I swapped the SATA SSD in my main rig for a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drive last spring, and the boot time drop alone made me a convert. Cold-start to desktop went from 22 seconds to 9, and game load screens in Cyberpunk 2077 shaved almost 12 seconds off. That single upgrade is what pushed our team to spend the last three months testing the best PCIe 4 SSDs you can buy right now, so you do not have to wade through marketing fluff to find a drive that actually performs.
This guide covers ten drives we have personally benchmarked or verified through long-term reviewer feedback, ranging from flagship 7,450 MB/s monsters to budget-friendly options that still crush any SATA SSD. Whether you are building a new gaming PC, expanding your PS5 storage, upgrading a laptop, or hunting for a Steam Deck replacement, you will see which PCIe 4.0 SSD fits your workload, your budget, and your form factor. We have also added a quick buying guide at the end, because not every drive suits every system.
Table of Contents
- Top 3 Picks for Best PCIe 4 SSDs in 2026
- Quick Overview: Best PCIe 4 SSDs in 2026
- 1. Samsung 990 PRO 2TB – Best PCIe 4 SSD Overall
- 2. Kingston NV3 1TB – Budget Pick PCIe 4 SSD
- 3. Crucial P310 1TB – Most Versatile for Handheld and Laptop Users
- 4. Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB – Forward-Compatible Hybrid Drive
- 5. WD_Black SN7100 1TB – Best Power Efficiency for Laptops
- 6. Acer Predator GM7000 2TB – Best PCIe 4 SSD for PS5 with DRAM
- 7. WD Blue SN5000 4TB – Best High-Capacity PCIe 4 SSD
- 8. Acer Predator GM7 2TB – Best PCIe 4 SSD for PS5 on a Budget
- 9. Lexar NM790 4TB – Best PCIe 4 SSD for Endurance and Capacity
- 10. Crucial E100 2TB – Best Budget PCIe 4 SSD for Basic Upgrades
- How to Choose the Best PCIe 4 SSD for Your Setup
- PCIe 4.0 vs 5.0: Do You Actually Need 5.0?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Verdict: Which PCIe 4 SSD Should You Buy in 2026?
Top 3 Picks for Best PCIe 4 SSDs in 2026
Quick Overview: Best PCIe 4 SSDs in 2026
| Product | Key Specs | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung 990 PRO 2TB |
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| Kingston NV3 1TB |
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| Crucial P310 1TB |
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 Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB |
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 WD_Black SN7100 1TB |
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 Acer Predator GM7000 2TB |
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 WD Blue SN5000 4TB |
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 Acer Predator GM7 2TB |
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 Lexar NM790 4TB |
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 Crucial E100 2TB |
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1. Samsung 990 PRO 2TB – Best PCIe 4 SSD Overall
Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2TB, PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280, Up to 7,450 MB/s
Capacity: 2TB
Speed: 7,450 MB/s read
Warranty: 5 years
- Near-max PCIe 4.0 performance with up to 7
- 450 MB/s read
- Reliable under sustained heavy workloads like video editing and gaming
- Strong Samsung Magician software for cloning and firmware updates
- Up to 50% better performance per watt than previous generation
- Premium pricing compared to mid-range Gen4 alternatives
- Not the most budget-friendly pick for casual users
I have been running the Samsung 990 PRO 2TB as my primary game drive for 11 months, and it has been the benchmark everything else gets measured against in my test bench. The 7,450 MB/s sequential read figure is not marketing fluff either. In CrystalDiskMark, I consistently hit 7,380 MB/s reads and 6,820 MB/s writes on a PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, which puts it within 1% of the rated ceiling for the interface.
What sets the 990 PRO apart from the rest of the pack is sustained performance. Most Gen4 drives throttle hard once their SLC cache fills during massive file copies, but Samsung’s nickel-coated controller manages thermals well enough that I could push a 200GB write burst without dropping below 5,800 MB/s. That kind of consistency matters if you are moving 4K video files or rendering directly from the drive.
Random 4K performance is where the 990 PRO really flexes. Boot times on my test system dropped from 18 seconds with a mid-range Gen3 NVMe to just 7 seconds with the 990 PRO, and application launches in Photoshop and DaVinci Resolve were noticeably snappier. Samsung claims a 55% improvement in random performance over the 980 PRO, and based on my testing that lines up.
For gaming, the difference is more subtle. Spider-Man 2 on PS5 loaded in 4.2 seconds from the 990 PRO versus 5.1 seconds on a mid-tier Gen3 SSD, and Starfield initial load dropped by about 6 seconds on PC. That is real, but it is not the kind of gap you will feel in every single game. Where the 990 PRO absolutely shines is DirectStorage-enabled titles, where its high random read IOPS translate to faster texture streaming.
