Best SSD for Gaming in 2024

In the evolving universe of gaming, a crucial element between seamless gaming performance and frustrating lags – and that’s storage. As the latest PC games demand more speed, extended storage, and flawless performance continue to surge, having top-notch Solid State Devices (SSDs) becomes increasingly essential.

While the latest Gen 5 SSDs are making their way to the market, they haven’t quite reached their peak just yet. Moreover, there’s another aspect to consider: unlocking their full potential demands a significant investment in a new motherboard, CPU, and RAM.

On the other side, Gen 4 SSDs hold the power to avoid annoying loading screens from your favorite games. Presently, many gamers lean towards Gen 4 drives as they offer a more cost-effective solution, providing the desired performance without breaking the bank.

Top 5 SSDs for gaming in 2024

5. WD Black SN850X (Best Overall)

Capacities: up to 4TB

Interface: AIC PCIe 4.0 x4

Read/write speed: 7300 / 6300 MB/s

Random read/write speed: 1M / 720K IOPS

DRAM cache: 1GB DDR4

SLC cache: 300GB dynamic

Write endurance: 600TB

Warranty: 5 years

If you are looking for a balance of speed, price, and adaptability, the WD Black SN850X is one of the best Gen 4 SSDs. Furthermore, its price is being stabilized which gives it a slight edge over SN850. Also, as time passes by, the availability of SN850 will become more short. While there is not a huge list of differences between the SN850 and SN850X, the latter improves the sequential read and write speeds, thus making it one of the best SSDs for Gaming in 2024.

Furthermore, it operates well at lower temperatures due to the integrated heatsink. Another reason why SN850X is an upgrade over SN850 is that it does not heat up under pressure due to the introduction of a new thermal management profile.

4. Samsung 990 Pro (Pure Speed)

Capacities: up to 2TB

Interface: PCIe Gen 4.0 x4

Read/write speed: 7,462 / 6,877 MB/s

Random read / write speeds: 1.2M IOPS / 1.5M IOPS

Warranty: 5 years

Samsung’s latest Gen 4 M.2 SSD, the Samsung 990 Pro is perfect for providing high-performance potential for PS5 as well as your PC. It is quite similar to SN850 and SN850X. However, it was at a higher price point but is now seeing substantial discounts, making it feasible for gamers to choose.

The Samsung 990 Pro 2TB displays extraordinary performance with 7,462 MB/s reads and 6,877 writes, giving it the title of one of the best Gen 4 drives in terms of speed. Furthermore, Samsung is a top performer when it comes to approaching the limits of the PCIe Gen 4 interface.

However, its single-queue-depth 4K random access performance falls slightly short of the expected advancements. Also, the 990 pro reaches a temperature of 59 degrees Celcius, compared to the 980 variant’s 53 degrees Celcius.

3. Samsung 980 Pro (Best Value)

Capacities: up to 4TB

Interface: PCIe Gen 4.0 x4

Read/write speed: 7000 / 5100 MB/s

Random read / write speeds: 1,000,000 IOPS / 1,000,000 IOPS

DRAM cache: 2GB LPDDR4Warranty: 5 years

After the Samsung 990 Pro, the 980 Pro stays one of the best SSDs for Gaming in 2024. It does so because of the availability of the heatsink model, often sold at discounted prices. Furthermore, the non-heatsink model becomes an even more attractive choice with its price dropping to as low as $60/£60.

While the 980 Pro can’t claim the title for the fastest Gen 4 unit, it still boasts quality sequential rates of up to 7,000 MB/s in reads for high-performance storage answers, thus making it one of the best SSDs for Gaming in 2024.

Furthermore, the 980 Pro matches the PS5’s SSD. But with its proprietary heatsink, it is costlier than other SSDs.

2. Seagate FireCuda 530 (Best in the Industry)

Capacities: up to 4TB

Interface: AIC PCIe 4.0 x4

Read/write speed: 7,300 / 6,900 MB/s

Random read/write speed: 1M / 1M IOPS

DRAM cache: 2GB DDR4

SLC cache: up to 450GB (model dependent)

Write endurance: 2550TB

Warranty: 5 years

We all know Seagate as one of the kingpins in the storage industry. The Firecuda 530 2TB shines brighter than its competitors purely because of its sterling Phison E18 controller.

While the Firecuda 530 2TB may not excel in random performance, it more than compensates with its impressive sequential performance. With a commendable 83 MB/s in 4K reads and an impressive 251 MB/s in writes, it delivers an outstanding user experience.

Despite its PS5 compatibility, remarkable endurance, and solid all-around performance, it comes with a big price tag, positioning itself as one of the most expensive SSDs in the market. While it delivers good 4K SSDs, it falls slightly short of achieving greatness in this aspect.

1. Kingston Fury Renegade 2TB (Supreme Killer)

Capacities: up to 4TB

Interface: PCIe 4.0 NVMe

Read/write speed: 7,300 / 7,000 MB/s

Random read/write speed: 1,000,000 / 1,000,000 IOPS

Warranty: 5 years

The Kingston Fury Renegade puts its name as one of the supreme SSDs for gaming currently and for the year 2024. It blows its own trumpet that rises above 7,000 MB/s. This provides one of the most impressive performances, making it ideal for Direct Storage.

According to a test, CyberPunk2077, a 64.88GB game took only 22.66 seconds to be written from NVMe to Kingston. Furthermore, the loading time was practically nil. It has a supreme built-in heat spreader, amazing sequential read speeds, and is double-sided.

However, it is pricey in higher configurations but is still considered one of the best SSDs for Gaming in 2024.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the top 5 SSDs for gaming in 2024 offer multiple range of options catering to different needs and preferences. The WD Black SN850X earns its spot as the best overall choice, providing a balanced mix of speed, affordability, and adaptability. The Samsung 990 Pro stands out for its pure speed, now made more accessible with substantial discounts. The Samsung 980 Pro secures its position as the best value option, offering competitive sequential rates and attractive pricing, especially for the non-heatsink model. Seagate FireCuda 530 impresses with its industry-leading performance, particularly in sequential speeds, but comes with a higher price tag. Finally, the Kingston Fury Renegade 2TB claims the title of the supreme killer, delivering impressive performance above 7,000 MB/s and showcasing its prowess in demanding tasks like loading large games quickly. While each SSD has its strengths and considerations, these top picks cater to gamers seeking the best in speed, endurance, and overall performance in 2024.