SSD Benchmarks Hierarchy 2025: We've tested over 100 different SSDs over the past few years, and here's how they stack up.

Sunday, April 06, 2025

Our SSD benchmarks hierarchy provides a look at how all the different SSDs we've tested over the years stack up. These are all M.2 NVMe drives, but our test group has PCIe 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 models. This is not our list of the best SSDs, as we're looking to rank the drives by raw performance, regardless of price — and when buying an SSD, the price per GB tends to be a major consideration.

We've grouped the SSDs by capacity and type to help keep things simple. There are tables for 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB+ as well as charts below. We also have a separate chart for all the M.2 2230 drives — for the best Steam Deck SSDs and other handhelds. Given current prices, not to mention the voracious appetite for the capacity of modern games, we're going to start with the 2TB drives. These are generally the sweet spot in price-to-performance and capacity ratios, though there's still a wide range in price — we're looking at you, PCIe 5.0 drives.

Latest Updates

We've added over a dozen new drives to the SSD benchmarks list, including newcomers like the Samsung 9100 Pro, Acer GM9000, and Micron 4600. NAND memory prices are heading north it seems, with price hikes of 5–10 percent predicted for the coming months, so if you're looking for fast and plentiful storage you might want to act sooner than later.

We've sorted by the random QD1 IOPS results for the tables — the geometric mean of both the read and write IOPS, to be precise. This is one of the more realistic representations of overall SSD performance, even if it's a synthetic test, as it's difficult to game the system. Lots of manufacturers will test random IO performance at queue depths of 32 or even 256 because that makes everything look much faster, but in the real world, random queue depths are mostly at QD1 and almost never go beyond QD4.

Besides 4K IOPS, our tables also show the sequential performance (the geomean of the QD8 sequential read and write test s), file copy bandwidth (for a 50GB folder copy with over 30,000 files), average power consumption while copying those files, and finally a look at the geometric mean of all the read/write bandwidth tests. All of these metrics are also broken out into separate charts, should you prefer that format.

Also, if you're an SSD manufacturer and you don't see your drive in our tables, send me an email, and we can see about testing it. We can't test every capacity of every drive out there, but we like to show a wide sampling of options.