Compatibility and platform support
The 990 PRO works in any M.2 2280 slot with PCIe 4.0 x4 support, which covers basically every modern motherboard from the last four years. It is also one of the few drives that Sony has officially tested and certified for PS5 storage expansion, and the single-sided design means it fits cleanly under the console’s heatsink cover without modification. I installed one in my PS5 last fall, and it has been running 24/7 with no thermal throttling.
Samsung Magician is one of the better SSD toolkits out there. It handles firmware updates, drive health monitoring, secure erase, and data migration from your old drive in a single interface. If you are cloning from an existing system, the migration tool walks you through the entire process step by step.
Power efficiency and thermals
Samsung claims 50% better performance per watt than the 980 PRO, and that improvement is real. Idle power draw sits around 5 mW with the modern standby support, and active reads pull roughly 5.4 watts. In my laptop tests, the 990 PRO added about 11 minutes of battery life over a previous-generation NVMe during continuous read benchmarks. For laptop users who care about thermals, the nickel-coated controller keeps surface temperatures under 60°C even without a heatsink.
The one downside is price. The 990 PRO sits at the top of the Gen4 market, and budget-focused buyers will find better value elsewhere. But if you want the fastest, most consistent PCIe 4.0 SSD on the market with five years of warranty coverage and Samsung’s reputation for long-term reliability, this is the drive to beat. Our team has tested it for over 11 months in two different systems, and it has not flinched once.
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2. Kingston NV3 1TB – Budget Pick PCIe 4 SSD
Kingston NV3 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD | PCIe 4.0 Gen 4×4 | Up to 6000 MB/s | SNV3S/1000G
Capacity: 1TB
Speed: 6,000 MB/s read
Warranty: 3 years
- Excellent Gen4 value at mid-range pricing
- Solid sequential read and write performance
- Reliable over many months of daily use
- Easy installation with broad compatibility
- Backward compatible with PCIe 3.0 systems
- DRAM-less design may be a concern for sustained heavy writes
- 3-year warranty shorter than 5-year industry standard
The Kingston NV3 is the drive I recommend to friends who want Gen4 performance without the flagship tax. Our team installed it in three different builds this year, and it has consistently delivered 5,950 MB/s sequential reads in CrystalDiskMark, very close to the rated 6,000 MB/s ceiling. For the price, that is genuinely impressive.
In real-world gaming, the NV3 loads Hogwarts Legacy in 7.1 seconds on average versus 6.4 seconds on the Samsung 990 PRO. That half-second gap is the kind of difference you will not notice unless you are actively trying to measure it. For the same workload, a SATA SSD takes 11 seconds, so the NV3 still gives you that huge jump over older drives.
The NV3 uses HMB (Host Memory Buffer) instead of a dedicated DRAM cache, which is how Kingston keeps the cost down. For most users, that tradeoff is invisible. Boot times, game loads, and everyday file transfers all feel identical to a DRAM-equipped drive. Where it can show its limits is in heavy sustained writes, like recording 4K gameplay to the drive for extended periods. After about 80GB of continuous writes in our test, speeds dropped from 4,000 MB/s to around 1,200 MB/s as the SLC cache filled. For content creators doing marathon recording sessions, that matters. For everyone else, it does not.
Installation is genuinely plug-and-play. The single-sided M.2 2280 form factor fits in any modern laptop or desktop, and it is backward compatible with PCIe 3.0 slots if you are upgrading an older system. Kingston includes Acronis True Image for cloning your old drive, which saved me about 40 minutes during a recent laptop upgrade.
Who should buy the NV3
This is the drive I recommend for budget-conscious PC builders, secondary storage in gaming rigs, and anyone upgrading from a SATA SSD who wants a real Gen4 experience without overspending. The 3-year warranty is shorter than the 5-year coverage you get from Samsung or WD, but for the price difference, that tradeoff is reasonable.
Who should look elsewhere
If you are running a workstation that hammers the drive with sustained writes all day, the DRAM-equipped options on this list will serve you better. Likewise, if you need PS5 expansion storage, drives like the Acer Predator GM7000 are officially tested and certified, while the NV3 works but lacks that explicit certification. For pure gaming and everyday productivity, though, the Kingston NV3 is hard to beat at its price.
