Quick shopping tips:
Contents
- Don’t buy SSDs that have a capacity of less than 256GB. You need at least a 256GB SSD to run your operating system and play one game.
Normally, SSDs from 500GB to 1TB are enough and balanced in capacity and price. If you have a demand for heavier tasks like designing or photographing, 2TB or more is recommended. - HDD < SATA SSD < gen 3 PCIe SSD < gen 4 PCIe SSD. This is the order of performance and price that different types of drives deliver.
We highly recommend SSDs because they have much more excellent performance than HDDs. If you have a tight budget, just consider SATA SSD or gen 3 PCIe SSD.
In contrast, although gen 4 PCIe SSDs offer superior speed, they are expensive and not necessary at the present time. - Check your computer compatibility. Make sure that your PC is able to support the SSD. If you have motherboards of middle to high-end quality, they can probably support the latest gens of SSDs.
- Consider the consumption that the SSDs use. If your PC is powerful, you may not care about this problem.
However, the power-hungry SSDs will force you to charge them all day for other basic computers or tablets. Therefore, if battery life is your concern, pay attention to the power consumption when purchasing.
Best SSDs for Gaming
1. SAMSUNG M.2 NVMe SSD
Best SSD for gaming overall
SPECIFICATIONS
- Capacity: 250GB to 2TB
- Controller: Samsung Phoenix
- Memory: Samsung 3-bit MLC
- Sequential read/write: 3500/3200 MB/s
- Interface: M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4
- Form factor: M.2 2280
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Wide range of variants: from 250GB to 2TB
- Read and write speeds in order are up to 3500 and 3300 MB/s
- Dynamic Thermal Guard technology: better heat dissipation
- Samsung Magician software: easy to manage
REASONS TO AVOID
- Received many complaints about not being compatible with later Mac OS like OS X 10.14
- Easy to be overheated
Samsung is a household name, and its products are trusted by millions of people. Samsung M.2 NVMe SSD delivers multiple variants, from 250GB to 2TB, with the reliability of up to 1200 TBW (Terabytes Written).
Compared to 970 EVO, this SSD offers much faster read and write speeds (up to 3,500 and 3,300 MB/s). Powered by the V-NAND technology, Samsung M.2 NVMe SSD brings excellent performance to run programs or play games.
Moreover, the SSD is designed compactly to save space for other applications. The Dynamic Thermal Guard technology prevents overheating to keep the SSD work at the highest performance.
Alternate choice:
WD_Black SN750 1TB NVMe Internal Gaming SSD
SAMSUNG (MZ-V7E500BW) 970 EVO SSD 500GB
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
2. Corsair Force Series MP600 Gen4 PCIe X4 NVMe M.2 SSD
Best PCIe 4.0 SSD for gaming
SPECIFICATIONS
- Capacity: 240GB to 4000GB
- Memory: High-Density 3D TLC NAND
- Sequential read/write: 4950/4250 MB/s
- Interface: M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4
- Form factor: M.2 2280
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- A wide range of varieties: from 240GB to 4000GB
- Fast read and write speed
- PCIe gen 4 technology: excellent performance
- Aluminum heatsink: better heat control
REASONS TO AVOID
- Lower speed if work with PCIe gen 3 motherboards
- The performance seems not to be optimized yet with such new gen of PCIe
If you want to play games at a faster speed, Corsair Force Series MP600 Gen4 PCIe X4 NVMe M.2 SSD is absolutely the ideal choice. The incredible storage performance will impress anyone who is using older generations of SSD.
The SSD delivers up to 4950 and 4250 MB/s of sequential read and write speed, supporting you to do the tasks and make commands more quickly.
The compact design fits neatly into the motherboards without additional cables. Although some points still need to be improved, Corsair Force Series MP600 Gen4 PCIe X4 NVMe M.2 SSD is the potential solid-state drive for future upgrades if you want to.
Alternate choice:
Sabrent 1TB Rocket NVMe 4.0 Gen4 PCIe M.2
SAMSUNG 980 PRO 1TB PCIe NVMe Gen4
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
3. SAMSUNG 870 EVO 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD
Best 2.5-inch SSD for gaming
SPECIFICATIONS
- Capacity: 250GB to 4TB
- Controller: MKX controller
- Sequential read/write: 560/530 MB/s
- Interface: SATA III
- Form factor: 2.5″
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Affordable price
- Samsung Magician software: easy to manage
- High compatibility with major host systems and applications
- Wide variety of variants
REASONS TO AVOID
- The performance is not good as later gens of SSD
If you want to minimize the budget for drives, this Samsung 870 EVO 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD is probably the best choice. The sequential speeds are 560 MB/s (reading) and 530 MB/s (writing), truly boosting the performance of the computer.