2TB SSD HierarchySwipe to scroll horizontallySSDRandom IOPSSeq MB/sCopy MB/sAvg. PowerOverall ScoreSpecificationsAdata Legend 970 Pro 2TB54,21711,8592,2468.221,374PCIe 5.0 x4, InnoGrit IG5666, 232-Layer Micron TLCMicron 4600 2TB53,44513,9932,7064.911,625PCIe 5.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2508, 212-Layer Sandisk TLCWD Black SN7100 2TB53,1756,9972,0492.811,139PCIe 4.0 x4, WD Polaris 3, 218-Layer Sandisk TLCPhison E31T ES 2TB52,9919,5592,4353.631,325PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E31T, 218-Layer Kioxia TLCPNY CS2150 2TB52,7839,5902,4403.561,325PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E31T, 218-Layer Kioxia TLCAddlink G55 2TB52,6449,5862,4593.591,327PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E31T, 218-Layer Kioxia TLCCorsair MP700 Elite 2TB52,6039,5842,4493.591,326PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E31T, 218-Layer Kioxia TLCInland TN470 2TB50,6796,7121,7933.351,067PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E27T, 162-Layer Kioxia TLCCorsair MP600 Elite 2TB50,6116,7071,7923.271,066PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E27T, 162-Layer Kioxia TLCSabrent Rocket 4 2TB50,6026,7111,7853.371,065PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E27T, 162-Layer Kioxia TLCCrucial P310 2280 2TB49,8606,5812,0123.481,120PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E27T, 232-Layer Micron QLCCrucial T705 2TB49,59713,3872,8347.131,575PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCSabrent Rocket 5 2TB48,57913,3882,7167.151,546PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E25, 232-Layer Micron TLCPhison E26 Max14um 2TB48,50913,3762,8707.221,562PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCTeamgroup Z540 2TB48,37712,1122,7227.431,472PCIe 5.0 x4, Ph ison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCNextorage NN5Pro 2TB48,29212,0912,7297.021,468PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCKlevv G560 2TB48,24913,3962,7227.221,545PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCCrucial T500 2TB47,5736,9042,2834.421,157PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E25, 232-Layer Micron TLCSamsung 990 Evo 2TB47,4196,9391,0773.24994PCIe 4.0 x4, Samsung Piccolo, 133-Layer Samsung TLCSamsung 9100 Pro 2TB47,28513,7202,5825.131,540PCIe 5.0 x4, Samsung Presto, 236-Layer Samsung TLC (V8)Acer Predator GM9000 2TB47,16313,6192,6634.681,500PCIe 5.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2508, 218-Layer Sandisk TLCSolidigm P44 Pro 2TB46,4206,9211,9743.971,100PCIe 4.0 x4, SK hynix Aries, 176-Layer SK hynix TLCKingston KC3000 2TB46,0826,9241,8314.941,036PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCSabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 2TB45,7976,9331,9014.871,036PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCKingston Fury Renegade 2TB45,7786,9221,8114.921,032PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCCorsair MP600 Pro XT 2TB45 ,6846,9171,7204.401,013PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCCrucial T700 2TB45,65312,1132,6056.741,409PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCWD Black SN850X 2TB45,6536,8271,8274.071,047PCIe 4.0 x4, WD_Black G2, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCSilicon Power XS70 2TB45,6426,9181,7184.481,008PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCInland Gaming Performance Plus 2TB45,6156,8801,7274.341,008PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCSeagate FireCuda 530 2TB45,5796,9071,7234.421,012PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCGigabyte Aorus Gen5 10000 2TB45,29710,1512,1526.741,276PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCSeagate FireCuda Star Wars 2TB45,2826,9231,9104.651,023PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCCorsair MP700 2TB45,27810,1532,3936.511,308PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCSabrent Rocket 4 Plus 2TB45,2356,9081,6994.601,003PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 96-Layer Micron TLCInland TD510 2TB45,16510,1522,1266.851,273PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Mic ron TLCAdata Legend 970 2TB45,11410,0892,4026.891,300PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCSeagate FireCuda 540 2TB45,11010,1382,4447.601,306PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCAcer Predator GM7000 2TB44,9216,8931,7113.62994PCIe 4.0 x4, InnoGrit IG5236, 176-Layer Micron TLCHP FX900 Pro 2TB44,8736,9181,6983.63992PCIe 4.0 x4, InnoGrit IG5236, 176-Layer Micron TLCSamsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB44,2886,4891,5412.941,033PCIe 4.0 x4, Samsung Piccolo, 236-Layer Samsung V8 TLCSK hynix Platinum P41 2TB44,1826,9191,9533.981,056PCIe 4.0 x4, SK hynix Aries, 176-Layer SK hynix TLCSilicon Power US75 2TB43,7206,8021,9643.041,047PCIe 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 232-Layer YMTC TLCPNY CS3140 2TB43,3846,5591,8726.47976PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCWD Black SN850 2TB43,3696,0281,6693.93954PCIe 4.0 x4, WD_Black G2, 96-Layer Kioxia TLCSolidigm P41 Plus 2TB43,3303,7141,0842.84755PCIe 4.