NVMe vs SSD vs HDD for Game Servers: Does Storage Matter?

Storage type is one of the most overlooked factors in game server performance. Here is how NVMe, SATA SSD and HDD compare.

Speed Comparison

TypeRead SpeedWrite SpeedLatency
NVMe SSD3,500-7,000 MB/s2,000-5,000 MB/sUnder 0.1ms
SATA SSD500-550 MB/s450-520 MB/sUnder 0.5ms
HDD80-160 MB/s80-160 MB/s5-10ms

Where It Matters

  • Minecraft: Chunk generation and loading (exploring new areas)
  • Rust: Map loading, especially with large maps and many entities
  • ARK: World saves and dinosaur spawning
  • Any game: Server startup time and auto-save operations

The HostValues Difference

All HostValues servers run exclusively on NVMe SSDs. No SATA fallbacks, no spinning disks. This means your server loads fast, generates terrain quickly and saves without lag spikes.

Ready to get started?

View our plans and pricing, or order directly.

View plans

Still stuck? Open a support ticket and our team will help you out.

Back to the blog