Solid-state drives (SSDs) are the backbone of the modern, fast and responsive computing experience. Your PC boots up in seconds, your games load even faster and your whole PC feels snappy and raring to go. At least, it should. If you think your PC is slowing you down, upgrading its storage to one of the best SSDs for gaming can make the world of difference. Our favorite drive, the Samsung 990 Pro 2TB is blazing fast, has a great capacity for all your data and it’s not even that expensive anymore.
It’s definitely not the only great SSD out there, though. The Crucial T705 2TB is the fastest drive in town—and an expensive one. If you’re upgrading your PS5, the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX is perfect for the job. Regardless of what kind of upgrade you want to do, these are our recommendations for the best SSDs you can buy in 2024.
Best SSD For Gaming Overall: SAMSUNG 990 PRO (2TB)
Best Budget SSD For Gaming: Crucial P3 Plus (500GB)
Best External SSD For Gaming: Western Digital P50 Game Drive SSD (4TB)
Best SSD For PS5 Gaming: Corsair MP600 PRO LPX (2TB)
Best SSD For Gaming On Xbox: Seagate Storage Expansion Card (2TB)
Fastest SSD For Gaming: Crucial T705 (2TB)
Best SSD For Gaming On Steam Deck: Sabrent Rocket 2230 (1TB)
Best SSD For Gaming Overall
Super Fast, Reliable And Affordable
SAMSUNG 990 PRO (2TB)
Capacity: 2TB | Generation: PCIe 4 | Sustained read/write speed: 7,450Mbps/6,900Mbps | Heatsink: Optional
Pros:
- Excellent PCIe 4 performance
- Large 2TB capacity
- Strong reliability
Cons:
- Heatsink version costs more
The Samsung 990 Pro is the best SSD all around for just about anything, but it’s stellar for gaming. Along with its high sustained read and write speeds that push the limits of its PCIe 4 interface, it also has incredibly fast random read and writes, making it super responsive for loading game assets fast. That means faster load times, reduced pop-in and full support for the latest DirectStorage API in supporting games. It’s fast enough for and fully compatible with the PlayStation 5. This drive is very reliable, too, with a terabytes written (TBW) rating of 1200, meaning you can write to this drive’s entire capacity 600 times before you should see any performance degradation. It backs that up with a five-year warranty.
The standard version is the most affordable for a 2TB drive with excellent capacity for all your games, although you can pay $20 more for a version with a heatsink. It’s not particularly necessary, but it ensures that in hotter PCs and PS5s, the controller doesn’t throttle your performance when things heat up. It’s also available in a larger 4TB capacity, but it’s close to twice the price.
Best Budget SSD For Gaming
All You Need
Crucial P3 Plus (500GB)
Capacity: 500GB | Generation: PCIe 4 | Sustained read/write speed: 5,000Mbps/4,200Mbps | Heatsink: No
Pros:
- Very affordable price
- Good performance for the money
- Larger capacities available
Cons:
- QLC has a shorter lifespan
When it comes to gaming, you really just need your games on an SSD. It doesn’t really make much difference if it’s an older SATA SSD, a blazing-fast PCIE 5 drive, or an affordable PCIE 4 drive, like the Crucial P3 Plus. Its sustained read speed is strong, even if its write speed leaves something to be desired, but it’s around a quarter the price of our top drive and still boots up your PC quickly and load your games up in just a few seconds. Its 500GB capacity isn’t massive, but it’s enough for a few of the latest AAA games and there’s still some space left over for indie games that are more economical with their space.
We’ve picked this 500GB P3 Plus because it’s the cheapest, but you can get this drive in 1TB for just under $70 which isn’t a bad deal. The 2TB model is close to $120 though, and at that price and capacity there are better drives to pick from.
Best External SSD For Gaming
A Huge, Fast Backup Drive
Western Digital P50 Game Drive SSD (4TB)
Capacity: 4TB | Generation: PCIe 3 | Sustained read/write speed: 2,000Mbps/2,000Mbps | Heatsink: No
Pros:
- Large capacity
- Good performance for an external SSD
- Portable and shock-resistant
Cons:
- Expensive
- Performance falls behind most modern internal SSDs
- Can only backup some modern console games
If you run out of storage space on your gaming PC, console or laptop, then adding another internal SSD is usually possible. However, if you don’t fancy breaking open your laptop, or would rather take your gaming data with you, then an external SSD like the Western Digital P50 is a great choice. With its 4TB capacity, it’s got all the space you need for all your games, and with a 2,000 Mbps sustained read/write rating, it’s one of the faster external drives you can buy. That’s still notably slower than the fastest internal SSDs (and you can get that kind of performance with one of those drives and a DIY enclosure), but it’s plenty fast for most games.
