I have an absurd amount of storage. How much exactly? 8TB, to be specific. Well, technically it's a "mere" 7.25GB because of unused partition space, but that's still a massive amount to work with. Honestly, I regret purchasing my three current NVMe drives, especially now that I have access to super-fast fiber-optic internet. Although I would argue in response thatI love this 4TB NVMe SSD.
The primary reason my drives aren't fully utilized is because I don't hesitate to download, for example, a 70GB Steam game, spend a few hours playing it, and then quickly remove it. After all, with my typical download speeds frequently exceeding 900 Mbps, deleting and reinstalling a game in just 15 minutes isn't really an issue. When your internet connection is genuinely fast, having ample storage space becomes less critical.
Storage is not as important with extremely fast internet
Who needs a 2TB SSD when you can download GTA V in 30 minutes?
My current fiber optic connection is so fast, it would leave the Road Runner in the dust... and that's after that annoying "beep beep" bird consumed 10 liters of energy drinks. On my primary desktop via a wired Ethernet connection, my average download speeds typically range between 870–900 Mbps. Although my Wi-Fi speeds aren't quite that impressive, usingOokla speed teststypically provides speeds of approximately 450 Mbps.
What does this imply for when I want to download one of my favorite Steam games? Extremely quick download speeds, that's what. I've been experimenting with Steam downloads over the last few days, and this is what my 1TB fiber-optic drive showed using an Ethernet connection.
Yes, I genuinely downloaded a charming independentdesert-based surfing sim, Sword of the Sea,in 55 seconds. And as you leap into the intense Mexican racing excitement ofForza Horizon 5It only takes 27 minutes to start downloading the 162GB file, so I rarely think twice about reserving space on one of my drives. However, if I were stuck with a 20 Mbps Wi-Fi connection that would require several hours to download Playground Games' sunny racing game, that would be a completely different situation.
My current fiber optic plan costs me approximately $45 per month, which I consider quite reasonable. In comparison, the most expensive SSD in my system costs $650. That's equivalent to 14 months of superfast broadband, as per my calculation.Sesame Street math.
This is an unfavorable time to purchase a new SSD.
Global scarcity has caused significant increases in prices.
There's no way to avoid it:The RAM shortage is no longer just a concern for PC enthusiasts. With the sharp increase in memory prices, the cost of SSDs has also risen significantly. As AI data centers consume vast amounts of storage, the unprecedented demand for memory at a large corporate level has completely shifted manufacturers' production focus. The flash memory market—commonly referred to as "NAND"—which is essential for SSD manufacturing, has undergone a fundamental transformation that is expected to last for the foreseeable future.
The three NVMe drives installed in my computer would set me back $1,593 if I had to purchase them now. That's a ridiculous amount, I realize. While my 4TB Crucial T700 ($649), 2TB Sabrent Rocket 4.0 Plus, and 2TB WD_BLACK SN850X are all excellent drives, I can't see myself spending that much on them right now.
The three NVMe drives in my computer would set me back $1,593 if I had to purchase them again now.
In 2026, leading SSD manufacturers such as Samsung and Western Digital have redirected their focus towards meeting the demands of AI data centers, which require significant amounts of HBM (High Bandwidth Memory). The production of HBM has become more crucial for these companies' financial performance than creating conventional consumer SSDs, resulting in a reduced availability of standard storage options for everyday users. As a consequence of the limited supply of SATA and NVMe SSDs for the general public, the prices of available storage solutions have notably increased.
The present global storage market is primarily geared towards meeting the needs of AI, above all else. Because of this, PC enthusiasts looking for affordable SSDs are being overlooked.
Cloud gaming has decreased the necessity for large SSDs
In the here and GeForce Now
Google Stadia may have experienced significant setbacks a few years back, but the company was correct in taking a chance on a gaming future where hardware wasn't the main factor. Fast-forward a few short years, andCloud gaming has improved so rapidly that I truly regret purchasing my gaming laptop.. You no longer have to own an RTX 5090 to experienceCyberpunk 2077With full path tracing activated at high frame rates, you don't need to delete 84.97GB of storage to cause chaos on the gritty streets of Night City.
If you have reliable high-speed internet, and I'm not referring to my 1GB fiber A-Train-shaming, you can experience many fantastic PC games without needing top-of-the-line GPU equipment or a huge SSD. I've been collecting an enormous Steam library since 2004, and launching theNvidia GeForce NowAn app on my Windows 11 laptop allows me to stream 154 of my titles through Team Green's streaming platform.
If you're looking to enjoy visually stunning games such asAlan Wake 2 or PragmataOn GeForce Now, a 35Mbps connection offers smooth streaming capable of delivering 120FPS at 1440p resolution. If you're looking to fully utilize the $20 per month, premium Ultimate tier of GeForce Now, 4K/120FPS gaming can be achieved with a 45 Mbps connection. Given that typical broadband speeds in North America are approximately 300 Mbps, these requirements are not particularly high.
GeForce Now Ultimate is truly remarkable. By leveraging remote RTX 5080 hardware, Nvidia's specialized servers deliver exceptionally high-quality visuals due to the elevated bitrates in the company's streaming service. Additionally, input lag stays impressively minimal thanks to Nvidia Reflex technology.
For individuals who can't afford a new GPU or find it hard to justify spending more than $300 on a 2TB NVMe drive, I believe a $20 monthly subscription to the top game streaming service I've tried offers great value.
My fiber connection is extremely quick, making me regret purchasing several SSDs.
A few years back, I was completely satisfied with a couple of fast and dependable Gen4 PCIe NVMe drives. Then I was lured by the incredibly fast Gen5 Crucial T700, and my storage capacity doubled from 4TB to 8TB in no time. Now, since deleting and reinstalling games is so quick on my 1GB fiber optic connection, I currently have 2.93TB of free space on my Windows 11 desktop. Considering how costly SSDs are right now, that feels like a real waste. To put it simply, I won't be purchasing another drive for a very long time.
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