Best SSDs for Gaming UK 2025 - NVMe and SATA Picks for Every Build

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For most gaming workloads, the performance difference between a mid-range NVMe SSD and a flagship one is smaller than the marketing suggests. Games do not load meaningfully faster on a 7,000 MB/s PCIe 5.0 drive compared to a 7,000 MB/s PCIe 4.0 drive, because game loading is typically limited by other factors before raw sequential read speed becomes the constraint. Where storage upgrades genuinely matter is in moving from a spinning hard drive to any SSD, and from SATA SSD to NVMe.

This guide covers the best storage options for gaming across every major use case: high-performance NVMe for new builds, PS5-compatible options, the latest PCIe 5.0 generation, budget NVMe for cost-conscious buyers, and SATA for older systems that cannot use M.2 slots. All prices are 1TB unless otherwise noted, at current UK RRP as of early 2025.

Quick Picks

• Samsung 990 Pro - Best Overall NVMe (~£89 for 1TB)
• WD Black SN850X - Best for PS5 (~£85 for 1TB)
• Crucial T700 - Best PCIe 5.0 (~£109 for 1TB)
• Seagate Barracuda 510 - Best Budget NVMe (~£55 for 1TB)
• Samsung 870 EVO - Best SATA (~£79 for 1TB)

A Note on PS5 Compatibility

The PS5 uses an NVMe M.2 slot (size 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, or 22110) with PCIe 4.0 interface. Any NVMe SSD meeting these specifications will work. Sony recommends drives with sequential read speeds of 5,500 MB/s or higher for full compatibility with PS5’s internal storage speed parity, though drives below this threshold will still function.

The PS5 M.2 slot does not have its own cooling solution. Sony strongly recommends installing a heatsink on any M.2 drive added to the PS5 to prevent thermal throttling during extended sessions. Some drives (including heatsink versions of the WD Black SN850X) come with a heatsink pre-installed. If buying a drive without a heatsink, add a low-profile M.2 heatsink to your purchase; they cost around £5-10 and are essential for sustained performance.

Samsung 990 Pro - Best Overall NVMe

Quick specs:

The Samsung 990 Pro sits at the top of the PCIe 4.0 NVMe market and has done so consistently since its launch. Sequential read speeds of 7,450 MB/s place it at the ceiling of what PCIe 4.0 supports, and Samsung’s in-house controller and NAND combination delivers consistent real-world performance rather than only peaking in synthetic benchmarks.

For gaming specifically, the 990 Pro’s random read and write performance is the more relevant specification. Games loading, asset streaming, and open-world traversal all rely heavily on random 4K read performance, where the 990 Pro delivers approximately 1,400,000 IOPS. This translates to fast game loading, smooth texture streaming in titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Starfield, and minimal hitching in games with large open worlds.

The 600 TBW endurance rating at 1TB is generous for a consumer drive, and Samsung’s 5-year warranty backs it up. Samsung’s Magician software provides drive health monitoring and firmware updates, and it is one of the more reliable software utilities in the storage category.

Why we like it:

• Consistent real-world performance rather than just benchmark peaks
• 7,450 MB/s sequential read is the practical ceiling for PCIe 4.0
• Random read performance (1.4M IOPS) directly benefits game loading and asset streaming
• 600 TBW endurance and 5-year warranty provide long-term confidence
• Samsung Magician software is one of the best drive management utilities available

Worth knowing:

• Early firmware versions had thermal throttling issues on some systems; ensure firmware is updated on receipt
• PCIe 4.0 requires a motherboard with PCIe 4.0 M.2 slots; older Intel (10th gen and below) and AMD (Ryzen 2000 and below) platforms are limited to PCIe 3.0, which caps the 990 Pro at lower speeds
• The heatsink version costs slightly more but is recommended if your case has limited M.2 airflow
• 2TB version offers even better value per gigabyte for users with large game libraries

WD Black SN850X - Best for PS5

Quick specs:

WD has specifically targeted the PS5 storage expansion market with the SN850X, and it is one of the most frequently recommended options for good reason. The sequential read speed exceeds Sony’s 5,500 MB/s recommendation with headroom to spare, the 2280 form factor fits the PS5’s M.2 slot without modification, and WD’s heatsink version (which costs a small premium over the base version) is specifically dimensioned to fit within the PS5 bay without fouling the console’s internal components.

Performance on PC is comparable to the Samsung 990 Pro, with sequential reads only marginally lower. The SN850X includes WD’s Game Mode 2.0, activated through the WD Dashboard software on PC, which dynamically adjusts the drive’s behaviour based on game workloads. This has a measurable if modest benefit in game loading benchmarks.

For PS5 users specifically: the heatsink version is the recommended purchase. It saves you sourcing and fitting a separate heatsink, and WD has designed it to fit correctly within the PS5’s tight clearances. Check the PS5 bay dimensions for your console revision before ordering if using a third-party heatsink.

