Experience lightning-fast loading screens and seamless day-to-day PC usage with a best NVMe SSDs designed specifically for gaming. Your gaming sessions will be better if you can easily boot into Windows and start huge open-world games like Elden Ring or Forspoken in seconds.
One of the most important upgrades you can make to your PC is to get a reliable and affordable NVMe SSD. NVMe SSDs are good for gaming consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 as well as PCs. Users of the PS5 can easily add more space to their storage by doing an upgrade on their own.
Meanwhile, owners of the Xbox Series X can enjoy DirectStorage, a cutting-edge technology that speeds up loading times in a big way. Microsoft says it can reduce CPU use by an impressive 85% and speed up game loading times by up to 200% by sending graphics data directly from the SSD to the GPU’s VRAM without using the CPU. Below we have mentioned the best NVMe SSDs.
Best NVMe SSDs Comparison Table
| SSD Model | Crucial T700 NVMe SSD | WD_Black SN850 | Samsung 990 Pro SSD 1TB | Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus | Crucial P5 Plus SSD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interface | NVMe | NVMe | NVMe | NVMe | NVMe |
| Capacity | Varies | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | 1TB | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Sequential Read Speed | Up to 3,500 MB/s | Up to 7,000 MB/s | Up to 6,900 MB/s | Up to 7,100 MB/s | Up to 6,600 MB/s |
| Sequential Write Speed | Up to 2,500 MB/s | Up to 5,300 MB/s | Up to 5,000 MB/s | Up to 5,300 MB/s | Up to 3,600 MB/s |
| Random Read Speed (4KB) | Up to 220,000 IOPS | Up to 1,000,000 IOPS | Up to 600,000 IOPS | Up to 750,000 IOPS | Up to 650,000 IOPS |
| Random Write Speed (4KB) | Up to 200,000 IOPS | Up to 720,000 IOPS | Up to 600,000 IOPS | Up to 700,000 IOPS | Up to 600,000 IOPS |
| NAND Flash Technology | 3D NAND | 3D NAND | 3D NAND | 3D NAND | 3D NAND |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years |
Crucial T700 NVMe SSD
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Interface | NVMe |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Capacity | Varies (up to 2TB) |
| Sequential Read Speed | Up to 3,500 MB/s |
| Sequential Write Speed | Up to 3,000 MB/s |
| Random Read Speed | Up to 500K IOPS |
| Random Write Speed | Up to 400K IOPS |
The Crucial T700 is an eye-poppingly good choice if you want the fastest NVMe available and are on the cutting edge. This is a PCIe Gen 5 NVMe that needs the latest technology on the motherboard to run at full speed, but it’s insanely good otherwise. Currently, this is one of the best NVMe SSDs you can consider now.
The T700 can achieve sequential read/write speeds of up to 12,400/11,800MB/s, which is twice as fast as Crucial’s own P5 gen 4 NVMe. It does need to be kept cool, though, because if it gets too hot under a heavy load, it may shut down. So, to keep it running at its best, we’d suggest getting the version with the huge heatsink. You’ll also need to make sure that the air flows well through your system. If not, it’s another great game from Crucial.
Pros
- High sequential read and write speeds
- Impressive random read and write speeds
- NVMe interface ensures fast data transfer
- Available in various capacities
- Compact M.2 form factor
Cons
- May be relatively expensive compared to other options
- Limited availability in certain markets
WD_Black SN850
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Capacity | Varies (up to 2TB) |
| Sequential Read Speed | Up to 7,000 MB/s |
| Sequential Write Speed | Up to 5,300 MB/s |
| Random Read Speed | Up to 1,000K IOPS |
| Random Write Speed | Up to 1,000K IOPS |
If you have a system that can handle a PCIe Gen 4 drive, there’s not much better than this WD_Black drive. The SN850 is very fast, with read/write speeds of up to 7,000/5,300MB/s. This is a big step up from older technology. You can also get it with or without a heatsink if you’re worried about your build getting too hot. It can be expensive if you want to store more, but it is a cutting-edge choice. Overall, this is one of the best NVMe SSDs you can consider now.
Pros
- Utilizes the high-speed PCIe 4.0 interface
- Available in various capacities
- M.2 form factor for easy installation
- Suitable for gaming and demanding workloads
Cons
- Relatively higher price point
- May require a compatible motherboard with PCIe 4.0 support
Samsung 990 Pro SSD 1TB
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Capacity | 1TB |
| Sequential Read Speed | Up to 7,000 MB/s |
| Sequential Write Speed | Up to 5,000 MB/s |
| Random Read Speed | Up to 1,000K IOPS |
| Random Write Speed | Up to 1,000K IOPS |
Samsung’s new high-end NVMe SSD is the 990 Pro, which replaces the older 980 Pro. It is the fastest SSD in this group, with sequential read speeds of up to 7,450MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,900MB/s. It usually costs more than the SN850X. But we found it on sale for about $100, the same price as the SN850X and many other SSDs. Overall, this is one of the best NVMe SSDs you can consider now.
The 990 Pro is similar to the 980 Pro in terms of technology, but it has a few improvements over the 980 Pro. The most important thing is that it’s 50% more efficient than the 980 Pro. This is very important for laptops because less power use means longer battery life. The 990 Pro is also optimized for Microsoft’s DirectStorage API, which helps games load faster.