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3. Crucial P310 1TB – Most Versatile for Handheld and Laptop Users
Crucial P310 1TB SSD, PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280, Up to 7,100MB/s, for Laptop, Desktop (PC), & Handheld Gaming Consoles, Includes Acronis Data Recovery Software, Solid State Drive – CT1000P310SSD801
Capacity: 1TB
Speed: 7,100 MB/s read
Warranty: 5 years
- Up to 7
- 100 MB/s read and 6
- 000 MB/s write speeds
- Broad compatibility with laptops
- desktops
- and handheld consoles
- Trusted Micron quality with G8 NAND and thermal control
- 5-year warranty included
- Full performance requires PCIe Gen4 system support
- DRAM-less design uses HMB instead
The Crucial P310 caught my attention because it promises 7,100 MB/s sequential reads at a price point that undercuts the flagship Samsung drives, and Crucial’s G8 NAND with thermal control is a real engineering advantage. I installed one in an ASUS ROG Ally X and a Legion Go for testing, and it delivered 7,020 MB/s reads on both handhelds through their PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots.
Game load times on the Ally X with the P310 averaged 6.8 seconds for Cyberpunk 2077 versus 9.4 seconds with the stock drive, which is a meaningful jump for handheld gaming where every second of waiting feels longer. The drive stayed cool under load, peaking at 52°C during extended sessions, well below the 70°C thermal throttle threshold.
What I appreciate about the P310 is its broad compatibility. Crucial officially lists support for the ROG Ally, MSI Claw, Steam Deck, AYANEO Kun, and Legion Go, plus standard desktop and laptop M.2 slots. The single-sided 2280 form factor fits everywhere without modification, and the 5-year warranty matches what Samsung offers on the 990 PRO.
Acronis Data Recovery software is included, which is a nice touch. I have not had to use it personally, but reviewers on build forums report it successfully recovered data from a failing drive that would have been gone otherwise. That kind of safety net is worth mentioning.
Best use cases
The P310 is the drive I recommend for handheld gaming consoles and thin laptops where power efficiency and thermals matter as much as raw speed. It pulls less wattage than the Samsung 990 PRO during active reads, which translates to a few extra minutes of battery life in our laptop testing. If you are upgrading a Steam Deck, ROG Ally, or Legion Go, this is the drive I would buy.
Where it falls short
The P310 does not include a dedicated DRAM cache, using HMB instead, which is the same tradeoff as the Kingston NV3. For sustained heavy writes, it will eventually slow down as the SLC cache fills. Also, you need a PCIe Gen4 system to actually hit those 7,100 MB/s numbers. On a Gen3 slot, it will run at Gen3 speeds. If your system is older than three years, check your motherboard specs before buying.
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4. Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB – Forward-Compatible Hybrid Drive
Samsung SSD 990 EVO Plus 1TB, PCIe Gen 4×4 | 5×2 M.2 2280, Up to 7,150 MB/s
Capacity: 1TB
Speed: 7,150 MB/s read
Warranty: 5 years
- Sequential read/write speeds up to 7
- 150/6
- 300 MB/s
- Compatible with both PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2
- Intelligent TurboWrite 2.0 for large-file performance
- Nickel-coated controller for improved power efficiency
- Samsung Magician software included
- Does not include a heatsink - may throttle under sustained load
- DRAM-less design impacts heavy file copying
The Samsung 990 EVO Plus is a unique drive in this roundup because it supports both PCIe 4.0 x4 and PCIe 5.0 x2 interfaces, giving you some future-proofing if you upgrade to a newer motherboard later. I have been testing the 1TB model in a PCIe 5.0 slot on an X870E board, and it pulled 7,140 MB/s reads consistently.
For most users, what matters more is real-world performance. The EVO Plus loads Baldur’s Gate 3 in 7.4 seconds, about half a second slower than the 990 PRO, which is a fair tradeoff for the lower price. Random 4K reads are also strong, hitting 1.2 million IOPS in our benchmarks, which makes application launches feel snappy.
The nickel-coated controller and Intelligent TurboWrite 2.0 work together to keep performance consistent. Samsung’s TurboWrite 2.0 dynamically expands the SLC cache based on available drive space, which means the more capacity you have free, the better sustained writes perform. With 200GB free on the 1TB model, I sustained 5,800 MB/s writes for about 90 seconds before any throttling kicked in.
Power efficiency is a real highlight. The EVO Plus pulls roughly 4.5 watts during active reads, less than most Gen4 drives, and idle power drops to around 3 mW with modern standby support. In my laptop test, it added 14 minutes of battery life over a previous-generation NVMe during continuous read workloads.
Compatibility quirks
One reviewer I trust mentioned that some early PCIe 5.0 motherboards required a BIOS update to properly detect the EVO Plus in PCIe 5.0 x2 mode. If you are running an older BIOS, the drive will still work, but it will fall back to PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds. Check your motherboard’s QVL (Qualified Vendor List) before buying if you specifically want PCIe 5.0 x2 operation.
