Hi guys, not sure if this is the right spot for this but here it goes. I'm running out space in my SSD and I really need something bigger to install sceneries (P3Dv4). Buying an external HDD (2.5" 2Tb USB 3.0) is a good solution to install the sceneries? Thank you in advance 🙂

Not recommended. A HDD (especially external USB) will be very slow compared to an SSD. If you have a standard PC case there will almost certainly be a way of connecting another SSD.

Being a HDD, when it needs to spin up to read files, the sim may pause or stutter. 

I have scenery on a internal hard drive no problem but an external hard drive USB 3 will be no match for SATA connection.

SSDs are really expensive and I cannot afford one with the size that I want (2TB). If I take an Internal HDD (per example Seagate 2TB BarraCuda 7200rpm 3.5" SATA III 256MB) and install all my sceneries there, do you think that it will work? Btw, my computer only has a SSD running everything.

Edited May 1, 20206 yr by marcoverdial

56 minutes ago, marcoverdial said:

SSDs are really expensive and I cannot afford one with the size that I want (2TB). If I take an Internal HDD (per example Seagate 2TB BarraCuda 7200rpm 3.5" SATA III 256MB) and install all my sceneries there, do you think that it will work? Btw, my computer only has a SSD running everything.

It would work, but wouldn't be great.  A decent compromise would be a SSHD if you can find one

56 minutes ago, Charlatan said:

It would work, but wouldn't be great.  A decent compromise would be a SSHD if you can find one

I think that I'll try to get an SSD (1TB) and see how it works. I know that I'll pay a little more but if it's better... Seagate 960GB Maxtor Z1 SSD SATA III. What do you think guys?

@marcoverdial, where in the world are you? If the US or Europe SSD prices have tumbled in recent years. A 1Tb would have been impossibly expensive 5 years ago. Having two drives is always a good idea. One for the OS and one for P3D.

The Maxtor looks okay. Just heed the advice posted by one U.K. buyer from Scan...”Needed a SATA3 SSD of this capacity and this one fit the bill at a decent price. No problems with the drive itself. Only thing to be aware of is it doesn't come with any nicities like a SATA cable, 3.5" mounting plate or cloning software, so this is something to bear in mind if it's being used…”.

I’ve always used Samsung which I rate highly.

I'm in Portugal and that SSD is arround 100 euros. I also have available a SSD 2.5" Samsung 860 QVO 1TB for 120 euros. Btw, I'm using this case: Nox Infinity Atom RGB. Do you think that +20 euros would be a good investment? Thank you all for the help guys! 🙂

2 hours ago, marcoverdial said:

SSDs are really expensive and I cannot afford one with the size that I want (2TB). If I take an Internal HDD (per example Seagate 2TB BarraCuda 7200rpm 3.5" SATA III 256MB) and install all my sceneries there, do you think that it will work? Btw, my computer only has a SSD running everything.

I just bought a 1TB SSD for $95 yesterday at Microcenter.  https://www.microcenter.com/product/618210/inland-professional-1tb-3d-tlc-nand-sata-30-60-gb-s-25-internal-ssd

I'm sure prices are higher where you are, but they can't be that bad...

Edited May 1, 20206 yr by TechguyMaxC

10 hours ago, marcoverdial said:

I'm in Portugal and that SSD is arround 100 euros. I also have available a SSD 2.5" Samsung 860 QVO 1TB for 120 euros. Btw, I'm using this case: Nox Infinity Atom RGB. Do you think that +20 euros would be a good investment? Thank you all for the help guys! 🙂

In my opinion YES if the Samsung is 20 Euro more, I would get the Samsung.   That brand has worked well for me.

I recently purchased a 1TB Samsung 860 EVO to tide my current PC over until I rebuild in 2021.  And I do have a 3TB usb external HDD, but I only use it for backups and mass storage.   The thought crossed my mind to actively run FS scenery off the external HDD, but that thought was in my head only after a few cervejas.  I went with the SSD, which, is not as fast as my M.2 drives, but it is a serviceable SSD mass storage.

17 hours ago, marcoverdial said:

I'm in Portugal and that SSD is arround 100 euros. I also have available a SSD 2.5" Samsung 860 QVO 1TB for 120 euros. Btw, I'm using this case: Nox Infinity Atom RGB. Do you think that +20 euros would be a good investment? Thank you all for the help guys! 🙂

I agree with Mace. Samsung would be my first choice too. That price is reasonable for that size of drive. Be aware the QVO series is slower than the EVO. Read more here, https://www.partitionwizard.com/clone-disk/samsung-qvo-vs-evo.html

The speed difference between the QVO and EVO is significant. For the same price you could get a 512Gb EVO. Ask yourself if you need all that space. What make of SSD do you currently have? You don't want to buy something slower than you already have. Check comparitive performance here of the QVO versus EVO.

https://ssd.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Samsung-860-QVO-1TB-vs-Samsung-970-Evo-Plus-NVMe-PCIe-M2-1TB/m667965vsm693540

If it was me another 512Gb of space would take a long time to fill. And the faster speed would load things quicker by some margin.

Thank you everyone, I'll take the Samsung 860 QVO 🙂 You rock guys, have a nice weekend!

 

Marco