Fastest M.2 NVMe SSDs In 2022 (August Update) - GPCB

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Faster storage will speed up most of your PC activities, from booting your OS to loading apps and game assets. However, not all SSDs are created equal. If you have an NVMe-capable M.2 slot on your motherboard, this is where you should install your system drive.

Some of the fastest M.2 drives right now depending on interface are:

• PCI-Express 5.0 (Gen5): WD_Black SN8100 or Corsair MP700 Pro XT
• PCI-Express 4.0 (Gen4): Samsung 990 PRO or WD_Black SN7100

For full compatibility with PCI-Express 5.0 (Gen5) SSDs, your system must be based on AMD’s AM5 platform (X670 and B650 motherboards or later), or Intel’s Arrow Lake Z890/B860 chipsets or later. Specific Z790 boards (Raptor Lake) also offer a Gen5 M.2 slot.

Table of Contents

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• A Quick Look at Leading Gen5 & Gen4 M.2 SSDs
• Best SSDs Ranked by Gaming Performance
• What is NVMe and why do I need it?
• Which is the Best M.2 SSD for Gaming?
• Will it Work on my Laptop/Desktop PC?
• MLC Vs. TLC Vs. QLC NAND
• Summary

A Quick Look at Leading Gen5 & Gen4 M.2 SSDs

A lot has changed since the first wave of Gen5 SSDs based on Phison’s E26 controller. New controllers from both Silicon Motion (SM2508) and Phison (E28) have addressed the power efficiency (and more importantly, thermal) challenges that plagued early Gen5 drives. As a result, today’s fastest Gen5 SSDs no longer require massive heatsinks and can deliver exceptional performance in laptops and compact systems.

Product Fastest Gen5 M.2 SSD WD_BLACK SN8100 Fastest Gen4 M.2 SSD Samsung 990 PRO Image Sequential read (max., MB/s) 14,900 7,450 Sequential write (max., MB/s) 14,000 6,900 Random read IOPS (4K/QD32) 2.3M 1.4M Random write IOPS (4K/QD32) 2.4M 1.55M Warranty 5-Year 5-Year Endurance rating (TBW) 1,200 TBW (2TB) 1,200 TBW (2TB) Check Price View on Amazon View on Amazon Fastest Gen5 M.2 SSD Product WD_BLACK SN8100 Image Sequential read (max., MB/s) 14,900 Sequential write (max., MB/s) 14,000 Random read IOPS (4K/QD32) 2.3M Random write IOPS (4K/QD32) 2.4M Warranty 5-Year Endurance rating (TBW) 1,200 TBW (2TB) Check Price View on Amazon Fastest Gen4 M.2 SSD Product Samsung 990 PRO Image Sequential read (max., MB/s) 7,450 Sequential write (max., MB/s) 6,900 Random read IOPS (4K/QD32) 1.4M Random write IOPS (4K/QD32) 1.55M Warranty 5-Year Endurance rating (TBW) 1,200 TBW (2TB) Check Price View on Amazon

Last update on 2026-01-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The leading Gen5 SSDs in early 2026 are excellent examples of recent architectural improvements. SanDisk’s WD_Black SN8100 uses a customized SM2508 controller, while Corsair’s MP700 Pro XT is based on the Phison E28.

These drives are currently leading the performance charts in the popular 3DMark Storage Benchmark and none of them require oversized heatsinks to compensate for inadequate power efficiencies.

If you are still on Gen4, on the other hand, the Samsung 990 PRO remains the fastest Gen4 SSD we’ve tested – but there are usually better bargains in the Gen4 space.

Best SSDs Ranked by Gaming Performance

The aim here is to rank SSDs based on their performance where it matters. In our case, this is gaming, but that happens to correlate with many other common user workloads. Our benchmark of choice is UL’s 3DMark Storage Benchmark.

This popular benchmark consists of a range of gaming-related workloads that also apply to other usage scenarios. Scores are based on the average bandwidth from a variety of tasks, including loading, installing, saving, moving, and recording specific games.

1. The 2025 Speed King: WD_Black SN8100

The WD_Black SN8100 is one of the best consumer SSDs to date. Using a customized Silicon Motion SM2508 controller paired with SanDisk/Kioxia BiCS8 218-layer TLC NAND running at 3,600 MT/s, this drive delivers performance that approaches the legendary Intel Optane P5800X in real-world workloads.

