Of the key components in any PC, the storage drive is the slowest: transferring bits in a fraction of the time your CPU and GPU take to process it or your RAM takes to load it. A poor-performing storage drive often leads to a big bottleneck, forcing your processor (even if it’s one of the best CPUs for Gaming) to waste clock cycles as it waits for data to crunch.
Finding the best SSD or solid-state drive for your specific system and needs is key if you want the best gaming PC or laptop, or even if you just want a snappy productivity machine. To find the best SSDs for gaming and productivity, we test dozens of drives each year and highlight the best ones here. We have multiple categories, including the best SSD for NAS and the Best SSD for the Steam Deck listed below. For those on the hunt for the Best SSD for the PS5, be sure to head to that link for our recommendations based on our exhaustive testing. If you’re looking for the ultimate in cheap and deep storage, we also have a list of the best hard drives.
Picking the Best SSD for You
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The newest budget NVMe SSDs have undercut the pricing of mainstream drives on the slower SATA interface (which was originally designed for hard drives), but we shouldn’t expect to see the end of SATA SSDs any time soon.
The era of PCIe 5.0 SSDs is upon us, propelling us to new heights of stratospheric SSD performance. Blazing-fast PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSDs, which offer up to twice the sequential speeds of the older PCIe 4.0 standard, are now supported with Intel and AMD’s current platforms, the Zen 4 Ryzen 7000 and 13th-Gen Raptor Lake.
It’s great if your desktop system can handle a PCIe 5.0 drive, but they are still new and expensive, so they aren’t a requirement: For example, the PCIe 4.0 Samsung 990 Pro is our current choice for the best SSD overall, and the best SSD for gaming. This drive is rated for 7,450 / 6,900 MBps of sequential read/write throughput and 1.2 / 1.55 million read/write IOPS. That means less time waiting for game levels to load or videos to transcode, not to mention a snappier experience in Windows.
The PCIe 5.0 SSDs still have plenty to offer. The Crucial T700 is unquestionably the fastest consumer SSD in the world that you can actually buy, at least for now, delivering up to a blistering 12.4 GB/s of sequential throughput and 1.5 million random IOPS over the PCIe 5.0 interface. That’s an amazing level of performance from an amazingly compact device.
While the PCIe 5.0 drives are the fastest SSDs money can buy right now, believe it or not, raw speed isn’t everything. In regular productivity tasks such as web browsing or light desktop work, you may not even notice the difference between a PCIe 3.0 SSD and one with a 4.0 interface, let alone a new bleeding-edge PCIe 5.0 model. The latest PCIe 5.0 SSDs also carry a heavy price premium for now, so you’re probably best suited with a PCIe 4.0 or 3.0 model — unless you’re after the fastest possible performance money can buy, of course. If that’s the case and your system supports it, go for a new PCIe 5.0 SSD.
Ultimately, the best SSD for you is one that provides enough capacity to hold your data at a price you can afford. Consider that a high-end, AAA game can use more than 100GB of data, and Windows 11 all by itself may need 60GB.
Best SSDs in 2023 at a glance (more info below):
Here’s the shortlist of our rankings below, but we have deeper breakdowns for these drives below, along with far more picks for other categories, like RGB SSDs, value-centric PCIe 3.0 SSDs, workstation SSDs, DirectStorage SSDs, and SATA SSDs, among other categories.
When choosing an SSD, consider the following:
- Pick a compatible interface (M.2 PCIe, SATA, Add-in Card): Look at your user manual or a database like the Crucial Memory Finder to determine what types of SSD your computer supports.
- 500GB to 2TB: 1TB is the practical minimum for any PC build that costs more than $500 (perhaps one of the best PC builds). 2TB is the best SSD capacity for anyone that can spend $200+ on a drive. 500GB is the bare minimum anyone should consider at any price. 4TB drives have also plummeted recently, so good deals abound.
