However, with the inevitable saturation of the market, finding the best NVMe SSD can be a technical burden for many people. Thanks to just how many there, and that is the reason why we have decided to help our fellow techies make the right decision. These SSDs are not only fast, they are super-compact, and not to forget, they are also very good with their lifespan, which means that if you are buying them for the sake of keeping them along for a long, long time. That is what you are going to get out of them.
Best NVME SSD – Full Detailed Chart!
Best NVME SSD
The list was made with a single purpose in mind, and that was to provide the readers with options that are good for them. We have rigorously tested every single product that is on the list to ensure maximum support for older and newer hardware. That means you will not have to stress over this.
#1 – SAMSUNG 980 PRO
The first option that we are looking at is from Samsung. Now, Samsung surprised us all when they brought in the SSDs to the general consumer market because none of us was expecting that the company is going to deliver on so many good things, but they have done that, and the SAMSUNG 980 PRO is just something that carries the torch forward.
PCI-E 4.0 interface. Max speeds up to 6,900 MB/s. Backwards compatible. M.2 2280 form factor. Embedded with Samsung’s cutting-edge thermal control algorithm. End-to-end integration. Item Dimensions 3.15 x 0.87 x 0.09 inches. Hardware Interface: Solid State Drive
Unmatched, blistering fast speed. AES 256-bit encryption for added security. Black PCB for stealthy looks. Impressive software bundle. 5-year warranty.
None at the given price/performance.
If you are looking for something that is fast and cannot be rivaled at all, then the 980 Pro is the one that you should be going for. As it delivers speeds faster than you might need, provided you have the right platform for it. Not just that, you are also getting great security with AES 256-Bit encryption. Moving on, we are also getting access to a black PCB, and the reason why this is an important thing is that this PCB is generally more expensive, and not many manufacturers prefer going that way. Samsung’s bundled software package is also an impressive one. Therefore, you are getting access to something great. Not to forget, the SSD ships with a 5-year warranty. Therefore, you can be at peace, knowing that your storage and your data is not going anywhere. As far as the downsides are concerned, I have spent enough time with the SSD to tell you that there is nothing that I found that could compromise the overall integrity and the review of this SSD.
#2 – Gigabyte AORUS
I am well aware of all the offerings from Gigabyte as far as their components are concerned, but I never really knew that the company would foray into making SSDs, as well, but they ended up doing it, and it was a successful experiment as the Gigabyte AORUS NVMe SSD is one of the finest options that I have tested. Overall, I would say that Samsung has hit a home run with the Samsung 980 Pro as it delivers on more fronts than you might imagine in the first place. That is certainly a good thing because you are getting a great performer in your hands for a good price, too. Not to forget, it is ridiculously fast, which is just what makes this SSD a great option.
M.2 2280 form factor. Sequential Read Speed: up to 5000 MB/s Sequential Write speed: up to 4400 MB/s PCI-E 4.0 support. Copper Thermal Solution. High Conductivity Thermal Pad. Item Dimensions: 5.12 x 3.15 x 1.18 inches.
One of the fastest consumer great SSD available in the market. Massive heatsink for great thermals. Insane endurance rating of 3,600 TBW. 5-year warranty for added peace of mind.
None.
Now there are plenty of good things about the Gigabyte AORUS SSD, and for starters, if you are looking for a drive that delivers faster performance that you can think about, then this should be right up your alley. Not just that, Gigabyte is well aware of the thermal issues, and therefore, has included a beefy heatsink to keep things cool. There is a lot about this SSD that I love, including the ridiculous endurance rating of 3,600 TBW, which makes everything a lot better. For those who are looking for more, there is a 5-year warranty as well, which will keep everything well and sorted for you, so you don’t have to worry about anything. Honestly, if you are wondering about the downsides, my only concern was that the color of the heatsink might not bode well for someone who has color-coordinated every aspect of their build because a thick copper heatsink might not be something everyone would want.
