The fastest way to add gaming storage is an SSD, but your choice depends on what slot your motherboard has

Most gaming PCs built in the last five years have at least one M.2 slot — a thin horizontal slot on the motherboard that holds the fastest drives. If your motherboard has an empty M.2 slot, an NVMe SSD (the kind that fits M.2) is your best option: it's faster than older SATA drives, costs less per gigabyte than it did two years ago, and takes five minutes to install. If your M.2 slots are full or your motherboard is older, a 2.5-inch SATA SSD plugs into a SATA cable and power connector — slower than NVMe but still much faster than a mechanical hard drive, and cheaper upfront.

A mechanical hard drive (HDD) is the cheapest way to add bulk storage if you only need it for games you play occasionally or for storing files. Hard drives are slower to load games from, but they cost roughly one-third as much per terabyte as an SSD. The trade-off is noise, heat, and load times that can stretch from seconds to a minute or more.

Key Takeaways

  • NVMe SSDs in M.2 slots are the fastest option and fit most modern motherboards; check your motherboard manual to see how many M.2 slots you have and whether they share bandwidth with SATA ports.
  • SATA SSDs are slower than NVMe but cheaper and work on any motherboard with a free SATA port and power connector.
  • Mechanical hard drives cost the least per terabyte but load games slowly and generate heat and noise; they work best for archival storage or games you rarely play.
  • Before buying, open your case and count your free slots: M.2 slots on the motherboard, SATA ports, and available power connectors from your power supply.
  • Installing a drive takes 10 to 20 minutes and requires no special tools beyond a Phillips screwdriver; the main risk is static discharge, which you can prevent by touching the case before handling components.

Checking what slots and ports your motherboard actually has

Your motherboard manual tells you exactly what you have. Find the model number on your motherboard (printed on the board itself, usually near the CPU socket) or check your system information in Windows: right-click the Start menu, select System, and look for "System type" or open Device Manager and expand "System devices" to find your motherboard listed. Search for "[your motherboard model] manual" and download the PDF.

Look for the section labeled "Block Diagram" or "Connectors." Count the M.2 slots — they're labeled M.2_1, M.2_2, and so on. The manual will also tell you whether each M.2 slot supports NVMe, SATA, or both. Most modern boards have at least one NVMe slot. Next, count your SATA ports — they're the L-shaped connectors usually clustered together and labeled SATA0, SATA1, etc. Most boards have four to six.

The manual will also note if any M.2 slots share bandwidth with SATA ports — meaning if you plug a drive into M.2_2, one or two SATA ports stop working. This is common on budget boards. If you're using all your SATA ports and want to add an NVMe drive, check the manual first to avoid losing a port.

NVMe SSDs: the fastest option if you have an M.2 slot

An NVMe SSD reads and writes data roughly three to four times faster than a SATA SSD, which matters most when loading large game files or transferring files between drives. For gaming, the difference between NVMe and SATA is noticeable but not dramatic — a game might load in 15 seconds from NVMe versus 30 seconds from SATA. The real advantage is that NVMe drives cost only slightly more than SATA drives now, so there's little reason to choose SATA if you have an M.2 slot available.

NVMe drives come in two speeds: PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0. PCIe 4.0 is roughly twice as fast, but for gaming the difference is small — both load games faster than your monitor can display them. PCIe 4.0 drives cost 10 to 20 percent more. If your motherboard supports PCIe 4.0 (check the manual), a PCIe 4.0 drive is worth the small extra cost. If your board only supports PCIe 3.0, a PCIe 3.0 drive is fine and will save you money.

Capacity matters more than speed for gaming. A 1TB drive holds roughly 15 to 20 large games depending on file size. A 2TB drive gives you breathing room and costs only about 50 percent more than 1TB. If you play a wide variety of games and don't want to uninstall and reinstall constantly, 2TB is worth the extra cost.

SATA SSDs: the option if your M.2 slots are full

A 2.5-inch SATA SSD is the older standard but still widely available and cheaper than NVMe. It plugs into a SATA data cable (the thin L-shaped connector) and a SATA power connector (the wider L-shaped connector) from your power supply. If your motherboard has free SATA ports and your power supply has free SATA power connectors, this is a straightforward upgrade.

SATA SSDs max out at around 550 megabytes per second, compared to 3,500 to 7,000 megabytes per second for NVMe. For gaming, this means slightly longer load times but nothing that will affect gameplay. The main reason to choose SATA now is cost — a 2TB SATA SSD might cost 20 to 30 percent less than a 2TB NVMe drive, depending on the brand and where you buy.