- SATA is slowest: SATA isn’t as fast as an M.2 PCIe or a PCIe add-in card, but the majority of desktops and many laptops support 2.5-inch SATA drives, and many doing typical mainstream tasks users won’t notice the difference between a good recent SATA drive and a faster PCIe model.
For even more information, check out our SSD Buyer’s Guide. Or, if you’re looking for an external SSD, you can check out our Best External Hard Drives and SSD page, or learn how to save some money by building your own external SSD. Below, you’ll find our recommendations for drives with all three major interfaces.
Best SSDs You Can Buy Today
Samsung hit back at its competitors with this impressive update to the 980 Pro. New hardware and new options, including a heatsink with RGB and a 4TB variant, have allowed Samsung to retake the M.2 SSD crown. Performance is excellent across the board, setting a few new performance records, such as with 4K random read performance. In our testing, the drive was consistent, power-efficient, and cool. Samsung has also updated its software for this drive, giving it the best SSD toolbox available, and the drive is backed by a competent warranty and decent support.
$20 extra for a heatsink and RGB is a good deal, and as we see with all vendors recently, pricing is at or near all-time lows. Samsung will likely discount this drive quickly. There are also competing PCIe 5.0 drives on the market that serve up faster performance, but they still carry a premium.
Read: Samsung 990 Pro Review
WD has taken its popular Black SN850 SSD and turned it up to 11. The Black SN850X leverages an improved controller and newer flash to get the most out of the PCIe 4.0 interface. Performance is improved across the board, and the drive rivals most of the top contenders in the PCIe 4.0 market. There’s also a heatsink option that comes with RGB at 1TB and 2TB. WD also supports the SSD with its decent Dashboard application and a respectable five-year warranty.
The M.2 Black SN850X was a bit pricey at launch, however, with a daunting MSRP, but those prices have largely come down. The touted Game Mode 2.0 feature felt incomplete in our testing, although WD ensures us that this will improve with future firmware updates. All-in-all, this is a good compromise if you can’t find the Samsung 990 Pro. This drive is also our best pick for PS5 SSDs, as you can read about in the #5 slot below.
Read: WD Black SN850X Review
Best M.2 PCIe NVMe Drives 2023
These small, rectangular drives look like sticks of RAM, only smaller. They are usually 80mm long by 22mm wide, described as size 2280, but some may be shorter or longer, so make sure you get one that matches your slot. You can get M.2 drives that support SATA, but most modern desktops and laptops with M.2 slots support the faster PCIe NVMe standard.
Crucial’s T700 is the world’s fastest SSD, taking the hands-down performance lead in every performance category. That groundbreaking speed comes courtesy of the drive’s PCIe 5.0 x4 connection, which offers a pathway for up to twice the throughput of PCIe 4.0 SSDs, and the Phison E26 SSD controller paired with Micron’s leading-edge 232-Layer 3D TLC flash. That potent common creates an SSD that’s the fastest on the market for PC game loading times.
Yes, faster drives will be released to the market near the end of the year, but for now, the T700’s 12.4 / 11.8 GB/s of throughput leads the market, not to mention the beastly up to 1.5 million random read/write IOPS that remains uncontested by any SSD on the market. The Crucial T700 can take a beating, too: The T700 doesn’t lose as much steam as other drives during heavy sustained workloads, making it a suitable drive for even the heaviest of workloads, like workstation-class video editing.
Many of the first PCIe 5.0 SSDs come with active cooling solutions, meaning they have a fan attached to the heatsink. In contrast, the T700 has a stylish passive heatsink that does an admirable job of assuring top-notch performance. Crucial also offers the drive without a heatsink, thus allowing you to use either your own third-party cooler or the in-built motherboard M.2 heatsinks that are becoming increasingly popular.
The Crucial T700 also has plenty of endurance, with 600TB of write endurance per TB of capacity, meaning you can confidently hammer the drive with heavier workloads, too. The drive also comes backed by Crucial’s five-year warranty, leaving pricing as one of the few quibbles — you can expect to pay a premium for this drive. However, you get premium performance in exchange.
