Is 120 GB Enough for Gaming?
In the world of gaming, having enough storage space is crucial to keep your games, updates, and other data organized. With the rise of video games and streaming services, the demand for storage is increasing. If you are considering purchasing a new external hard drive or upgrading to a larger SSD, 120 GB is a storage capacity that often raises concern. In this article, we will dive into what 120 GB can fit, what are the essentials for gaming, and when you might need more than 120 GB of storage.
What can 120 GB fit?
Initially, 120 GB storage capacity may seem limited to some gamers, especially considering the vast libraries of games released in recent years. Still, 120 GB offers a decent amount of room for storing:
- High-quality games, such as those with rich graphics (around 15-25 GB each)
- Older games or less demanding releases (around 5-10 GB each)
- Game updates and patches for multiple titles (about 500-1,000 KB each)
- Some photo and video editing software data (about 5-20 GB)
- A minimum of 50,000 to 100,000 documents, emails, messages, or texts
Using this capacity effectively requires deliberate organization and smart storage preferences. For example, use cloud storage or external HDs for massive files.
Essentials for gaming
When playing games that require more than 32 GB of free space and have demanding system requirements for performance, consider the consequences of using only 120 GB. With 80-90% of dedicated storage for game files:
- 1-20 GB for a single games’ installation and updates, depending on complexity and resource requirements
- Fewer games on your drives (max 20-30 GB per file)
- Limited possibility for future games until you upgrade storage capacity
- Prolific gamers may have to be more selective in their picks due to storage bottlenecks
- Keep in mind game compression and optimization, which impacts performance and rendering quality to fit larger game files to 120 GB
Notably, more demanding title requirements (4K quality, ray tracing, texture packs, or massive graphics) can force you out of 120 GB into a larger capacity.
<Table: Storage Estimate for Various Gaming Scenarios>
| Gaming Scenario | Storage (GB) |
|---|---|
| Limited games, medium quality | 100-60 |
| 16-20 GB games; 5-10 older games | 96-120 |
| 20-30 modern games; less demanding content | 40- 80 |
Key considerations for deciding on enough storage
Keep in mind the following aspects when answering the question: "Does 120 GB suffice as gaming storage?":
✦ Average game capacity: The current average digital game size, including HD and 4K models, is approximately 22-40 GB.
✦ Resource-intensive assets: If your games (or future purchases) insist on 32 GB per installation, and you tend to keep games installed from multiple genres (evasion, sports, RPGS, etc.), 50-60 GB might work better.
✦ Gaming habits : Monitor your PC usage and check how you use the storage allocated for other purposes
When does 128 GB become essential?
As 120 GB is the target capacity for some scenarios, be prepared to upsize significantly if you play:
⋅ Graphic-intensive games with massive terrain, high texture quality. These usually require:
– 150-300 GB disk space
⋅ Several newer, quality games with multi-giant worlds that demand ample storage space. For maximum performance, look for up to 1 TB
⋅ A collection of older games with extensive content from various franchises. More than 128 GB.
⋅ Storage for professional video/image editing, coding, art, or similar creative areas** where gigabytes play a crucial role.
Assess your specific gaming wants and needs carefully before drawing conclusions about whether 120 GB is sufficient for storing your games. If performance, graphics quality, space, or adaptability seem limited, upsize towards 128 GB or prioritize cloud storage.