What sets the SN8100 apart is that it delivers exceptional low-queue-depth performance, which is where you actually notice responsiveness in everyday use. The 6nm SM2508 controller is also far more power-efficient than previous Gen5 controllers, averaging just 6.5-7W during active use. This means you can use a standard motherboard heatsink without worrying about thermal throttling.

Available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, with an 8TB model expected later in 2026. All capacities feature single-sided designs, making them compatible with laptops and compact systems.

Shopping links (2TB): Amazon, Newegg

2. Corsair MP700 Pro XT

The MP700 Pro XT was one of the first drives to utilize Phison’s new E28 controller, announced at CES 2025. This 6nm controller is much more efficient than the E26, consuming approximately 8.5W under load compared to the E26’s 12W+. More importantly, Phison’s E28 delivers improved random performance, making the system feel snappier in everyday use.

In benchmarks, the MP700 Pro XT trades blows with the WD_Black SN8100, often taking the lead in certain tests. It only slightly trails the SN8100 in the comprehensive 3DMark Storage Benchmark, which is why it lands in second place. Nevertheless, this is an exceptional drive that represents the current state of the art in the Gen5 space.

Shopping links (2TB): Amazon, Newegg

3. Kingston Fury Renegade G5

Kingston’s latest Fury Renegade iteration also offer substantial improvements over the previous generation. Like the WD_Black SN8100, it uses the SM2508 controller and Kioxia BiCS8 NAND. The combination allows it to compete with the very best in gaming scenarios, though it doesn’t quite match the SN8100’s apparent firmware optimizations.

What the Fury Renegade G5 offers is solid all-around performance with excellent power efficiency. It’s a great choice if you can’t find the WD_Black SN8100 in stock, or if pricing favors the Kingston drive.

Shopping links (2TB): Amazon, Newegg

4. Samsung 9100 PRO

Samsung finally entered the high-end Gen5 space in early 2025 with the 9100 PRO, and the result was worth the wait. Using Samsung’s in-house 5nm “Presto” controller paired with 236-layer V8 V-NAND, this drive delivers sequential performance up to 14,800 MB/s read and 13,400 MB/s write.

Like the other leaders, the 9100 PRO’s also excels in terms of efficiency. Samsung claims up to 49% better power efficiency compared to the 990 PRO, and testing confirms that the drive runs relatively cool even under sustained loads.

However, performance isn’t quite as strong as the SM2508-based drives in low-queue-depth random operations. It’s still an excellent choice, not least due to Samsung’s brand reputation and software ecosystem (Samsung Magician).

Shopping links (2TB): Amazon, Newegg

5. Crucial T710

Crucial’s T710 is the company’s third attempt at a high-performance Gen5 drive, and it successfully addresses the thermal issues that plagued the T700 and T705. Like several other drives on this list, it uses the SM2508 controller, but pairs it with Micron’s G9 TLC NAND instead of Kioxia BiCS8.

The result is a drive that delivers competitive performance across the board, though it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the WD_Black SN8100. Where it does excel is consistency and reliability, backed by Crucial’s strong warranty support. It’s available both with and without a heatsink, giving you flexibility depending on your build.

Shopping links (2TB): Amazon, Newegg

6. Crucial T705 (and Similar Competitors)

The Crucial T705 remains relevant in early 2026 as one of the fastest SSDs using Phison’s original E26 controller. It nearly maxes out the PCIe 5.0 interface with sequential speeds up to 14,500 MB/s, thanks to Micron’s 2,000 MT/s NAND.

On the downside, these earlier Gen5 drives require careful thermal management. You’ll want a quality heatsink to avoid throttling under sustained loads. The power consumption is also higher than newer alternatives, making them less suitable for laptops.

Similar drives in this category include the Sabrent Rocket 5, MSI Spatium M580, and Corsair MP700 Pro SE. All offer comparable performance and face similar thermal challenges. As long as you can make room for a large heatsink – and find one at the right price – these are still very fast SSDs.

Shopping links (2TB): Amazon, Newegg

7. Seagate FireCuda 540 (and Other, Earlier E26-based SSDs)

The Seagate FireCuda 540 uses the same Phison E26 controller as many first-generation Gen5 drives, running at similar speeds (10,000 MB/s sequential read/write for the 2TB model). What distinguishes this one is Seagate’s firmware tuning and a significantly higher endurance rating of 2,000 TBW for the 2TB model.