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2269XT, 144-Layer Solidigm QLCSamsung 990 Pro 2TB43,3136,9851,8424.031,080PCIe 4.0 x4, Samsung Pascal, 176-Layer Samsung V-NAND TLCLexar Professional NM800 Pro 2TB43,2956,8641,7023.53987PCIe 4.0 x4, InnoGrit IG5236, 176-Layer Micron TLCHP FX700 2TB43,2436,7711,9843.181,038PCIe 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 232-Layer YMTC QLCKlevv CRAS C925 2TB42,7746,7901,9053.281,020PCIe 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 232-Layer YMTC TLCTeamgroup A440 Pro 2TB42,3116,8851,6734.80964PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCMushkin Gamma 2TB42,0506,9041,5734.68926PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 96-Layer Micron TLCMSI Spatium M480 2TB42,0146,9041,5915.35927PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 96-Layer Micron TLCCorsair MP600 Pro LPX 2TB42,0086,9041,7034.65963PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCGigabyte Aorus Gen4 7000s 2TB41,8336,8661,5864.55924PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 96-Layer Micron TLCWD Black SN770 2TB41,1344,8921,5173.33868PCIe 4.0 x4, WD NVMe, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCCorsair MP600 Core XT 2TB40,8274,7421,4912.86817PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron QLCCorsair MP600 GS 2TB40,7644,8831,2952.83 801PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron TLCTeamgroup G50 2TB40,7424,6381,5733.65813PCIe 4.0 x4, Innogrit IG5220 , 128-Layer YMTC TLCKingston NV3 2TB40,7025,9951,5972.83940PCIe 4.0 x4, Variable, VariableSamsung 980 Pro 2TB40,5805,8441,5893.74882PCIe 4.0 x4, Samsung Elpis, 1xx-Layer Samsung V-NAND TLCAddlink S90 Lite 2TB40,2134,8701,2932.81796PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron TLCAdata Legend 960 2TB39,4936,8531,8214.36988PCIe 4.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2264, 176-Layer Micron TLCPatriot Viper VP4300 2TB39,4856,9551,3373.52858PCIe 4.0 x4, InnoGrit IG5236, 96-Layer Micron TLCTeamgroup MP44 2TB39,3356,9301,8903.01995PCIe 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 232-Layer YMTC TLCAdata Legend 960 Max 2TB38,9746,9091,8114.621,000PCIe 4.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2264, 176-Layer Micron TLCKlevv CRAS C930 2TB38,5487,0412,0024.76943PCIe 4.0 x4, InnoGrit IG5236, 176-Layer SK hynix TLCAGI AI818 2TB37,3595,0211,3984.27753PCIe 4.0 x4, Realtek RTS5772DL, 144-Layer Intel QLCKioxia XG8 2TB37,2256,5481,3993.9 9907PCIe 4.0 x4, TC58NC0L1XGSD, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCIntel SSD 670p 2TB36,6333,2181,0613.50678PCIe 3.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2265, 144-Layer Intel QLCAdata XPG S50 Lite 2TB36,4263,5611,0953.46669PCIe 4.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2267EN, 96-Layer Micron TLCCrucial P3 Plus 2TB35,8904,7021,1692.67750PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron QLCSabrent Rocket Q4 2TB35,7044,1409634.25629PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E16, 96-Layer Micron QLCSK hynix Gold P31 2TB35,6693,5181,0902.28670PCIe 3.0 x4, SK hynix Cepheus, 128-Layer SK hynix TLCCrucial P5 Plus 2TB35,2325,8531,4574.38864PCIe 4.0 x4, Crucial NVMe, 176-Layer Micron TLCCrucial P3 2TB34,4893,3421,1532.25665PCIe 3.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron QLCSeagate IronWolf 525 2TB34,3814,6241,0994.37720PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E16, 96-Layer Kioxia TLCInland Performance 2TB34,3494,6181,1734.65729PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E16, 96-Layer Kioxia TLCSabrent Rocket NVMe 4.0 2TB34,1624,6061,1154.23720PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E16, 96-Layer Kioxia TLCKingston NV2 2TB34,1563,289992 3.78636PCIe 4.0 x4, Variable, VariableTeamgroup T-Create Expert 2TB34,1133,2867304.22592PCIe 3.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2262EN, 64-Layer Micron TLCSabrent Rocket Q 2TB33,3643,2278433.05554PCIe 3.0 x4, Phison E12S, 96-Layer Micron QLCPNY LX3030 2TB33,3363,2269744.14606PCIe 3.0 x4, Phison E12S, 96-Layer Micron QLCSilicon Power XD80 2TB31,6153,2368673.88588PCIe 3.0 x4, Phison E12S, 96-Layer Kioxia TLCSamsung 970 EVO Plus 2TB29,8713,4341,1264.30595PCIe 3.0 x4, Samsung Phoenix, 9x-Layer Samsung V-NAND TLCWD Black SN750 2TB29,1073,2409193.33531PCIe 3.0 x4, WD NVMe, 64-Layer SanDisk TLCCrucial P5 2TB28,5983,4099104.03579PCIe 3.0 x4, Crucial NVMe, 96-Layer Micron TLCWD Black AN1500 2TB26,0535,3981,24010.58663PCIe 3.0 x4, WD, 96-Layer WD TLC

