As we do with all of our best lists, we thoroughly tested each device using benchmarks and real-world experiences to give you a full picture of the SSDs on the market right now. Then, in our reviews, our experts give you all the important details and tell you how these results are likely to affect you.
We haven’t had a chance to test PCIe 5.0 SSDs yet, but we will soon, so keep an eye out for those reviews. The next generation of storage technology is PCIe 5.0. It aims to make reading and writing data faster.
We can still do a lot of interesting things with the tools we already have, in addition to adding exciting new SSDs to this guide. So, it’s always a good idea to save this page and come back to it, since we regularly add the latest SSDs that our experts have tested.
Along with our thorough testing of SSDs, we’ve also looked at a variety of PC parts to help you build your own computer. Check out best gaming CPUs, best graphics cards, and more for our guides on these.
1. Samsung 860 Evo
The Samsung 860 Evo can get as much performance as possible out of its old SATA interface. It’s important to remember that the newer M.2 SSD standard, like the PNY XLR8 CS3140, can help anyone with a modern NVMe-compatible computer. But Samsung’s solution still works fine and can be used with older systems that don’t support NVMe drives.
The older SATA standard only allowed for speeds of up to 600MB/s, so the Samsung 860 Evo has low read and write speeds of 550MB/s and 520MB/s, respectively. This means it’s not a good choice for gamers or anyone who wants their computer to start up quickly and move data quickly.
But anyone who just needs a PC for basic work tasks will be happy with how fast it loads and moves files. It’s also a great choice for people who want a lot of storage space at a low price. It comes in a wide range of configurations, including 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB, and the prices are very reasonable. With so many choices, you should be able to find a price and a way to store your things that works for you.
Pros:
- Lots of different sizes.
- Well priced
- Good performance in every way.
- Excellent endurance
Cons:
- Not much faster than the drive before.
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2. PNY XLR8 CS3140 1TB
The PNY XLR8 CS3140 is the best SSD we’ve looked at so far. We thought it was one of the fastest and most reliable Gen 4.0 SSDs on the market right now. It also comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB versions, so almost anyone should be able to find a model that works for them.
During our tests, we got scores of up to 7500MB/s for reading and 5650MB/s for writing. Even though the last scores are a little lower, we found that this SSD could load files from Windows Explorer in seconds, so you shouldn’t have any trouble downloading files or moving larger games or data to another drive.
Even though Gen 5.0 SSDs are coming, we don’t think it’s a bad idea to buy the PNY XLR8 CS3140. It has more than enough power to run today’s games, and we don’t see it going out of style any time soon. This SSD is a great choice if you want to run games with instant load times because of how cheap it is and how fast it is.
Pros:
- Excellent sequential read performance
- Transfer rates that stay the same
- Leading durability
Cons:
- Low capacities have a limit on how fast they can write.
- Gen 5.0 is pretty much here
3. WD Black SN850 1TB
The WD Black SN850 may not be one of the least expensive SSDs on this list, but we still think it’s a great deal because it works so well. It is also often on sale, with the 1TB version going for as little as £118.99.
This SSD works with both PCs and the PS5, and it can read and write at speeds of up to 7,000MB/s and 5,300MB/s, respectively. The speed at which files were moved was very fast. For example, the 110GB game Mortal Kombat 11 was moved at 1.65GB/s from a different Gen 4 SSD.
The downside of the heatsink model is that the drive can get very hot after a long time of use. But since most people won’t be testing their SSD in this way, we don’t think this will be a huge problem for most people, even though it is something to be aware of.
Overall, if you want to upgrade your setup but don’t want to spend too much, the WD Black SN850 is one of the best options on the market. It comes in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB versions, so you should be able to find a configuration and price that works for you.
Pros:
- Great sequential performance
- Often written off in 2022
- Well made
Cons:
- Usurped by the WD Black SN850X
- It gets really hot
4. Solidigm P41 Plus
The Solidigm P41 Plus is the most affordable M.2 SSD on this list. This SSD isn’t the best choice if you want the fastest speeds on the market, but for the price, we thought it did well where it matters most: in games.
You may have noticed that this entry’s read and write speeds are not as fast as some of the others on this list. When we tested the 1TB model, we found that the write speeds were 4,125MB/s and the read speeds were 2,950MB/s. We thought that loading times were short, even for games with a lot of content, and almost non-existent for older games like Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator.
This is a good deal for a Gen 4.0 device, and it should have enough power for a lot of gamers. But it doesn’t have much power, and Gen 5.0 SSDs will definitely blow it out of the water since it’s already behind its own generation.
If price is more important to you than performance, this is one of the best SSDs we’ve looked at, but for better long-term value, you might want to look at drives that cost a little more.
Pros:
- Prices that are comparable
- Decent sequential performance
- Having a solid build
Cons:
- Gen 4.0 is about to be thrown out.
- No encryption on the hardware
5. SK Hynix Platinum P41
This SSD is a powerhouse that really pushes the limits of what a Gen 4.0 SSD can do. One of the worst things about the SK Hynix Platinum P41 is its high price. This is especially true since the new PCle Gen 5.0 generation is almost here, but if you want the best performance, it might be worth it.
It has 176 layers of NAND flash memory, which lets it have some of the best write endurance of any M.2 NVMe drive we’ve tested. The SK Hynix Platinum P41 can reach write speeds of up to 7,000MB/s and read speeds of up to 6,500MB/s. This makes it one of the best drives to date.
And if you’re looking for something to play games on, this SSD had almost no loading time with games that were made for Gen 4.0 speeds. Halo Infinite, for example, loaded up in a matter of seconds.
If you want to save money, the WD Black SN850 or the Solidigm P41 Plus are both good options. But if money isn’t an issue, this is one of the fastest SSDs on the market right now. It comes in three sizes: 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB.
Pros:
- Gen 4.0 is pushed to its limits.
- Strong random performance
- High write endurance and durability
Cons:
- Gen 5.0 will come out in less than a month.
- Premium price tag
- Availability is limited right now
