Best SSD for Gaming - Top Reviews in 2024

We've compiled a list of the best SSDs for gaming if you're seeking for storage. We also have the best m2 ssds, best portable ssds, and best nvme SSDs if you like playing video games on a console.

1. WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive

Important Specifications 

• Digital Storage Capacity: 1 TB

• Hard Disk Interface: USB 3.2

• Connectivity Technology: USB

• Brand: WD_BLACK

• Hard Disk Form Factor: 2.5 Inches

• Hard Disk Description: External Solid State Drive (SSD)

Product's highlights

One of the best external SSDs for gaming, the WD BLACK P50 Game Drive offers read and write speeds of up to 2,000 Mb/s for $250 for a 1TB model. It is a USB-3.2 Gen 2 x2 SSD that works with PCs, Macs, Xboxes, and PlayStations.

Even while the P50 has a respectable performance for an external SSD, it is still slower than the majority of PCIe 3.0 drives. You'll still have no trouble starting up your computer and launching one of your favorite games or file transfers right away. It will be a significant improvement over your typical USB flash drive or portable disk.

It's straightforward to set up thanks to the plug-and-play design, and the bundled USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A connections increase your device compatibility. The Gen 2 x2 interface is built to last for many years and is compatible with the newest gear.

The P50's remarkable 20 GB/s USB interface speed is designed for maximum speed and long-term use. It is secured by a sturdy, forged aluminum cover case for stable transportation. The drive can supply twice as much bandwidth as other external gaming SSDs, making it the perfect choice for gamers who demand the highest level of performance.

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Pros

• Speedy USB interface

• Trustworthy portability

• A USB-C to USB-A cable is included.

• Five-year warranty

Cons

• A little thick

• No 256-bit AES encryption

2. Corsair MP600 PRO XT

Important Specifications 

• Digital Storage Capacity: 1 TB

• Hard Disk Interface: NVMe

• Brand: Corsair

• Hard Disk Description: Solid State Drive

• Color: Black

• Specific Uses For Product: storage

Product's highlights

One of the few gaming SSDs with up to 4TB of storage is the Corsair MP600 PRO XT. Even though this SSD is expensive, it offers impressive read and write speeds of up to 7,100 Mb/s and 6,800 Mb/s, respectively.

High-density 3D TLC NAND is used in the MP600 PRO XT, a potent PCIe Gen 4 gaming SSD, to combine performance and endurance. This is in addition to the heat-distributing aluminum heat spreader, which lessens throttling. It differs from other choices by incorporating a liquid-cooling option.

To deliver the most bandwidth possible, the SSD makes use of NVMe Protocol 1.4. The MP600 PRO XT is one of the top 4.0 SSDs for people who desire reliable and quick performance when combined with the powerful heat sink. The 700 TBW rating for the 1TB and 2TB variants increases to an astounding 3,000 TBW for the 4TB version.

The cost difference between upgrading to 2TB and 4TB is a hefty $800. The MP400 version, which offers a whopping 8TB of capacity, is available if you want to go all out on storage. A high-performance drive can hold many years' worth of games and data if you have additional storage. 

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Pros

• Purchase storage space up to 4 TB.

• Powerful heat sink

• Excellent TWB ratings

• Warranty for five years

Cons

• Quite costly

• The TWB rating for 1 TB and 2 TB is the same.

3. Samsung 980 Pro

Important Specifications 

• Digital Storage Capacity: 1 TB

• Hard Disk Interface: NVMe

• Brand: SAMSUNG

• Hard Disk Form Factor: 2280 Inches

• Hard Disk Description: Solid State Hard Drive

Product's highlights

For competitive and dedicated gamers who want more and faster bandwidth while gaming, the Samsung 980 Pro employs PCIe Gen 4 technology. Any demanding application that uses a lot of graphics should run perfectly on it.

The 980 Pro delivers dependable thermal control with a nickel coating that efficiently dissipates heat in order to guarantee steady and consistent performance as well as longevity. Because of its outstanding terabyte written (TBW) rating, which ranges from 300 TBW at 500GB to 1,200 TBW at 2TB, the drive is built to survive.

The PlayStation 5 and PCIe 3.0 rigs are both completely compatible with the 980 Pro. Although the speeds will still be more than 3,000 Mb/s, placing the drive in a 3.0 slot will reduce them. To further improve the performance and keep an eye on the drive's health, you may also install Samsung Magician.

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Pros

• Fantastic value for a powerful performance

• Every component is produced internally.

• Yet another excellent choice for PCIe 3.0 users

• Compatible with PlayStation 5

• Warranty for five years

Cons

• A maximum of 2 TB of storage is available.

