Best PCIe 4.0 SSDs 2024: Up your storage game

Image: Corsair
Most computers and storage drives easy whine the frequent SATA or PCIe 3.0 interfaces to sling your bits of files around, nonetheless must you’re lucky sufficient to bask in a rather contemporary PC, you might possibly presumably well presumably be able to give a boost to to a sturdy-bid power (SSD) constructed on the insanely snappily PCIe 4.0 protocol.
We’ve examined several PCIe 4.0 SSDs and the wonderful one to substandard our labs so a long way is the Solidgm P44 Pro in a self-discipline of refined contenders on myth of of ferociously snappily speeds handiest rivaled by subsequent-gen PCIe 5.0 SSDs.
Learn on to learn more, including what to gaze in PCIe 4.0 SSD.
Why you might possibly presumably well easy have confidence us: We’re no longer called PCWorld for nothing. Our reviewers had been making an try out PC hardware for a protracted time. Our storage critiques are exhaustive, making an try out the bounds of each and every product — from efficiency benchmarks to the practicalities of frequent whine. As PC customers ourselves, all americans is aware of what makes a killer product stand out. Fully the wonderful SSDs make this list. For more about our making an try out route of, scroll to the bottom of this text.
Updated July 26, 2024 so as to add a novel pick for Steam Deck: the 2230 create-insist A truly grand P310 — the fasted PCIe 4.0 power of this measurement that we’ve examined. We’ve additionally added a pick for the 2242 create insist — the Corsair MP600 Micro 2242. Learn our summaries under to learn more about these two minute SSDs.
Solidigm P44 Pro SSD – Fully PCIe 4.0 SSD
Pros
-
Fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD so a long way
-
DRAM facilitates fantastic random efficiency
-
Synergy low-stage Windows driver improves random efficiency extra
Cons
-
Inconsistent pricing on web
The Solidigm P44 Pro is unquestionably the quickest PCIe 4.0 power we possess ever examined. In truth, it done in some unspecified time in the future of the pinnacle 5 quickest drives in our tests, and was handiest overwhelmed by three subsequent-gen PCIe 5.0 drives. Plus, by installing the Solidigm Windows driver you might possibly presumably well possibly presumably extra give a boost to random efficiency in minute read/writes making it even sooner in some unspecified time in the future of day after day whine.
No longer handiest is the Solidigm P44 Pro efficiency high-notch, nonetheless it additionally has a extraordinarily cheap tag goodbye as you shop at the exact space—we came across that pricing varies widely online from retailer to retailer. Here is no longer handiest the wonderful PCIe 4.0 power accessible on the market, nonetheless additionally one amongst the wonderful SSDs interval. And despite stiff competition from a crowded self-discipline of other fantastic PCIe 4.0 drives it holds its bask in at the pinnacle.
Learn our fat
Solidigm P44 Pro evaluation
WD Sad SN850X – Fully PCIe 4.0 SSD runner-up
Pros
-
Unbelievable efficiency
-
Decently affordable given its streak
-
Accessible up to 4TB
-
Elective heatsink for 1/2TB models
Cons
-
Costly per gigabyte
-
Significantly parsimonious TBW rankings
The WD Sad SN850X is a screaming-snappily power and ranks exact up subsequent to the FireCuda 530 conclude to the pinnacle in phrases of streak. The motive the WD Sad SN850X edges out that power as our pick for handiest PCIe 4.0 runner-up is that it gives better tag for the money—no longer handiest does it provide the same huge streak because the FireCuda, nonetheless it does so at a decrease tag per GB.
Also, in phrases of total efficiency, the SN850X stands out with its fantastic genuine-world switch rates and unheard of random write efficiency. In the crowded self-discipline of large PCIe 4.0 SSDs, the WD Sad SN850X holds its bask in despite stiff competition.