Why we like it:

• Exceeds PS5’s recommended 5,500 MB/s threshold with headroom, ensuring full compatibility
• Heatsink version is designed to fit PS5 bay dimensions without modification
• Performance on PC matches the Samsung 990 Pro in game loading and real-world use
• Game Mode 2.0 offers a genuine if incremental improvement in gaming workload performance
• 5-year warranty and 600 TBW endurance are class-leading

Worth knowing:

• Heatsink version is worth the small additional cost for PS5 users specifically; base version requires sourcing a separate heatsink for PS5 use
• WD Dashboard software (for Game Mode 2.0 and health monitoring) is PC-only; PS5 users miss this feature
• Available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB; the 2TB is the recommended size for PS5 given that most modern games exceed 50GB
• Ensure PS5 system software is updated to 21.02-04.00 or later before installing any M.2 drive, as earlier firmware versions did not support M.2 expansion

Crucial T700 - Best PCIe 5.0

Quick specs:

PCIe 5.0 NVMe drives represent the current performance frontier in consumer storage, and the Crucial T700 is among the better-value options in this still-premium category. Sequential read speeds of 12,400 MB/s are nearly double what PCIe 4.0 drives deliver. The honest caveat: for gaming specifically, these speeds are not yet meaningfully translating to faster game loading compared to PCIe 4.0 drives.

Games load from storage as fast as the CPU can process the decompression and asset loading pipeline. The bottleneck for most games is not the drive’s sequential read speed but the processing overhead of loading game assets. DirectStorage (on PC) is the technology designed to change this by moving decompression workloads to the GPU, and titles supporting DirectStorage will benefit more from PCIe 5.0 speeds as adoption grows.

For users who are planning a long-term platform investment, buying a PCIe 5.0 drive now ensures the hardware is in place when DirectStorage-native titles become the norm. For users who want the best performance available today with no future-proofing requirement, the Samsung 990 Pro is a better value choice.

The T700 requires a heatsink. The drive runs hot under sustained load without one; Crucial sells a heatsink version, and third-party options are available. Ensure your case and M.2 slot position can accommodate the height of a heatsink before purchasing.

Why we like it:

• 12,400 MB/s sequential read is the fastest consumer storage available
• PCIe 5.0 is future-ready for DirectStorage-native titles as they become more common
• Competitive pricing for the PCIe 5.0 tier, particularly compared to WD and Samsung’s 5.0 offerings
• Micron NAND and controller combination is reliable with a strong real-world track record
• 5-year warranty with 600 TBW endurance

Worth knowing:

• Requires PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot: Intel 12th gen (Alder Lake) and later or AMD Ryzen 7000 series or later. Earlier platforms will downclock to PCIe 4.0
• Heatsink is essential. Buy the heatsink version or plan a separate heatsink from the outset
• For pure gaming today, PCIe 4.0 drives offer the same real-world game loading performance at lower cost
• The performance premium over PCIe 4.0 is most relevant for professional workloads (video editing, large file transfers) rather than gaming in 2025

Seagate Barracuda 510 - Best Budget NVMe

Quick specs:

At £55 for 1TB, the Seagate Barracuda 510 offers genuine NVMe performance at a price that makes SATA drives hard to justify on any platform with an M.2 slot. PCIe 3.0 delivers sequential reads of 3,600 MB/s, which is 6-7x faster than a SATA SSD and well into the range where game loading times are minimised to a few seconds rather than 20-30 seconds from a hard drive.

The trade-off compared to PCIe 4.0 drives is straightforward: slower sequential and random speeds. In practice, the loading time difference between a PCIe 3.0 NVMe and a PCIe 4.0 NVMe in typical game loading scenarios is 1-3 seconds on current titles. If you are upgrading from a hard drive or a SATA SSD, the Barracuda 510 will feel transformative. If you are comparing directly to the Samsung 990 Pro, the gap is real but modest.

For older platforms (Intel 10th gen and earlier, AMD Ryzen 2000 series and earlier) that top out at PCIe 3.0, the Barracuda 510 delivers full performance without paying for capability the platform cannot use. PCIe 3.0 will continue to be a relevant tier for several years given the installed base of these platforms.

Why we like it:

• £55 for 1TB NVMe is excellent value, undercutting PCIe 4.0 drives by 35-40%
• 3,600 MB/s sequential read is 6-7x faster than SATA and transforms hard drive upgrade experiences
• Full PCIe 3.0 speed on older platforms that cannot use PCIe 4.0
• 5-year Seagate warranty is class-leading for this price tier
• No software required for core function; plug in and use

Worth knowing:

• PCIe 3.0 only. On a PCIe 4.0 platform, you are leaving performance on the table versus the Samsung 990 Pro for a saving of around £35
• 320 TBW endurance is lower than premium drives; for typical gaming use this is more than sufficient, but it is a consideration for heavier workloads
• Seagate’s toolkit software exists but is less polished than Samsung Magician or WD Dashboard
• No heatsink included; if your M.2 slot lacks a board-mounted heatsink, add a third-party one for sustained workloads

Samsung 870 EVO - Best SATA

Quick specs:

If you are building or upgrading a system that does not have an M.2 slot (older desktops, budget motherboards, or SATA-only configurations), the Samsung 870 EVO is the benchmark SATA SSD. Samsung’s 870 EVO has held this position for years because its endurance rating, reliability record, and Samsung Magician software support make it the default recommendation for SATA storage.

