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.

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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.

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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Samsung SSD 990, Interne M.2 NVMe SSD Festplatte, 1TB, PCIe 4.0 x4

Samsung SSD 990, Interne M.2 NVMe SSD Festplatte, 1TB, PCIe 4.0 x4

170€

(20 Vendors)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Disque Dur SanDisk SN3000 2050GB M.2 SSD PCIe NVMe 5000MB/s Lecture

Disque Dur SanDisk SN3000 2050GB M.2 SSD PCIe NVMe 5000MB/s Lecture

117€

(2 Vendors)
5 (1)
Brand: Sandisk
Comfortable capacity
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

Samsung 990 PRO 2TB NVMe M.2 Black

351€

(19 Vendors)
4 (1)
Brand: Samsung
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Crucial P310 1TB Black Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280

Crucial P310 1TB Black Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280

170€

(5 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Generic 4TB NVMe M.2 SSD

Generic 4TB NVMe M.2 SSD

159€

(6 Vendors)
Capacity: 4000
Fast! Comfortable capacity
Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 Black

Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 Black

359€

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

Western Digital SN3000 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4

237€

(15 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
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

158€

(9 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB NVMe M.2

Western Digital WD Black SN7100 2TB NVMe M.2

467€

(2 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 4TB NVMe M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD

Western Digital WD Blue SN5000 4TB NVMe M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD

477€

(11 Vendors)
Brand: Western Digital
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
SanDisk WDS100T5B0E 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4 Blue

SanDisk WDS100T5B0E 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4 Blue

159€

(17 Vendors)
Brand: Sandisk
Fast! Good capacity
Samsung 990 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe 2TB

Samsung 990 EVO Plus M.2 NVMe 2TB

309€

(13 Vendors)
3 (1)
Interface: PCIe 4.0
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

330€

(4 Vendors)
Brand: Lexar
Good brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
MSI 500Go M.2 NVMe Gen4 - SPATIUM M452

MSI 500Go M.2 NVMe Gen4 - SPATIUM M452

107€

(1 Vendors)
Brand: MSI
Interesting brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Crucial CT2000E100SSD8-T 2TB NVMe Gen4

Crucial CT2000E100SSD8-T 2TB NVMe Gen4

238€

(4 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Lexar LNQ790X001T-RNNNG 1TB NVMe M.2 Black

Lexar LNQ790X001T-RNNNG 1TB NVMe M.2 Black

157€

(12 Vendors)
Brand: Lexar
Good brand Fast! Good 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

142€

(6 Vendors)
Capacity: 500
Top brand Fast! Minimum gaming capacity
Lexar NQ780 1TB NVMe M.2

Lexar NQ780 1TB NVMe M.2

159€

(9 Vendors)
Brand: Lexar
Good brand Fast! Good capacity
KingSpec 1To M.2 SSD 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen4x4, Vitesse de Lecture jusqu à 7400 Mo/s, 3D NAND Flash Interne SSD - Compatible avec PS5/PC/Ordinateur Portable

KingSpec 1To M.2 SSD 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen4x4, Vitesse de Lecture jusqu à 7400 Mo/s, 3D NAND Flash Interne SSD - Compatible avec PS5/PC/Ordinateur Portable

196€

(1 Vendors)
Capacity: 1000
Fast! Good capacity
Predator GM7000 M.2 4TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe 7400MB/s read

Predator GM7000 M.2 4TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe 7400MB/s read

531€

(1 Vendors)
Brand: Acer
Variable quality Fast! Comfortable capacity
Seagate FireCuda X1070 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD

Seagate FireCuda X1070 1TB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD

164€

(3 Vendors)
Brand: Seagate
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Western Digital WD Black SN850X M.2 2TB NVMe

Western Digital WD Black SN850X M.2 2TB NVMe

359€

(8 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

249€

(10 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Comfortable capacity
Crucial CT1000E100SSD8 1 TB M.2 PCI Express 4.0 NVMe

Crucial CT1000E100SSD8 1 TB M.2 PCI Express 4.0 NVMe

148€

(5 Vendors)
Brand: Crucial
Top brand Fast! Good capacity
Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 1TB NVMe M.2

Western Digital WD_BLACK SN770 1TB NVMe M.2

179€

(4 Vendors)
Capacity: 1000
Top 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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