The only sizes for the 990 Pro are 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB, but each size has a version with or without a heatsink. The models with the heatsink cost $20 more than the ones without it, but you probably won’t need it if the device you’re putting this SSD in already has a heatsink for SSDs. With a five-year warranty and a durability of 600TBW per TB of capacity (up to 2,400TBW for the 4TB model), this SSD should last a very long time. If it doesn’t, you can ask Samsung to replace it.
Pros
- Exceptional sequential and random read speeds
- Reliable performance from a reputable brand
- M.2 form factor for easy installation
- Suitable for high-performance tasks and applications
Cons
- Limited sequential write speed compared to some competitors
- Utilizes the PCIe 3.0 interface, which is slower than PCIe 4.0
Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Capacity | Varies (up to 4TB) |
| Sequential Read Speed | Up to 7,100 MB/s |
| Sequential Write Speed | Up to 6,600 MB/s |
| Random Read Speed | Up to 800K IOPS |
| Random Write Speed | Up to 800K IOPS |
The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus M.2 SSD is almost as good as the best of the bunch. It’s just a little bit slower than the WD Black SN850X, with peak read and write speeds of 7,100MB/s and 6,600MB/s, respectively, but it has something the SN850X doesn’t: more storage space. The Rocket 4 Plus from Sabrent comes in an 8TB version, which makes it one of the most dense SSDs you can buy right now.
The new Phison E18 controller is used in the Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus. It’s a follow-up to the popular Phison E16 controller, which is in charge of PCIe 4.0 drives from the first generation. It comes in capacities of 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB, and has a five-year warranty for 700TBW, 1400TBW, 3,000TBW, and 5,600TBW, respectively. Both the storage space and the warranty options are closer to what most other M.2 SSDs on the market offer. The drive’s cache is made of Micron NAND flash and SK Hynix RAM.
You will also get a copy of Acronis True Image from Sabrent to help you move your current installation. The drive also comes with a custom heatsink that helps it work well, and there is a separate, thinner heatsink for those who want to put it inside a PS5. For now, this is one of the best NVMe SSDs you can consider now.
Pros
- Utilizes the high-speed PCIe 4.0 interface
- Available in large capacities
- M.2 form factor for easy installation
- Suitable for demanding workloads and gaming
Cons
- Limited sequential write speed compared to some competitors
- Utilizes the PCIe 3.0 interface, which is slower than PCIe 4.0
Crucial P5 Plus SSD
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe Gen 4.0 |
| Form Factor | M.2 |
| Capacity | Up to 2TB |
| Sequential Read | Up to 6600 MB/s |
| Sequential Write | Up to 5000 MB/s |
| Random Read (4KB) | Up to 1M IOPS |
| Random Write (4KB) | Up to 1M IOPS |
| Endurance | Up to 1200TBW |
| MTTF | 2 million hours |
The Crucial P5 Plus is based on the idea that it will be a good deal, not on how fast it will be. It’s better at doing a few things well than trying to be great at everything at once. Even though it might not be the best at what it does, it can still keep up with demanding workloads and provide reliable and consistent throughput. Overall, this is one of the best NVMe SSDs you can consider now.
The Crucial NVMe Architecture controller is built in-house. It has eight channels and uses LPDDR4 DRAM to speed up FTL management. The 500GB and 1TB models each have 1GB of DRAM, while the 2TB model has 2GB. Sequential read speeds for the Crucial P5 Plus are rated at 6,600MB/s and sequential write speeds are rated at 4,000MB/s.
It’s not as good as some of the other drives on the list because it’s in the middle of the best PCIe 3.0 drives and the newer PCIe 4.0 drives, but it will be useful for powering high-end gaming systems. The P5 Plus sticks come with a five-year warranty and can last up to 1,200 TBW for the 2TB version, which is pretty good. The lower-capacity sticks can only last half as long. That doesn’t have to be a problem, and most M.2 SSDs have it.
Pros
- Blazing-fast transfer speeds with PCIe Gen 4.0 interface.
- High capacity options up to 2TB for ample storage space.
Cons
- Relatively higher cost compared to SATA-based SSDs.
- May not be suitable for older systems that lack M.2 slots or PCIe Gen 4.0 support.
FAQs
NVMe, which stands for “Non-Volatile Memory Express,” is a storage interface protocol made for Solid State Drives (SSDs). It gives SSDs a faster and more efficient way to connect to a computer, making them much faster and better at what they do than SSDs that use SATA.
The “best” NVMe SSD depends on what each person wants and needs. But the Samsung 980 PRO, the Western Digital Black SN850, the Crucial P5, the Kingston A2000, and the Adata XPG SX8200 Pro are all popular and well-liked NVMe SSDs. When choosing the best NVMe SSD for your needs, it’s important to think about things like storage capacity, performance, durability, and price.
To use an NVMe SSD, your computer must have a free NVMe-compatible M.2 slot or a PCIe expansion slot with an adapter. Also, if you want to use the SSD as a boot drive, make sure that the BIOS or UEFI firmware on your system supports NVMe booting.