Read: Crucial T700 Review
The Crucial P3 is the little sibling to the P3 Plus. There’s not much difference between the two, other than the P3 being limited by its PCIe 3.0 interface. This isn’t all bad, as the P3 is a bit cheaper and also more efficient. In fact, it’s incredibly efficient, making it a useful addition to any system. The lack of a 4.0 interface reduces its maximum bandwidth and sequential performance, plus puts it out of range for use in the PlayStation 5.
It’s nice to see some newer hardware in the PCIe 3.0 SSD market segment, especially with capacities of up to 4TB. Crucial backs it with a full 5-year warranty and decent software support. However, its guaranteed write endurance is quite low. The P3 is based on QLC and is also DRAM-less, so it might be prone to potential performance issues. It’s also best at higher capacities. Still, it’s a good option on sale for an upgrade, or if you just need more NVMe-class bulk storage.
Read: Crucial P3 Review
If you’re looking for a broader view of multiple different options for a PS5 SSD, head to our Best SSDs for PS5 feature. Spoiler alert: This SSD is the best of the bunch. WD has taken its popular Black SN850 SSD and turned it up to 11, but luckily the price isn’t nearly extreme. The current $140 price point for the 2TB model is a steal, but make sure you check the current pricing. The Black SN850X leverages an improved controller and newer flash to get the most out of the PCIe 4.0 interface, thus delivering excellent performance with the Sony PlayStation 5. Performance is improved across the board, and the drive comes with a heatsink option at 1TB and 2TB.
WD also supports the SSD with a respectable five-year warranty that will let you game with peace of mind. This drive was made for the PlayStation 5, but it’s a bit pricier than other options, and additionally, WD has taken the course of releasing an officially-licensed SN850P. That drive is a glorified heatsinked SN850X and should only be picked if you want the heatsink at 4TB. Even then, it’s far less expensive to get a bare SN850X and add your own heatsink. This goes for PC use, too, where the SN850X also shines.
Read: WD Black SN850X Review
The Addlink A93 is among a batch of drives that have arrived with new hardware, combining an efficient controller from Maxio with very fast and efficient 232-Layer TLC flash from YMTC. The result is high-end performance without the heat and the introduction of truly affordable 4TB SSDs. The dense flash in this drive allows for a single-sided design that is excellent for laptops and tighter environments, like the PlayStation 5, without the QLC compromise. It doesn’t have the power and DRAM of the WD Black SN850X, but the cost-saving speaks for itself.
Addlink sets itself apart from the Lexar NM790, Team MP44, and Patriot VP4300 Lite, among other drives, with its PS5-compliant heatsink. This can increase its cost a little bit, and alternatives like the Silicon Power XS70 can rival it at a similar or lower price. However, the Addlink has the advantage with its power efficiency, which helps keep it cool in the PS5 to avoid throttling. There are also less expensive QLC options, like the Corsair MP600 Core XT, but these cannot reach the raw performance levels of the A93.
Read: Addlink A93 Review
The Sabrent Rocket 2230 is a fast and efficient M.2 2230 drive designed for devices that need smaller PCIe SSDs, like the Steam Deck or Microsoft’s Surface Pro series. Such smaller drives are usually sold only with pre-built OEM machines. A retail option like the Rocket 2230 means that you can avoid second-hand drives that may lack reliable support and a warranty.
Since the Rocket 2230’s launch, there have been many competing drives released that could be a better value if the price is right. These include the Corsair Mini MP600, which is virtually identical but only available at 1TB. The Inland TN446 is also similar and has a 512GB option. The Rocket 2230 still holds on as being the only one with a 256GB option, though.
Retail 2TB M.2 2230 drives use slower QLC flash, although this is not all that detrimental in the Deck. It’s also possible to get the OEM WD SN740 with TLC up to 2TB, but it has a higher power draw and costs more than some QLC alternatives. This leaves the Rocket 2230 as the best overall drive for this segment with good performance, efficiency, and capacity options, but make sure to compare pricing when buying.
