If you own a high-end AMD CPU, you’re probably aware that your processor supports PCIe 4.0 through the X570 chipset. PCIe 3.0 has been around for a decade, and most hardware still functions based on that standard, but there are a few PCIe 4.0 devices available, namely solid-state drives. Getting the best PCIe 4.0 SSD can be a significant benefit to you if you’re gaming or video editing because they can theoretically be twice as fast as PCIe 3.0 drives.
As the market is relatively limited for PCIe 4.0 SSDs, there are not many available right now. After all, only AMD’s X570 and TRX40 chipsets support the standard right now. However, if you do end up purchasing one of the SSDs below, you’re future-proofing your storage solutions as Intel, and the rest of AMD’s mainstream chipsets will catch up before you know it.
Best PCIe 4.0 SSDs 2020
We put together the following list primarily based on value. Almost all of the PCIe 4.0 SSDs on the market right now have similar speeds, so the main differences between them are price and heatsinks. Additionally, all PCIe 4.0 SSDs are M.2 drives, so make sure you have an M.2 slot free if you purchase one of these SDDs. We’re also using the 1 TB versions of these drives as examples. Most of these drives also come in smaller variants, which cost proportionally less.
Sabrent 1TB Rocket NVMe PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280 Internal SSD
This Sabrent Rocket SSD is the same one I use in my primary gaming rig. It’s fast, and it’s among the cheaper PCIe 4.0 SSDs. It doesn’t have a heatsink, so you might want to purchase one separately or go with another drive if you’re using a smaller PC form factor like mini-ITX. However, in a regular ATX case, you don’t need a heatsink for your M.2 unless you’re using a really poorly designed motherboard.
Sabrent Rocket 1TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD Specs
- Storage Capacity: 1TB
- Form Factor: M.2 2280
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Read Speed: 5000 MB/s
- Write Speed: 4400 MB/s
- Endurance Rating: 1800 TBW
- Warranty: 5-year
XPG GAMMIX S50 1TB 3D NAND M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4×4 NVMe Internal SSD
The XPG Gammix S50 has the same 5,000 MB/s read, 4,400 MB/s write performance as the Sabrent. The most significant difference between this SSD and the previous one is that the S50 has a low-profile heatsink along the width of the card. Again, you really don’t need a heatsink unless you’re building a small form factor PC (or you want it to look cool), so there’s no reason to pay $40 extra for a little piece of sheet metal.
XPG GAMMIX S50 1TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD Specs
- Storage Capacity: 1TB
- Form Factor: M.2 2280
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Read Speed: 5000 MB/s
- Write Speed: 4400 MB/s
- Endurance Rating: 1800 TBW
- Warranty: 5-year
Gigabyte AORUS PCIe Gen 4 M.2 1TB PCI-Express 4.0 SSD
Now we’re getting fancy. The Gigabyte AORUS PCIe 4.0 SSD writes and reads at the same speed as the two drives above but look at that heatsink. Did I say, “heatsink?” I meant “heat spreader.” That’s how fancy we’re getting now.
Gigabyte AORUS PCIe Gen 4 M.2 1TB PCI-Express 4.0 SSD Specs
- Storage Capacity: 1TB
- Form Factor: M.2 2280
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Read Speed: 5000 MB/s
- Write Speed: 4400 MB/s
- Endurance Rating: 1800 TBW
- Warranty: 5-year
Inland Performance 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD
This Inland Performance PCIe 4.0 SSD has a big honkin’ heatsink on it. Look at that bad boy. However, the heatsink, unfortunately, doesn’t add any speed, and this SSD writes at 4,300 MB/s, just a wee bit slower than the two above. However, it still reads at 5,000 MB/s, which is still really fast.
Inland Performance 1TB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD Specs
- Storage Capacity: 1TB
- Form Factor: M.2 2280
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Read Speed: 5000 MB/s
- Write Speed: 4300 MB/s
- Endurance Rating: 1800 TBW
- Warranty: 3-year
Corsair Force Series MP600 1TB Gen4 PCIe X4 NVMe M.2 SSD
Corsair is a well-known performance PC hardware company, and the name comes with a premium. However, in the case of the Corsair Force Series MP600, the lesser-known companies above actually provide a better product for cheaper. The Corsair Force MP600 is the slowest drive on this list, though not by much, and second only to the Gigabyte AORUS in price.
Corsair Force Series MP600 1TB Gen4 PCIe X4 NVMe M.2 SSD Specs
- Storage Capacity: 1TB
- Form Factor: M.2 2280
- Interface: PCIe 4.0
- Read Speed: 4950 MB/s
- Write Speed: 4250 MB/s
- Endurance Rating: 1800 TBW
- Warranty: 3-year
