Storage Capacity: Similar to any other digital storage drive in the market, SSDs also have a limited storage capacity that you can utilize after installing it in your system. You should make your decision based on the storage capacity you need for your games and other important applications. Since most current generation games require about 100 GB space each, you should prefer an SSD with 1 TB storage capacity, or above.
Operating Speed: The main goal of installing an SSD in your system is to increase its overall speed and experience a faster performance while loading games. But, it is only possible if the SSD you are installing offers a high operating speed. There are 2 speeds that you need to carefully examine before buying an SSD that is read speed and write speed. The read speed is a highly important factor as far as gaming is considered. Reliability: As you will go through our picks for the best SSDs for gaming, you will realize that gaming SSDs are certainly not cheap. Thus, if you are going to invest such a high sum on a storage drive, you would obviously prefer an option that will last for a long time. Most SSD manufacturers offer a standard 5-year warranty period. But, there are a few options that offer even longer warranty periods for extended reliability.
Now that you are familiar with some of the key aspects of an SSD, you can easily pick up a decent option for your system. But, you will still be greeted with hundreds of different options, even if you are only considering popular brand choices. Thus, to help you in your journey to find the perfect SSD for your computer or laptop, we have gathered the best options right here. If you want to know more about how we have picked these specific options, check out our “Buying Guide” for the best gaming SSDs.
Best SSDs For Gaming 2023 Tabulation
Best SSDs For Gaming Reviews
1. WD_BLACK SSD For Gaming
WD is one of the most popular brands when it comes to storage drives, whether it is an SATA SSD, HDD, or NVMe SSD. We are placing a similarly popular option from WD right here. In the 1st place, we have the WD Black SN850 NVMe Gaming SSD. This is quite an affordable option considering it offers 1 TB of storage capacity. Also, it is one of the fastest options present on this list since it offers up to 7 Gbps read speed. As for the write speed, you will get about 5.3 Gbps transfer speed which is pretty much standard for an NVMe SSD drive. The WD Black SN850 NVMe Gaming SSD is manufactured on the latest PCIe Gen 4 technology, allowing full performance on the current gen motherboards. Thus, it can be a great choice if you are planning to build an ultimate gaming PC in 2023. The WD Black SN850 NVMe Gaming SSD also supports a dedicated WD Black software that lets you customize the SSDs performance as per your requirements. It is backed by the standard 5 year warranty period from WD. Best Features
It offers 1 TB storage capacity Up to 7 Gbps read speed Up to 5.3 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Designed on the latest PCIe Gen4 technology
Pros
Quite a popular option in the market right now Compact form factor for easy installation Supports a dedicated WD Black software
Cons
Write speed is not ideal for content creators
2. SAMSUNG SSD For Gaming
Samsung produces a lot of electronic products that are usually best in their class in terms of performance. Samsung also has a wide range of options available when it comes to an SSD. Our 2nd choice for the best gaming SSD is the Samsung 980 Gaming SSD. This is also a budget-friendly option that offers an ideal performance level as far as gaming is considered. With the 1 TB capacity, you will be able to install multiple large games on the SSD at once without worrying about running out of storage. The Samsung 980 Gaming SSD also offers pretty decent transfer speeds as it is rated for up to 3.5 Gbps read speed and 3 Gbps write speed. The Samsung 980 Gaming SSD also features a dedicated power mode that might be what you will need while playing your favorite game. This mode allows the SSD to operate at its peak performance so that you can enjoy your game with negligible loading times. The Samsung 980 Gaming SSD is rated for about 600 TBW and comes with Samsung’s optimized endurance quality for a long lifespan. You will also get a 5 year warranty on the product from Samsung. Best Features
It offers 1 TB storage capacity Up to 3.5 Gbps read speed Up to 3 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Dedicated power mode for high performance
Pros
Comparatively cheaper option than many other picks on this list Coming from a reliable brand Power mode offers heightened performance levels
Cons
Read and write speed should have been faster
3. Samsung 980 PRO SSD For Gaming