#3 – Seagate Firecuda 520
Seagate is perhaps one of the oldest players in the market when you are talking about storage devices. Pretty much everyone who has owned a computer at some time had a Seagate drive for the storage solution, and it was either Seagate or Western Digital, two of the biggest storage companies. If you have been searching for a good NVMe SSD, and you are not concerned about the looks at all. You can look at the Gigabyte AORUS as it delivers more than you might want, to begin with. But that is not a bad thing because as far as the performance front is concerned, this SSD is a speed-demon. Not just that, even when it is performing to the max, you are still getting access to no thermal throttling thanks to a great heatsink that the SSD brings. Granted, it does look out of place as far as the color is concerned, but if I am getting such a good thermal performance, then why not. Overall, the Gigabyte Aorus is the SSD to go for if you are looking for something that is solid and delivers a fantastic performance.
PCI-E Gen4 support. 5,000 MB/s and 4.400 MB/s sequential read and write speeds. 1.8M hours of MTBF. Seagate validated E16. Hardware Interface: Solid State Drive 3-year Rescue Service.
One of the best performing SSDs in the market. Offers a large write cache. Great power efficiency. One of the finest endurance ratings. Great aesthetics.
Lack of heatsink resulted in some unusual but temporary temperature increases.
So, when Seagate Firecuda 520 came along, I was naturally excited because I was interested in seeing what Seagate has done. After all, an NVMe SSD with the same Seagate DNA, why not? Honestly, they have not been disappointed as this is still one of the finest NVMe SSDs that I have had the pleasure to test. Thankfully, after testing this for endless hours, I can tell you that the performance numbers on this are as impressive as you can imagine, and the large write cache that this SSD brings just makes everything a lot better. Not just that, you are also getting a great power efficiency, which is not as common with some modern SSDs. Seagate has done a great job with the overall endurance, as well. Since the Firecuda 520 throws out the competition with its endurance, so you are getting access to a lot of endurance power. Not just that, in terms of looks, even without RGB or a fancy heatsink, the SSD looks good overall. Now, normally, I would not be talking about it because SSDs tend to run cooler, but the lack of a heatsink for an SSD this powerful can be a troublesome thing as I have noticed that temperatures go up in certain operations. Nothing that lasts for too long but still something to make a note of. Thankfully, most motherboards do have M.2 SSD heatsinks that do a good job at keeping things cool. So, I doubt that this is going to break the deal for anyone.
#4 – Corsair Force Series MP600
At the time of writing this, countless PCs contain at least one hardware from Corsair or even a peripheral. This goes to show just the amount of components that the company has been making. Corsair has enjoyed a celebrated time making great memory kits. So, they took the same expertise and started offering SSDs. Now the greatest thing about this SSD is that if you are looking for something that works well and delivers excellent speeds, the Seagate Firecuda 520 is the one that you should be looking at because you are not limited to something that is not going to be disappointing.
PCI-E Gen4 support. Up to 4,950 MB/s and 4,250 MB/s sequential reads and write performance. High-density 3D TLC NAND. M.2 2280 factor. Hardware Interface: PCI-E x 4. Item Dimensions: 6.00 x 5.00 x 1.00 inches. Storage Temperature – -40°C to +85°C.
The performance is one of the impressive we have seen. You are getting a large write cache. Power-efficient. The heatsink works well. Attractive design overall.
Nothing as such.
We have seen some great SSDs from Corsair, but the Corsair Force Series MP600 can be called their best work because they have finally caught up and told everyone that they can also play seriously in the field. The MP600 is known for delivering one of the best performances we have seen in any SSD in the market, but that is not it; it has a large write cache which easily beats out some of the competition by staying fast even in situations you would not expect this SSD to perform. Still, it does, and it keeps going. Another great thing is that Corsair has made an SSD that is pretty efficient when you are talking about the overall power consumption, and the heatsink is not there just for the sake of looks; it works well in dissipating heat, and in all honesty, looks good while doing so. Again, I have spent a good amount of time testing this SSD, trying to find faults here, but it is not something that easily happens. Being a PCI-E 4.0 SSD, it is expensive, but that is justified by the fact that you are getting a well-performing option.
#5 – Samsung 970 EVO Plus
It should never come as a surprise that Samsung has never shied away from delivering excellent options that span across different categories as far as the price is concerned. Whether you are looking at something affordable, or something from the highest end that the company has to offer, you are covered. After spending some time with the Corsair Force Series MP600, I am happy to report that the SSD meets all my expectations and gives me something to look forward to. It is fast, and it is reliable, to say the least. Not to forget, being a long-term Corsair user, I love how good their warranty system is. Which simply means that you don’t have to worry about anything not working out for you as far as this SSD is concerned. It is going to stand the test of time and deliver great performance across the board.