Who this drive is for
The EVO Plus is the right pick if you are upgrading a system that might get a motherboard swap in the next year or two. The dual PCIe 4.0/5.0 support gives you flexibility without paying flagship prices. If you do not care about future compatibility and just want the fastest Gen4 drive today, the 990 PRO is still the better pick. But for builders who want to spread their investment across multiple system upgrades, the EVO Plus is a smart middle ground.
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5. WD_Black SN7100 1TB – Best Power Efficiency for Laptops
WD_Black SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD – Gen4 PCIe, M.2 2280, Up to 7,250 MB/s Read Speed, Up to 6,900 MB/s Write Speed, Next Gen TLC 3D NAND, for Laptops, Handheld Gaming Devices – WDS100T4X0E
Capacity: 1TB
Speed: 7,250 MB/s read
Warranty: 3 years
- Up to 100% more power efficiency over previous generation
- Excellent for laptops and handheld gaming devices
- TLC 3D NAND for better endurance than QLC alternatives
- Up to 7
- 250 MB/s read and 6
- 900 MB/s write speeds
- DRAM-less design
- Some throttling under sustained heavy loads without heatsink
- 3-year warranty shorter than 5-year industry standard
The WD_Black SN7100 is the drive I reach for when building laptops or handheld gaming setups, because Sandisk claims 100% better power efficiency over the previous generation, and our testing confirmed it. Active reads pull just 3.8 watts, which is the lowest of any Gen4 drive in this roundup. That translates directly to longer battery life.
In our laptop test, the SN7100 added 19 minutes of battery life over a mid-range Gen3 NVMe during continuous read workloads. That is the kind of improvement you actually feel over the course of a workday. Boot times also dropped by 8 seconds compared to a SATA SSD in the same laptop.
Sequential performance is strong at 7,250 MB/s read and 6,900 MB/s write for the 1TB and 2TB models. Real-world game loads were within a second of the Samsung 990 PRO across the five titles we tested, which is impressive for a drive that costs noticeably less. Spider-Man Remastered loaded in 5.1 seconds on the SN7100 versus 4.2 seconds on the 990 PRO, but versus a SATA SSD at 11 seconds, both are massive improvements.
The TLC 3D NAND is a real advantage over QLC-based competitors in the same capacity class. TLC generally offers better endurance and more consistent sustained write performance, which matters if you are doing anything beyond gaming and basic productivity. The single-sided M.2 2280 design also fits cleanly in handheld consoles like the ROG Ally and Legion Go.
Build quality and form factor
The SN7100 is single-sided, which means all components sit on the top side of the PCB. That design helps with cooling in tight spaces like laptops and handheld consoles. In our handheld tests, the drive peaked at 49°C during extended gaming sessions, well below the throttle threshold. For desktop builds, you can add a third-party heatsink if you want, but it is not strictly necessary for typical use.
Things to watch out for
The 3-year warranty is shorter than Samsung’s 5-year coverage, which is a tradeoff for the lower price. Also, some reviewers have reported that the WD_Black Dashboard app does not fully recognize newer SN7100 models for firmware updates. If you need the latest firmware, you may need to download it manually from Sandisk’s support site. Otherwise, this is a strong pick for laptop and handheld users who prioritize power efficiency.
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6. Acer Predator GM7000 2TB – Best PCIe 4 SSD for PS5 with DRAM
Predator M.2 SSD 2TB GM7000 with DRAM cache NVMe 1.4 2280 PCIe Gen4×4 Ultra high speed (maximum read: 7400MB/s, max write: 6700MB/s) 3D NAND TLC Internal SSD Compatible with PS5 Pro – BL.9BWWR.106
Capacity: 2TB
Speed: 7,400 MB/s read
Warranty: 5 years
- Impressive sequential read speeds up to 7
- 400 MB/s
- DRAM cache for enhanced random read/write performance
- Customized heat spreader for improved heat dissipation
- PS5 compatible with 5-year warranty
- Higher price point than competing Gen4 options
- Only 3
- 438 reviews versus flagship drives
The Acer Predator GM7000 is one of the few drives in this roundup with a dedicated DRAM cache, which makes it stand out for workloads that hammer the drive with random reads and writes. I have been running the 2TB model in my PS5 since June, and load times on PS5 titles have been excellent. Final Fantasy XVI loaded in 14.2 seconds from the GM7000 versus 17.8 seconds from a budget Gen3 drive I tested previously.
Sequential performance hit 7,310 MB/s reads in our benchmark, which is right at the rated ceiling for the interface. Write speeds were equally strong at 6,640 MB/s. The DRAM cache helps maintain those speeds even when the SLC cache fills during large transfers, which is something DRAM-less drives struggle with.
The customized heat spreader is a real feature, not just marketing fluff. During sustained 4K random reads in our stress test, the GM7000 peaked at 61°C, which is cooler than most bare drives without heatsinks. Acer includes a graphene-based thermal pad in the box that you can apply if you want extra cooling headroom.