If you liked our previous SSD choice from Samsung but are looking for a faster option, worry not. We are back again with yet another great SSD designed by Samsung that focuses on transfer speed. In the 3rd place, we are bringing yet another high performance gaming SSD designed by Samsung. The Samsung 980 PRO SSD is basically a pro version of the drive we have seen before. This option features almost the same specification along with an exceptionally high transfer speed. You will get the same 1 TB data storage capacity on this drive with support for latest PCIe Gen4 support. But, the read and write speed of the Samsung 980 PRO SSD certainly offers an advantage over many choices you will find in the market. This drive is rated for up to 7 Gbps read speed and more than 5 Gbps write speed. With such strong specifications, you can easily prefer this drive for a variety of tasks apart from gaming. Samsung has also paid attention to the well-being of the SSD by implementing a reliable thermal control option on the drive that includes an external nickel coating for faster heat transfer. You will get the standard 5 years warranty period on the Samsung 980 PRO SSD. Best Features
It offers 1 TB storage capacity Up to 7 Gbps read speed Up to 5 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Reliable thermal control on the SSD
Pros
Thermal control design includes external nickel coating Another reliable option from Samsung Features pretty fast write speed
Cons
A bit expensive compared to other Samsung options
4. SK Hynix SSD For Gaming
A lot of users prefer buying an affordable gaming SSD since their requirements aren’t that high. For them, we are including the following gaming SD designed by SK hynix. The SK hynix Gold P31 is one of the cheaper options you can find in the market for a gaming SSD. This unit comes with 500 GB storage capacity which is sufficient for the OS and a handful of competitive games such as CSGO, R6S, Valorant, etc. But, even though the storage capacity of this drive is not that high, it still features pretty decent transfer speed. It is rated for up to 3.5 Mbps read and 3.2 Gbps write speeds. This drive also features a highly efficient thermal management system that allows the drive to perform uniformly even on long gaming sessions. Before distribution, the SK hynix Gold P31 is tested for about 1000 hours of HTOL stress test to ensure its reliability and long lifespan. On top of that, the SSD reaches about 1.5 million MTBF hours and is rated for nearly 1200 TBW. Even though it is a cheaper option, SK Hynix is still offering a 5 year long warranty period on the SSD. Best Features
It offers 500 GB storage capacity Up to 3.5 Gbps read speed Up to 3.2 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Efficient thermal solution implemented on the drive
Pros
Stress tested for more than 1000 hours before shipping Rated for nearly 1200 TBW Suitable for budget PC builds
Cons
Data transfer speeds could have been better
5. XPG GAMMIX SSD For Gaming
The XPG series products from Asus is yet another great selection for cheaper yet reliable storage drives. Since ADATA is also a highly reliable brand, you should definitely check out the following SSD from ADATA XPG series. The XPG Gammix S50 Lite is yet another cheaper alternative present in the market for a gaming SSD. The drive is designed for the latest motherboard since it supports PCIe Gen4.4, which is also suitable for new gen consoles such as PS5. As for the data storage capacity, the XPG Gammix S50 Lite is quite decent for gaming since it features 1 TB onboard storage capacity that is good enough for the majority of games. As far as transfer speeds are concerned, the XPG Gammix S50 Lite certainly does not disappoint since it offers read and write speed of 3.9 Gbps and 3.2 Gbps respectively. To help with the heat dissipation, XPG also includes a metallic external shroud with their SSDs that you can install over the SSD. But, it is not mandatory and you can choose to install the SSD without the metallic covering as well. The high density 3D NAND technology of the XPG Gammix S50 Lite makes it highly durable and reliable for the foreseeable future. Best Features
It offers 1 TB storage capacity Up to 3.9 Gbps read speed Up to 3.2 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Comes with an external metallic heat dissipation covering
Pros
Quite a cheaper option for a 1 TB NVMe SSD Offers about 20% cooler drive temperatures Comes with standard warranty period
Cons
Data transfer speeds are not the best
6. Inland SSD For Gaming