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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

We use the QD1 4K random results to quantify the snappiness and responsiveness of the SSD during a normal desktop P C experience. It should be immediately obvious that there's not much difference between the various PCIe 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 drives when it comes to QD1 random I/O. Yes, the Corsair MP600 Elite does take the top spot, barely, while second place goes to the Crucial T705 — the fastest SSD we've tested at present. Some of the other top-performing drives like the Crucial T500, Solidigm P44 Pro, and Kingston KC3000 are PCIe 4.0 drives, however.

Since we're only using data from the past couple of years, after we switched to our current Core i9-12900K test PC, we're decidedly heavy on PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 drives. But there are a decent number of PCIe 3.0 drives... near the bottom end of the table and charts. But even the fastest drives are less than twice the random I/O performance of the slowest drives.

That's why we also include the other columns for performance. The pure sequential scores show maximum throughput, generally within most drives' "burst" pSLC cache period. If you're doing drive-to-drive copies or backups using PCIe 5.0 hardware, it can make a huge difference — the Phison E26 SSDs all sit at the top, significantly ahead of the fastest PCIe 4.0 drives, and you can also see the different in NAND speed when looking at the E26 drives. The T705 and Max14um have 14 GT/s NAND, several others use 12 GT/s NAND, and the earlier models are 10 GT/s.

Copy performance is more of a real-world look at a common task: Copying 50GB of data from the drive to itself. This requires simultaneous reads and writes, and even the fastest drives drop to under 3.0 GB/s, which is still about quadruple the performance of the slowest SSDs we've tested.

We noted last year that Black Friday / Cyber Monday was a great time to upgrade your SSD, and warned that prices could head north in the coming months. That has now proven to be the case, with many SSDs now selling for 20–30 percent more than what they cost last November. Where high-performance 2TB drives were p reviously starting at around $100, most now cost $120+. Samsung's 990 Pro 2TB as another example dropped as far as $119 in November and now starts at $179, almost a 50% increase.

You may like 4TB and Larger SSD HierarchySwipe to scroll horizontallySSDRandom IOPSSeq MB/sCopy MB/sAvg. PowerOverall ScoreSpecificationsCrucial T700 4TB48,35812,1302,7457.081,468PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCSamsung 9100 Pro 4TB47,43113,6562,7244.991,551PCIe 5.0 x4, Samsung Presto, 236-Layer Samsung TLC (V8)Crucial T500 4TB47,3796,8972,3114.681,179PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E25, 232-Layer Micron TLCWD Blue SN5000 4TB46,4455,3291,9093.54988PCIe 4.0 x4, WD, 162-Layer Kioxia QLCSabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 4TB45,8497,0041,8245.041,034PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCSeagate FireCuda 530 4TB45,5806,8961,7064.991,009PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCTeamgroup A440 Pro Special 4TB45,4586,8951,7055.011,003PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCWD Black SN850X 8TB45,4376,8352,0524.371,070PCIe 4.0 x4, WD, 162-Layer Kioxia TLCSabrent Rocket 4 Plus 4TB45,1806,9061,6954.851,000PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 96-Layer Micron TLCPatriot Viper VP4300 Lite 4TB43,8666,7501,9823.461,051PC Ie 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 232-Layer YMTC QLCLexar Play 2280 4TB43,6046,8471,9453.561,040PCIe 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 232-Layer YMTC QLCNetac NV7000 4TB41,4556,8781,8435.83966PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCSamsung 990 Pro 4TB40,6787,0131,9104.541,063PCIe 4.0 x4, Samsung Pascal, 236-Layer Samsung V-NAND TLCLexar NM790 4TB38,8396,8051,9343.411,005PCIe 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 232-Layer YMTC TLCSabrent Rocket 4 Plus 8TB38,8286,5371,5275.66881PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCAddlink A93 4TB38,7966,8091,9493.371,000PCIe 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 232-Layer YMTC TLCTeamgroup Z44Q 4TB35,8724,4371,1114.49671PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E16, 96-Layer Micron TLCSabrent Rocket Q4 4TB35,7644,4341,0494.44665PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E16, 96-Layer Micron QLCSabrent Rocket Q 4TB33,5273,2248783.41565PCIe 3.0 x4, Phison E12S, 96-Layer Micron QLCSabrent Rocket Q 8TB33,5113,2178944.03564PCIe 3.0 x4, Phison E12S, 96-Layer Micron QLCWD Red SN700 4TB30,7853,2781,0293.68589PCIe 3.0 x4, WD NVMe, 96-Laye r Kioxia TLC

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Last up for standard SSDs, we have the 4TB and higher capacity drives. So far, we've only tested 15 such SSDs, though we expect more will arrive in our labs for testing over the coming year.

