If I have the choice, should I install my NI libraries on my hard drive or on an external ssd?

Arcady

Hey all,

I am a NI user, currently re-installing my whole music prod setup.

I was using NI instruments with my kontakt libraries on an external ssd drive until a couple of weeks ago, when my ssd drive crashed. It did create a lot of issues, even in the NI-Ableton relationship, hence the complete re-installation today. Not funny

I am now hesitating between using my internal hard drive (i have enough space) or remaining on external ssd. What are the real benefits of ssd vs hdd? Is it only a load time thing? Meaning once the plug in is loaded, do they perform at the same level? ...or is it more than that?

Thanks a lot for your advice!

A

JesterMgee

Personally, I prefer to only use internal space which is why I have a desktop PC loaded with SSDs and a HDD. Of course if you use a macbook, you have no real options, you have to use what is provided or a USB attached drive (formatted to the correct drive format)

Quite simply, if you have the spave to store all your content on the internal drive with enough headroom for future installs and at least 15%+ overhead just to allow smooth running then i'd install on the internal drive 100%, just saves less hassle and keeps it all together.

But there should be no issue iwth having just library content on an external USB3 SSD drive, just purchase a good quality drive.

Difference between a HDD and SSD is mostly speed but also performance. Loading can be longer of course on a HDD but what some don't factor in is not just the loading of a library buyt opening a project and having it try manye load 8 large instruments at the same time, a mechanical drive can litterally take 10 minutes to load a large project where a SSD has no seek time so will easily handle larger projects. Then there is the sample streaming abilities for instruments that dont buffer their content to memory but stream it from the disk, using a HDD you can sometimes get cut or missing notes or just not streaming the sounds correctly at all. For this kind of stuff I think the suggestion would always be to go for an SSD.