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
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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.

Generation Theoretical Speed Max NVMe SSD Throughput (x4)
PCIe Generation Line bandwidth x4 (Classic NVMe SSD)
PCIe 3.0 ≈ 1 GB/s ≈ 4 GB/s
PCIe 4.0 ≈ 2 GB/s ≈ 8 GB/s
PCIe 5.0 ≈ 4 GB/s ≈ 16 GB/s
Swipe to view more

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

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.

SSD Type Reading Writing Recommended Usage
Interface Sequential read speed Sequential write speed Typical use
SSD PCIe 3.0 3,000 - 3,500 MB/s 2,000 - 3,000 MB/s Entry/mid-range gaming PC
SSD PCIe 4.0 5,000 – 7,400 MB/s 4,000 – 7,000 MB/s Gaming, video editing, professional creation
Swipe to view more

The best PCIe 4 SSDs on the market

Some flagship models that you can regularly find on sale:

All PCIe 4 SSDs available

Filters

Fanxiang S101Q 4TB SATA 2.5in SSD

Fanxiang S101Q 4TB SATA 2.5in SSD

18€

(11 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Gigabyte G440E250G M.2 250GB NVMe PCIe 4.0

Gigabyte G440E250G M.2 250GB NVMe PCIe 4.0

26€

(2 Vendors)
Brand: Gigabyte
Interesting brand Fast! Limited capacity
Patriot P400 Lite Black 250GB NVMe M.2

Patriot P400 Lite Black 250GB NVMe M.2

30€

(1 Vendors)
Brand: Patriot
Fast! Limited capacity
Crucial E100 M.2 NVMe Gen4 480GB

Crucial E100 M.2 NVMe Gen4 480GB

31€

(6 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Limited capacity
Crucial E100 480GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD Black

Crucial E100 480GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSD Black

33€

(2 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Limited capacity
Western Digital WD Green SN3000 500GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280

Western Digital WD Green SN3000 500GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280

34€

(8 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Intenso MI500 M.2 NVMe Black 500GB PCIe 4.0

Intenso MI500 M.2 NVMe Black 500GB PCIe 4.0

36€

(6 Vendors)
Brand: Intenso
Variable quality Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Kingston NV3 NVMe 500GB M.2 2230 PCIe 4.0 Blue

Kingston NV3 NVMe 500GB M.2 2230 PCIe 4.0 Blue

37€

(8 Vendors)
Interface: PCIe 4.0
Good brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Silicon Power UD90 500GB NVMe M.2 PCIe 4.0

Silicon Power UD90 500GB NVMe M.2 PCIe 4.0

39€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Silicon Power
Interesting brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Western Digital SN5000 M.2 NVMe 500 GB Blue

Western Digital SN5000 M.2 NVMe 500 GB Blue

39€

(11 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Patriot P400 Lite Multicolor M.2 PCIe Gen4 x4 500GB

Patriot P400 Lite Multicolor M.2 PCIe Gen4 x4 500GB

40€

(4 Vendors)
Brand: Patriot
Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Gigabyte 4000E 500GB NVMe M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 3600/3000 MB/s

Gigabyte 4000E 500GB NVMe M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 3600/3000 MB/s

40€

(6 Vendors)
Brand: Gigabyte
Interesting brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
PNY CS2241 Black 500GB NVMe Gen4 M.2

PNY CS2241 Black 500GB NVMe Gen4 M.2

40€

(2 Vendors)
Brand: PNY
Good brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
MSI SPATIUM M450 500GB NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280

MSI SPATIUM M450 500GB NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280

40€

(5 Vendors)
Brand: MSI
Interesting brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Crucial P3 Plus 500GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 2280

Crucial P3 Plus 500GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 2280

41€

(5 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Transcend TS256GMTE410S Black 256GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2242

Transcend TS256GMTE410S Black 256GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2242

42€

(2 Vendors)
Brand: Transcend
Interesting brand Fast! Limited capacity
Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 5000E NVMe SSD 500GB

Gigabyte AORUS Gen4 5000E NVMe SSD 500GB

42€

(6 Vendors)
Brand: Gigabyte
Interesting brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Western Digital WD Black SN750 SE 500GB NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 Black

Western Digital WD Black SN750 SE 500GB NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 Black

42€

(5 Vendors)
Capacity: 500
Top brand Fast and budget-friendly Minimum gaming capacity
Patriot P400 V4 500GB NVMe M.2 2280 white and black PCIe Gen4

Patriot P400 V4 500GB NVMe M.2 2280 white and black PCIe Gen4

42€

(5 Vendors)
Brand: Patriot
Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Patriot Memory Viper VP4300 Lite 500GB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4 PS5 compatible

Patriot Memory Viper VP4300 Lite 500GB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4 PS5 compatible

43€

(2 Vendors)
Brand: Patriot
Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Crucial P310 500GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280 Black

Crucial P310 500GB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280 Black

43€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
PNY CS2140 500GB NVMe Gen4 M.2 PCIe 3600/2300 MB/s Black

PNY CS2140 500GB NVMe Gen4 M.2 PCIe 3600/2300 MB/s Black

44€

(5 Vendors)
Brand: PNY
Good brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
ADATA LEGEND 800 500GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 M.2

ADATA LEGEND 800 500GB NVMe PCIe 4.0 M.2

44€

(4 Vendors)
Brand: Adata
Variable quality Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Acer FA200 M.2 500GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe

Acer FA200 M.2 500GB PCIe 4.0 NVMe

44€

(2 Vendors)
Brand: Acer
Variable quality Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
ADATA Legend 860 PCIe 4.0 NVMe Gray

ADATA Legend 860 PCIe 4.0 NVMe Gray

44€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Adata
Variable quality Fast! Minimum gaming 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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