We've seen exactly one 4TB PCIe 5.0 drive so far, the Crucial T700 4TB, which is a beast of an SSD. It's also beastly on pricing, currently selling for $473 (down from a $599 MSRP). If you want the faster T705 4TB, it's $543 (but we haven't tested the 4TB T705). We love the idea of large and fast performance, and prices are at least coming down now, but it's still far more economical to pick up something like the Samsung 990 Pro 4TB for $339.

Stepping up to 8TB drives usually means QLC NAND, and while that's not the end of the world, there are often performance compromises. Not to mention, the 8TB SSDs still cost a pretty penny. The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 8TB costs $1,199, while the Sabrent Rocket Q 8TB is "currently unavailable" on Amazon. It would be far cheaper to just pick up multiple 4TB drives rather than plunking down that much money for a single 8TB drive.

Sequential performance for most PCIe 4.0 SSDs lands right around 7 GB/s, with a couple of slower/older models at around 4.4 GB/s. The PCIe 3.0 drives all peak at just over 3.2 GB/s. File copy speeds are about one-third to one-fourth as fast, however.

1TB SSD HierarchySwipe to scroll horizontallySSDRandom IOPSSeq MB/sCopy MB/sAvg. PowerOverall ScoreSpecificationsInland TN470 1TB50,5516,5831,7763.271,054PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E27T, 162-Layer Kioxia TLCPNY CS3150 1TB48,21610,5982,5807.261,432PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E25, 232-Layer Micron TLCGigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000 1TB48,18510,6062,5597.201,398PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCSeagate Game Drive PS5 1TB47,9676,4471,9034.311,037PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCMicron 3500 1TB47,47 26,8232,2014.171,153PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E25, 232-Layer Micron TLCSilicon Motion SM2508A 1TB47,46713,4832,6184.981,528PCIe 5.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2508, 162-Layer Kioxia TLCSabrent Rocket Nano 2242 1TB47,1455,0331,4882.85882PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E27T, 162-Layer Kioxia TLCSolidigm P44 Pro 1TB46,5196,9701,9403.911,108PCIe 4.0 x4, SK hynix Aries, 176-Layer SK hynix TLCKingston KC3000 1TB46,4026,5651,7564.251,015PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCSabrent Rocket 4 Plus-G 1TB46,1416,5561,7484.331,008PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCKingston Fury Renegade 1TB46,0686,5631,7514.251,012PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCWD Black SN850 1TB45,7096,0591,6973.79980PCIe 4.0 x4, WD_Black G2, 96-Layer Kioxia TLCPNY CS3140 1TB45,6566,4281,6784.16983PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 176-Layer Micron TLCSabrent Rocket 4 Plus 1TB45,4226,4351,6554.15978PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 96-Layer Micron TLCWD Black SN850X 1TB45,3256,6711,7263.791,026PCIe 4.0 x4, WD_Black G2, 112-Layer Kioxia TL CNextorage NE5N 1TB45,2519,2202,2786.801,246PCIe 5.0 x4, Phison E26, 232-Layer Micron TLCWD Black SN770 1TB44,7125,1051,5803.29926PCIe 4.0 x4, WD NVMe, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCHP FX900 1TB44,4724,9511,4012.59821PCIe 4.0 x4, InnoGrit IG5220, 176-Layer Micron TLCPatriot P400 1TB44,3114,9221,2763.25804PCIe 4.0 x4, InnoGrit IG5220, 176-Layer Micron TLCSK hynix Platinum P41 1TB44,2826,8491,8843.801,051PCIe 4.0 x4, SK hynix Aries, 176-Layer SK hynix TLCNetac NV7000-Q 1TB43,9736,6201,8082.681,013PCIe 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 232-Layer YMTC QLCSolidigm P41 Plus 1TB42,9113,5071,0302.72733PCIe 4.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2269XT, 144-Layer Solidigm QLCCorsair MP600 Pro 1TB42,3866,2171,4754.20889PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 96-Layer Micron TLCGigabyte Aorus Gen4 7000s 1TB42,1876,1681,4634.20884PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 96-Layer Micron TLCWD Blue SN580 1TB42,0974,1741,5013.54836PCIe 4.0 x4, WD, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCPatriot Viper VPR400 1TB41,9294,9751,4174.02792PCIe 4.0 x4, InnoGrit IG5220, 176-Layer Micron TL CSamsung 980 Pro 1TB41,6365,8341,6383.70900PCIe 4.0 x4, Samsung Elpis, 1xx-Layer Samsung V-NAND TLCSilicon Power UD90 1TB40,8484,8511,2142.50807PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron TLCTeamgroup MP44L 1TB40,5304,8351,3032.58811PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron TLCAdata Legend 960 1TB39,7806,7451,6133.89965PCIe 4.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2264, 176-Layer Micron TLCAcer Predator GM7 1TB39,4146,6951,6892.63960PCIe 4.0 x4, Maxio MAP1602, 128-Layer YMTC TLCSK hynix Gold P31 1TB38,5213,5111,0562.38688PCIe 3.0 x4, SK hynix Cepheus, 128-Layer SK hynix TLCSabrent Rocket Q4 1TB35,7873,0797413.80542PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E16, 96-Layer Micron QLCCrucial P5 Plus 1TB35,3465,8271,4264.20858PCIe 4.0 x4, Crucial NVMe, 176-Layer Micron TLCInland Prime 1TB35,2483,0237332.54563PCIe 3.0 x4, Phison E15T, 176-Layer Micron TLCAcer Predator GM3500 1TB34,5973,3108773.36629PCIe 3.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2262EN, 96-Layer Micron TLCMSI Spatium M470 1TB34,5054,6141,1024.48725PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E16, 96-La yer Kioxia TLCSabrent Rocket NVMe 4.0 1TB34,4564,6151,1024.56727PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E16, 96-Layer Kioxia TLCTranscend 250H 1TB34,3786,6401,6975.47900PCIe 4.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2264, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCKingston NV2 1TB34,2773,1971,0393.83634PCIe 4.0 x4, Variable, VariableWD Black SN750 SE 1TB34,0313,1931,0123.34614PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E19T, 96-Layer Kioxia TLCSeagate FireCuda 510 1TB33,7992,6375773.34445PCIe 3.0 x4, Phison E12S, 64-Layer Kioxia TLCSabrent Rocket Q 1TB33,5852,5926812.99489PCIe 3.0 x4, Phison E12S, 96-Layer Micron QLCWD Black SN750 1TB32,7953,2519143.69568PCIe 3.0 x4, WD NVMe, 64-Layer SanDisk TLCSamsung 980 1TB32,6723,1689823.45645PCIe 3.0 x4, Samsung Pablo, 128-Layer Samsung V-NAND TLCWD Blue SN570 1TB32,0073,3905893.11575PCIe 3.0 x4, WD, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCSamsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB31,1813,4241,0884.51608PCIe 3.0 x4, Samsung Phoenix, 9x-Layer Samsung V-NAND TLCCrucial P5 1TB28,6663,4308933.99577PCIe 3.0 x4, Crucial NVMe, 96-Layer Micron TLCAddlink D60 1TB21,1703,3 429346.62558PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E18, 112-Layer Kioxia TLC

