The Best 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSDs

Its random read and write are 40% and 55% faster than the 980 PRO, and Samsung's nickel-coated controller manages heat in slim laptops too. Nothing else here matches its 7,450MB/s rated read speed; the NM790 1TB comes closest at 7,400MB/s. It matches the SN7100 1TB on rated write speed (6,900MB/s).

It also comes with Samsung Magician software for firmware updates. It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports. It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. It was priced above the SN7100 1TB and below the T500 1TB at the time of writing.

Its 7,250MB/s rated read speed ranks fourth of 6 here, behind the 990 PRO 1TB (7,450MB/s) and ahead of the NV3 1TB (6,000MB/s). It also comes with next-generation TLC NAND and a design aimed at handhelds and laptops as well as desktops. It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports.

It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. On price it sat fourth of 6, between the cheaper NM790 1TB and the pricier 990 PRO 1TB, at the time of writing.

On rated read speed it sits mid-pack at 7,300MB/s: the 990 PRO 1TB offers 7,450MB/s, and the NV3 1TB comes in at 6,000MB/s. Its 6,800MB/s rated write speed ranks third of 4 here, behind the 990 PRO 1TB (6,900MB/s) and ahead of the NM790 1TB (6,500MB/s). It also comes with a design for laptops and desktops.

It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports. It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. Only the 990 PRO 1TB came close to it on price at the time of writing; it cost the most of the 6 picks.

It suits gamers and creators who want Gen4 speed at a mid-range price. Its 7,400MB/s rated read speed ranks second of 6 here, behind the 990 PRO 1TB (7,450MB/s) and ahead of the NV3 1TB (6,000MB/s). It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports.

It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. On price it sat third of 6, between the cheaper SN5100 1TB and the pricier SN7100 1TB, at the time of writing.

Its 7,100MB/s rated read speed ranks fifth of 6 here, behind the 990 PRO 1TB (7,450MB/s) and ahead of the NV3 1TB (6,000MB/s). It also comes with the lowest price among the 1TB TLC-class drives here. It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports.

It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. On price it sat second of 6, between the cheaper NV3 1TB and the pricier NM790 1TB, at the time of writing. The maker doesn't give its rated write speed; if that figure matters, the 990 PRO 1TB offers 6,900MB/s.

It includes Acronis cloning software, which makes moving an existing install easy. Its 6,000MB/s rated read speed is the slowest in this group; the 990 PRO 1TB leads at 7,450MB/s. It is an M.2 2280 drive, the standard length on desktop boards; check which of your board's slots it goes in, as some share lanes with SATA ports.

It runs at full speed in any PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot and still works, slower, in a PCIe 3.0 slot. You also get this: 5-year warranty. It undercut the SN5100 1TB and every other pick on price at the time of writing.