India’s gaming market is experiencing exceptional growth, influenced by affordable smartphones, wider internet access, and a young, technology-savvy population. This growth is generating a significant demand for high-performance storage, as noted by Taninder Sijher, VP of Systems Design Engineering at Sandisk. In a detailed discussion with Startup Superb, Sijher shared insights on how artificial intelligence and next-generation gaming are altering storage needs and user expectations across India.

India’s Gaming Boom

India’s gaming boom is fuelled by various factors, such as budget-friendly smartphones, increasing internet accessibility, easy availability of game titles, and a youthful, tech-oriented demographic, according to Sijher. He pointed out that the growth of eSports and streaming services is not confined to metropolitan areas; Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are becoming significant players in this trend.

Gamers in India are now engaging with larger, more immersive experiences, often streaming their gameplay or sharing their content online. This surge in gaming has positioned storage as a critical element of the user experience, Sijher remarked.

Why Storage Matters More Than Ever

As modern games grow in size due to enhanced graphics, regular updates, and added content, the importance of storage extends beyond mere capacity. “Storage acts as a performance enabler,” Sijher emphasised. With the rising demand for ultra-fast loading times, players seek storage solutions that provide high capacity, high performance, and reliability.

The popularity of real-time game recording, editing, and streaming has further raised the bar for robust storage needs. Today’s gamers not only play but also create and share content seamlessly across various platforms. Sandisk’s offerings are tailored to accommodate these ecosystems, serving everyone from casual mobile gamers to console and PC enthusiasts. As artificial intelligence propels more sophisticated gaming experiences, it is crucial for storage to keep up, enabling seamless and responsive gameplay, noted Sijher.

SSD Adoption Trends in India

In spite of the price-sensitive nature of the market, Indian gamers are increasingly investing in high-performance storage options. Sijher highlighted a notable trend in SSD adoption. According to the CMR India Consumer SSD Market Review Report for Q3 2024, the Indian market registered a 37% quarter-on-quarter growth in internal SSD shipments. Gamers are well-informed and recognise that a high-performance SSD, like the WD_BLACK SN8100, is essential for optimising their next-gen gaming setups.

This trend indicates a broader transformation within the gaming ecosystem, where players are more willing to invest in PCs and accessories that enhance their gaming experience. High-speed SSDs are now viewed as crucial for both competitive gaming and content creation processes.

AI Drives Smarter Storage

Artificial intelligence is also influencing storage requirements significantly. As AI workloads become increasingly complex, storage solutions must evolve to accommodate data-heavy applications. Sijher highlighted Sandisk’s latest enterprise-grade advancement: the 256TB NVMe SSD.

“This SSD is designed to support AI-centric, data-intensive tasks such as data ingestion, preparation, and rapid AI data lakes, all while ensuring high performance and energy efficiency, thereby optimising total cost of ownership for high-capacity uses in hyperscale cloud environments,” Sijher explained. With reduced latency, increased bandwidth, and superior reliability, hyperscale flash storage is essential for the most demanding AI workloads today.

Tailored Storage Solutions for Users

Storage demands are rapidly evolving, and generic solutions are no longer adequate. Across diverse user segments, there is a marked increase in the desire for speed, capacity, durability, portability, and seamless integration into workflows, Sijher noted.

Content creators face distinct challenges, such as managing 4K and 8K video, RAW images, and sizable project files without hampering their productivity. Sandisk’s offerings, including the Creator Series and the WD Blue SN5100 NVMe SSD, provide high-speed, portable storage solutions customised for creators and professionals managing AI-driven processes.

Looking Ahead: Future Technologies and Trends

As he looks to the future, Sijher is particularly enthusiastic about advancements in high-capacity, high-performance, and energy-efficient SSDs. “From a tech perspective, I am eager about HBF technology and its potential to transform edge AI,” he shared.

High-capacity enterprise solutions, such as the UltraQLC 256TB NVMe SSD, are establishing new standards for hyperscale flash storage. “With reduced latency, increased bandwidth, and enhanced reliability, it offers the performance necessary for today’s most challenging AI applications,” Sijher added.

He anticipates ongoing innovation within the storage sector as AI adoption continues to rise. “We will witness sustained advancements in the storage industry, which is a source of excitement,” Sijher stated.