The Best SSD for Gaming in 2020

The best SSD for gaming comes with many benefits many gaming PC builders don’t know about. Besides the fact that they are faster than traditional HDDs, solid-state drives are more portable, efficient, and extremely reliable than hard disk drives. And since games are becoming more complex with each passing day, it’s only right that PC builders not only use SSDs but the best SSD specifically designed to give you a competitive edge in gaming.

Solid-state drives used to be expensive and only used for top-of-the-line computers. Now, there are many different products on the market at some reasonable prices too. This can make the buying process a little tedious, especially if you’re picking your SSD for gaming for the first time. Not to worry though, we’ve reviewed 10 of the best products below while providing some tips on the necessary factors to consider when buying the best SSD for gaming.

TD;LR - Best SSD For Gaming:

• Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5″ SATA III SSD
• Corsair Force Series MP600 1TB SSD
• SK Hynix Gold S31 500GB 3D NAND SSD
• Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 500GB SSD
• Crucial MX500 1TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5″ SSD
• WD_Black SN750 1TB NVMe Gaming SSD
• ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 1TB SSD
• Addlink S70 1TB SSD
• Sabrent 1TB Rocket Internal SSD
• Seagate Barracuda 510 1TB SSD Internal SSD

Factors To Consider When Choosing The Best SSD For Gaming

NAND Technology

Gaming SSDs (and SSDs in general) come with different NAND technologies. Knowing what these technologies are and choosing a drive with the best technology for your setup will make a lot of difference.

SLC NAND

This NAND type is often found in high-performance SSDs. It’s expensive and usually used in enterprise-grade drives. Also, SSDs with this NAND type feature better write endurance. This means that you can write and rewrite data before you notice any performance degradation.

MLC NAND

This NAND type is the complete opposite of the SLC NAND. It’s the primary type of NAND technology found in SSDs. This technology is cheaper but slower than SLC NAND.

eMLC NAND

This technology sits between the first two above. SSDs with the eMLC NAND are often expensive than those with MLC NAND, but cheaper than those with SLC NAND. Also, eMLC NAND offers faster performance and write endurance than MLC NAND, but not as high as what you get from SLC NAND. It’s often used in high mainstream performance or low enterprise-grade SSDs.

TLC NAND

Just like the eMLC, this is another type of MLC NAND. It’s often found in cheaper SSDs as it comes with a write and rewrite endurance lower than the MLC. However, it’s less expensive than MLC, so you’ll often find this NAND type in budget SSDs.

QLC NAND

This NAND type features a new architecture that stores up more data on less material. It comes with thirty-three percent less density than TLC NAND. However, it’s considered to be less reliable than other NAND architectures.

3D V-NAND

This is another MLC NAND technology that stacks its memory cells vertically instead of horizontally like traditional NAND types. It offers mid-range storage capacities without being expensive. However, the performance is lower than MLC NAND, but on the same level as TLC NAND.

Storage Capacity

As we noted earlier, SSDs are often more expensive than traditional HDDs. This often leads people to choose lower storage capacities to save costs. For a typical gamer, you should ensure that your SSD storage capacity should be no less than 500GB. Going with lower storage capacities will leave you stranded when you least expect it. Another option is to combine lower storage SSD capacities with high HDD storage capacities.

Format and Interface

There are different SSD formats on the market, making the buying process a little tedious. These formats include NVMe, 2.5-inch SATA, and M.2 SSDs. Ensure that you know the right format for your computer before making a purchase.

2.5-inch SATA SSD

These SSDs use the SATA interface often found on hard disk drives. They are ideal for both laptop and desktop computers.

M.2 SSD

This design is newer than the 2.5-inch SATA. It sits on your computer’s motherboard via an M.2 slot, which usually has a PCIe or SATA interface. Note that the M.2 slot is often used for other adapters, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi adapters.

NVMe SSD

This SSD form factor connects to your motherboard via the PCIe interface.

Read and Write Speeds

These are two essential factors to consider when choosing the best SSD for gaming. Basically, these two speeds help determine the performance of your SSD. Read speed affects your loading time while write speeds determine how fast your SSD saves data.

In gaming, the read speed of your storage is more important than the write speed as faster loading times continually enhance gaming experiences. You may also like our article on the best gaming desks.

1. Samsung 860 EVO 500GB 2.5″ SATA III SSD

Best SATA SSD For Gaming

The Samsung 860 EVO is the best SATA SSD for gaming on the market. Designed to enhance both laptops and desktops performance, the 860 EVO features the V-NAND technology and comes in varying form factors. It offers consistent speeds under high workloads with its sequential read speed going up to 550 MB/s and its write speed, 520 MB/s. This SATA SSD is available in multiple storage capacities and can handle 3D data and 4K rendering without hiccups. To make things even better, it gets regular updates via Samsung's management software and features a 5-year warranty.

