Intel Optane Memory loads PC games faster, but by how much?

By Joe Osborne

Intel’s Optane Memory modules look to bring high-speed storage to more people, aiming to bolster cheaper spinning drives as an alternative to solid-state storage with a solution that’s less expensive for the purchaser overall.

Of course, one area where Intel hopes to see traction for these M.2 slot-bound modules is PC gaming, a hobby that’s expensive enough as it is, with many gamers having to choose between fast (SSD) and capacious (HDD) storage solutions, but not able to get both without spending a small fortune.

While these modules require the latest Intel chipset to function, the idea is to bring the speed of SSDs to higher-capacity HDDs without resorting to today’s common SSD boot drive solution. An option that, mind you, many PC gamers can’t realistically afford and some can’t be bothered to configure.

So, does Intel Optane’s 3DXpoint technology grant spinning hard drives a new lease on life inside gaming PCs everywhere? Well, we wouldn’t say everywhere, but Optane certainly does work.

It just depends entirely too much on the game at hand, not to mention your financial situation and level of technical knowhow.

Optane loads PC games faster, but which ones?

To figure out whether Optane memory modules actually work, we’ve run …read more

Source:: techradar.com – Computing Components