Learn our fat
WD BLACK SN850X NVMe SSD 1 TB evaluation
WD SN5000 NVMe SSD – Fully budget PCIe 4.0 SSD
Pros
-
Dazzling day after day efficiency
-
Very affordable
-
Fastest NVMe SSD of any ilk we’ve examined writing 450GB
Cons
-
High efficiency requires HMB support
With PCIe 5.0 drives coming to market, we’re in the smash beginning to appear at corporations offering budget PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives at compelling costs. Our outdated pick, the WD Blue SN580 NVMe SSD, has factual been supplanted by WD’s Blue SN5000. At factual $75 for a 1TB model at the time of writing, and with fast transfers, you obtained’t seemingly fetch an even bigger tag PCIe 4.0 power.
In our making an try out, this power proved to be amongst the quickest Host Memory Buffer (HMB) SSDs we’ve examined. And no longer like the SN580 earlier than it, the SN5000 didn’t falter at the 450GB switch take a look at, nonetheless as a replacement tied the list amongst all SSDs.
Learn our fat
WD SN5000 NVMe SSD (4 TB) evaluation
A truly grand P310 (2230) – Fully PCIe 4.0 SSD for Steam Deck
Pros
-
Fastest 2230 SSD we’ve examined
-
Accessible with up to 2TB of capability
Cons
-
Low TBW patience rating
Whilst you might possibly presumably well well like a 2230 NVMe SSD to your Steam Deck or other measurement-constrained instrument, watch no extra than the A truly grand P310. Here is the quickest 2230 SSD we’ve examined, and by a quite clear margin.
It bested our outdated favourite 2230 power — the WD Sad SN770M — in every benchmark establish for the 450GB switch, where it lost steam at the 85 percent mark after working out of secondary cache. Nonetheless clear transfers are uncommon for most customers.
The P310 is a shrimp more costly than the SN770M, too, nonetheless no longer by unheard of more than $10 for both the 1TB and 2TB offerings.
If optimum streak is what you’re after, and you don’t foresee on a frequent basis transferring clear amounts of files, the P310 is the tag.
Learn our fat
A truly grand P310 NVMe SSD (2230) evaluation
Seagate Game Force – Fully PCIe 4.0 SSD for PS5
Pros
-
Unbelievable total efficiency
-
Unbelievable 4K efficiency
-
Low-profile heatsink
-
Twice the TBW rating of the competition
Cons
-
A shrimp bit costly
-
No 4TB model
The Seagate Game Force is a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD that was made namely for subsequent-gen consoles—the PS5 namely. And it doesn’t disappoint. It facets DRAM for predominant caching responsibilities, which is a shrimp recent and nearly primary for Sony’s console design. The PS5 doesn’t support HMB, so a power akin to this with DRAM cache is the optimal preference. The capability comes in 1TB and 2TB models, meaning you’ll possess hundreds of region to retailer your total games might possibly presumably well possibly also easy you might possibly presumably well well prefer it.
While the Seagate Game Force is optimized for a PS5, it’s no streak as a frequent SSD both. In our streak tests it did remarkably smartly, incomes the distance because the 2d-quickest PCIe 4.0 SSD with random ops that we’ve ever examined. Seagate additionally gives a generous 5-year warranty with the capability and it has an fantastic 1,275TBW rating—more than double the change norm. PS5 owners simply can’t travel disagreeable with the Seagate Game Force.
Learn our fat
Seagate Game Force PS5 NVMe SSD evaluation
Corsair MP600 Micro 2242 SSD – Fully 2242 create insist SSD
Pros
-
Affirm match for Lenovo 2242 M.2 slots
-
Dazzling efficiency
-
Priced cheaply
Cons
-
Too long for 2230 slots
The Corsair MP600 Micro fills the niche of devices that might possibly presumably well accommodate an SSD that’s bigger than the 2230 create insist former by recreation consoles, nonetheless no longer as clear because the frequent 2280 modules which are most recurrently came across for PCs. We’re speaking concerning the 2242 create insist — meaning 22mm wide by 42mm long.
Lenovo build off this pattern with its Legion Fling and Thinkpad portables. And owners of these devices needs to be contented to know there are some legit choices for storage upgrades — the wonderful of which is the Corsair MP600 Micro.
