. For games that might benefit (Skyrim and map loading) you can MOVE your games to the SSD. Since you only play a few games at a time the SSD need not be huge.

Here's how to MOVE a Steam game (won't affect SAVES on the C-drive-> Documents).

Create a 2nd Steam folder then->
1. BACKUP GAME
2. DELETE local content of game
3. RESTORE game but assign to 2nd Steam folder on SSD
4. DELETE backup

I hope this all helps.

ichigo1000 · Oct 20, 2013

photonboy :

popatim is completely correct.

I've been testing this in a variety of games. Here's my results:

SSHD's are meant mainly for laptops where there is only space for a single drive. The SSD portion is meant to cache Boot and other files that would speed things up. The HDD portion if 2.5" is going to be much slower.

SSD's make little difference as said except for LOAD TIMES of games.

SSD's do make a big difference for games like SKYRIM though when you frequently jump around the map.

Summary of results:
1. SSHD's are ideal for laptops and a lower budget (an SSD is optimal but costs more).

2. SSD's provide faster initial game load and subsequent level/map loads (1.5 to 2.5 typically).

3. HDD's are still ideal from a budget point of view. Nor is in-game performance affected much (except maps/levels).

Other:
There are exceptions due to poor coding. There are Assassin's Creed games that run slightly smoother for example due to the texture-loading during gameplay being smoother (there's a video online).

STEAM 2nd folder:
You can add a 2nd folder to Steam and assign that to an SSD such as the 120GB Samsung 840 EVO which costs $100 or even a cheaper older SSD someone's giving away for dirt cheap. For games that might benefit (Skyrim and map loading) you can MOVE your games to the SSD. Since you only play a few games at a time the SSD need not be huge.

Here's how to MOVE a Steam game (won't affect SAVES on the C-drive-> Documents).

Create a 2nd Steam folder then->
1. BACKUP GAME
2. DELETE local content of game
3. RESTORE game but assign to 2nd Steam folder on SSD
4. DELETE backup

I hope this all helps.

I am using a gaming laptop, it has 2 drive bays. I am currently using an sshd 7200rpm that comes with it, but i want more space.

So you mean The HDD in the SSHD is slower than a regular HDD with the same speed? (7200rpm)
I am going to dowload alot of games, i want it to load at a fast speed for gaming.

photonboy · Oct 21, 2013

ichigo1000 :

If SPACE is the problem get a regular Hard Drive as the 2nd drive.

No, the hard drive in an SSHD should be the SAME SPEED as a regular hard drive with the same rotational speed and SEEK times.

I meant 7200RPM 3.5" drives. You didn't specify a laptop or 2.5" drives before so sorry for the confusion.

So, to be clear:
The SSHD has 8GB or less of SSD memory which simply won't matter for gaming. It's great for allocating System files and frequently used files.

Just get a regular 1TB 7200RPM 2.5" HDD and make sure the HEIGHT is compatible. Regular drives are 9.5mm, slim are 7mm and thick is 13.5mm or thereabouts.

ichigo1000 · Oct 21, 2013

photonboy :

ichigo1000 :

If SPACE is the problem get a regular Hard Drive as the 2nd drive.

No, the hard drive in an SSHD should be the SAME SPEED as a regular hard drive with the same rotational speed and SEEK times.

I meant 7200RPM 3.5" drives. You didn't specify a laptop or 2.5" drives before so sorry for the confusion.

So, to be clear:
The SSHD has 8GB or less of SSD memory which simply won't matter for gaming. It's great for allocating System files and frequently used files.

Just get a regular 1TB 7200RPM 2.5" HDD and make sure the HEIGHT is compatible. Regular drives are 9.5mm, slim are 7mm and thick is 13.5mm or thereabouts.

My laptop comes with this drive: http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148837&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwordsCA&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwordsCA-_-IM_HDOEM-_-N82E16822148837-_-NA

I dont know the height of it or anything, can you recomment a good drive that is 1tb, 2.5 inch and 7200rpm?

photonboy · Oct 21, 2013

7200RPM 2.5" 9.5mm 1TB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145875

This is the only one at Newegg that meet your requirements. Double-check that the height matches but this is a normal height. I verified it is a 9.5mm height from the data sheet at Hitachi. Again, some laptops only support 7mm. If the slot is 9.5mm then it supports BOTH 9.5mm and 7mm height drives.

Other:
a) If you add the drive and boot fails then you need to go into your BIOS (DEL or F2) and change the boot order as it's now trying to boot off the new blank drive.

b) Once you boot into Windows go into DISK MANAGEMENT (in Computer Management), then right-click the drive where it says "unallocated space" or whatever and "ADD VOLUME"...

ichigo1000 · Oct 21, 2013

photonboy :

Is there a Seagate version of this one? Just making sure because i read the reviews, lot of people say theirs failed after 4-6 months of use.

Edit: If there isnt a seagate one will this work? Is it high quality?
http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Travelstar-2-5-Inch-7200RPM-Internal/product-reviews/B0097LG9U8/ref=cm_cr_pr_btm_link_2?ie=UTF8&pageNumber=2&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=byRankDescending

popatim · Oct 21, 2013

Only an enterprise class drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148710

ichigo1000 · Oct 21, 2013

popatim :

i dont think i can afford that lol. Is this drive good and reliable?
http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Travelstar-2-5-Inch-7200RPM-Internal/dp/B0097LG9U8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Also is there a western digital version and what is an enterprise class drive? Sorry im new to hard drives

photonboy · Oct 21, 2013

Hitachi vs Seagate vs WD etc.

The Hitachi I linked had 74% (37 people) score it 5/5. It's not a perfect guide but look at the 4/5, 5/5 and 1/5 for drives and compare them. All the major manufacturers make drives with similar quality; there is hard data to back that up.