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(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The 1TB SSDs mostly mirror what we've already seen with the 2TB drives. However, in more extensive testing (like our write saturation tests), the lower capacity means you'll run out of pSLC cache more quickly. There are of course exceptions, like Intel's Optane SSDs that provide incredible QD1 random IO. RIP, 3D XPoint... RIP.

Aside from the Optane drives, the Gigabyte Gen5 12000 sits at the top of all four charts, with a sizeable lead on the sequential performance metric. The Nextorage NE5N is the only other 1TB PCIe 5.0 drive that we've tested, but it comes with slower NAND and thus falls behind in some of the other tests.

The random performance again gives a great illustration of why so many people might think that faster SSDs don't really make that much of a difference. Q D1 is the most likely scenario for random workloads, and even the fastest SSD is only about 70% faster than the slowest SSD in our group. But sequential performance does matter, even for things as simple as verifying a game installation in Steam. The top performers are up to four times as fast as the slowest drives in that case.

The copy results level the playing field. Many of the SSDs will use the same controller and same NAND, which is why there are a lot of SSDs that deliver roughly the same performance. They won't be the same in every instance, but for moderate use, just about any of these SSDs will still perform competently, in which case, looking for a good deal is often the determining factor.

You can now find even quality 1TB drives for well under $100. The least expensive 1TB SSD that we've tested right now is the HP FX900 at $65, which provides a good blend of performance overall. Faster drives like the WD Black SN850X 1TB now cost $89, making them less entici ng. The cheapest drives cost $5–$10 less, but they're often slower, use QLC NAND, and/or have some other potential concerns.

