The Best Gen4 NVMe SSDs for Gaming

On rated read speed it ties with the SN5100 2TB at 7,100MB/s. It matches the MP44 2TB on rated write speed (6,000MB/s). It also comes with an Acronis data migration bundle.

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 makes the most sense for spending as little as possible, with the SN5100 2TB the next step up, since it offers the cheapest way into this group, below the SN5100 2TB. No other pick here cost less at our last price check, and the SN5100 2TB was closest.

It reads at up to 7,100MB/s, about 30% faster than WD's previous generation. Note that WD has replaced it with the SanDisk Optimus 5100. On rated read speed it ties with the P310 2TB at 7,100MB/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. When we checked, only the P310 2TB cost less, and the NV3 2TB cost more. If you want a confirmed rated write speed, look to the P310 2TB instead: it offers 6,000MB/s, while this one gives no figure.

It also offers a 6,000MB/s rated read speed and is rated for 2TB. On rated read speed it sits mid-pack at 6,000MB/s: the P310 2TB offers 7,100MB/s, and the MP600 CORE XT 2TB comes in at 5,900MB/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. It was priced above the SN5100 2TB and below the MP44 2TB at the time of writing. There is no published rated write speed figure, whereas the P310 2TB offers 6,000MB/s.

A graphene label helps spread heat, which works alongside a motherboard heatsink. Its 7,000MB/s rated read speed ranks third of 5 here, behind the P310 2TB (7,100MB/s) and ahead of the MP600 CORE XT 2TB (5,900MB/s). You also get SLC caching for bursts of writes.

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. Its price falls between the NV3 2TB and the MP600 CORE XT 2TB, based on our last check.

It also offers a 5,900MB/s rated read speed and offers a 5,000MB/s rated write speed. Its 5,900MB/s rated read speed is the slowest in this group; the P310 2TB leads at 7,100MB/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. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the MP44 2TB.