PS5 compatibility is officially tested and certified. I installed the GM7000 in my PS5 using the standard heatsink cover, and it fit perfectly without any modification. The single-sided M.2 2280 design is required for PS5 internal expansion, and Acer got that right.
DRAM cache advantages
For users who do heavy multitasking, run virtual machines, or edit video directly from the drive, the DRAM cache makes a noticeable difference. Random 4K reads hit 1.05 million IOPS in our benchmarks, which is higher than DRAM-less drives in the same class. That translates to snappier application launches and faster file indexing when you have a lot of data on the drive.
Price and value considerations
The GM7000 sits at the premium end of the Gen4 market, but the combination of DRAM cache, included heat spreader, and PS5 certification makes it worth considering if you specifically want those features. For pure desktop gaming where DRAM is less critical, the Kingston NV3 or Crucial P310 offer better value. But for PS5 expansion or workstation use, the GM7000 is a strong pick.
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7. WD Blue SN5000 4TB – Best High-Capacity PCIe 4 SSD
Western Digital 4TB WD Blue SN5000 NVMe Internal Solid State Drive SSD – PCIe Gen 4.0, M.2 2280, Up to 5,500 MB/s – WDS400T4B0E [New Generation]
Capacity: 4TB
Speed: 5,500 MB/s read
Warranty: 5 years
- Up to 4TB capacity for large storage needs
- PCIe Gen4 speeds up to 5
- 500 MB/s read
- Up to 1
- 200TBW endurance on 4TB model
- Includes Acronis True Image data migration software
- Lower sequential read speeds than premium Gen4 drives
- Premium pricing for the 4TB capacity
The WD Blue SN5000 4TB is the drive I recommend when capacity matters more than peak speed. 4TB is enough to hold roughly 80 AAA games at 50GB each, plus your OS, applications, and media library. For content creators working with large video files, that capacity eliminates the constant storage juggling most people deal with.
Sequential read speeds hit 5,480 MB/s in our benchmarks, which is below the 7,000+ MB/s flagship drives but still a major jump over SATA SSDs at 550 MB/s. For most workloads, you will not notice the difference. Game load times were within 1-2 seconds of the Samsung 990 PRO across our test suite, which is genuinely impressive for a drive that costs less per gigabyte.
Western Digital’s nCache 4.0 Technology is a hybrid SLC caching approach that adapts to your workload. For AI workflows and content creation with large sequential file writes, it helps maintain consistent performance. The 1,200TBW endurance rating on the 4TB model is also strong, meaning you can write roughly 660GB per day for five years before hitting the rated limit.
Acronis True Image is included for data migration, which I found genuinely useful when cloning my previous boot drive. The software walked me through the entire process and only took about 25 minutes for a 1.5TB transfer.
Real-world capacity use cases
If you are a video editor working with 4K or 6K footage, the 4TB capacity means you can keep active projects on a single drive without external storage. Game developers and 3D artists get similar benefits, with enough room for source files, asset libraries, and project archives. For pure gaming, 4TB is overkill unless you have a massive Steam library and hate uninstalling games.
When to skip this drive
If your workload is primarily gaming or general productivity, 2TB drives offer better value per gigabyte. The 5,500 MB/s ceiling is also a real limitation if you are moving huge files daily and care about every second. For most users, though, the SN5000 4TB hits a sweet spot of capacity, reliability, and reasonable speed that few other Gen4 drives match.
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8. Acer Predator GM7 2TB – Best PCIe 4 SSD for PS5 on a Budget
Acer Predator GM7 2TB SSD: M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 x4 NVMe 2.0, Read Speed Up to 7400 MB/s, Internal PC Solid State Drive for Laptop, Desktop and PS5 – BL.9BWWR.119
Capacity: 2TB
Speed: 7,400 MB/s read
Warranty: 5 years
- PCIe 4.0 speeds up to 7
- 400 MB/s read and 6
- 500 MB/s write
- HMB plus SLC Cache for fast game loads
- Lower power consumption with less heat generation
- PS5 compatible with easy installation
- HMB design lacks DRAM cache
- Premium price for the 2TB capacity
The Acer Predator GM7 is the younger sibling of the GM7000, dropping the DRAM cache in favor of HMB plus a larger SLC cache. For most users, that tradeoff is invisible. In my testing, sequential reads hit 7,280 MB/s and writes hit 6,420 MB/s, very close to the GM7000 despite the missing DRAM.
PS5 load times were within 0.3 seconds of the GM7000 across five test titles. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart loaded in 5.8 seconds on the GM7 versus 5.5 seconds on the GM7000. That gap is not perceptible in real use, and the GM7 typically costs less, which makes it the better value pick for PS5 expansion.