The Rocket 2230 has good all-around performance and maintains a solid level of performance in sustained workloads. It is also quite efficient in our tests thanks to its blend of a newer PCIe 4.0 controller and 176-Layer NAND flash. You can get the same results with many M.2 2280 drives at a much lower cost, however. The drive is also currently limited to just 1TB, and product registration is required to get the full warranty. Still, it’s the best choice for certain machines, particularly the popular Steam Deck.
Read: Sabrent Rocket 2230 SSD Review
Crucial’s P5 Plus is an evolution of the P5 with a focus on improved performance, especially where the original P5 let us down. Built for gamers and creative professionals who want faster load times and more efficient workflows, Crucial’s P5 Plus is a solid PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD that is priced well for its feature set.
Although it banks on value more than flat-out performance, the P5 Plus proved capable of keeping up with the best in most applications. It features a host of specialized algorithms for data protection and hardware-based, OPAL 2.0-compliant AES 256-bit encryption for data security. If you can’t quite afford the Samsung 980 Pro or WD_Black SN850, the P5 Plus is a solid performing alternative that’s worthy of your consideration.
Read: Crucial P5 Plus Review
SK hynix’s Gold P31 touts market leadership as the first retail SSD product to launch with 128-Layer flash. With SK hynix’s newest flash reaching incredible bit density, the Gold P31 hits the market at very low pricing. Listed at competitive prices, the Gold P31 is a fantastic value that will make you think twice about spending that extra $25-$50 on the Samsung 970 EVO Plus.
SK hynix’s Gold P31 is great if you’re looking to increase your laptop storage, not only to gain capacity but to gain battery life, too. While some drives may perform well against the Gold P31 in benchmarking, the SK hynix is much more power-efficient, which will lead to longer off-the-charger sessions. Laptop users who prioritize battery life should definitely put the new SK hynix Gold P31 at the top of their drive list. Additionally, the Gold P31’s very strong write performance and ultra-high efficiency make it a well-rounded choice for many desktop users as well.
Read: SK hynix Gold P31 Review
The Team MP44 is part of the vanguard for new and better DRAM-less SSDs. Newer controllers and flash are letting budget/value drives push the limits of the PCIe 4.0 interface while providing high capacities without making compromises. They can have the endurance and performance of TLC and the high power efficiency of four-channel, DRAM-less controllers, all without extra cost. Less power means less heat, and these drives are also designed to be single-sided. That combination makes the MP44 perfect for laptops.
The SK hynix Gold P31 is still the gold standard for laptop SSDs, especially as it has DRAM, but it’s limited to PCIe 3.0 bandwidth, isn’t always available, and is limited to 2TB of capacity. The MP44 can get twice the bandwidth, but even in a 3.0 slot, it is inexpensive for 4TB and even has an 8TB option. Other alternatives, like the Crucial P3 Plus or Corsair MP600 Core XT, are slower and use QLC. The heatsink found on the Addlink A93 and other SSDs preclude them from laptop use and can add a little cost. Otherwise, the MP44 will have some competition at lower capacities, but it is worth a look if you can find it at the right price.
Read: Teamgroup MP44 SSD Review
Patriot’s Viper VPR400 could be seen as the successor to their now-retired VPR100. The heatsink is essentially the same, as is the RGB. Patriot’s sync software works with ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI. In practice, enabling this mode does draw more power and produce more heat but neither should be a problem in a well-ventilated desktop case. Patriot backs all of this up with a 5-year, 800TBW-per-TB warranty.
Performance is good, as would be expected from a drive with InnoGrit’s IG5220 controller and Micron’s 176-layer TLC flash. While DRAM-less and not as fast as high-end PCIe 4.0 drives, this combination remains competitive and more than enough for most users. However, the aesthetics come at a price: the Viper VPR400 is very expensive for what it is. This is therefore a drive for the gamer who is willing to pay more for the perfect thematic build.