96-layer V-NAND for great performance. Sequential read/write speeds of 3,500 MB/s and 3,300 MB/s. Seamless cloning and file transfer with Samsung Magician. 5-year limited lifetime warranty. Hardware Interface: PCI Express x4. Up to 600,000 IOPS Random Read. Superior Heat Dissipation.
The performance remains class-leading in every case. 96-layer V-NAND is great in both hardware and software optimizations. The price is lower across the board, reducing the cost per Gigabyte.
Nothing to talk about.
The Samsung 970 EVO Plus is a great option for those who don’t want any compromises, but at the same time, they are looking for blazing-fast speeds that will rock their socks off. The SSD is just right for you and a lot of reasons, as well. For starters, you are getting the class-leading performance that very few SSDs can match from the same spec. Not just that, Samsung’s 96-layer V-NAND is great not just from the hardware perspective, but from the software side of things, as well. So, you are covered there. The one thing that I love about this SSD is that it is available in several capacities, but that is not the best part; the best part is that the how the price per Gigabyte is lower across the entire range of capacities. Again, just with the rest of the Samsung SSDs that I have personally used or reviewed, I find it difficult to find something wrong with this SSD.
#6 – Samsung 970 EVO
The one thing that I am going to tell you already that when you are searching for the best NVMe SSD or just the best SSDs in the market, you are going to come across Samsung repeatedly, simply because they are known for delivering the best. The Samsung 970 EVO is just that, but for those who don’t want to spend a lot. Then Samsung 970 EVO Plus takes what the 970 EVO had and makes it even better, and there is no denying the fact that Samsung has hit a great deal of score with this SSD. We rarely come across something that delivers such a stellar performance across the board. You are also getting all the great things that Samsung has brought to the table since the start. Therefore, whether you are searching for an NVMe SSD that is known for delivering good read and write speeds, or you are looking for an SSD that delivers thermal performance across the board, the Samsung 970 EVO Plus is the one that you should be going for as it fits the bill.
M.2 2280 form factor. Powered by Samsung V NAND technology. Sequential read and write speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s and 2,500 MB/s. 5-year limited lifetime warranty. V-NAND Technology. Up to 500,000 IOPS Random Read. Samsung’s Dynamic Thermal Guard.
Excellent and reliable read and write speeds. Great cost per Gigabyte. Available in multiple capacity options. Great software bundle. Great and flexible warranty.
None at the given price.
Now, the best thing about this SSD is that the random read and write speeds are excellent, to say the least. The reason why I am lauding this trait is that it is not something that is seen as the most popular thing or the most important, but it affects how the performance is going to be. The SSD also delivers a fantastic cost per Gigabyte, so you are not paying a ridiculous premium here. Not to forget, if you don’t want to go for the max capacity that is available, there are some affordable options available too. The Windows software that Samsung bundles is also a straightforward affair. Last but not the least, Samsung’s trusted and great warranty returns with this SSD, as well. Therefore, you can forget that you are going to run into any issues. My only concern here is that an NVMe SSD that is this fast is still somewhat a niche product despite having wide support. People just don’t see the need to have storage this fast, but that should not be enough to make this a bad purchase.
#7 – ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro
The thing about SSDs or any other component, for that matter, is that you don’t always have to pay a lot of money to get your hands on something good. Sometimes, you just need something that has a good performance, and that does not cost an arm and a leg, and the ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro is just that. An affordable SSD that delivers great performance for a good price. Overall, if you are looking for a good SSD that you want to put in your new PC, this is the way to go. The reason why I say this is because I have two of these on my PC, and I can tell you that the difference is worth the price that you are paying. The performance is great, and you are getting a hassle-free experience; everything about this SSD feels good without adding too many additional frills that ruin the experience for a lot of people.
PCI-E Gen3 interface. Sequential read/write speeds of up to 3,500/3,000 MB/s. 5-year ADATA warranty. Standard M.2 2280 form factor. Over-Provision technologies TRIM. 3D NAND technology. Item Dimensions: 3.15 x 0.87 x 0.14 inches.