Under the 5-year limited warranty, this SSD can read up to 300 TBW and serve different purposes, from everyday using to creating. You also don’t need to worry about the compatibility because 870 EVO 2.5 Inch SSD was tested to fit most major host systems and other components.
Even those who are new to drives can use it easily thanks to the renewed migration software that takes responsibility to connect the SSD and the whole system, users just need to plug it into the computer or laptop.
Alternate choice:
Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD
SAMSUNG 860 QVO 1TB Solid State Drive
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
4. Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB M.2 SATA Internal SSD
Best m2 SATA SSD
SPECIFICATIONS
- Capacity: 250GB to 2TB
- Controller: MJX controller
- Memory: V-NAND 3-bit MLC
- Sequential read/write: 550/520 MB/s
- Interface: SATA III
- Form factor: M.2 2280
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Affordable price
- Wide range of variants
- Easy installation
- Stable heat control
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not fast as other next generations of NVME drives
- Power-hungry
Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB M.2 SATA Internal SSD was born to enhance the mainstream of gaming PCs or laptops. The read/write speeds can reach up to 550/520 MB/s, assisting you to handle heavy workloads or demanding games.
Compared to 850 EVO, this 860 EVO SSD delivers up to 8 times higher Terabytes Written, which can store plenty of large-sized data. You can also rest assured that this SSD will go with you for such a long path since the warranty is 5 years, and its real life span is much longer.
In conclusion, Samsung SSD 860 EVO 500GB M.2 SATA Internal SSD should absolutely be on your consideration list when it comes to a good-quality SSD for your gaming needs.
Alternate choice:
Western Digital 500GB WD Blue 3D NAND Internal PC SSD
Kingston 480GB A400 M.2 Internal SSD
ADATA SU800 512GB M.2 2280 SATA 3D NAND Internal SSD
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
5. PNY CS900 1TB 3D NAND 2.5″ SATA III Internal SSD
Best cheap SSD for gaming
SPECIFICATIONS
- Capacity: 120GB to 4TB
- Memory: 3D NAND
- Sequential read/write: 535/515 MB/s
- Interface: SATA III
- Form factor: 2.5″
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Affordable price
- Easy installation
- Wide range of variants
- TRIM support
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not the fastest SSD
- SATA cables are not included
PNY CS900 1TB 3D NAND 2.5″ SATA III is one of the most ideal SSDs if you want to upgrade your HDD to increase the storage and improve the system performance. It delivers a reading speed of 535 MB/s and a writing speed of 515 MB/s.
Additionally, the SSD consumes lower power consumption, thereby lengthening the lifespan of your battery. If you’re a gamer, you can clearly feel the performance can be boosted up to hundreds of percent.
In short, this SSD is totally worth its price. Although it is not the fastest SSD ever, you can still take plenty of benefits from it.
Alternate choice:
Crucial BX500 1TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5-Inch SSD
Western Digital 1TB WD Blue 3D NAND Internal PC SSD
SanDisk Ultra 3D NAND 1TB Internal SSD
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
FAQs
1. What do SSDs have to be compatible with?
In short, to check if your SSD is compatible with a computer or laptop, you need to look at hard disk interface types, they must be the same. There are multiple types of hard disk interfaces, they are mSATA, U.2, SATA Express, SATA, M.2, PCI-E, and so on.
You must make sure that your PC supports the SSD; otherwise, they cannot maximize their performance. Don’t buy an SSD that has a too large capacity if you do not have much demand because it will be a waste of money. Save your budget for other components like GPU or CPU.
2. What are the two types of SSD?
There are two types of SSD, SATA SSD, and NVMe SSD.
SATA SSDs are the first generation of SSDs, which deliver read speeds of up to 570MB / second. Compared to traditional HDDs, SATA SSDs are typically 5 times faster. 2.5-inch SSDs, the most common SATA variant in laptops, can load big games in just seconds.
NVMe allows users to achieve even higher speeds than SATA SSDs. With an NVMe SSD, your computer can reach a read speed of 2600MB / second. NVMe M.2 is mostly recommended if your computer needs to handle a huge number of zip files or heavy games.
3. Should I get a 1TB HDD or a 256GB SSD?
It depends on your purposes and budget. 1TB of HDD can hold more data than 256GB SSD, but SSD can be 4 times faster than HDD. If you live on a tight budget and need large storage, a 1TB HDD may be the more suitable option.
On the other hand, if you play games or do a lot of programs, fast speed should be your first priority. Keep in mind that the larger SSDs are, the more expensive they are.
If you have a decent budget, you can get both HDD and SSD at the same time. While the OS and programs should be installed in SSD, the data can be stored in HDD.
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