Read: Patriot Viper VPR400 Review
Sabrent is no newcomer to high-capacity SSDs. The company first hit 8TB with their Rocket Q, but now it has a TLC drive at that capacity. Currently, no other manufacturer offers a consumer 8TB TLC drive. As such, this drive offers the best of both the capacity and performance worlds, but it comes at a steep price.
The Rocket 4 Plus has a powerful controller and newer flash, but there are some downsides from pushing the capacity envelope: it has lower power efficiency and weaker all-around performance than some of its lower-capacity peers. That means other drives with this controller and Micron’s 176-layer flash do perform better, but they don’t offer nearly the same capacity. Overall, the 8TB Rocket 4 Plus is the fastest 8TB SSD we’ve ever tested, offering the highest performance available at this capacity point. If you’re looking for a better value, though, turn to the QLC version of this same drive.
Read: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus SSD Review
The Inland Performance Plus is a sleeper drive, often being priced very well for its hardware at higher capacities. It’s difficult to call any 8TB NVMe drive a “budget” choice, but the Performance Plus is regularly one of the least expensive options here, aside from maybe the TeamGroup MP44. The Performance Plus has also been priced well on sale for 4TB many times in the past. It uses the same hardware as other prominent drives like the Rocket 4 Plus and includes an excellent warranty.
The downsides would be a potential lack of support, less availability in some regions, and no software support. It’s also still more expensive than getting multiple, smaller-capacity drives. Still, it’s a good, yet hidden, option if you can find it on sale, and its small pSLC cache makes it great for heavier workloads. It’s an excellent performer and better than the original, which had older flash. It might be worth putting a heatsink on this one, though, or you can opt for the Gaming Performance Plus, which is the same drive with a heatsink.
Read: Inland Performance Plus M.2 NVMe SSD Review
Sabrent took its updated Rocket 4 Plus and turned the dial up a notch to produce the Plus-G. The original Rocket 4 Plus was an excellent drive when it launched, and Sabrent later quietly updated its flash to Micron’s 176-layer TLC without much fanfare. Phison has since made special firmware for DirectStorage, which requires this fast and reliable flash. Sabrent’s Rocket 4 Plus is the first SSD designed for DirectStorage with a customized version of this firmware, so it’s optimized for future gaming.
Still, newer drives like the SK hynix Platinum P41, WD Black SN850X, and Samsung 990 Pro are often a bit faster. Only one of those drives currently has a 4TB model available, though. Games that can use DirectStorage are also delayed, with the first game to use it, Forspoken, expected in early 2023. This makes the Plus-G seem stranded without any games that support one of its most important features, although our I/O+ firmware preview definitely showed superior performance in sustained workloads. This drive deserves a heatsink, but it’s currently sold separately. The MSRP on this drive, like with the SN850X and 990 Pro, is also a bit high.
Read: Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G SSD Review
Best NAS SSDs 2023
This drive is effectively an updated WD Black SN750, which was known for its consistent performance and good efficiency, but it’s tailored for NAS usage. That combination makes it a nice choice for a NVMe NAS SSD, especially when coupled with TLC up to 4TB.
The WD Red SN700 doesn’t offer anything special for the general user, but is great for use in a NAS. The underlying technology is also starting to show its age, but that maturity is important for critical storage systems like a NAS where performance isn’t as much of a focus. The WD Red SN700 also doesn’t have power loss protection, although that isn’t surprising as this drive isn’t for an enterprise application. However, the warranty and rated endurance are strong, which makes this a good buy for the right usage, which in this case is in a NAS.
Read: WD Red SN700 SSD Review
Best SATA SSDs 2023
You can get a SATA drive in the M.2 form factor, but most SATA drives are 2.5-inch models, which allows them to drop into the same bays that hold laptop hard drives. SATA drives are the cheapest and still the most popular.