2. Corsair Force Series MP600 1TB SSD

Best M.2 SSD For Gaming

The Corsair Force Series MP600 SSD is an NVMe solid-state drive that offers incredible storage performance. This SSD uses a PCIe 4.0 controller to provide sequential read and write speeds ten times faster than SATA SSDs and up to fifty times faster than what you'd get on a traditional hard drive. To make things even better, this solid-state drive is backward compatible with PCIe 3.0 devices. It features an aluminum heatsink that helps minimize heat under heavy workload, and it's capable of writing up to 3,600TB before dropping in performance.

The Corsair Force Series MP600 uses 3D TLC NAND technology. This means that you'll be able to get a decent mix of performance, value, and endurance from this SSD. It is Ryzen ready, and thanks to its M.2 form factor, it easily fits AMD x570 chipset-style motherboards. So, if you're looking for a way to enable easy cable routing, free up space in your PC, or allow more airflow, this is one of the best SSDs you can choose.

3. SK Hynix Gold S31 500GB 3D NAND SSD

Best Budget SSD

The SK Hynix Gold S31 500GB solid-state drive is one of the best budget SSDs you can choose to store your games. Highly reliable and stable, this drive comes with 1.5 million hours MBTF with the capability to write up to 600TB before dropping in performance. It uses a SATA 2.5 interface to deliver read speeds of up to 560MB/s and write speeds up to 525MB/s.

While this 500 gig SSD isn't as fast as the Corsair MP600 above, it's still ten times faster than a typical HDD. It's one of the best SSDs for laptops, and its 1000 hours high temperature operating life makes its a definite recommendation for those who want a budget SSD that won't falter under heavy load. With its 5-year warranty and top-notch support from the brand, PC builders will be able to get great value for less than $60.

4. Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 500GB SSD

Best NVMe SSD for Gaming

While the Samsung 860 EVO sits as the king of SATA SSDs, the Samsung 970 EVO Plus is the reigning champion of NVMe SSDs. This Samsung solid-state drive uses V-NAND technology just like the 860 EVO. However, the Samsung 970 EVO Plus is faster and ideal for many other tasks besides gaming, including 4k video editing, 3D rendering, and high-image editing, such as RAW images.

This Samsung SSD is quite fast with its 3,500MB/s write speed and 3,300MB/s read speed. Thanks to the fact that it's an NVMe SSD, you'll be able to connect the 970 EVO Plus to your computer's motherboard via a PCIe slot. It uses the PCIe Gen 3.0 slot to provide users with low latency, excellent power efficiency, and enhanced bandwidth.

The Samsung 970 EVO Plus works optimally under 70 degrees, and it features a heatsink that helps disperse heat to minimize performance drops. If you're looking for the best NVMe SSDs for games or video editing, the Samsung 970 EVO Plus is one of the best SSDs you can choose.

5. Crucial MX500 1TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5″ SSD

Bang For Your Buck

The Crucial MX500 is a great SSD for laptops and desktops. It is a 2.5-inch 7mm SATA drive that uses the AES 256-bit encryption to keep your data safe. The MX500 also performs well than many other drives on the market that costs more than its under $120 price tag. It is reliable and comes with a power loss immunity feature that helps preserve your saved work when power gets cuts unexpectedly.

Although this drive doesn't come with the Samsung 970 EVO Plus speed, it's still an excellent drive for those looking for the best value. The Crucial MX500 features a sequential write speed of 510MB/s and a sequential read speed of 560MB/s. It comes with a 5-year warranty like the Samsung 970 EVO Plus, and it's relatively easy to install too. To make things even easier, the brand has created a step-by-step video that allows even beginners to install this drive.

6. WD_Black SN750 1TB NVMe Gaming SSD

Best SSD For Gaming

When it comes to 1TB SSDs for gaming, the WD Black SN750 is one of the top choices you can work with. Launched earlier this year, this drive comes in at a reasonable price compared to other 1TB SSDs. In fact, it helped influence the price reduction of many SSDs this year. While SSDs like Samsung's 970 EVO are priced in the $400 range, the WD Black SN750 sits under $250. There's also a heatsink version that comes with a more expensive price tag.

Besides its reasonable price point, this drive is also fast. It features a game mode that helps enhance gaming performance. This is one of the reasons why it's considered to be the best SSD for gaming. The Black SN750 is ideal for enthusiasts and anyone looking to build a great gaming rig. It comes with a 5-year warranty and serves as one of the most affordable NVMe SSDs. If you're looking for an excellent alternative to the Samsung EVO lineup, the Black SN750 from Western Digital is the best option you can choose.

7. ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 1TB SSD

Outstanding Performance, Lower Price

The ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro SSD is another excellent option to look at if you're on the market for a fast NVMe solid-state drive. It sits in the $200 price range, making it just a little more expensive than the Samsung 860 EVO SATA drive. This NVMe drive uses a PCIe 3.0 interface to connect to your motherboard, providing you with a sequential read speed of 3,500MBps and a write speed of 3000MBps. It's an excellent drive for 3D rendering, animation, photo and video editing, and playing games.

