Just when the prices of the PCIe Gen4 SSDs started to settle down to affordable levels, and their acceptance and availability started to gain momentum, PCIe 5.0 solid-state drives began appearing in the market. When it comes to a drive read/write performance, nothing can beat the latest PCIe 5.0 NVMe solid-state drives. These drives are super-fast and have read and write speeds of 10000 MB/s or more with some premium models. If you were impressed by the speed of PCIe Gen4 drives, you would be blown away by the blazing performance of the PCIe Gen5 drives. Generally, a good PCIe 5.0 SSD is around 1.7x times faster than a good PCIe 4.0 SSD.
In practicality, PCIe Gen4 SSDs are more than enough for almost all tasks and users. For a boot drive for OS installation, even a good PCIe Gen3 SSD is more than enough, and you won’t even notice performance difference when switching to PCIe 4.0 or PCIe 5.0 solid-state drives. Currently, PCIe 5.0 drives are only for enthusiasts, high-level professionals & content creators, and users who want the best hardware available today, no matter how expensive they are. In this post, I list some of the best available PCIe Gen5 solid-state drives you can buy for your high-performance PC.
PCIe Gen5 vs PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD Comparison
PCIe 5.0 SSD supports the latest PCIe Gen5 x4 interface with a maximum bandwidth of 16GB/s. On the other hand, PCIe 4.0 SSD supports PCIe Gen4 x4 interface having a maximum bandwidth of 8GB/s. The maximum Read/Write speed of a typical PCIe 5.0 SSD is around 10000 MB/s or more, while the maximum read/write speed of a typical PCI 4.0 SSD is around 5000 MB/s or more. These speeds are theoretical under controlled conditions but in reality, you can get Read/Write close to these figures if your PC has good hardware specs. PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 solid-state drives are backward compatible with older interfaces. This means PCIe Gen5 drives can work on motherboards with PCIe Gen4/Gen3 interfaces, and PCIe 4.0 drives are compatible with motherboards with PCIe Gen3 interface or standard. PCIe Gen5 SSDs support the latest NVMe 2.0 specifications, while the PCIe Gen4 SSDs support the NVMe 1.4 specs. The new NVMe 2.0 specification has some additional functionality and security measures over the older NVMe 1.4 specifications.
| PCIe 4.0 SSD | PCIe 5.0 SSD | |
| PCIe Version | PCIe 4.0 / PCIe Gen4 | PCIe 5.0 / PCIe Gen5 |
| PCIe Interface | PCIe Gen4 x4 (8GB/s) | PCIe Gen5 x4 (16GB/s) |
| Read Speed* | 7000 MB/s | 12400 MB/s |
| Write Speed* | 6550 MB/s | 11800 MB/s |
| Compatibility | Backward Compatible with older PCI-Express Interface | Backward Compatible with older PCI-Express Interface |
*Typical Read and Write Speed of a good PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 NVMe solid state drives.
PCIe 5.0 Motherboards
To get the maximum performance out of these PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs, you need a motherboard that supports PCI-Express 5.0 interface for M.2 solid-state drives. The motherboards supporting the PCIe Gen5 standard or interface include the AMD 600 series, Intel Z690*, and Intel Z790*.
*Only select motherboard models support M.2 PCIe Gen5 x4 slot.
Best PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs without Cooler/Heatsink
Below are some of the best PCIe Gen5 solid-state drives for gaming or work PCs. These PCIe Gen5 SSDs don’t come with an integrated heatsink, but you must use them with a motherboard M.2 heatsink or a good aftermarket M.2 heatsink or cooler to prevent throttling, system crashes, or reduced performance.
Corsair MP700 PRO 2TB SSD
[Super-Fast, Reliable, Reasonably Priced]
Corsair MP700 PRO 2TB SSD is one of the best PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs you can buy for your high-end PC. It is also one of the fastest PCIe Gen5 solid-state drives, with a sequential read speed of up to 12400 MB/s and a sequential write speed of up to 11800 MB/s. It is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB storage capacities, with 1TB slightly slower than the 2TB and 4TB variants. The SSD uses high-density 3D TLC NAND flash memory and has an endurance of 1400TBW. The operating temperature of the SSD is 0°C to +70°C, and to achieve the fastest read/write speed or maximum performance, you will need a good cooler or heatsink as this SSD does not come with any cooling solution fitted by the manufacturer. The SSD supports Microsoft DirectStorage if you have compatible hardware (DirectX12 GPU with Shader Model 6.0 support). The SSD carries a comprehensive five-year warranty.