Although this drive works with PS5s and Xbox Series X/S consoles, it can only backup games for those systems. However, it can play Xbox One and PS4 games as well, making it a versatile solution for backing up and playing your favorite games. It can do just about anything you like on a PC, too.
Best SSD For PS5 Gaming
Fast, Big Capacity, With A Great Heatsink
Corsair MP600 PRO LPX (2TB)
Capacity: 2TB | Generation: PCIe 4 | Sustained read/write speed: 7,100Mbps/6,800Mbps | Heatsink: Yes
Pros:
- Large capacity, but available in smaller and larger sizes
- Fast PCIe performance
- Big heatsink is still PS5 compatible
Cons:
- Lacks cutting-edge speed of PCIe 5 drives
You can upgrade your PS5’s internal storage with an additional standard NVMe SSD. Our favorite for the job is the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX, which both easily exceeds the minimum SSD specifications for an add-in SSD, but does so with a chunky heatsink to keep it cool. It’s a PCIe 4 SSD with strong sustained read and write performance, and fast random read speeds, too, so it’s snappy and responsive during gameplay. It’s available in a range of capacities, though we particularly like the 2TB model for its bang for buck value.
The PS5 supports up to 8TB, so you can have as big a drive in there as you like. The 2TB capacity here is plenty for most gamers, though, and triples the overall storage space in a standard PS5. The low-profile aluminum heatsink keeps it cool even during intense gaming sessions, and it doesn’t have clearance issues with the PS5’s SSD slot, either.
Best SSD For Gaming On Xbox
The Official One Is Still The Best
Seagate Storage Expansion Card (2TB)
Capacity: 2TB | Generation: PCIe 4 | Sustained read/write speed: Not given | Heatsink: No
Pros:
- Easy plug and play SSD
- The only official SSD for Xbox Series X/S
- Great performance and capacity
Cons:
- Expensive for the size
The best way to expand your Xbox Series X/S storage for playing more of the latest games is with the official Xbox expansion SSD from Seagate. The Storage Expansion Card for Xbox comes in a range of capacities, though we particularly like this 2TB model. That has all the space you need to store almost your entire game library if you wish, but you can always buy multiple SSDs if you need more. This drive just plugs straight into its dedicated expansion port on the system—no screwdrivers or custom drives required.
This is quite expensive for a 2TB SSD, but it’s your best and only real option for playing games with the Xbox Series X/S. You could use an external drive like the WD P50 above, but that can only backup the latest Xbox games—even if it can directly play Xbox One titles.
Fastest SSD For Gaming
Cutting-Edge PCIE 5 Performance
Crucial T705 (2TB)
Capacity: 2TB | Generation: PCIe 5 | Sustained read/write speed: 14,500Mbps/12,500Mbps | Heatsink: Optional
Pros:
- As fast as SSDs get in 2024
- Available in a range of capacities
- Large, optional heatsink
Cons:
- Expensive when not on sale
- Runs hot
If you want the most cutting-edge storage performance possible in 2024, then the Crucial T705 (and particularly the 2TB version) is the drive for you. Its sustained read/write speed almost maxes out what PCIExpress 5 can manage, ensuring that your games start up as fast as possible, and you can take full advantage of DirectStorage in supporting games. It isn’t dramatically faster in real-world use than PCIE 4 drives, but it is faster, and as newer games and technologies are released that can take full advantage of SSDs like this, that difference will only increase.
The 2TB version is the fastest, but you can get it in 1TB and 4TB configurations, too. You can also save a little money by not opting for the heatsink if you like, but make sure this drive has strong airflow in that case, as it does run hot during sustained load.