Now, while this drive sits at a great price point and offers some great speed, it's only compatible with Windows PC. Mac users may have to purchase additional parts to get this drive to work on their device; otherwise, it won't work at all. The ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro features a 5-year warranty and comes with software to help you transfer your data. If you're looking for the ideal NVMe PCIe drive for your Windows machine, this fast SSD is one of the best around you can work with.

8. Addlink S70 1TB SSD

Best PCIe 3.0 SSD

A list of the best SSDs for playing games would be incomplete without adding the Addlink S70 SSD. The brand is a new force helping to drive down the prices of NVMe-based SSDs. They seem to be one of the major players ensuring that PCIe drives cost as low as SATA SSD. While the brand may not be a household name like Samsung, there's no denying the brilliance of the S70 1TB SSD. This NVMe SSD sports a Phison memory controller as well as 3D NAND technology made by Toshiba.

Combining these technologies provides a super-fast NVMe M.2 drive on par in performance with the WD Black SN750. To make things even better, this 1TB version comes with better write performance than the 500GB version, even though the latter is also an excellent option for building PCs. Reliable, fast, and well-priced, this PCIe NVMe drive is one of the best gaming SSDs you can choose over many SATA drives or the more expensive Samsung SSDs.

9. Sabrent 1TB Rocket Internal SSD

Best PCIe 4.0 Performance

The Sabrent 1TB Rocket Internal SSD card is an excellent PCIe 4.0 SSD. Designed with Toshiba's BiCS4 TLC NAND technology, this solid-state drive features speeds that are beyond what you get on the WD Black SN750. Its read speed performance on a PCIe 4 motherboard can reach up to 5000MB/s while its write speed performance peaks at 4400MB/s. It's also compatible with PCIe 3.0 motherboards, providing users with a write speed of 3000MB/s and a read speed of up to 3,300MB/s.

The Sabrent Rocket Internal solid-state drive is ideal for high-end games and those who carry out intensive tasks on their PC. It provides faster load times, allowing your programs to feel snappier. This drive works well with Intel and AMD PCs and can be used on both laptops and desktops. You'll have to install a heatsink though, as the drive doesn't come with one.

10. Seagate Barracuda 510 1TB SSD Internal SSD

Fast and Reliable

The final product on our list of best SSD for gaming is the Seagate Barracuda 510. This is an internal SSD with 3400/3000MB/s read-write speed. It minimizes power consumption, thereby extending your PC's battery life. This solid-state drive is one of the best for thin and ultra-small laptops thanks to its M.2 2280 form factor.

Just like the Sabrent above, the Seagate Barracuda 510 comes with its software suite. You can use this suite to analyze the health and performance of your drive. The Barracuda is touted to be six times faster than a typical SATA SSD, which means that you can get your computer running even faster. If versatility, speed, and a good form factor are what you're looking for, the Seagate Barracuda 510 is a great option to consider.

Compare the Models

Picture	Model	NAND Type	Storage Capacity	Format	Interface	Write Speed	Read Speed
	+ Samsung 860 EVO	V-NAND	250GB to 1TB	M.2	SATA III	550 MB/s	520MB/s
	+ Corsair ce Series	3D TLC	1TB	M.2 2280	PCIe 4.0	3,480MB/s	2,700MB/s
	+ SK Hynix Gold	3D NAND	500GB	2.5-inch SATA	SATA III	560MB/s	525MB/s
	+ Samsung 970 EVO	V-NAND	500GB	M.2 NVMe	PCIe 3.0 x4	3,300MB/s	3,500MB/s
	+ Crucial MX500 1TB	3D NAND	1TB	2.5-inch SATA	SATA	510MB/s	560MB/s
	+ WD_Black SN750 1TB	3D TLC	1TB	M.2 NVMe	PCIe 3.0 x4	3,000MB/s	3.470MB/s
	+ ADATA XPG SX8200	3D TLC	1TB	M.2 2280	PCIe 2.0 x4	3,500MB/s	3,000MB/s
	+ Addlink S70 1TB	3D TLC	1TB	M.2 NVMe	PCIe 3.0 x4	2000MB/s	3000MB/s
	+ Sabrent 1TB Rocket	3D TLC	1TB	M.2 2280	PCIe 4.0 x4	4,400MB/s	5,000MB/s
	+ Seagate Barracuda 510	3D TLC	1TB	M.2 2280	NVMe PCIe 3.0	3000MB/s	3,400MB/s

Conclusion

Having the best gaming SSD in your PC is highly essential in today’s world. Investing in the right drive allows you to enjoy incredible speeds, better performance, and high storage space. Our review above includes ten of the best products on the market. Simply compare them by going through their pros and cons and decide on the best option for you.

And just in case you’re looking for some tips on how to choose the right SSD for your rig, our tips above have got you covered. Once you have your SSD sorted, you may want to gain an edge with the best gaming mouse for 2020. And why not check out our guide on the best graphics cards too.