全球游戏玩家为他们的游戏电脑购买SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)，而不是传统的硬盘驱动器 ( HDD )。事实证明， SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)写入和读取数据(writing and reading data)的速度要快得多，但它们是否也可以帮助您在游戏时获得更多的每秒帧数？为了回答这个问题，我们使用带有流行显卡的(video card)台式电脑(desktop computer)进行了实验，并在使用SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)和HDD 驱动器(HDD drive)进行游戏之间切换。这是我们学到的：
我们用于测试的台式电脑的硬件规格(hardware specs)
我们在具有以下硬件的台式 PC 上进行了测试：
- AMD Ryzen 5 1600六核处理器(six-core processor)，运行频率为 3.2 GHz
- 华硕 ROG STRIX X370-F GAMING 主板(ASUS ROG STRIX X370-F GAMING motherboard)
- 16 GB RAM DDR4，运行频率为 1600 MHz，由Corsair制造(Corsair)
- 微星 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060) OC 6GB 显卡(video card)
- KINGSTON A400 SSD 驱动器(KINGSTON A400 SSD drive)，容量为 240 GB存储空间(storage space)
- Western Digital Blue 1TB硬盘驱动器(disk drive)，每分钟 7200 转 (rpm)
台式电脑安装了Windows 10 Pro，并带有所有最新更新。我们还使用了最新的 NVIDIA 驱动程序：398.82 版(version 398.82)。我们所有的测试都在金士顿 SSD 驱动器(Kingston SSD drive)上运行，然后在 Western Digital Blue硬盘驱动器上(disk drive)运行，使用相同的设置。让我们一一看看我们运行的测试和得到的结果：
Far Cry 5：平均每秒只有 1 帧的差异
我们使用以下设置运行Far Cry 5基准测试：
- 1920x1080 显示分辨率
- 超图形质量设置
- 垂直同步和帧率锁定(V-Sync and Framerate Lock)设置为关闭
首先，我们在KINGSTON A400 SSD 驱动器(KINGSTON A400 SSD drive)上运行基准测试，然后在 Western Digital Blue硬盘上运行基准测试。正如您在下面看到的，差异很小。使用SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)时，最低和平均帧率(frame rate)只有 1帧(frame extra)。
杀手赦免(Hitman Absolution)：没有意义的区别
我们运行了Hitman Absolution提供的基准测试，设置如下：
- 1920x1080 显示分辨率
- 超图形质量设置
- 垂直同步设置为关闭
我们唯一不同的指标是最大帧速率(frame rate)。使用SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)时，最大帧速率(frame rate)达到 100 fps，而使用HDD时达到 98 fps。
其他两个指标没有有意义的差异。使用SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)时，平均帧速率仅(frame rate)高 0.1 帧。没有玩家在玩游戏时会注意到如此小的差异。
Metro Last Night ：使用SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)时更高的最大帧速率(frame rate)
我们选择的最后一款游戏是Metro : Last Night。我们使用了以下设置：
- 1920x1080 显示分辨率
- 非常高的图形质量设置
- Texture Filtering 设置为AF 16X，Motion blur设置为Normal，Tessellation设置为Very High，并启用Advanced PhysX 。
这次我们注意到了一些不同。首先，有趣的是，使用(First)HDD 驱动器(HDD drive)时每秒的最低帧数更高。但是，使用SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)时，平均帧率和最大帧率(frame rate)更高。平均帧率(frame rate)的差异太小而无法注意到，但使用SSD 驱动器时最大(SSD drive)帧率(frame rate)明显更高。
3DMark：没有有意义的区别
对于最后一次测试，我们使用Time Spy 测试运行(Time Spy test)3DMark 基准测试(3DMark benchmark)，使用3DMark 为我们的台式计算机(desktop computer)建议的默认设置。结果好坏参半，几乎没有差异。查看 3DMark 生成的帧速率时，差异小于每秒 1 帧。下面你会看到平均分数。
使用 SSD 驱动器并不意味着游戏中的每秒帧数更多
我们可以从这个比较中得出的唯一结论是，SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)不会增加您在游戏中获得的每秒最大帧数。如果你想要每秒更多的帧数，你应该先投资更好的显卡(video card)，然后再投资更好的处理器和更多的RAM。
使用SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)可以加快游戏下载、安装和加载时间
SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)确实改善了您游戏体验的许多其他方面。例如，Windows的加载速度会快很多倍。Windows 启动(Windows startup)过程需要几秒钟而不是几分钟。然后，下载游戏及其安装将比使用传统硬盘驱动器更快地完成(disk drive)。在加载具有数 GB 数据的大型游戏时，您会注意到最显着的改进。如果您希望您的游戏尽可能快地加载，那么SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)将会产生积极的影响。
您在SSD驱动器上玩游戏的体验如何？
现在您知道从HDD 驱动器(HDD drive)切换到SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)并玩游戏时应该获得的现实影响。我们很想知道您是否期待这些结果，以及您在快速SSD 驱动器(SSD drive)上玩游戏的体验。他们是否(Did)提高了您的游戏体验质量？如何？在下面发表评论(Comment)，让我们讨论。
SSD vs. HDD: Do SSD drives give you higher frame rates in games?