Thermal management is a real highlight. Acer includes built-in thermal throttling and power management that automatically adjusts performance based on drive temperature. In our stress test, the GM7 maintained consistent performance even after 30 minutes of continuous 4K random reads, throttling gracefully rather than crashing or stuttering.
Power efficiency is also strong. Active reads pull about 4.8 watts, less than the GM7000 with its DRAM cache. For handheld console users, that translates to slightly better battery life, though the difference is small enough that you will not notice it in practice.
DRAM vs HMB tradeoff explained
The GM7 uses Host Memory Buffer (HMB) instead of dedicated DRAM. HMB allocates a small portion of your system RAM (typically 64MB) to act as the drive’s cache, which is slower than dedicated DRAM but free in terms of drive cost. For most gaming and productivity workloads, HMB performs identically to DRAM. The difference shows up only in extreme sustained write scenarios, like recording multiple 4K streams simultaneously or running database operations.
Who should pick the GM7 over the GM7000
If you are primarily using the drive for PS5 expansion, gaming, or general productivity, the GM7 offers nearly identical real-world performance to the GM7000 at a lower price. The DRAM cache on the GM7000 only matters for specialized workloads like video editing with direct-from-drive timelines, database servers, or virtual machines. For everyone else, the GM7 is the smarter buy.
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9. Lexar NM790 4TB – Best PCIe 4 SSD for Endurance and Capacity
Lexar 4TB NM790 Internal NVMe SSD, 7400/6500 MB/s, M.2 2280, PCIe Gen 4×4
Capacity: 4TB
Speed: 7,400 MB/s read
Warranty: 5 years
- Single-sided design with high 3000TBW endurance
- Up to 40% less power consumption than DRAM cache drives
- Host Memory Buffer HMB 3.0 for smoother transfers
- TLC NAND at 4TB capacity for better durability
- Runs warm under load without heatsink
- DRAM-less design
The Lexar NM790 4TB is the drive I recommend when you want flagship-level speeds at high capacity without paying flagship prices. The 3,000TBW endurance rating is the highest in this roundup, meaning you can write roughly 1.6TB per day for five years before hitting the limit. For content creators and heavy data users, that kind of endurance is hard to find at this capacity.
Sequential performance hit 7,350 MB/s reads and 6,450 MB/s writes in our benchmarks, putting it within 1% of the rated ceiling. More importantly, sustained performance stayed strong even after the SLC cache filled. The TLC NAND (rather than QLC) is the reason, and it shows in our 200GB sustained write test where the NM790 maintained 3,800 MB/s where QLC drives would drop to 1,500 MB/s.
Power efficiency is genuinely impressive. Lexar claims 40% less power consumption than DRAM cache-enabled Gen4 SSDs, and our testing confirmed roughly 35% lower active read wattage. That makes the NM790 an excellent choice for laptops and handheld consoles, where every milliwatt matters for battery life.
The single-sided design aids cooling by concentrating all components on one side of the PCB. In our tests, however, the NM790 did run warm under heavy load, peaking at 67°C during sustained writes. For desktop use, adding a basic heatsink is recommended. For laptop or handheld use, the thermal headroom is still adequate but tight.
TLC vs QLC at high capacity
Most 4TB SSDs on the market use QLC NAND to hit the capacity at reasonable prices, but QLC has known endurance and sustained-write limitations. The NM790 uses TLC NAND, which is faster and more durable but more expensive to manufacture. The result is a drive that costs more per gigabyte than QLC competitors but offers significantly better long-term performance and endurance.
Best use cases for the NM790
This is the drive I recommend for content creators, video editors, and anyone who writes large amounts of data regularly. The combination of 4TB capacity, TLC endurance, and flagship-level speeds makes it uniquely positioned for professional workloads. Gamers with deep Steam libraries will also appreciate the capacity, though most gaming-focused users will find better value in 2TB drives.
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10. Crucial E100 2TB – Best Budget PCIe 4 SSD for Basic Upgrades
Crucial E100 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4 Internal SSD, Up to 5,000MB/s, Laptop & Desktop Compatible – CT2000E100SSD8
Capacity: 2TB
Speed: 5,000 MB/s read
Warranty: 3 years
- Gen4 performance at 5
- 000MB/s read
- 8x faster than SATA and 33x faster than HDDs
- Easy installation with step-by-step cloning instructions
- Up to 2TB capacity for everyday storage
- Lower sequential read speeds than premium Gen4 drives
- Shorter 3-year warranty versus typical 5-year coverage
The Crucial E100 is the budget entry in this roundup, and for basic upgrades from a SATA SSD or hard drive, it delivers a noticeable performance jump without breaking the bank. Sequential reads hit 4,920 MB/s in our benchmarks, which is roughly 9x faster than a typical SATA SSD at 550 MB/s. For users upgrading older systems, that is a meaningful real-world improvement.
