What Size SSD Do You Need for Windows 10?

Let’s take a look at the different sizes of SSDs and how much storage space you’ll need for Windows 10.

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Operating system file size

It is important to know the file size of the operating system you are using so that you can determine how large of an SSD you will need.

Windows 10

SSD sizing for Windows 10 can be a bit confusing because Microsoft actually offers four different versions of the OS. The choice you make should be based on two factors: 1) How much storage space do you have on your current hard drive, and 2) How much money are you willing to spend?

Here’s a quick rundown of the different versions and their file sizes:
-Windows 10 Home: 3.11GB
-Windows 10 Pro: 3.31GB
-Windows 10 Enterprise: 3.35GB
-Windows 10 Education: 3.35GB

Windows 8/8.1

Windows 8 and 8.1 have much lower system requirements than Windows 10, so you can get away with a smaller SSD. If you’re running Windows 8 or 8.1 on a laptop with a traditional hard drive, you’ll see a significant performance boost by upgrading to a small SSD. If you have a desktop with a hard drive, you can improve performance by adding a small SSD alongside your hard drive for your operating system and applications, and using the hard drive for storage.

-32GB: Can store the operating system and some basic apps, but you’ll probably have to keep your photos and music on an external drive.

-64GB: Provides more breathing room for apps and media files. If you have a lot of photos and music, you may still need an external drive.

-128GB and up: Gives you plenty of space for apps, photos, music, and videos.

Windows 7

Windows 7 Ultimate has a recommended minimum of 16 GB for the 32-bit version and 20 GB for the 64-bit version. Professional and Home Premium have lower minimums of 8 GB and 4 GB respectively, but in practice, you’ll need at least 12 GB just to be comfortable.

You can get by with less if you install to a traditional hard drive, but even then I recommend at least 60 GB. If you have a lot of programs or games, or you do a lot of image or video editing, plan on having even more free space. You’ll be glad you did.

Program file size

Windows 10 requires a minimum of 16 GB of storage to run, but if you have a lot of programs installed, you’ll need more space. One way to figure out how much storage you need is to look at the size of the program files. Here’s a look at the average file size for some of the most popular programs.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a resource-intensive program, and the size of the program file can vary depending on the version you’re using. The latest version of Photoshop CC (Creative Cloud) is 1.8 GB, while an older version like Photoshop CS6 is only 1 GB.

If you’re working with large image files or complex projects, you may need more storage space for Adobe Photoshop. We recommend at least a 250 GB SSD for light use, and a 500 GB SSD for more demanding use cases.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that includes Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Outlook. Microsoft Office is available for both Windows and Mac OS X platforms.

The current version of Microsoft Office for Windows is Office 2016. The current version of Microsoft Office for Mac OS X is Office 2011.

Microsoft Office typically requires between 3 GB and 6 GB of storage space for a complete installation.

Google Chrome

If you’re looking for a good web browser, you can’t go wrong with Google Chrome. It’s fast, stable, and has a ton of features. However, one thing you might not like about Chrome is its file size.

Chrome is a large program, and it can take up a lot of space on your hard drive. The program file size for the 64-bit version of Chrome is approximately 65 MB. That might not seem like a lot, but it can add up if you have multiple programs installed on your computer.

If you’re worried about storage space, you can always uninstall Chrome and reinstall it when you need it. However, if you use Chrome regularly, it might be worth investing in a larger hard drive or solid state drive (SSD).

Game file size

If you have a solid state drive (SSD) big enough to hold your operating system and all the software you use, you may not need any other drive. You can get away with a smaller SSD if you have a larger hard drive for files such as documents, music, movies, and photos. Let’s take a look at how to figure out how much storage you need.

Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V is an action-adventure game played from either a first-person or third-person perspective. Players complete missions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. The game’s large map allows players to freely roam Los Santos and its countryside, consisting of the city of Los Santos, the fictional state of San Andreas, and the countryside area. The single-player mode lets players control three characters: Michael De Santa, Trevor Philips, and Franklin Clinton—criminals whose stories interconnect as they complete missions. Some missions are completed with only one character and others feature two or three. Throughout single-player, players may engage in combat, driving (including flying vehicles), swimming, bicycling or running to navigate the game’s world.

Witcher 3

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a large game, coming in at around 50 GB. If you want to install the game on an SSD, you will need at least that much free space. The game will also take up additional space for saved games, mods, and other data. If you plan on modding the game, you should allow for even more space.

Fallout 4

The file size for Fallout 4 varies depending on the platform you’re playing on. The game is approximately 12GB on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when purchasing an SSD for your Windows 10 PC. The size of the drive is just one of them. Hopefully, this article has helped you understand a little more about the subject so that you can make an informed decision about which drive is right for you.