Best SSD For Gaming On Steam Deck
More Storage Space In A Compact Drive
Sabrent Rocket 2230 (1TB)
Capacity: 1TB | Generation: PCIe 4 | Sustained read/write speed: 4,750Mbps/4,300Mbps | Heatsink: No
Pros:
- Compact SSD fits perfectly inside the Steam Deck
- Fast PCIe 4 performance
- Available in a range of sizes up to 2TB
Cons:
- Expensive for its capacity
- Not as fast as high-end PCIe 4 or 5 SSDs
The Steam Deck is an awesome portable gaming system, but its onboard storage does leave a lot to be desired. Fortunately, you can swap out the internal SSD for something with more capacity, like the Sabrent Rocket. It’s built in the 2230 form-factor, so it’s short and compact, but that helps it fit right inside the Steam Deck and a range of other more diminutive systems, from portable laptops to tablets. Despite its size, it’s still impressively fast, with strong performance well in excess of older PCIe 3 SSDs.
It’s not as fast as some of the latest and greatest SSDs, but those don’t typically come in this compact size, so you couldn’t easily fit them into a Steam Deck anyway. This drive is built with TLC memory, so should last longer than many more affordable drives. It comes with a one-year warranty as standard, but if you register it with Sabrent, it’s extended to three years.
MORE FROMFORBES VETTED
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The Forbes Vetted team has published a large library of tech and electronic guides. We have a whole section about gaming, with expert recommendations for the best gaming PCs, the best Xbox controllers, the best gaming routers and more.
- Forbes Vetted contributor Jon Martindale is a tech journalist with a background rooted in hardware. The former owner of a PC hardware review site, Martindale now enjoys sharing his passion for the latest tech by reviewing hardware and accessories, including guides on the best Windows laptops and 4K monitors.
- This article and its updates are overseen by consumer tech editor Rebecca Isaacs. Isaacs has worked as a tech journalist for five years and regularly attends trade shows and tech conferences to report on the latest products to hit the market.
- To keep our buying advice up to date, we routinely update this guide. It was last refreshed in September 2024 by tech updates writer Jon Martindale with an entirely new range of SSDs.
How We Chose The Best SSDs For Gaming
When compiling our list of the best SSDs for gaming, we took into account our favorite models based on firsthand experience and prior knowledge of the storage space.
- We considered latest models from top brands, including Samsung, Crucial, Corsair, Western Digital, Sabrent, and TeamGroup among others.
- We extensively researched each model on this list. Features we reviewed include sustained read/write performance, random 4K performance, capacity, whether they have a heatsink and their durability.
- To make the cut, each pick had to present an excellent value, balancing features and cost. Furthermore, we have extensively examined customer reviews to ensure the majority of buyers were happy with their purchase.
- We also made sure to include a variety of price points and specifications to offer excellent SSDs to all customers, regardless of budget.
NVMe Vs. SATA SSDs
NVMe and SATA are the two most common interface technologies used in modern SSDs. SATA drives, whether in the 2.5-inch form factor or, occasionally, the M.2 (stick-like drive) form factor, typically offers around 500Mbps read and write speed at best. NVMe drives, whether in the M.2 or PCIExpress card form factor, can offer anything up to the maximum throughput of the PCIe generation they support. For PCIe 3.0, that's anywhere up to 3,500Mbps read and 3,000 Mbps write speed. PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives can go further, operating at up to 7,000Mbps and 5,000 read and Mbps write speed. PCIe 5 doubles that again, pushing close to 15,000Mbps sustained read.
NVMe drives are faster by the numbers and typically offer slightly better real world performance, too, although it’s nothing like the specifications would suggest. Just because they are capable of running more than 15 times faster than a SATA SSD, doesn’t mean you’re always benefiting from it fully in actual usage. They’re also typically more expensive.
SSDs Vs. Hard Drives (HDDs)
While there is a debate to be had about whether you need an NVMe drive over a SATA SSD, there is none about SSDs and hard drives. For a modern PC experience, you absolutely need your boot drive to be an SSD, and preferably have all your games loaded on one, too. Everything feels snappier and more responsive, and boot and load times are massively reduced.
It’s still a good idea to use a big hard drive for longer term storage of work documents, photos, music and movies, as they don’t benefit from the same speed advantages of SSDs, and big capacity HDDs are much cheaper. For anything performance focused, however, use SSDs.