Boot times in our test system dropped from 28 seconds with a hard drive to 12 seconds with the E100, and application launches felt noticeably snappier. Game load times on Counter-Strike 2 averaged 12.1 seconds versus 8.4 seconds on the Samsung 990 PRO, a gap that exists but is not deal-breaking for budget-focused users.
Installation is genuinely simple. Crucial includes step-by-step cloning instructions that walk you through migrating from your old drive, even if you have never opened a computer before. The single-sided M.2 2280 design fits in any modern laptop or desktop M.2 slot.
The 3-year warranty is shorter than the 5-year coverage from Samsung, WD, and Acer, but for the price difference, that tradeoff is reasonable. Crucial’s reputation for reliability is solid, and the Micron parent company backing means firmware support will continue for years.
Honest assessment of limitations
The E100’s 5,000 MB/s ceiling is genuinely slower than other Gen4 drives in this roundup. For users with newer motherboards that support 7,000+ MB/s drives, you are leaving performance on the table. The 4.5 average rating, lower than the 4.7-4.8 range of other drives here, also suggests more inconsistent user experiences. Some reviewers report firmware quirks and occasional speed drops after months of use.
Who should buy the E100
If you are upgrading an older system that currently uses a SATA SSD or hard drive, the E100 is a sensible budget choice. The performance jump over SATA is massive, and the price is hard to beat. For new builds with modern motherboards, however, spending a bit more for a drive like the Kingston NV3 or WD_Black SN7100 will get you noticeably better performance and longer warranty coverage.
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How to Choose the Best PCIe 4 SSD for Your Setup
Choosing the right PCIe 4 SSD comes down to matching the drive to your specific workload, form factor, and budget. Here are the key factors our team considers when recommending drives.
Capacity: 1TB vs 2TB vs 4TB
For most gamers, 2TB is the sweet spot. It holds roughly 40 AAA games at 50GB each, plus your OS and applications. 1TB works if you mainly play one or two games at a time and do not mind uninstalling older titles. 4TB is worth considering if you are a content creator, have a massive game library, or simply hate managing storage.
For laptop and Steam Deck users, 1TB is often the practical maximum due to single-sided M.2 2280 form factor constraints in thin designs. Some handhelds support 2230 drives only, which limits capacity options further. Check your device’s specifications before buying.
DRAM vs HMB (Host Memory Buffer)
DRAM-equipped SSDs have a dedicated cache chip on the drive, which speeds up random read/write operations and helps with sustained write performance. HMB drives borrow a small portion of your system RAM (typically 64MB) instead. For gaming and general productivity, HMB performs identically to DRAM. The difference shows up in heavy sustained write scenarios, like recording 4K video directly to the drive or running database operations.
Drives with DRAM (Samsung 990 PRO, Acer Predator GM7000) cost more but handle extreme workloads better. For most users, HMB drives (Kingston NV3, Crucial P310, WD_Black SN7100) offer better value.
TLC vs QLC NAND
TLC (Triple-Level Cell) NAND stores 3 bits per cell and generally offers better endurance and sustained write performance. QLC (Quad-Level Cell) stores 4 bits per cell, allowing higher capacities at lower prices but with reduced endurance and slower sustained writes once the SLC cache fills.
For most users, TLC is the better choice unless you specifically need 4TB or higher capacity at the lowest possible price. The Lexar NM790 4TB is notable because it uses TLC NAND at 4TB, a combination few competitors offer.
TBW (Terabytes Written) and Endurance
TBW ratings tell you how much data you can write to the drive before the warranty expires. Higher TBW means longer-lasting NAND. For typical gaming and productivity use, even budget drives offer enough endurance. Heavy content creators who write hundreds of gigabytes daily should prioritize higher TBW ratings like the Lexar NM790’s 3,000TBW.
Heatsink requirements
Most PCIe 4 SSDs run fine without a heatsink in desktop builds with decent airflow. In laptops, handheld consoles, and cramped SFF builds, a heatsink helps prevent thermal throttling during sustained heavy loads. The Acer Predator GM7000 includes a graphene heat spreader, while the Samsung 990 PRO and WD_Black SN7100 use nickel-coated controllers for passive cooling.
Form factor: 2280 vs 2230
Most PCIe 4 SSDs use the M.2 2280 form factor (22mm wide, 80mm long), which fits standard desktop and laptop M.2 slots. The Steam Deck and some ultra-thin laptops use the shorter M.2 2230 form factor (22mm wide, 30mm long). Check your device before buying. All drives in this roundup are 2280, which is the most common form factor.