Class-leading performance. Great power efficiency through and through. Black PCB with a good-looking DIY heat spreader. The software package is a nice addition. 5-year warranty for added peace of mind.
The endurance rating remains the same as the non-pro model.
Now the great thing here is that if you are looking for something that has high performance while keeping the cost down, this is a great option. However, that is not the only good thing about this SSD. You are getting class-leading power efficiency here. Something not many SSDs offer in the first place. You are also getting a completely black PCB that has a DIY heat spreader that works well once you are doing it properly. ADATA has also included a good software package, so that is also something that covers. Not to mention, the 5-year warranty is something to write home about. With such a good package overall, there is very little room to complain about this otherwise perfect NVMe SSD. However, I did find something that alarmed me. The endurance rating on the ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro is the same as the non-pro model, and while it might not be a concern for many people, we believe it is important to point out. Other than that, this SSD rules the competition.
#8 – Sabrent ROCKET
Of all the companies who have let me test their SSDs, the one thing that came as a surprise was Sabrent because I was not expecting a good experience or a performance out of their offering. Still, I was wrong because they do deliver, and deliver on a lot of fronts. If you want something affordable and solid, this is a great option. Time for some honesty here: I never really understood the idea of having SSDs that looks like a graphics card as far as the lighting is concerned or some of the other aspects are concerned. Granted, a good heatsink is great, but adding unnecessary RGB LEDs can be sometimes bad for the SSD. How? Well, the LEDs generate some amount of heat, and the heatsink stops doing the job effectively. Thankfully, nothing of such nature is found in the ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro as it is a straightforward SSD that will be delivering one of the finest performances you could wish for. If you are looking to be sure that you are not left behind as far as a good performing storage device is concerned, and you want to buy something that is not going to question your buying decision at all, this is the one that you should be going for.
Built to the PCI-E 3.1 specification. Power management support for APST/ASPM/L1.2. Effective read/write speeds of up to 3,000 MB/s. Full support for SMART and TRIM commands. Hardware Interface: PCI Express x4. Advanced Wear Leveling. NAND: TLC. Item Dimensions: 3.15 x 0.86 x 0.11 inches.
The random and sequential read and write performance is excellent. Very less performance loss during thermal throttling. Good write sustainability. Five-year warranty for peace of mind.
The SLC cache is on the smaller side.
The Sabrent ROCKET is a great option that has a lot of good things going on for it. For starters, the sequential read and write speeds on these are great, and the best part is that even when there is thermal throttling, there is minimal loss in the performance. Not just that, the SSD has great sustainability when it comes to write-rate. Not to forget, the 5-year warranty offers peace of mind that many other companies forget about. Therefore, if you are concerned that you might not get access to everything good, that is not the case here. However, the small SLC cache is something that you should keep in mind, but honestly, when I was spending my time using this SSD, I didn’t find it to be lacking in any way. So, you are good to go.
#9 – Sabrent Rocket Q
Gone are the days when SSDs were limited to smaller capacities because it was technologically not possible. The modern-day SSDs can go as high as 8TB, and I am sure that there are going to be more SSDs of such nature in the future that will deliver larger capacities, as well as great performance. Honestly, if you are looking for something that is durable and does not lack in terms of performance, then going for the Sabrent ROCKET is the right way to go about. The SSD is available in several capacity options, too. So, you should be able to get what you are truly looking for without having any problems that might become a thing. Rest assured, the performance, along with the other aspects of a good SSD, is there, so you should not worry as far as the overall performance is concerned. The small SLC cache might seem like something that is going to be a problem at the start, but it will not be coming in the way.
PCI-E Gen3 x4 interface. M.2 2280 form factor. Full support for APST / ASPM / L1.2. Read Speed 3200 Megabytes Per Second. Write Speed 3000. ONFI 3.2 and ONFi 4.0 interface. NAND: QLC. Item Dimensions 3.15 x 0.86 x 0.11 inches.
One of the highest capacity SSDs available in the market. Performance and efficiency remain competitive. Great software support. Looks good. You get up to the 5-year warranty.
Warranty is limited to 1-year without registration. The write speeds slow down after the cache fills.