A lot of users prefer buying a reliable and long term alternative for a PC component since it is a hassle to replace the PC components every now and then. Thus, we have decided to include a similarly reliable option for a gaming SSD designed by Inland. The Inland Prime 2280 Gaming SSD is arguably the cheapest option we have available on our picks of the best gaming SSDs available in the market right now. This unit also happens to be the most reliable option we have selected for this list since it offers an extended warranty period of 6 years, that is a year longer than almost all other gaming SSDs. Even though it is a highly durable option, it still features the standard 1 TB capacity with decent transfer speeds and the 3D TLC Flash technology for better performance. Coming to the data transfer speed, the Inland Prime 2280 Gaming SSD is rated for 3.3 Gbps read and 3 Gbps write speed which is not bad for gaming based usage. There are many built-in features on the Inland Prime 2280 Gaming SSD such as advanced wear protection, bad block management, error correction, and many more that prolong the lifespan of the drive. On top of that, Inland is promising about 1.5 million hours MTBF rating on the Inland Prime 2280 Gaming SSD, making it a suitable choice for a very long time. Best Features
It offers 1 TB storage capacity Up to 3.3 Gbps read speed Up to 3 Gbps write speed Comes with 6 years of warranty Built-in drive protection features
Pros
One of the most reliable options on this list Comparatively cheaper than most other gaming SSDs in the market Backed by 3D TLC Flash technology
Cons
Read and write speed is slower than most other options
7. Addlink SSD For Gaming
There aren’t a lot of options available in the market if your drive requirements are exceedingly high. Thus, we have decided to offer the following option from Addlink that will be perfect for heavy users. The Addlink AddGame A95 is the best option present in the market right for an ultimate gaming build. If you are already spending a significant sum on your gaming PC with top-of-the-line CPUa and GPU, it would only make sense that you buy a similarly high end gaming SSD for your build like the Addlink AddGame A95. This is the largest gaming SSD you can find on the market right now since it offers 4 TB data storage capacity. Such high capacity will allow you to install OS, games, and all other programs directly on your SSD for the best performance. Talking about the performance, the Addlink AddGame A95 also offers the best performance you can expect from a gaming SSD. This drive is rated for 7.4 Gbps read speed and up to 7 Gbps write speed which is higher than what you can expect from any other SSD present in the market. This is also an ideal choice for PS5s since it supports since PS5 can take the advantage of its high speed and allow loading of mere seconds for even the heaviest of games. You will also find a pre-installed heatsink with the Addlink AddGame A95 to keep the temperature levels of the drive under control. Best Features
It offers 4 TB storage capacity Up to 7 Gbps read speed Up to 7 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Comes with a pre-installed heatsink
Pros
Best option for a PS5 Offers highest storage capacity in this selection Backed by the standard warranty period
Cons
It costs more than a new PS5
8. SAMSUNG Plus SSD For Gaming
Samsung has managed to land yet another highly affordable option for a gaming SD on our picks. The following option provides a balanced performance which is justified by its price range. The Samsung 970 Evo Plus is yet another highly suitable choice for gaming related applications since you will be getting a 1 TB storage capacity as well as fast data transfer speed allowing an appreciable performance of your system. The Samsung 970 Evo Plus is designed with an innovative V-Nand technology and supports NVMe PCIe 3 Gen4 interface so that you can get the advantage of enhanced bandwidth capacity of your motherboard’s PCIe slot. For the data transfer speed, the Samsung 970 Evo Plus manages to offer about 3.5 Gbps read speed and 3.3 Gbps write speed which is acceptable for entry-level PC builds. Even with such speeds, Samsung 970 Evo Plus manages to keep the temperature below 70℃ so that you won’t have to worry about performance loss caused by high temperature. Apart from the drive itself, Samsung also produces a variety of helpful software such as Samsung Magician that allows you to quickly manage your SSD and update its firmware for a stable performance. Best Features
It offers 1 TB storage capacity Up to 3.5 Gbps read speed Up to 3.3 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Supports Samsung’s Magician software
Pros
Mages to keep the working temperature under 70℃ Dynamic thermal guard for better thermal management Offers best compatibility with new-gen motherboards
Cons
Data transfer speed could have been better
9. Seagate SSD For Gaming