Other drives in this category with nearly identical hardware include the Aorus Gen5 10000, SSTC Tiger Shark, Inland TD510, Corsair MP700, and Adata Legend 970. Performance differences between these drives are minimal, so your choice often comes down to pricing and warranty terms.

8. TeamGroup T-Force GE PRO

TeamGroup’s T-Force GE PRO takes a different approach by using an Innogrit IG5666 controller paired with YMTC (Yangtze Memory Technologies) 232-layer NAND. This unusual combo delivers impressive sequential performance up to 14,000 MB/s read and 11,800 MB/s write.

However, the drive lags somewhat behind its E26 and SM2508 competitors in gaming and productivity benchmarks. It’s still a solid choice if pricing is favorable, but it wouldn’t be my first pick for a gaming or workstation build.

9. Samsung 990 PRO (Best Gen4 SSD)

Several years after its launch, the Samsung 990 PRO is still the undisputed performance king in the Gen4 space. Using Samsung’s proprietary Pascal controller and 176-layer V-NAND with LPDDR4 DRAM cache, it essentially maxes out the PCIe 4.0 interface with sequential speeds up to 7,450 MB/s.

More importantly, its random performance is exceptional, reaching 1.4M/1.55M IOPS read/write. This translates to snappy system responsiveness that you’ll notice in everyday use. The drive is also single-sided across all capacities (now available up to 4TB), making it suitable for laptops and game consoles.

Shopping links (1TB): Amazon, Newegg

10. Crucial T500

A somewhat surprising addition to the list of top performers is the Phison E25-based is the new (as of November 2023) Crucial T500. What makes it an unlikely leader is that the E25 controller only has four NAND channels, compared to the eight more commonly found in high-end SSDs.

The magic ingredient appears to be its 232-layer NAND from Micron, which can propel this drive to the top of several benchmark charts versus other Gen4 drives. We have recently observed the same trend even in DRAM-less SSDs like the impressive Teamgroup MP44, but the Crucial T500 does employ an LPDDR4 DRAM buffer that gives it an edge in many workloads.

Shopping links (2TB): Amazon, Newegg

What is NVMe and why do I need it?

The performance of any storage device boils down to how quickly it moves data from storage (non-volatile, slower) to DRAM (volatile, faster).

The NVMe protocol (non-volatile memory express) was created to maximize SSD performance with the PCI-Express (PCIe) interface. It replaces AHCI paired with SATA, which was originally designed for mechanical hard drives. NVMe includes numerous efficiency improvements for handling parallel transfers and the low-latency nature of SSDs.

High-end NVMe SSDs are becoming even faster in gaming PCs thanks to GPU acceleration via Microsoft’s DirectStorage API. AMD and Nvidia implement this technology as Smart Access Storage and RTX IO, respectively. Games utilizing DirectStorage technology include Square’s Forspoken and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.

Which is the Best M.2 SSD for Gaming?

The difference between an SSD and a hard drive regarding user experience is very noticeable. To date, the effect of shifting from one type of SSD to another is not necessarily apparent, but it depends on the game. Any SSD will be much faster than any hard drive in games – even if it’s an external SSD in an enclosure.

Although it is now a bit dated, this comparison by HardwareUnboxed is also quite illuminating:

Until recently it was safe to assume that a comparison of individual high-end M.2 PCIe SSDs would result in small differences in terms of gaming performance. The gap has however grown wider between Gen3 and high-end Gen4 or Gen5. Microsoft’s DirectStorage may widen it further as the API makes its way into more new releases.

Will it Work on my Laptop/Desktop PC?

PCIe Interface Version

Interface	Transfer Rate per Lane	Throughput x1	Throughput x4 (M.2 SSD)
PCI Express 3.0	8 GT/s	0.985 GB/s	3.934 GB/s
PCI Express 4.0	16 GT/s	1.969 GB/s	7.877 GB/s
PCI Express 5.0	32 GT/s	3.938 GB/s	15.754 GB/s

Each PCIe interface version doubles the bandwidth over the previous generation. This doesn’t equate to twice the performance, but even though newer versions are backward-compatible, there is no use in paying more if your system can’t use the extra bandwidth.