The Sabrent Rocket Q is such an example, especially if you want to get your hands on something that is fast and does not hold back on the storage, as the option that we are looking at is a massive 4TB, but if you want, it comes in as high as 8TB of option, as well. Imagine having that much storage in such a small device, and it is insane. It should not come as a surprise that there are a lot of great things about the SSD. For starters, it is one of the highest capacity NVMe SSDs available for you to buy at the time of writing. Not to forget, you are also getting a competitive performance as well as efficiency, so there is not much missing out going here, to begin with. Sabrent also has good software support, and the overall aesthetics of the SSD look good. Not to forget, you are also getting access to a 5-year warranty, which we believe can be a redeeming feature in many cases. Sadly, with so many good things aside, there are some limitations that we would like to point out. For starters, the 5-year warranty is only there when you register the SSD. Otherwise, it’s just a year’s warranty. The write speed slows down noticeably once the cache fills, and the endurance is on the lower side, as well. Especially when you are looking at the per-gigabyte factor.
Choosing An NVMe SSD: Quick Tips & Factors
Now that we are done looking at all the options that we believe to be the best, the next step is to look at a good buying guide that is going to serve as a reference point for anyone who wants to get a good storage device for their computer. Getting your hands on the Sabrent Rocket Q makes a lot of sense for anyone who is looking for an SSD that delivers fast performance and a lot of capacity because that is what it’s all about. If you have the money for it, this is easily one of the best options available for you. We are going to look at all the factors involved in the buying process that we believe is crucial, so you do not have to feel like you are dealing with the unknown.
Form Factor – Everything You Need To Know!
Now the first thing that I would ideally tell someone to do whenever they are thinking about buying an NVMe SSD is the form factor, of course. You have to understand that NVMe is a standard, and the form factor is something else entirely. For starters, the NVMe SSDs are available in either PCI-E or M.2 based form factor, and all the options that we have here are the M.2 form factor. Furthermore, M.2 also has standards, the most common one being the M.2 2280. But before you go ahead, be sure that you check with your motherboard’s manual for compatibility confusion.
Bus Type – Important
One more thing that one will need to consider whenever they are getting an NVMe SSD is just what exactly is the bus type. I understand that this might be a confusing ordeal because gone are the days you would know what drive would work and what wouldn’t, but now, you have to increase your knowledge about these things to buy the right option. The good news is that you are only going to get an NVMe SSD that is going to run on the PCI-E lanes, so you are good to go. Because there are some M.2 SSDs that are available, but they utilize the SATA lanes, and they deliver the same speeds as a SATA SSD would do, and we are not looking for that, to begin with. As long as you know about these differentiating factors, you should be good to go.
Interface
The next thing that you will have to deal with the interface of the SSD that you are about to get your hands on because, again, this is a very important factor. We have already discussed the form factor and the bus type, so the interface is the next important thing. Most of the SSDs that we have reviewed here are sharing the PCI-E Gen3 x4 or PCI-E Gen4 x4 interface, and this is the only interface that is available when you are talking about NVMe SSDs. Now, the Gen4 is much faster than the Gen3, but you are also going to require the latest Ryzen 5000 processors for that to work. However, it is also backwards compatible, with the speed is going to vary. If you still want to get your hands on a faster SSD just because you believe in the whole idea of future-proofing, you should go ahead with it, and you are still going to get great overall performance without any issues. This is what the interface means here, and a lot of the time, people just find themselves in the heat of confusion, and we are trying to change that here.
Choosing The Right Capacity
We are no longer living in days when buying an SSD meant that you are only limited to smaller capacities. SSD capacities have increased drastically, and you can go as high as 8TB if you have the money for it, but with that, you have to understand that the value per Gigabyte or the cost per Gigabyte is still on the higher side. Still, I believe that if you are a normal user who prefers installing games only and having some other necessary applications on their computer, a 1TB SSD is going to be more than enough. However, this might not be the case for everyone as people do end up needing more capacities, too. So, you should understand this.