If you don’t want to dish out big bucks on something in the NVMe flavor but still want strong SATA performance, the MX500 is a great choice. As an alternative to the Samsung 860 EVO, it offers similar performance and has a strong history of reliability. Usually priced to sell, the MX500 is a top value at any capacity you need.
Read: Crucial MX500 Review
Restrained by the SATA interface, but still need the absolute highest endurance and performance you can get? As the pinnacle of SATA performance inside and out, Samsung’s 860 PRO is the SSD to buy.
Like the Samsung 970 PRO, the 860 PRO uses Samsung’s 64L MLC V-NAND, which helps propel it to the top of the charts in our rounds of benchmarking and makes for some incredible endurance figures. You can get capacities up to 4TB, and endurance figures can be as high as 4,800 TBW. But with prices that are triple that of your typical mainstream SATA SSD, the 860 PRO is mainly for businesses with deep pockets.
Read: Samsung 860 Pro Review
Best Workstation SSDs 2023
The Samsung 980 Pro and WD_Black SN850 are our Best picks, but that doesn’t mean they are the fastest SSDs on the market. We know Optane’s DC P5800X is unearthly fast, but it has limited capacity and doesn’t come in the same efficient M.2 form factor. The FireCuda 530, on the other hand, is available in capacities of up to 4TB, comes in that small M.2 form factor, and delivers incredible sustained write speeds for a flash-based SSD. The FireCuda 530 is also only one of two drives in this class to currently support Phison’s I/O+ firmware for DirectStorage optimization.
If you don’t have deep enough pockets for Optane, or maybe just want to out-benchmark your friends, the FireCuda 530 might be up your alley. Sporting Phison’s beastly, penta-core PS5018-E18 NVMe SSD controller and Micron’s fast 176-Layer TLC flash, the FireCuda 530 outperforms both the Samsung and WD across the board, and it comes backed by better warranty and support service. However, its high performance, endurance, and data rescue support add quite a bit to pricing, making it a very premium buy targeted for the professional crowd rather than the average gamer.
Read: Seagate FireCuda 530 Review
We have tested both the original version of this drive, which had a heatsink and 96-layer flash, as well as the updated Gaming version which has a heatsink and 176-layer flash. Inland also has updated this model with that flash and now offers a 4TB capacity option, sans heatsink for all capacities. We do recommend a heatsink for heavier workloads, which can be added yourself if you don’t fancy the Gaming model of Inland’s line or need a 4TB option.
The combination of the Phison E18 controller and 176-layer TLC flash from Micron is a match made in heaven: unrivaled peak performance and, with the right cache design as on the Gaming model, strong sustained performance. That is ideal for workstation tasks, and Inland’s drives are cheaper than competitor offerings while maintaining a decent warranty. This is a barebones drive but will get the job done.
Read: Inland Performance Plus Review
Best PCIe 3.0 SSDs 2023
Stepping back to older interfaces can save you some cash, and thankfully the PCIe interface is backward compatible, meaning even the two-generations-old PCIe 3.0 drives will work perfectly fine in a PCIe 5.0 slot — they just won’t provide PCIe 5.0 SSD speeds. Given that PCIe 3.0 SSDs still offer plenty of speed for bulk storage, these offerings make a great value alternative if you need voluminous storage for pictures, videos and files that aren’t in need of leading-edge response times. Overall, PCIe 3.0 SSDs offer far better performance than an HDD for bulk storage and come at lower pricing than newer SSDs, making them a good alternative for the value-conscious.
We’re quite impressed with the Samsung 970 EVO Plus. Like the WD Black SN750, Samsung’s drive carries over the same controller as its predecessor. But instead of refreshing it with the same flash, Samsung decided to switch things up a bit with its new 9x-layer flash. Just as the flash is stacked to new heights, performance hits new highs, too. The resulting drive is exactly what its name says: a big Plus.
As the first widely-available retail SSD to hit the market with Samsung’s latest 9x-layer flash, the Samsung 970 EVO Plus delivers the same performance as the 970 EVO, plus more. The drive consistently proved that it has some of the strongest write performance on the market and can handle tough workloads. It even beat out Samsung’s own 970 PRO in a few tests, which is quite the feat considering the PRO slots in as Samsung’s workhorse for workstation-class applications.