This isn’t the quickest PCIe 4.0 power we’ve examined, nonetheless amongst the class of truncated drives we’ve examined, it grew to turn into out very competitive efficiency. In the meanwhile, you’ll handiest fetch the MP600 Micro in 1TB capability. For customers who need more region, stumble on the A truly grand P310 above, which is a 2230 power in up to 2TB — which is in a position to require an adapter.
Learn our fat
Corsair MP600 Micro 2242 SSD evaluation
What to gaze in an SSD
There are some issues to appear at out for, nonetheless most considerably you’ll must focal point on capability, tag, and warranty length. Three-year warranties are traditional, nonetheless some nicer models are assured for up to 5 years. And no longer like the olden days of SSDs, contemporary drives obtained’t save on out with frequent person usage, as Tech Chronicle examined and proved years ago with a grueling patience take a look at.
One more primary thing to stumble on out for is the skills former to join the SSD to your PC. For more particulars and procuring for advice you might possibly presumably well possibly presumably read our in-depth files on which create of SSD you might possibly presumably well easy aquire.
- SATA: This refers to both the connection form and the switch protocol, which is former to join most 2.5-slump and 3.5-slump exhausting drives and SSDs to your PC. SATA III speeds can hit roughly 600MBps, and most—nonetheless no longer all—contemporary drives max it out. (Extra on that in the next piece.)
- PCIe: This interface faucets into four of your computer’s PCIe lanes to blow away SATA speeds, to the tune of with regards to 4GBps over PCIe gen 3. Those create of face-melting speeds pair correctly with supercharged NVMe drives. Each and every the PCIe lanes to your motherboard and the M.2 slot to your motherboard might possibly presumably also be wired to assist the PCIe interface, and you might possibly presumably well well aquire adapters that enable you slot “gumstick” M.2 drives into a PCIe lane. PCIe 4.0 drives are very much sooner, nonetheless require an AMD Ryzen 3000-sequence or Intel Core 11th-gen (or newer) processor, along with a acceptable PCIe 4.0 motherboard.
- NVMe: Non-Volatile Memory Speak skills takes advantage of PCIe’s bountiful bandwidth to have an effect on blisteringly snappily SSDs that blow SATA-essentially essentially based mostly drives out of the water. Compare out PCWorld’s “The total lot or no longer it can presumably well possibly be primary to know about NVMe” for a nitty-gritty deep-dive.
- M.2: Here is where issues rating tricky. Many contributors take into account M.2 drives all whine NVMe skills and PCIe speeds, nonetheless that’s no longer appropriate form. M.2 is factual a create insist. Certain, most M.2 SSDs whine NVMe, nonetheless some easy stick with SATA. Discontinue your homework. Many contemporary Ultrabooks depend on M.2 for storage.
- U.2 and mSATA: You might presumably well additionally stumble across mSATA and U.2 SSDs, nonetheless both motherboard support and product availability are uncommon for these formats. Some older Ultrabooks included mSATA earlier than M.2 grew to turn into in vogue, and drives are easy accessible in uncover for you them.
Slide issues, of route, nonetheless as we mentioned most contemporary SSDs saturate the SATA III interface. No longer all of them, though.
How we take a look at SSDs
We take a look at SSDs using a unfold of synthetic benchmarks (akin to CrystalDiskMark 6’s diversified tests) and genuine-world tests, including 48GB transfers that showcase how a power performs in some unspecified time in the future of frequent projects, and additionally a stressful 450GB switch take a look at that pushes an SSD’s cache efficiency to the restrict.
The PCIe 4.0 making an try out was performed on an MSI MEG X570 motherboard socketing an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-core CPU, using the same Kingston DRAM, playing cards, and design. All making an try out is performed on an empty, or with regards to empty power. Command: efficiency will decrease because the capability fills up.
To learn more about our making an try out methodology stumble on PCWorld’s article on how we take a look at inner SSDs.