Read & Write Speed
The whole reason behind people buying NVMe SSDs, in the first place, is that these are ridiculously fast, and that is not something that you can take away from them. However, different companies use different controllers and different caches, and that affects the speeds, as well. Now, NVMe SSDs normally follow a standard of the speed. The ones that are running PCI-E Gen3 x4 go as high as 3,500/3,200 MB/s sequential read/write. However, the ones that are running PCI-E- Gen4 x4 can go as high as 7,000/5,000 MB/s sequential read/write. So, you see, the generation gap is almost twice as much. Therefore, when you are buying an NVMe SSD, be sure that you are aware of what you are looking to get your hands on and act accordingly, so you do not have to worry about anything.
Types of NVMe SSDs – Understand It First
The last thing that we are going to need to consider is the type of NVMe SSDs that are available for you to look at. This is an interesting part because the NVMe standard works on PCI-E, but even PCI-E is then divided into two form factors. For starters, you have the choice to go for the M.2 form factor, which will then mean that the SSD will need to be plugged into the M.2 slot on your motherboard. However, some companies also make NVMe PCI-E SSDs that plug directly into the PCI-E slot on the motherboard, so you see that is when things get confusing for some people. As long as you are keeping a close eye on these things and you are trying to educate yourself as much as possible, you will do just fine.
What Is NVMe SSD? What Makes It Superior?
Now it is safe to say that we have been tooting the horns for the NVMe SSDs for some time. I say this because these are almost faultless, and they are ridiculously good, but all that goodness comes at a price, of course. But that is not what we are talking about right now. The topic of discussion here is more about what an NVMe SSD is and what makes it superior. Honestly, there are a lot of things that add up to make NVMe SSDs so much better than the rest of the options are available. All that experience has allowed us to develop the right understanding of them as well. For starters, the NVMe technology provides superior storage, better speed, and a lot better compatibility, as well. NVMe technology utilizes the PCI-E lanes or sockets, and it can deliver up to 25x the speed of the SATA based drives. This number is only going to go up as the technology matures more, and there are faster PCI-E standards that arrive. For starters, the PCI-E Gen4 standard has seen a speed bump as high as 7,000/5,000 MB/s sequential read/write, so it is safe to say that you are going to get a lot better performance in the future. Last but not least, the NVMe commands are almost two times faster than the ones that are given by AHCI drivers, which only goes to show that your overall experience is going to be a lot better with these drives. They might be costly, but they more than justify the price that you are being charged by delivering the performance that simply cannot be rivaled by anything else. With so many options available for you to choose from, it can be a very difficult thing to pick the right SSD. However, we have made it a lot simpler as we have personally tested all the SSDs that are available for you to purchase. Therefore, the only thing that you have to do is see which one fits your budget and go ahead with it. Doing so will allow you to buy the product that you think is right for you, and all will be sorted.
Question 1: Which NVMe SSD is best?
At the time of writing, the best NVMe SSD that you can buy from the list is the Samsung 980 Pro, as it is quite simply the fastest option available, and you will not be disappointed at all.
Question 2: Is NVMe faster than SSD?
NVMe is a technology that SSDs use to attain faster speeds and better endurances. However, if you are talking about NVMe vs. SATA SSDs, then the comparison is unfair since NVMe SSDs are much, much faster than the SATA based SSDs.
Question 3: Are NVMe SSDs reliable?
This is a common question that is asked time and again about the reliability of these SSDs. The endurance rated is measured in TBW or terabytes written, and the higher this number, the better. Do know that some NVMe has a TBW of 3,600 or even more, so yes, the reliability is there. Plus, there are no moving parts, which also helps in the overall reliability.
Question 4: What is the most reliable SSD brand?
There is no direct answer to which brand is better and faster. Almost every brand has something to offer in terms of warranty or speed. All the ones we have tested here are considered industry leaders.
Question 5: Is NVMe SSD worth it?
Absolutely. Without a shadow of a doubt, NVMe SSDs are way more worthy than any other form of storage available.
Question 6: Can I use 2 NVMe SSDs?
Of course, you can; as long as you have enough amount of ports or slots on your motherboard, you are going to be able to use 2 NVMe SSDs. Most modern motherboards have 2 slots for M.2 drives, and some even have 4 and, in some cases, even more. So, if you are worried about the expansion, you should not have to worry.
Question 7: Is NVMe better than PCIe?
We have talked about this before but let’s clear this up once again. NVMe is a technology that uses the PCI-E standard and PCI-E lanes. Therefore, a comparison is not made because they are both relying on each other rather than working against each other.