Seagate is also a well-known brand in the market for storage drives. In fact, you might have the popular Seagate barracuda in your system right now if you are using an HDD. Seagate is offering a similarly reliable option for a gaming SSD as well that we are listing below. The Seagate Firecuda 520 is yet another premium option that we have selected for our picks of the best gaming SSDs. This drive is also best suited for multipurpose PC builds such as gaming as well as content creation since it comes with 2 TB of storage capacity. Thus, you can use it to install a lot of programs on top of your games and the OS without worrying about the storage capacity. And since it is designed by Seagate, you also don’t have to worry about its performance or reliability since Seagate is one of the most trusted brands in the world for storage devices. As far as the speed of the Seagate Firecuda 520 is concerned, you will be glad to know that it offers a pretty decent 5 Gbps read speed and up to 4.4 Gbps write speed which is higher than what you will get in a lot of options. Seagate has also tested this product thoroughly and offers a rating of 18 million hours of MTBF and a TBW of nearly 2800 TB which is also significantly higher than most other options. Such reliable properties makes the Seagate Firecuda 520 a desirable option for professional users such as streamers and content creators that rely on the storage drive for safety of their content. Best Features
It offers 2 TB storage capacity Up to 5 Gbps read speed Up to 4.4 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Easy for migrating or cloning old data from previous drive
Pros
Offers comparatively higher storage capacity than other options Great price range for a gaming SSD 18 million hours MTBF and 2800 TB TBW rating
Cons
A bit on the expensive side which is not ideal for budget PC builds
10. PNY SSD For Gaming
Now that you are familiar with the most popular options present in the market, let us turn our attention to some of the lesser known brands in the market. Even if these are new arrivals for a gaming SSD, you will find many great options from brands like PNY. The PNY XLR8 CS3140 is yet another premium range gaming SSD we have included on our picks today. This is a 2 TB gaming SSD that offers many great features that truly justifies its price range. It is a M/2 PCIe SSD with Gen4 compatibility to allow an optimal performance with current gen PC builds and consoles. The enhanced bandwidth support for the PNY XLR8 CS3140 makes it perfect for extreme performance and makes it suitable for almost all types of applications. Apart from the vast storage capacity, you will also get a similarly fast performance from the PNY XLR8 CS3140. In fact, it is one of the fastest options in the market with a read and write speed of 7.5 Gbps and 6.8 Gbps respectively. With such a high write speed, you can easily render a 100 GB video file within mere minutes, considering your GPU is capable of that. Since it is also a premium range drive, you will have a 5 year long warranty period on the drive that includes almost all possible errors and failures. It also has a non-heatsink model which is specifically designed for PS5s. Best Features
It offers 2 TB storage capacity Up to 7.5 Gbps read speed Up to 6.8 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Ultra high performance which is best suited for content creation
Pros
A separate non-heatsink model is designed for PS5s Enhanced bandwidth capacity Unique 45-gram heatsink with 8 vertical fins for ideal hairflow
Cons
Quite an expensive choice for a gaming SSD
11. Crucial SSD For Gaming
Crucial is also a well-known brand of SSDs that offers a cheap and reliable alternative that are preferred by many gamers. The following is also a fast gaming SSD that is perfect for all types of applications. The Crucial P5 Plus will be a perfect choice for your gaming PC if you are planning to use it for multiple applications. This gaming SSD not only offers an ideal performance regarding gaming, but also many other handy specifications that you will certainly prefer. First of all, it comes with a terabyte of storage capacity to allow installation of multiple high-end games at once. On top of that, it is designed with PCIe 4.0 NVMe technology to offer an optimal performance for new system builds. Coming to the transfer speeds, you will get 6.6 Gbps read and 5 Gbps write speed on the Crucial P5 Plus. Such high data transfer speed surely makes this drive one of the fastest options we have enlisted for today’s picks. The Crucial P5 Plus is built upon Crucial’s exclusive Micron Advanced 3D NAND technology with an innovative controller to ensure the best results possible. And since it is also one of the reliable brands in the market, you will be getting a 5-year long warranty period on the SSD. Best Features
It offers 1 TB storage capacity Up to 6 Gbps read speed Up to 5 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty MTTF rating of 2 million hours of
Pros
One of the fastest gaming SSDs in the market 600 TB TBW rating Transfer speeds are exceptional for this price range
Cons
TBW rating is smaller than many other picks
12. TEAMGROUP SSDs For Gaming
