![We love PC Games [Explain & Conquer]](https://pcplayerhub.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-logo-1.png){kind=logo}
Solid State Drives are all the hype right now – and for good reason! Compared to hard disk drives (HDDs), SSDs can offer many different advantages. Some of these include higher read and write speeds, lower power consumption, and increased durability for you!
SSDs can definitely enhance your gaming experience – mainly through quicker loading times. They significantly improve game performance by reducing stuttering and swiftly getting you into your game! Selecting a long-lasting SSD is pretty important since they tend to be pricier than HDDs.
When buying an SSD for gaming, it’s essential to consider several factors which I’ll outline here!
Key Features to Consider
Type of SSD
There are two main types of SSDs out there. NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) SSDs offer substantially faster speeds than traditional SATA SSDs. They connect directly to the motherboard’s M.2 slot, utilizing PCIe lanes for more immediate data transfer. These are usually ideal for your gaming sessions due to their speed advantage.
Generally, SATA SSDs are faster than traditional HDDs but slower than their NVMe counterparts. They can also be used for gaming but may have slightly longer loading times.
Read/Write Speeds
Generally speaking, SSDs with high read and write speeds are considered godsends for gaming. Both these elements directly translate to how quickly your games load up. Thus, it’s vital to ensure that the SSD you pick out for yourself performs well in this department!
Additionally, SSDs use a cache to store frequently accessed data for faster retrieval. A larger cache can also help in this regard!
Capacity
Choosing an SSD with sufficient capacity to store your games is critical. Modern AAA titles can easily go upwards of 200 GBs! A balance between capacity and budget is essential because SSDs on the higher range of overall capacity can be pretty expensive!
Generally, 500 GB – 1 TB of capacity should be ideal when picking an SSD for gaming.
Endurance & Lifespan
SSDs have a limited number of write cycles before they may start to degrade. However, modern ones have excellent endurance, and the lifespan is usually more than adequate for gaming purposes. Still, you should check the SSD’s ‘Terabytes Written’ rating. This explains how much data can be written to the drive before it may start to fail.
Top Rated Solid State Drives for PC Gaming
Samsung SSD 860 EVO
If you’re looking for a solid-state drive (SSD) for your gaming PC, the Samsung SSD 860 EVO is a top-rated choice. It has a 550MB/s read speed and up to 4TB of storage. The 860 EVO is an excellent investment for any gamer.
Samsung SSD 860 EVO on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
The table below shows key specs for the SSD:
| Capacity | Form Factor | Read Speed | Write Speed |
| 250 GB | 2.5-inch | Up to 550 MB/s | Up to 520 MB/s |
| 500 GB | 2.5-inch | Up to 550 MB/s | Up to 520 MB/s |
| 1 TB | 2.5-inch | Up to 550 MB/s | Up to 520 MB/s |
| 2 TB | 2.5-inch | Up to 550 MB/s | Up to 520 MB/s |
| 4 TB | 2.5-inch | Up to 550 MB/s | Up to 520 MB/s |
Crucial MX500
The Crucial MX500 is another reliable and high-performance SSD for PC gaming. It has a 560MB/s read speed and up to 2TB of storage. Crucial has excellent security for its SSDs. There’s also a 5-year warranty that comes with your purchase – so that’s always nice!
Crucial MX500 on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
The table below shows key specs for the SSD:
| Capacity | Form Factor | Read Speed | Write Speed |
| 250 GB | 2.5-inch | Up to 560 MB/s | Up to 510 MB/s |
| 500 GB | 2.5-inch | Up to 560 MB/s | Up to 510 MB/s |
| 1 TB | 2.5-inch | Up to 560 MB/s | Up to 510 MB/s |
| 2 TB | 2.5-inch | Up to 560 MB/s | Up to 510 MB/s |
Sabrent Rocket NVMe
The Sabrent Rocket SSD is perfect for you if you’re looking for a mix of affordability and performance.. If you want a good SSD and a smaller hit on your wallet – go for this one!
Sabrent Rocket NVMe on Amazon (Affiliate Link)
The table below shows key specs for the SSD:
| Capacity | Form Factor | Read Speed | Write Speed |
| 500 GB | M.2 | Up to 3,450 MB/s | Up to 2,500 MB/s |
| 1 TB | M.2 | Up to 3,450 MB/s | Up to 3,000 MB/s |
| 2 TB | M.2 | Up to 3,450 MB/s | Up to 3,200 MB/s |
| 4 TB | M.2 | Up to 3,450 MB/s | Up to 3,200 MB/s |