Read: Samsung 970 EVO Plus Review
The Intel 670p is an older driver, but it is also a proven budget option that is often on steep sale. It’s best to grab it at 1TB or 2TB, as the 512GB model is slower with a smaller pSLC cache. The drive has DRAM, which is nice, and it has the fastest QLC on the market, even now. Performance outside of the cache does not suffer as much as a consequence.
In our tests, the Intel 670p loaded Final Fantasy at the same speed or faster than competitors. It also finished just two places below the vaunted PCIe 4.0 Samsung 980 Pro in PCMark 10. Those are very respectable marks for a budget drive.
Intel is a known brand, and their SSDs are generally reliable, with a strong warranty and good support. However, this drive now falls under the Solidigm umbrella and has been succeeded by the PCIe 4.0 P41 Plus. That drive is DRAM-less and feels more like a side-grade, but has also been priced aggressively. However, if you don’t need the bit of extra bandwidth and would prefer a drive with DRAM, the 670p is a solid choice for a budget PCIe 3.0 SSD, especially for laptops.
Read: Intel 670p Review
Best DRAM-less SSDs 2023
DRAM-less SSDs come without their own local RAM memory on the storage device — instead, they leverage the memory present on the PC for their use. This results in slower performance, relegating these to use as value drives for tasks that aren’t performance sensitive. That said, you can find great values in these types of drives, and they perform just fine for the majority of users with day-to-day workloads.
After what seems like ages, better DRAM-less SSDs are finally here. Lexar leads the charge with an incredibly performant and power-efficient SSD in its NM790. This drive often hits like it’s high-end and does so with a fraction of the power usage and with much less heat production. This makes it great for use in laptops and SFF PCs, especially as it’s single-sided at all capacities up to and including 4TB. It’s also a solid pick for PS5 and desktop use, especially for a secondary gaming drive in the latter.
4TB is where it’s best, with very competitive pricing. Less expensive alternatives, like the Corsair MP600 Core XT, are slower and use QLC. There are some comparable drives with older hardware, like the Silicon Power XS70, which could be better for niche workloads, but the NM790 is better when considering the overall package. The only downside of the NM790 is that its pricing isn’t quite as good at lower capacities, where options like the WD Black SN770 may still be competitive.
Read: Lexar NM790 SSD Review
The Solidigm P41 Plus is the best budget DRAM-less M.2 NVMe SSD on the market. It’s particularly good at 2TB, rivaling the 670p, which is older but comparable. This is no surprise as Intel’s NAND and SSD division migrated to Solidigm after a sale of the company to SK hynix, so the P41 Plus is reminiscent of that excellent budget drive. We would give the edge to the P41 Plus if you can make full use of the drive, which includes total Synergy 2.0 SSD driver support. We’d also give the P41 Plus the edge over the P3 and P3 Plus if you’re shopping for your primary drive, as it has more consistent performance, even if maximum bandwidth is lower.
The P41 Plus, like the 670p, has a decent endurance or TBW rating for QLC and also has relatively good performance outside of the pSLC cache. The hybrid cache on this works best when the drive isn’t beyond 75% full, working in tandem with Solidigm’s driver. Solidigm’s control panel is also excellent, which makes this drive a safer bet if you’re new to SSDs or want something inexpensive to upgrade your desktop or laptop. It does lack the DRAM of the 670p, and it’s still QLC-based, so we don’t recommend it at lower capacities.
Read: Solidigm P41 Plus Review
Finding Discounts on the Best SSDs in 2023
Whether you’re shopping for one of the best SSDs or one that didn’t quite make our list, you may find savings by checking out the latest Crucial promo codes, Newegg promo codes, Amazon promo codes, Corsair coupon codes, Samsung promo codes or Micro Center coupons.
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