Why does Steam unpacking take so long?
Steam unpacking feels like it takes forever because it's actually doing a ton of work behind the scenes. When you download a game, it's compressed to speed up download times. Unpacking is the process of decompression, and because games these days can be huge, your PC is basically unpacking a digital Mt. Everest. Plus, the speed of your hard drive plays a huge role. If you're running a traditional HDD instead of an SSD, it's like trying to run through molasses.
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Honestly, I think people just need to chill and give their PCs a break. Unpacking takes time because your computer is carefully laying out all the game files so you can play without hitches. It's like setting up dominoes perfectly; rush it and you'll have a mess.
Simple answer: Big games, small pipeline. It's all about your hard drive speed. SSDs unpack games like a hot knife through butter, but if you're on an old HDD, it's like trying to squeeze a watermelon through a garden hose.
It's not the unpacking that's slow, it's your PC that's fast asleep. Time to upgrade to an SSD, folks!
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