| Corsair MP700 PRO 2TB SSD Specifications | |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe Gen5 x4 |
| Storage Capacity | 2TB |
| Flash Memory Type | 3D TLC NAND |
| Read Speed | 12400 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 11800 MB/s |
| Endurance Rating | 1400 TBW |
| Cooler/Heatsink | No |
Crucial T705 2TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD
[Blazing Fast, Integrated Heatsink Option Available]
A blazing fast PCIe Gen5 SSD with Read and Write speeds of a whopping 14500 MB/s and 12700 MB/s, respectively. Crucial T705 NVMe SSD is available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB storage capacities. The 1TB version has a slightly lower Read/Write speed, while the 2TB and 4TB versions are the fastest. The SSD uses Micron 232-layer TLC NAND Flash Memory and has an endurance rating of 1200 TBW, a tad lower than the Corsair MP700 PRO SSD with the same capacity. The operating temperature range for the SSD is from 0°C to +70°C. Officially, the SSD is compatible with the Intel Core 13th-14th Gen desktop CPUs and AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. So, if you want to get your hands on one of the fastest PCIe 5.0 drives, you can get this one, but you have to buy a good cooler or heatsink to get the optimum performance. The SSD is backed by a five-year warranty.
| Crucial T705 2TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD Specifications | |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe Gen5 x4 |
| Storage Capacity | 2TB |
| Flash Memory Type | Micron 232-layer TLC NAND |
| Read Speed | 14500 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 12700 MB/s |
| Endurance Rating | 1200 TBW |
| Cooler/Heatsink | No, Integrated Heatsink Option Available |
Buy Crucial T705 2TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD
Best PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs with Cooler/Heatsink
Below are some best PCIe Gen5 solid-state drives for gaming or work PCs. All these PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs come with a cooler or heatsink to prevent overheating and throttling of the drive.
MSI SPATIUM M570 PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 HS 2TB
[Affordable, Stylish Heatsink Design, Much Faster than PCIe 4.0 SSD]
MSI SPATIUM M570 PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 HS SSD is probably the best value PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD that comes with a heatsink. MSI SPATIUM M570 PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 HS SSD has a Read/Write speed of 10000 MB/s and comes in 1TB and 2TB storage capacities. The 1TB capacity variant has a slightly lower Read/Write speed of 9500/8500 MB/s. The SSD uses the PHISON E26 controller and comes with a 4GB DRAM Cache (2TB for 1GB model). The operating temperature range is from 0°C to +70°C and has an endurance rating of 1400 TBW. For cooling, the SSD comes with a bronze-colored aluminum heatsink. The heatsink is stylish and employs a stacked fins structure design to increase the surface area for better heat dissipation. The SSD has built-in data security and error-correction capabilities and supports TRIM, S.M.A.R.T, LDPC (Low-Density Parity Check) ECC Algorithm, APST (Autonomous Power State Transition), and E2E Data Protection. MSI SPATIUM M570 NVMe comes with a 5-year warranty. It is a good, affordable PCIe Gen5 SSD with a heatsink and offers significantly better performance than any top-end PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD.
| MSI SPATIUM M570 PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 HS Specifications | |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe Gen5 x4 |
| Storage Capacity | 2TB |
| Flash Memory Type | 3D NAND |
| Read Speed | 10000 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 10000 MB/s |
| Endurance Rating | 1400 TBW |
| Cooler/Heatsink | Aluminum Heatsink with Stacked Fins |
Buy MSI SPATIUM M570 PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 HS 2TB
Crucial T705 2TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD with Heatsink
The heatsink variant of the Crucial T705 2TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD. The SSD has the same specifications and features mentioned above. The SSD comes with a black heatsink made of aluminum and copper for cooling. The heatsink has a fins structure that allows for better heat dissipation to the surroundings.
| Crucial T705 2TB PCIe Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD Specifications | |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe Gen5 x4 |
| Storage Capacity | 2TB |
| Flash Memory Type | Micron 232-layer TLC NAND |
| Read Speed | 14500 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 12700 MB/s |
| Endurance Rating | 1200 TBW |
| Cooler/Heatsink | Aluminum and Copper Heatsink |
Buy Crucial T705 2TB PCIe Gen5 SSD with Heatsink
PNY CS3150 M.2 NVMe SSD with Heatsink
[Dual-fan Heatsink, Affordable Pricing, Good Performance and Reliable]
PNY is mainly known for its high-quality Consumer and Professional Nvidia Graphics Cards. However, it also manufactures other computer peripherals, including flash drives, solid-state drives, RAM, etc. Here, we have PNY CS3150 M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen5 SSD with a dual-fan heatsink for superior cooling performance. The heatsink is black colored and is made of aluminum. The dual fans on the heatsink use a 4-pin power connector for power. The SSD is available in 1TB capacity and has Read and Write speeds of 11500 MB/s and 8500 MB/s, respectively. The operating temperature for the SSD ranges from 0°C to +70° Celcius.