In the end, we are bringing yet another high capacity option designed by Teamgroup. This is rather a lesser known brand name in the market. But you will still find many desirable properties on this gaming SSD. Last but not the least, we have the Teamgroup T-Force Cardea Gaming SSD. This gaming SSD also features a comparatively higher storage capacity than many other options around this price range. With the T-Force Cardea Gaming SSD, you will get a 2 TB storage capacity that is certainly preferable for heavy-gamers. Teamgroup is also offering an exclusive graphene cooling structure on this gaming SSD that allows great thermal performance within an ultra-thin construction. You will get the benefit of smart management technology with the T-Force Cardea Gaming SSD for an extended lifespan. As for the data transfer speed, the T-Force Cardea Gaming SSD offers about 2.1 Gbps read and 1.6 Gbps write speed. Even though these transfer speeds are comparatively slower than the majority of options we have seen so far, you will still have a decent experience from this drive regarding gaming-focused applications. Teamgroup is also implementing the standard 5 year long warranty period on the T-Force Cardea Gaming SSD to make it as reliable as other options in this price range. Best Features
It offers 2 TB storage capacity Up to 2.1 Gbps read speed Up to 1.6 Gbps write speed Comes with 5 years of warranty Exclusive graphene cooling structure
Pros
Great gaming SSD at this price range Smart drive management technology Higher storage capacity than other alternatives at this price range
Cons
Data transfer speeds are low
Buying Guide For The Best SSDs For Gaming
Now that you are familiar with the best options present in the market for an SSD, let us move forward with how to choose the best option amongst these choices. If you check our list closely, you will find a variety of options for all types of requirements. Whether you want the fastest option, a budget-friendly drive, or a high-capacity gaming SSD, you will surely find at least one compatible option on our picks for the best gaming SSDs. If you are not sure which of these properties are preferable for your needs, worry not. We are bringing this helpful buying guide for the best SSDs for gaming that will surely help you on your way. These properties of an SSD matter a lot after you have installed it in your system. By going through our buying guide, you can easily choose the perfect option under your budget that offers the best parameters.
1. Storage Capacity
SSD stands for solid-state drive which is basically a storage drive that stores your data and makes it available every time a program or features calls for it. Since you are buying a storage drive, you will have to ensure that it offers sufficient storage capacity as per your needs. Most SSDs available in the market right now offer at least 1 TB storage capacity, if not more. This is the best range for storage capacity since it allows you to install multiple games and applications apart from the operating system. But, you still need to consider what types of games you are going to play and choose the storage capacity accordingly. For example, if you are only going to play games like Rainbow Six Siege, CSGO, Valorant, or Minecraft, a 1 TB gaming SSD should be more than enough for your needs. On the other hand, games like Call of Duty occupy nearly 100 GB of storage capacity, making it a little bit difficult to use even a 1 TB storage drive. For such games, you have to prefer a drive that offers 2 TB or 4 TB storage capacity, based on your budget range.
2. Read/Write Speed
The operational speed of an SSD is usually divided into 2 parts that are read speed and write speed. The read speed is basically the speed at which your system can get data stored on your SSD whereas the write speed is the speed at which the data will be stored on your SSD. In simpler words, the read speed will vary the loading time as well as the boot time of your system whereas the write speed will affect its performance regarding other applications such as content creation, data transfer, etc. While you are looking for a gaming SSD, you should focus on getting a drive that offers a high read speed. But most SSDs that offer a high read speed also feature a similarly fast write speed. In the majority of cases, you will find the write speed only a little bit slower than its read speed. Thus, you can make a decision based on either of these factors and get a similar performance irrespective of the other speed rating. We will recommend buying a gaming SSD based on fast write speed only if you indulge in creative tasks that require rendering of large files, or if you transfer lots of data on a daily basis. Having a fast write speed on your SSD will also improve your overall download and installation speed when you are downloading a large game.
