I will be playing PC games on external memory via a USB 3.0 connection. Ignoring price and memory capacity differences, which of these options is better for gameplay purposes?:
- a Flash USB (generally better at transferring many small files), or
- an External Hard Disk Drive (HDD) (generally better at transferring large files)
I've been told that the main downside to gaming externally is slower load times. In general, is loading, mainly heaps of small files or a couple of large files?
If it matters, the type of game I will be playing is Fallout 4, a large open world game.
I'm using a MacBook Pro, Retina, Mid 2012. Running Windows 8.1 via Boot Camp. I have SSD internal storage, but only about 35GB left on the partition for Windows.
Which memory type should I use if I'm gaming externally? Flash or external HDD?
Best Answer
I believe neither are good options.
Running Fallout 4 will most likely keep the drive active for the entire duration of your playtime. Neither external flash nor HDD have sufficient heat dissipation to handle that. You will most likely destroy your drive very quickly.
Unfortunately you probably won't know this is happening because the external drive are typically housed in a box. You will have to take the device apart to notice this.
If you are still considering this, look for a high quality, metal external drive, with an active heat sink (has a fan) and also heat sink fins on the box. However, these are significantly more expensive.
As an alternative, the 1.8"/2.5" format is usually safer. The HDD itself are designed for laptops, and usually generates less heat because the "boxed in" environment are exactly how they operate in a laptop. However, do look for a metal one that feels cool to the touch (heat dissipation), and avoid plastic ones.
Note: your HDD itself will most like be fine, but the enclosure is usually a cheap plastic box with no holes. Cheap plastic electronic + heat is usually a combination to stay away from :)