SATA SSDs cap at around 550-560 MB/s sequential read, which is a hard limit of the SATA interface rather than the drive itself. This is approximately 6-7x slower than budget NVMe drives and 13x slower than PCIe 4.0 flagships in sequential transfers. For gaming, the practical difference from a PCIe 3.0 NVMe (like the Barracuda 510) is small: game loading times are typically 1-5 seconds slower on SATA versus NVMe for common titles.

The 870 EVO at £79 is more expensive than the Barracuda 510 NVMe at £55. If your system has any M.2 NVMe capability at all, the Barracuda 510 is the better purchase. The 870 EVO is the right choice only when M.2 NVMe slots are genuinely absent from your platform.

Why we like it:

• Samsung’s NAND quality and controller make the 870 EVO the most reliable SATA SSD available
• 600 TBW endurance at 1TB matches PCIe 4.0 drive ratings, well above most SATA competitors
• 5-year warranty with Samsung’s track record for honouring it
• Samsung Magician software provides thorough health monitoring and drive optimisation
• Available up to 4TB for builds requiring large SATA storage without multiple drives

Worth knowing:

• Only buy this if M.2 NVMe is genuinely unavailable on your platform. At £79, it costs more than the Seagate Barracuda 510 NVMe at £55 while delivering lower performance
• SATA interface caps at 560 MB/s regardless of the drive. There is no performance improvement in paying for a higher-spec SATA SSD beyond the 870 EVO
• 2.5-inch form factor requires a drive bay and SATA data and power cable; check your case and motherboard have the required connections
• Not compatible with PS5 (PS5 requires NVMe M.2, not SATA)

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a faster SSD actually improve gaming performance?

The most impactful upgrade is moving from a hard drive to any SSD. Game loading times drop from 30-90 seconds to 3-15 seconds. The next meaningful step is SATA to NVMe, which improves loading by a further 2-5 seconds on most titles. Beyond that, the gains from faster NVMe tiers are small for current games. PCIe 5.0 drives are future-ready for DirectStorage-native games, but in 2025 most titles do not yet fully exploit the additional bandwidth.

What SSD size do I need for gaming?

Modern games are large and getting larger. Call of Duty: Warzone exceeds 100GB; many single-player AAA titles are 60-80GB. A 1TB NVMe drive holds roughly 10-15 large modern games alongside your operating system. For most users, 1TB is the practical minimum and 2TB is a more comfortable starting point if your budget allows. External SSDs or additional internal drives are reasonable options for game library overflow.

Is the Samsung 990 Pro or WD Black SN850X better for PC gaming?

Both are excellent and the real-world gaming performance difference is negligible. The Samsung 990 Pro has a slight edge in sequential reads and random performance. The SN850X’s heatsink version and Game Mode 2.0 are relevant features for specific users. Buy whichever is cheaper at the time of purchase; the difference will not be perceptible in gaming.

Do I need a heatsink on my NVMe SSD?

For most gaming workloads, a heatsink prevents thermal throttling under sustained load. Modern motherboards include M.2 heatsinks on most mid-range and above boards; check whether your motherboard has one before adding a separate heatsink. For PS5 installs, a heatsink is strongly recommended by Sony. For PCIe 5.0 drives (like the Crucial T700), a heatsink is essentially required as these drives run hotter than PCIe 4.0 equivalents.

What is DirectStorage and should it affect my SSD choice?

DirectStorage is a Microsoft API that allows games to load assets directly to GPU memory, bypassing the CPU decompression bottleneck that currently limits how fast NVMe drives translate to in-game loading. When DirectStorage-native games become more common, PCIe 5.0 drives will have a meaningful advantage over PCIe 4.0. In 2025, only a small number of titles support DirectStorage fully, and the benefit is not yet a decisive factor in SSD choice for most users. If you are building a platform you expect to use for 4-5 years, buying PCIe 5.0 now is a reasonable future-proofing decision.

Conclusion

For a new PC build on a modern platform, the Samsung 990 Pro is the straightforward recommendation at £89 for 1TB. It sits at the top of the PCIe 4.0 performance tier, has a strong reliability record, and is priced competitively. For PS5 storage expansion, the WD Black SN850X in heatsink form is the purpose-built choice that meets all of Sony’s compatibility requirements.

If you are on a budget, the Seagate Barracuda 510 at £55 delivers genuine NVMe speed for the price of a SATA drive two years ago. The Crucial T700 is the right choice only if you are on a PCIe 5.0 platform and want to future-proof for DirectStorage adoption. The Samsung 870 EVO remains the best option for systems where M.2 NVMe is unavailable, but check your platform first, since most systems purchased in the last four years have at least one M.2 slot.

We update this guide as new drives launch and prices change. Last tested and reviewed: March 2025.