To make full use of a Gen5 SSDs, AMD’s AM5 platform (X670 and B650 motherboards or later) is a minimum. Intel platforms supports Gen5 SSDs starting with Arrow Lake Z890/B860 chipsets or later. There are also some high-end Raptor Lake Z790 boards with a compatible slot.

M.2 Keying and Sizes

M.2 SSDs (and other M.2 cards) come in different sizes and some motherboards – particularly in laptops – will only hold a drive up to a certain size. They also have different sets of notches (keying) that will prevent you from installing it the wrong way.

Three different key types or ‘notch styles’ may be used by M.2 SSDs: B, M, or B&M. The socket can be either B or M, but not both.

High-end SSDs and recent motherboards use an M-key slot, as this is the only type that provides four lanes of bandwidth, or 20 Gbit/s, also known as PCIe x4. B-key supports ‘only’ PCIe x2 or 10 Gbit/s.

On many motherboards, the connector itself or the PCB next to it will be labeled with the keying. Otherwise, check the specs or the manual. Likewise, M.2 card length might be stamped on the board, looking something like this:

High-capacity drives have additional memory chips mounted on the card and may require more space in some cases. The M.2 standard allows for cards of five different lengths, with the number format meaning width-length in millimeters. All sizes are the same width, so the two most common, 2280 and 2242, are 80mm and 42mm long, respectively (and so on). All sizes and usage examples:

• 2230 – SSD in Steam Deck, and other compact devices. Also WiFi adapters.
• 2242 – Some ultrabook-type laptop SSDs and (more rarely) WiFi cards
• 2260 – Small form-factor laptop SSDs (very rare)
• 2280 – Most common form factor for NVMe SSDs in desktop PCs/laptops
• 22110 – Mainly enterprise SSDs

Most PCs including laptops can accommodate the common 2280 size (the format used by all of the drives listed above). 22110 drives will fit on many desktop motherboards but are extremely rare in the consumer market. 2230 SSDs like the Corsair MP600 Mini have seen an upswing in popularity as it’s the format used by handheld gaming PCs.

MLC Vs. TLC Vs. QLC NAND

In any SSD context, you’ll encounter the MLC, TLC, and QLC abbreviations. These signify the number of bits written to each cell in NAND (Not-AND) memory chips. Originally, just one bit could be written to each cell, hence the name single-level cell (SLC). SSDs using SLC memory were extremely durable but prohibitively expensive.

Consumer SSDs became common once density increased to two bits per cell, also known as multi-level cell (MLC). Most high-end drives today use triple-level cell (TLC) memory, whereas some budget SSDs use quad-level cell (QLC) NAND.

The downsides to increased densities are, all other things being equal, somewhat worse performance and durability. Adding additional bits per cell increases complexity, and cells wear down in fewer write/erase cycles.

However, today’s TLC-based drives are far faster than older MLC drives thanks to innovative buffering and caching technology. Data is first written in SLC mode and then to the slower TLC memory. Durability problems have mostly been solved using spare capacity (overprovisioning) to spread wear over time. Overall, today’s TLC-based SSDs are not only much faster but also durable enough to outlast most other PC parts for the average user.

Summary

2026 is shaping up to become an interesting year for the SSD market.

On one hand, new controllers are delivering faster and more efficient drives than ever. Going into the year, the WD_Black SN8100 and Corsair MP700 Pro XT are taking the lead with Optane-level performance, but will inevitably face new and tougher competition.

On the other hand, NAND prices have doubled since mid-2025, which is already leading to inflated prices. The “wait for better prices” approach that worked in 2023-2024 no longer applies for the time being.

For most users, a fast Gen4 drive like the Samsung 990 PRO or WD_Black SN7100 provides an excellent experience at more reasonable pricing than Gen5 alternatives. The performance gap between Gen4 and Gen5 remains small in most real-world scenarios, and the money saved can be better invested in other components.

However, if you’re building a high-end system with Gen5 support, the WD_Black SN8100 or Corsair MP700 Pro XT are the current state of the art.

Whatever you choose, verify compatibility with your motherboard, ensure adequate cooling, and make sure to compare prices carefully given the market conditions. The best SSD is the one that meets your needs at a price you can justify now, not the one you hope will be cheaper next quarter.