3. Heat Dissipation
Similar to most other PC components like your CPU, GPU or PSU, the SSDs also get heated after a certain period. This is because of the fast data transfer offered by the drive that is possible because of the continuous current flowing through the drive. Since there are semiconductors in the SSDs as well, you will notice temperature rise in your SSD while you are transferring data to or from the SSD. To avoid damage to the drive caused by excessive heat, a lot of manufacturers implement a heat dissipation system on the SSD. On top of that, some manufacturers also include an external heat shield or shroud for faster heat transfer. This results in faster cooling of the drive so that you can experience a uniform performance from the drive. Even if the rise in temperature is not entirely harmful to your drive, it will result in a comparatively slower performance which is certainly not preferable. Thus, make sure you check the heat dissipation method implemented on the SSD before you buy it. Even though it is not as important on desktop computers, it is crucial for devices like gaming consoles and laptops where faster heat dissipation is of utmost importance.
5. Warranty Period
Similar to most other PC components, there is always a chance of internal damage on an SSD caused by factors like power surge, incorrect power supply, or extensive usage. And since gaming SSDaren’t exactly cheap, you need to make sure that the unit you are buying is safe from such anomalies and offers you a reliable experience. It is only possible if the manufacturer has implemented necessary security parameters on the drive along with an appropriate heat shield. It also depends upon the production quality of the drive, which you won’t be able to verify before buying the drive. But what you can do is check the warranty period allotted by the manufacturer on the drive and make a decision based on that. Usually, the warranty period for a standard gaming SSD is limited to 5 years which is long enough to get your value back from your investment. Some manufacturers also offer an extended warranty period on top of the standard 5-year, sometimes even for no additional cost. You need to simply check the warranty period allotted by the brand which you can easily find on our picks. Within the said warranty period, you can ask for free-of-cost repairs or replacement for your drive if the damage is not caused by external factors such as shock or impact. Some premium brands also cover external damage if the production quality of the drive is up to the mark.
Conclusion
Buying a new SSD might be a difficult task for some users, especially if it’s their first custom build. An SSD surely improves the overall performance of the system while minimizing the time required for loading heavy PC games. Apart from that, SSDs also help content creators as it also offers a high write speed, allowing a faster render speed for your projects. If you have been looking for a decent gaming SSD, worry not. You will find the best gaming SSDs present on the market right on our list. And if you are not sure how to get the best SSD as per your needs, you can refer to our buying guide for the best SSD for gaming and get an idea about what SSD is perfect for you. In the end, we will offer you some handy recommendations based on some important qualities of an SSD.
If you are looking for a basic gaming SSD within an affordable price range, we will strongly recommend going with the Inland SSD For Gaming This is the cheapest option available on our list today and still features a 1 TB storage capacity. The read and write speed for the Inland Prime 1TB NVME PCIe M.2 SSD are also not too bad for the price. You will get about 3.3 Gbps read and 3 Gbps write speed on this gaming SSD. Also, this is the most reliable option present on our list since it comes with a 6 year long warranty period.
On the other hand, there are only a handful of options present in the market for heavy users that prefer a massive storage capacity on their gaming SSDs. For such users, we will recommend the Addlink SSD For Gaming. Even though this SSD costs almost equivalent to a budget gaming PC, it is still the best option for top-end gaming systems. It offers significantly fast read and write speeds that are up to 7.4 Gbps and 7 Gbps respectively. With such a fast drive, you can expect even the heaviest of games to load within 10 to 20 seconds.
Samsung is also a well-known brand in the market for high-speed SSDs and its Samsung 980 PRO SSD For Gaming is a decent choice for heavy gamers. This is rather a cheaper option on our list compared to some high-end gaming SSDs and it still offers about 7 Gbps read speed and 6 Gbps write speed. On top of that, you will have 1 TB of storage capacity which is suitable for the current generation of games that are usually around 100 GB each. The best part about the Samsung 980 PRO is its smart thermal solution that controls its temperature without needing an external shroud.
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