[new computer] Should I install Steam on smaller SSD or bigger HDD?

Hi all, I'll be getting a new gaming Desktop PC in a few days time, and I've never had a computer with both a SSD and a HDD (the one I have now is nearly 11 years old! And it's all installed on a single HDD [though a lot of my files are on an External HDD to save room]).

The reason I'm asking this is, as I don't know how modern computers deal with having Windows 10 installed on the SSD, and having programs such as Steam installed on the HDD - or can it be installed on the HDD and still work just as well?

What I mean is, should I install [in particular] Steam - and all my games on Steam - on my 120GB SSD (as it's faster, though it would take up room on there), or do I install Steam + games on my 2TB HDD (where there's loads more room, and it saves space for the SSD to be used purely for Windows 10)?

I know my games will take up most of the room on there (I'm thinking of installing ALL my games and leaving them installed if it's on the HDD - which will take up who knows how many GB), so I guess most of the largest games will be installed wherever Steam is installed..

So is it even possible to install Steam outside of Windows' Program Files?

I'm not sure how it all interacts with each other. I know games like Half Life 2 has its own folder - C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\sourcemods, and the rest goes into C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common

But can that/Steam be moved out of Program Files and on to my HDD, or is it too interdependant on Windows for it to work?

Thanks in advance

antspants said:

I always install Steam on a secondary HDD. The added benefit of this is that if you do this, your games are always there regardless if you are reinstalling Windows. This way only updates are needed for your games as long as you use the same file path for the steam install after reinstalling Windows.

You can also move steam and all games from C to another drive at any time, there are quite a few tutorials out there for that.

Oh cool, thanks antspants. :)

So does that mean Steam can be installed in (for example) E:\games\Steam (with the games in "\steamapps\[etc]".) then, without any problems? That'd be ideal

I installed Steam on my SSD, but I have Steam set to install all its games on a different drive. Works perfectly.