One catch: some older power supplies don't have SATA power connectors, only Molex connectors (the four-pin square connectors). If that's your situation, you'd need an adapter, which adds cost and complexity. Check your power supply before buying.

Mechanical hard drives: cheapest storage, slowest performance

A 4TB or 8TB mechanical hard drive costs roughly one-third as much per terabyte as an SSD. If you have games you play rarely, files you want to archive, or you're willing to accept longer load times, a hard drive is the cheapest way to add storage. A 4TB drive costs less than a 1TB SSD in most cases.

The downsides are real. Games load noticeably slower — a game that takes 20 seconds from an SSD might take 60 to 90 seconds from a hard drive. Hard drives generate heat and noise, especially under load. They're also more fragile: a sudden power loss or physical shock can damage them. For these reasons, hard drives work best for games you play occasionally or for storing files you don't need fast access to.

If you do choose a hard drive, look for one rated for 24/7 operation (often labeled "surveillance" or "NAS" drives). Consumer-grade drives are cheaper but designed for lighter use. A Western Digital Blue, Seagate Barracuda, or Toshiba X300 are common choices for gaming storage.

Installing a new drive: the physical steps

Before you start, shut down your PC completely, unplug the power cable, and wait 30 seconds. This drains residual power and prevents damage to components. Touch the metal case with your bare hand to discharge any static electricity in your body — this is the main risk when handling computer parts.

For an NVMe drive: locate the M.2 slot on your motherboard (consult your manual if you're not sure which one). Remove the small screw at the end of the slot if there is one. Insert the drive at a 30-degree angle into the slot, then press down and screw it in. The drive should sit flat against the motherboard. Some boards include a small heatspreader or thermal pad — if yours does, peel off the adhesive backing and stick it to the top of the drive after installation.

For a SATA SSD: locate a free SATA port on the motherboard and a free SATA power connector on your power supply. Plug the data cable into the motherboard port and the power cable into the drive. Mount the drive in a 2.5-inch bay in your case (usually near the bottom or side) using the four small screws that come with the drive or the case. If your case doesn't have a 2.5-inch bay, you can use a 3.5-inch adapter bracket or mount it with velcro strips.

For a hard drive: the process is the same as a SATA SSD — plug in the data and power cables and mount it in a 3.5-inch bay. Hard drives are heavier, so make sure the mounting is secure.

After installation, plug the power cable back in, turn on your PC, and check that the drive appears in Windows. Open File Explorer, right-click "This PC," and select "Manage." In Disk Management, you should see your new drive listed. If it shows as "Unallocated," right-click it and select "New Simple Volume" to format it and make it usable.

Choosing between brands and where to buy

For NVMe drives, Samsung 870 QVO, Crucial P5, WD Black SN850X, and Kingston Fury Beast are all reliable choices. For SATA, Samsung 870 QVO, Crucial MX500, and WD Blue are solid options. For hard drives, Western Digital Blue, Seagate Barracuda, and Toshiba X300 are common in gaming builds. None of these is dramatically better than the others for gaming — the difference in real-world performance is small.

Price varies week to week and by retailer. Amazon, Newegg, and Best Buy usually have similar pricing, but it's worth checking all three. Avoid extremely cheap drives from unknown brands — the savings rarely justify the risk of failure. A drive from a major manufacturer with a three-year or five-year warranty is worth the extra few dollars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to reinstall Windows if I add a new drive?

No. A new drive shows up as a separate drive in Windows and doesn't affect your existing installation. You can move games to the new drive by changing the installation folder in Steam, Epic Games, or whatever launcher you use, or by moving the game folder after installation. You don't need to reinstall Windows.

What if my motherboard has no free M.2 slots?

Use a SATA SSD instead. If you have no free SATA ports either, you can remove an old drive you no longer need, or replace an existing drive with a larger one. You can also buy an M.2 to USB adapter and use an external drive, though this is slower than internal storage.

Can I use both an SSD and a hard drive at the same time?

Yes. Many gaming PCs use an SSD for the operating system and frequently played games, and a hard drive for storage and games you play less often. Windows and your games will run from the SSD, and you can move less-played games to the hard drive to save SSD space.

How do I know if my power supply has free SATA power connectors?

Open your case and look at the cables coming from the power supply. SATA power connectors are the wider L-shaped connectors, usually red or black. If you see unused connectors coiled up inside the case, you have free ports. If all connectors are in use, you may need a Molex-to-SATA adapter, though this adds complexity.

Will adding a drive void my warranty?

No. Adding internal storage is considered a user upgrade and doesn't void your PC warranty. Your motherboard and power supply warranties remain valid. If you damage something during installation, that's on you, but simply adding a drive won't affect your coverage.