M.2 2230 SSD HierarchySwipe to scroll horizontallySSDRandom IOPSSeq MB/sCopy MB/sAvg. PowerOverall ScoreSpecificationsNextorage NN4ME 2TB (2230)50,9156,5891,7673.271,052PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E27T, 162-Layer Kioxia TLCCorsair MP600 Mini E27T 1TB (2230)50,5856,5831,7543.351,052PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E27T, 162-Layer Kioxia TLCCrucial P310 2TB (2230)49,9286,5732,0193.501,122PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E27T, 232-Layer Micron QLCCorsair MP600 Core Mini 2TB (2230)43,5894,4851,4462.70823PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron QLCPatriot Viper VP4000 Mini 2TB (2230)43,5784,5041,4472.70828PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 232-Layer Micron QLCSilicon Power UD90 2TB (2230)43,4804,5021,4412.72826PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron QLCLexar Play 1TB (2230)42,9804,9891,4772.75894PCIe 4.0 x4, Silicon Motion SM2269XT, 176-Layer Micron TLCTeamgroup MP44S 1TB (2230)41,1714,3871,3482.5 1785PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron QLCInland QN446 2TB (2230)41,0764,4851,4112.75795PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron QLCSabrent Rocket Q4 2TB (2230)40,9584,4931,3742.57795PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron QLCWD SN740 2TB (2230)40,9125,0671,5133.65890PCIe 4.0 x4, WD NVMe, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCAddlink S91 2TB (2230)40,6854,4911,3722.36793PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron QLCWD Black SN770M 2TB (2230)40,6015,0701,5233.83890PCIe 4.0 x4, WD NVMe, 112-Layer Kioxia TLCCorsair MP600 Mini 1TB (2230)40,3204,8181,5292.58814PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron TLCInland TN446 1TB (2230)40,3034,8401,5162.66815PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron TLCSabrent Rocket 4 1TB (2230)40,1534,8461,5252.58814PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E21T, 176-Layer Micron TLCInland TN436 1TB (2230)32,3493,0001,0903.59605PCIe 4.0 x4, Phison E19T, 112-Layer Kioxia TLC

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Wrapping things up, nearly all of the drives in the previous lists have been 2280 models — 22mm wide and 80mm long. M.2 2230 SSDs are becoming popular, thanks in part to the rise of the Steam Deck and other handheld gaming portables. We've tested a baker's dozen of the 2230 SSDs, and nearly all of the drives use the same hardware, resulting in very similar performance. There are only two exceptions: the WD Black SN770M and SN740 use a custom WD controller, while the Inland TN436 uses an older Phison E18T controller — everything else uses the Phison E21T controller.

A few of the drives scored better in our random IO tests, but it was consistently faster than other 2230 drives, likely thanks to newer firmware. The TN436 ends up dead last, as expected, while everything else falls within a relatively narrow range of 40K–41K IOPS.

The WD Black SN770M and WD SN740 (an OEM variant of the same hardware, more or less) take the top spots in the se quential performance tests. At the same time, the controller gets hotter than other drives, which can be a potential concern for using it in the Steam Deck. The new Lexar Play 1TB also performed ahead of the crowd, followed by the other 1TB TLC drives, with the QLC-equipped drives filling out the chart.

The biggest issue with M.2 2230 drives is their pricing. The 1TB models are at least reasonably competitive, with the Corsair MP600 Mini going for $84, but the 2TB drives generally cost over twice as much. It's the price for going ultra-compact, and if you're just looking for the least expensive 2TB drive you can find the Addlink S91 2TB costs $178 — a reasonable choice for the Steam Deck. The absolute cheapest 2TB M.2 2230 drive currently available is the Micron 2400 at $156, which we haven't reviewed; it uses the SM2269XT controller and QLC NAND, so it will likely be a bit slower than the Phison E21T models.

The 2230 drives are very much not about maximum performance. Most 2TB models use QLC NAND, and under sustained write saturation testing, they'll drop below 100 MB/s. But that's the thing: A Steam Deck can't even write at 100 MB/s if you're downloading games over its wireless connection. We typically saw peak data rates of ~30 MB/s is all. So, picking up the most cost-effective 2230 drive for such use makes sense.