• The 2 TB version is pricey.

4. WD_BLACK SN850

Important Specifications 

• Digital Storage Capacity: 1 TB

• Hard Disk Interface: NVMe

• Connectivity Technology: SATA

• Brand: WD_BLACK

• Hard Disk Description: Solid State Hard Drive

• Compatible Devices: Desktop

Product's highlights

With this M.2 game drive, your PlayStation 5 will be improved. For $230 for 1TB, the WD BLACK SN850 will provide your console with amazing read and write speeds of up to 7000 Mb/s and 5,300 Mb/s, respectively.

We advise purchasing the heat sink version, which is available for all capacities, because the drive has a tendency to become quite warm after prolonged use. Although it may cost a bit more, it will increase the SSD's lifespan and lessen throttling, which is great for reliable performance. Additionally, you receive a lengthy five-year guarantee at the time of purchase in case the SSD malfunctions.

The SSDs are intended for competitive gaming and even double the bandwidth limit of PCIe 3.0 drives thanks to PCIe Gen 4 technology and TLC 3D NAND flash memory. It has a 300 TBW rating at 500GB, 600 TBW at 1TB, and 1,200 TBW at 2TB, and it has a sizable and dynamic SLC cache. In order to update, examine, clean, modify, and optimize the drive, install Western Digital Dashboard.

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Pros

• There is a heat sink Sony recommends.

• Slender and modern style

• RGB alterations using WD software

• Warranty for five years.

Cons

• After playing for a long time, it becomes heated

• Slower write speeds for versions larger than 1 TB

5. XPG GAMMIX S70

Important Specifications 

• Digital Storage Capacity: 1024 GB

• Hard Disk Interface: NVMe

• Connectivity Technology: SATA

• Brand: XPG

• Hard Disk Form Factor: 2280 Inches

• Hard Disk Description: Solid State Drive

Product's highlights

Are you looking for an M.2 SSD that can perform the most demanding tasks? For $150 for 1TB, the XPG GAMMIX S70 has among the fastest read and write speeds available—up to 7,400 Mb/s and 6,800 Mb/s, respectively.

Overall, this SSD is made for the most demanding games, and overclockers will find it to be one of their best options. It can manage the most demanding workloads while still delivering the finest performance.

This has been made possible by the most recent PCIe Gen 4 interface, 3D NAND Flash technology, dynamic SLC caching, and DRAM cache. Generally speaking, drives with DRAM cache are quicker than ones without it.

The SSD will stay cooler even while it is operating at maximum capacity because of a heat spreader design that improves ventilation. This not only lengthens its longevity but also guarantees a smooth gaming experience free of throttling.

Although the S70 can use PCIe 3.0 expansion slots, its top read and write speeds are just 3,400 Mb/s and 3,000 Mb/s, respectively. Although there is a better solution for the PlayStation 5, it is also compatible with NVMe 1.4.

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Pros

• Takes on the heaviest workloads

• Provides exceptional read and write speeds.

• Keeps cool for reliable performance

Cons

• Possibly too big for some motherboards

• Users of PCIe 3.0 can discover a less expensive substitute.

1. What size SSD works best for gaming?

Because games are getting bigger, we frequently recommend a 1TB or 2TB drive over anything less in the NVMe form factor. This will provide you enough headroom to load games from your virtual game libraries without having to constantly make room for new releases (such as Steam, Epic, or Origin). Furthermore, drives with capacities of 1TB and 2TB frequently perform a little bit faster than those with smaller capacities in the same product series.

2. What SSD speed is best for playing games?

Although there is no standardized speed for SSDs, we strongly suggest having at least a Gen 3.0 drive in your gaming PC because it offers read and write speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s. But if you want the best of the best, premium Gen 4.0 drives are currently exceeding 7,000 MB/s in sequential speed. Our advice is to get the fastest drive that your financial means will allow, but ideally, you should select an online NVMe device over a slower SATA or HDD kind.

3. Are SSDs suitable for gaming?

As PC games continue to demand more bandwidth and larger file sizes, SSDs are the greatest solution to shorten loading times and provide faster boot-up rates. A Gen 4.0 SSD in particular is speedy enough to load up components like HD graphics and the larger game areas that modern games require. You'll be able to distinguish between this and starting your games from a standard hard disk.

Before rushing to add the best SSD for gaming on this list to your shopping cart, keep in mind that it's essential to be aware of the slots and technologies that your system supports. Make sure to examine what your motherboard is capable of before spending a lot of money on an expensive PCIe 4.0 drive that your setup might not be able to get the most out of.