Some drives are designed go be more reliable (and cost more) or certain models have design flaws or the manufacturing process temporarily spits out lots of drives with issues.

Note that the $250 Seagate linked above had worse customer review scores than the $80 Hitachi so take that for whatever it's worth.

ENTERPRISE CLASS:
These drives are designed to last longer for SERVERS mainly which constantly use the drive for thousands of hours. They're expensive and pointless for a consumer.

The designs to make them last longer don't necessarily mean they are more reliable to an average user just that they should last longer past a certain point.

popatim · Oct 21, 2013

Yeah, I didn't link it because I was recommending it, just that it was the only Seagate 7200rpm laptop drive available in the desired size.

The Hitachi seems to get good reviews.

ichigo1000 · Oct 21, 2013

photonboy :

Alright, These two are the same models right?:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145875 and
http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Travelstar-2-5-Inch-7200RPM-Internal/dp/B0097LG9U8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

If they are the same model, it is up to the shipping time, from your experience, which store ships faster? i live in canada. Also, what will be the average lifespan of this drive (Because i will be making this drive specifically to store ALL my games on it) , and it will be pretty speedy right? (Game loading)

photonboy · Oct 22, 2013

ichigo1000 :

Hi,
1) Same exact drive.
2) AMAZON ships this drive from a different store so I can't predict time. It wasn't available at Newegg Canada:
http://www.amazon.ca/HITACHI-0S03563-Travelstar-7K1000-B-internal/dp/B00FJV7NA0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382415379&sr=8-2&keywords=hitachi+1tb+travelstar

3) I could only find a 750GB 7200RPM version at Newegg though you may wish to consider it:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236561

4) Average lifespan:
You can go to the website for any drive, find the spec sheet, and read the MTBF value (Mean Time Before Failure) but that guarantees nothing. It could last 20 years or not even work the day you get it but STATISTICALLY the MTBF predicts failure in normal usage conditions.

5) STEAM GAMES:
You can re-download all games if the drive fails. You can also make a backup:
a) Backup entire drive to large USB drive or desktop, or
b) Backup individual games to DVD or hard drive

6) SPEED:
Game loading speed will be pretty good. There are actually several factors involved which is why SSD's are often no more than 2.5x faster:
a) GPU and CPU are involved
b) Cut scenes which can't be skipped
c) drive access speed.

ichigo1000 · Oct 22, 2013

photonboy :

ichigo1000 :

Hi,
1) Same exact drive.
2) AMAZON ships this drive from a different store so I can't predict time. It wasn't available at Newegg Canada:
http://www.amazon.ca/HITACHI-0S03563-Travelstar-7K1000-B-internal/dp/B00FJV7NA0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382415379&sr=8-2&keywords=hitachi+1tb+travelstar

3) I could only find a 750GB 7200RPM version at Newegg though you may wish to consider it:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236561

4) Average lifespan:
You can go to the website for any drive, find the spec sheet, and read the MTBF value (Mean Time Before Failure) but that guarantees nothing. It could last 20 years or not even work the day you get it but STATISTICALLY the MTBF predicts failure in normal usage conditions.

5) STEAM GAMES:
You can re-download all games if the drive fails. You can also make a backup:
a) Backup entire drive to large USB drive or desktop, or
b) Backup individual games to DVD or hard drive

6) SPEED:
Game loading speed will be pretty good. There are actually several factors involved which is why SSD's are often no more than 2.5x faster:
a) GPU and CPU are involved
b) Cut scenes which can't be skipped
c) drive access speed.

Okay, as long as the drive could load maps pretty fast. I have a few more questions.
1. How do i move all my steam games/ game data to another drive without redownloading everything?
2.Is it normal for loading, when you load a little it stops for a few seconds then loads again? (inconsistent, keeps stopping)
3. It will probably load as fast as my sshd right? (i have alot of games, i dont think it will all fit in the ssd cache)

If these involve load speed, these are my GPU and CPU: intel core i7 and nvidia GTX 670MX

photonboy · Oct 22, 2013

Hi,
I'll answer #2 and #3 first.

#2 - Reloads data? It shouldn't do that. Not quite sure what you mean though. (You'll be MOVING Steam so maybe it will sort out any glitches)

#3 - As fast as SSD? Yes, basically. It's unlikely much of your game data would be buffered in the SSD portion of an SSHD as I said above which is why I did NOT recommend an SSHD. The cache is 8GB or less and the SSHD you use for Windows intelligently buffers data so much of that is BOOT FILES and other things it decides speeds things up.

#1 - MOVE GAMES
You can move them individually by backing up, deleting the content then restoring the backup to a new Steam folder on the new drive. HOWEVER, that's a slow process.

Your best bet is to move the entire Steam folder: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7418-YUBN-8129

If your new drive is one partition (recommended) such as E-drive, then create the new, moved Steam folder here:
E:\STEAM

*I suggest you PRINT THAT and read it very carefully before you proceed. Once it's printed, and the new drive is installed (add volume in Disk Management) and appears as a Drive in Windows Explorer you can start.

ichigo1000 · Oct 23, 2013

photonboy :

For number 2, it doesnt reload data, but the bar stops for a few seconds when loaded about half way.
Also, im a bit lazy to make a new thread, just asking how do i check what sata version i have? my sshd is 6gb/s
i think my info driver said intel(r) 7series chipset family sata ahci controller.

USAFRet · Sep 28, 2018

ichigo1000 :

Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

To move an already installed game
Games library
Right click the game
Properties
Local Files
Move Install Folder

Speed: SSHD (7200rpm) VS. HDD (7200rpm) Seagate

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