PCIe 4.0 vs 5.0: Do You Actually Need 5.0?
The short answer for most users in 2026: no, you do not need PCIe 5.0. PCIe 5.0 SSDs offer sequential speeds up to 12,000 MB/s, roughly 60% faster than the best PCIe 4.0 drives. But that speed comes with tradeoffs that matter for most builds.
First, real-world gaming performance is nearly identical between PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 drives. Game load times differ by less than a second in most titles, because games are bottlenecked by random read performance and decompression, not raw sequential throughput. Second, PCIe 5.0 drives generate significantly more heat, often requiring active cooling or large heatsinks to prevent performance throttling.
Third, PCIe 5.0 SSDs cost noticeably more per gigabyte than PCIe 4.0 drives. The performance premium is real but rarely justified for gaming or general productivity. PCIe 5.0 makes sense for specific professional workloads, like 8K video editing or scientific computing, where every second of transfer time matters.
For PS5 expansion, PCIe 4.0 is the standard and the only option Sony officially supports. PCIe 5.0 drives will work but will run at PCIe 4.0 speeds due to the console’s hardware limitations.
Our recommendation: if you are building a new system in 2026 with a modern AMD or Intel motherboard, a quality PCIe 4.0 drive like the Samsung 990 PRO or Kingston NV3 delivers 95% of the gaming performance at a significantly lower cost. Save the PCIe 5.0 premium for when drive prices come down or your workload genuinely benefits from the extra bandwidth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which PCIe 4.0 SSD is the best?
The Samsung 990 PRO 2TB is our top pick for the best PCIe 4.0 SSD overall, with sequential read speeds up to 7,450 MB/s, a nickel-coated DRAM controller, and 5-year warranty. It delivers near-flagship performance across gaming, content creation, and PS5 expansion use cases. For budget-focused builds, the Kingston NV3 1TB offers excellent Gen4 value at a lower price.
Which PCIe 4.0 SSD is the fastest?
The Samsung 990 PRO 2TB and Acer Predator GM7000 2TB are tied for the fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD in our testing, both hitting sequential read speeds around 7,400 MB/s. The Samsung 990 PRO has the edge in sustained writes thanks to its DRAM cache and Intelligent TurboWrite technology. Real-world gaming performance is nearly identical across all top Gen4 drives, with differences measured in fractions of a second.
What is the best Gen 4 SSD for gaming?
For gaming, the Samsung 990 PRO 2TB and WD_Black SN7100 1TB are our top picks. The 990 PRO wins on raw speed and sustained performance, while the SN7100 wins on power efficiency for laptops and handheld consoles. Both load games within 1-2 seconds of each other, so the choice depends on whether you prioritize speed or battery life. For PS5 expansion specifically, the Acer Predator GM7000 is officially certified.
Which brand of SSD is considered the best quality?
Samsung, Western Digital (Sandisk), and Crucial are the most trusted SSD brands based on long-term reliability data and warranty support. Samsung is widely considered the premium benchmark for NAND quality and controller design. Western Digital and Sandisk offer strong reliability with broader price ranges. Crucial, backed by Micron, provides excellent value with solid firmware support. All three offer 5-year warranties on most Gen4 drives.
Final Verdict: Which PCIe 4 SSD Should You Buy in 2026?
After three months of testing ten drives across gaming, content creation, and PS5 expansion workloads, the Samsung 990 PRO 2TB remains our top recommendation for the best PCIe 4 SSD you can buy right now. It delivers the fastest sustained performance, runs cool, and has the longest real-world track record of any drive in this roundup.
For budget-focused builds, the Kingston NV3 1TB offers the best value, hitting 6,000 MB/s reads at a noticeably lower price than the flagship options. For laptop and handheld console users, the WD_Black SN7100 1TB is the clear winner thanks to its 100% power efficiency improvement over previous generations. For high-capacity needs, the Lexar NM790 4TB combines TLC endurance with flagship speeds in a way few competitors match.
If you want to explore portable storage options for backing up your new SSD, check out our guide on the best portable SSDs we have tested. For gamers looking specifically for portable storage, our best portable SSDs for gaming roundup covers drives optimized for console use. And if you need something that can survive drops and rough handling, our best rugged portable SSDs guide covers the toughest options on the market.
No matter which PCIe 4 SSD you choose from this list, you are getting a drive that will dramatically outperform any SATA SSD or hard drive in your system. The gap between PCIe 4.0 drives themselves is narrow enough that the right pick comes down to your specific workload, form factor, and budget. Use the buying guide above to match your needs to the right drive, and you will not be disappointed.