Best PCIe Gen5 SSDs
PCIe Gen5 SSDs have arrived with headline-grabbing sequential speeds exceeding 10,000 MB/s — nearly doubling the fastest Gen4 drives. But raw speed numbers do not tell the full story. The real-world performance gap between Gen5 and Gen4 is narrower than the specifications suggest, prices carry a meaningful premium, and thermal management requirements add complexity. Understanding when Gen5 speed actually matters helps you spend wisely.
Best Overall: Samsung 990 EVO Plus
Samsung 990 EVO Plus $$
PCIe 5.0 x4 · Up to 13,000 MB/s read · 1TB / 2TB / 4TB · TLC NAND · 5-year warranty
Samsung's latest Gen5 consumer SSD delivers class-leading sequential performance with the reliability Samsung is known for. The 990 EVO Plus achieves read speeds up to 13,000 MB/s and write speeds approaching 12,000 MB/s in the 2TB and 4TB capacities. Samsung's Magician software provides health monitoring and firmware updates. The thermal solution requires a heatsink for sustained workloads, but the drive maintains excellent performance within typical gaming and productivity use patterns.
Best Value: Crucial T705
Crucial T705 $$
PCIe 5.0 x4 · Up to 14,500 MB/s read · 1TB / 2TB / 4TB · TLC NAND
The Crucial T705 offers some of the highest raw speeds in the Gen5 category at competitive pricing. It frequently undercuts Samsung and WD on price per gigabyte while delivering comparable or superior sequential throughput. Available in standard and heatsink-equipped variants — the heatsink version adds a few dollars but saves you from sourcing a separate thermal solution. An excellent choice for buyers who want Gen5 speeds without paying the absolute premium tier pricing.
Best for PS5 Pro: WD Black SN850X (Gen4)
WD Black SN850X $
PCIe 4.0 x4 · Up to 7,300 MB/s read · 1TB / 2TB / 4TB · TLC NAND
The PS5 and PS5 Pro support PCIe Gen4 — Gen5 speeds provide zero benefit in a console. The WD Black SN850X remains one of the best Gen4 SSDs available, delivering maximum console-compatible speeds at prices significantly below Gen5 alternatives. For console storage expansion, this is the smart buy — you get identical loading performance to any Gen5 drive at a fraction of the cost.
Best Budget Gen5: Teamgroup T-Force A440 Pro
Teamgroup T-Force A440 Pro $
PCIe 5.0 x4 · Up to 10,000 MB/s read · 1TB / 2TB · With heatsink
Teamgroup delivers Gen5 entry-level pricing with the A440 Pro, which regularly appears at competitive sale prices. Sequential speeds do not quite match the Samsung or Crucial flagships, but 10,000 MB/s read is still substantially faster than any Gen4 drive. The included heatsink saves additional cost. For budget-conscious builders who want Gen5 on a new platform, this is the most affordable way in.
When Gen5 Actually Matters
Gen5 SSDs deliver meaningful real-world benefits in a narrow set of workloads: transferring very large files (video editing with 8K raw footage, large dataset processing), sustained sequential write operations (game installation from fast network storage), and professional workflows that stream data continuously from storage. For gaming, web browsing, application loading, and general productivity, Gen4 SSDs provide nearly identical real-world performance at 30 to 50 percent lower prices.
Our Pick
For new Gen5-capable builds, the Crucial T705 offers the best balance of speed and value. For gaming-focused builds where budget matters more than peak sequential speed, a quality Gen4 SSD like the WD Black SN850X delivers equivalent game-loading performance at significantly lower cost. Gen5 is a worthwhile upgrade for content creators and power users; for gamers, Gen4 remains the value champion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a PCIe Gen5 SSD worth it?
For most users, Gen5 SSDs offer marginal real-world improvement over Gen4 SSDs at significantly higher prices. Sequential read speeds jump from ~7,000 MB/s to 10,000–14,000 MB/s, but most workloads are limited by random access performance, which improves much less dramatically. Gen5 is worth considering for professional video editing with large raw files, or if future-proofing matters to you.
Do Gen5 SSDs run hot?
Gen5 SSDs generate more heat than Gen4 due to higher power consumption. Most require a heatsink for sustained performance — without one, thermal throttling can reduce speeds below Gen4 levels during extended transfers. Motherboard-integrated heatsinks or aftermarket solutions are recommended.
Can I use a Gen5 SSD in a Gen4 slot?
Yes. PCIe is backward compatible. A Gen5 SSD works in a Gen4 slot but operates at Gen4 speeds. This means you can upgrade to a Gen5 SSD now and benefit from full speeds when you eventually upgrade your motherboard.
Which Gen5 SSD is best for gaming?
Game load times are determined by random read performance more than sequential speed. The difference between Gen4 and Gen5 SSDs in game loading is typically 1-3 seconds at most. For pure gaming value, a high-quality Gen4 SSD remains the better purchase.