Everything you need to know about PCIe 4.0 SSDs (Gen 4 SSD)

SSD PCIe 4.0 Gen 4 SSD

Since the arrival of PCIe Gen4, NVMe SSDs have reached a new milestone. While PCIe 3 SSDs were capped at around 3.5 GB/s, PCIe 4.0 SSDs (also known as Gen 4 SSDs) have nearly doubled the speeds. 👉 In concrete terms, this means reduced loading times in your games, monstrously fast file transfers, and a much more responsive machine. In short, PCIe Gen4 has been a revolution that still offers the best performance-to-price ratio today.

Author
yuux
Co-founder of DropReference, I'm here to give you the best tips to build the gaming PC of your dreams!

Technical reminder: what does PCIe Gen4 bring?

Each generation of PCI Express doubles the bandwidth. Here is a small table for comparison:

👉 A SSD PCIe 4 can reach 7,000 MB/s, which is already huge for most current uses.

Why choose a PCIe 4.0 SSD today?

Even if PCIe 5 SSDs arrive, Gen4 remains the best choice for 90% of users. Here's why:

  • ⚡ Speed → 2x faster than PCIe 3.0.
  • 💸 More affordable price → Gen 4 SSDs have become affordable.
  • 🔥 Less heat than PCIe 5 models (no need for a dedicated fan).
  • 🎮 Gaming ready for the future → compatible with Microsoft's DirectStorage.
  • 🖥️ Perfect for creatives → video editing 4K/6K, 3D rendering, etc.

In plain language: you are already benefiting from a big performance boost without blowing your budget.

Compatibility: Does your PC support PCIe Gen4?

To install a PCIe 4 SSD, you need:

A PCIe 4.0 compatible motherboard:

  • AMD → from X570 and B550 chipsets (with Ryzen 3000 and above).
  • Intel → from the Z490 chipsets (10th gen) and especially Z590/Z690.

A compatible CPU:

  • AMD Ryzen 3000 (Zen 2) and more.
  • Intel Core 10th generation (Comet Lake) and more.

👉 Good news: the majority of recent configurations already support PCIe Gen4 without any issues.

ssd-pcie-4 Click to enlarge

Performances: SSD PCIe 3 vs SSD PCIe 4

To view the difference:

👉 Result: a Gen 4 SSD loads your games and software much faster than a Gen 3, but without the price and heat of a Gen 5.

The best PCIe 4 SSDs on the market

Some flagship models that you can regularly find on sale:

All PCIe 4 SSDs available

Choose your delivery country to see prices based on your location

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Crucial P310 1TB NVMe Gen4 SSD M.2 2280

Crucial P310 1TB NVMe Gen4 SSD M.2 2280

149€

(7 Vendors)
3.5 (2)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Samsung 990 PRO M.2 NVMe 1TB Black

Samsung 990 PRO M.2 NVMe 1TB Black

175€

(14 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

Samsung 990 PRO 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

330€

(18 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
SanDisk SN5000S 512GB NVMe M.2

SanDisk SN5000S 512GB NVMe M.2

70€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Sandisk
Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Western Digital WD Black SN850X M.2 2TB NVMe

Western Digital WD Black SN850X M.2 2TB NVMe

268€

(10 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Crucial P310 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0

Crucial P310 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0

224€

(11 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Samsung 990 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe 1TB Black

Samsung 990 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe 1TB Black

171€

(12 Vendors)
4 (2)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Lexar EQ790 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe Gray

Lexar EQ790 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe Gray

149€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Lexar
Good brand Fast! Good capacity
Crucial CT2000E100SSD8-T 2TB NVMe Gen4

Crucial CT2000E100SSD8-T 2TB NVMe Gen4

209€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Lexar EQ790 2TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe 1.4 up to 7000MB/s

Lexar EQ790 2TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe 1.4 up to 7000MB/s

237€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Lexar
Good brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4TB NVMe M.2 Black

Samsung 990 EVO Plus 4TB NVMe M.2 Black

422€

(10 Vendors)
3.5 (2)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Western Digital WD Black 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe

Western Digital WD Black 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe

159€

(12 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Lexar NM790 2TB M.2 NVMe Black

Lexar NM790 2TB M.2 NVMe Black

269€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Lexar
Good brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Western Digital WDS200T4B0E 2TB NVMe Gen4 M.2 Blue

Western Digital WDS200T4B0E 2TB NVMe Gen4 M.2 Blue

249€

(7 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
MSI 500Go M.2 NVMe Gen4 - SPATIUM M452

MSI 500Go M.2 NVMe Gen4 - SPATIUM M452

87€

(2 Vendors)
Brand: MSI
Interesting brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Lexar LNM790X004T-RNNNG 4TB NVMe M.2 Black

Lexar LNM790X004T-RNNNG 4TB NVMe M.2 Black

429€

(7 Vendors)
Brand: Lexar
Good brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Silicon Power UD90 1TB NVMe Gen4 PCIe M.2 SSD

Silicon Power UD90 1TB NVMe Gen4 PCIe M.2 SSD

140€

(6 Vendors)
Brand: Silicon Power
Interesting brand Fast! Good capacity
Western Digital WDS200T4G0E 2TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 Green

Western Digital WDS200T4G0E 2TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 Green

215€

(6 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Crucial P310 2TB NVMe Gen4 M.2 Black

Crucial P310 2TB NVMe Gen4 M.2 Black

240€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Western Digital WD Green SN3000 1TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280

Western Digital WD Green SN3000 1TB PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280

139€

(10 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Western Digital SN7100 Black 4TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe

Western Digital SN7100 Black 4TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe

499€

(10 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Silicon Power UD90 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 5000 MB/s

Silicon Power UD90 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 5000 MB/s

219€

(5 Vendors)
Brand: Silicon Power
Interesting brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Western Digital WDS100T4B0E 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 Blue

Western Digital WDS100T4B0E 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 Blue

176€

(5 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Western Digital WD_BLACK WDS100T2XHE 1TB NVMe Black

Western Digital WD_BLACK WDS100T2XHE 1TB NVMe Black

173€

(10 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
MSI SPATIUM M470 PRO 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2

MSI SPATIUM M470 PRO 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2

170€

(9 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: MSI
Interesting brand Fast! Good capacity

Do we still need to buy a Gen 4 SSD in 2025?

The answer is clear: yes, without hesitation .

  • For gaming → it's the ideal generation: affordable prices, huge performance.
  • For the creators → powerful enough for 4K/6K.
  • For a future-proof PC → it still holds up for several years.

PCIe 5 is a technological showcase, but in terms of quality/price, the PCIe 4 remains unbeatable .

FAQ - SSD PCIe 4

1. Do PCIe 4 SSDs work on a PCIe 3 motherboard?

Yes, but they will be limited to PCIe 3 speed.

2. Is a Gen 4 SSD sufficient for a gamer?

Widely! Loading times are already almost instantaneous.

3. Can we install a PCIe 4 SSD in a PS5?

Yes, as long as it reaches at least 5,500 MB/s and has a heatsink.

4. What capacity to take?

The 1 TB is perfect for a gaming PC. If you work in video editing → go for 2 TB instead.

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