Gamers worldwide purchase SSD drives for thеir gaming computers, instead of traditional hard disk drives (HDD). SSD drives are proven to be much faster for writing and reаding data, but do they alѕo help you get more frames per second when gaming? To аnswer this question, we experimented using a desktop computer with a popular video card and switched bеtween using an SSD drive and an HDD drive for gaming. This is what we have learned:
The hardware specs of the desktop PC that we used for testing
We performed our tests on a desktop PC with the following hardware:
- AMD Ryzen 5 1600 six-core processor, running at 3.2 GHz
- ASUS ROG STRIX X370-F GAMING motherboard
- 16 GB of RAM DDR4, running at 1600 MHz, made by Corsair
- MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 OC 6GB video card
- KINGSTON A400 SSD drive with a capacity of 240 GB of storage space
- Western Digital Blue 1TB hard disk drive, at 7200 rotations per minute (rpm)
The desktop PC had Windows 10 Pro installed, with all the latest updates. We also used the latest NVIDIA drivers: version 398.82. All our tests were run on the Kingston SSD drive, and then on the Western Digital Blue hard disk drive, using the same settings. Let's see the tests that we ran, and the results we got, one by one:
Far Cry 5: an average difference of just 1 frame per second
We ran the Far Cry 5 benchmark, using the following settings:
- 1920x1080 display resolution
- Ultra graphics quality settings
- V-Sync and Framerate Lock set to Off
First, we ran the benchmark on the KINGSTON A400 SSD drive, and then on the Western Digital Blue hard disk. As you can see below, the differences were minor. When using the SSD drive, we had only 1 frame extra for the minimum and average frame rate.
Hitman Absolution: no meaningful difference
We ran the benchmark offered by Hitman Absolution, with the following settings:
- 1920x1080 display resolution
- Ultra graphics quality settings
- V-Sync set to Off
The only metric where we had a difference was the maximum frame rate. When using the SSD drive, the maximum frame rate went to 100 fps, while when using the HDD it went to 98 fps.
The other two metrics had no meaningful differences. The average frame rate was only 0.1 frames higher when using an SSD drive. No gamer notices such small differences when playing games.
Metro Last Night: higher maximum frame rate when using an SSD drive
The last game we chose was Metro: Last Night. We used the following settings:
- 1920x1080 display resolution
- Very High graphics quality settings
- Texture Filtering set to AF 16X, Motion blur set to Normal, Tessellation set to Very High, and Advanced PhysX enabled.
This time we noticed some differences. First of all, it was funny that the minimum frames per second were higher when using the HDD drive. However, the average and the maximum frame rate were higher when using the SSD drive. The difference for the average frame rate was too small to notice, but the maximum frame rate was sensibly higher when using the SSD drive.
3DMark: no meaningful difference
For the last test, we ran the 3DMark benchmark, using the Time Spy test, with the default settings proposed by 3DMark for our desktop computer. The results were mixed, with few and tiny differences. When looking at the frame rates generated by 3DMark, the differences were smaller than 1 frame per second. Below you see the average scores.
Using an SSD drive does not mean more frames per second in games
The only conclusion we can draw from this comparison is that an SSD drive does not increase the maximum number of frames per second that you get in games. If you want more frames per second, you should first invest in a better video card, and then into a better processor, and more RAM.
Using an SSD drive gives you faster game downloads, installations, and loading times
The SSD drive does improve many other aspects of your gaming experience. For example, Windows is going to load many times faster. The Windows startup procedure takes seconds instead of minutes. Then, downloading games, and their installation is going to finish faster than when using a traditional hard disk drive. You will notice the most significant improvement when loading massive games with many gigabytes of data. If you want your games to load as fast as possible, then an SSD drive is going to make a positive difference.
What is your experience with gaming on SSD drives?
Now you know the real-life impact you should get when switching from an HDD drive to an SSD drive and playing games. We are curious to know whether you expected these results, and what your experience is with gaming on fast SSD drives. Did they improve the quality of your gaming experience? How? Comment below and let's discuss.