The SSD uses 3D TLC NAND flash memory and supports features including TRIM, S.M.A.R.T., TCG OPAL 2.0 for hardware encryption and storage security, ECC {LDPC (Low-Density Parity Check) ECC Algorithm}, RAID. The SSD carries a 5-year warranty and is also very competitively priced.
Note: An ARGB model is also available for this SSD, which uses a 9-pin internal USB power connector. Other features and specs remain the same. You can also check out this model from the links below.
| PNY CS3150 M.2 NVMe SSD with Heatsink Specifications | |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe Gen5 x4 |
| Storage Capacity | 1TB |
| Flash Memory Type | 3D TLC NAND |
| Read Speed | 11500 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 8500 MB/s |
| Endurance Rating | 1,600,000 Hours MTBF |
| Cooler/Heatsink | Dual Fan Heatsink |
Buy PNY CS3150 M.2 NVMe SSD with Heatsink
Buy PNY CS3150 XLR8 Gaming Epic-X RGB 1TB
MSI SPATIUM M570 PRO PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 FROZR 2TB SSD
[Massive Heatsink with Heat Pipes, Super-fast Performance]
If you are looking for a fast PCIe 5.0 SSD with an excellent passive cooler, then MSI SPATIUM M570 PRO PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 FROZR SSD is what you should get. The SSD comes in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB storage capacities, with 1TB being slightly slower. Here, we have the 2TB model, which has Read and Write speeds of 12400 MB/s and 11800 MB/s, respectively. The SSD uses a PHISON E26 controller, 3D NAND Flash memory, and 4GB LPDDR4 RAM. The SSD comes with a massive aluminum tower heatsink with an optimized fins structure and has three copper heatpipes for better heat transfer from the SSD to the heatsink. According to MSI, the heatsink is so efficient that it can reduce the SSD temperature temperatures by up to 20°C. The SSD’s operating temperature range is 0°C to +70°C. The 2 GB model has an endurance rating of 1400 TBW. It carries a 5-year warranty.
| MSI SPATIUM M570 PRO PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 FROZR SSD Specifications | |
| Form Factor | M.2 2280 |
| Interface | PCIe Gen5 x4 |
| Storage Capacity | 2TB |
| Flash Memory Type | 3D NAND |
| Read Speed | 12400 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 11800 MB/s |
| Endurance Rating | 1400 TBW |
| Cooler/Heatsink | Aluminum Fins Heatsink with 3 Copper Heatpipes |
Buy MSI SPATIUM M570 PRO NVMe SSD
Other PCIe Gen5 Solid state drives
Below are some other PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs that you can check out.
- SABRENT Rocket 5 SSD 2TB
- TEAMGROUP T-Force Z540 M.2 PCIe SSD 2TB
- INLAND TD510 2TB PCIe 5.0 M.2 SSD
- FanXiang 2TB Gen5 NVMe M.2 SSD with Heatsink
Note: Right now, Samsung and Western Digital have not released their PCIe Gen5 NVMe SSD.
Should you buy a PCIe 5.0 SSD with or without a heatsink/cooler?
PCIe Gen5 SSDs should never be used without a cooler because they heat up very quickly. SSD Overheating can cause many issues, including system crashes, BSOD (blue screen of death), reduced performance, and, in some cases, damage to the SSD can occur leading to the failure of the drive. If your motherboard does not come with an M.2 heatsink or has a weak and ineffective M.2 heatsink then you must buy a good aftermarket M.2 cooler/heatsink or get an SSD with a good preinstalled heatsink/cooler.
If you are an enthusiast, then getting a good aftermarket M.2 cooler/heatsink for your ultra-fast PCIe Gen5 SSD is a good idea because a good aftermarket M.2 Cooler equipped with a heatsink, copper heatpipes, and fan can reduce the temperature to significant levels. One such M.2 SSD cooler is the GRAUGEAR M.2 2280 SSD Cooler shown below.
Check out: Best M.2 Heatsinks and Coolers for NVMe SSDs
Queries?
If you have any questions about PCIe 5.0 solid-state drives, please ask them in the comment section below.
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