I'm looking to get an M.2 drive, either 1TB or 2TB, but I don't need one that's extremely fast, so I'm avoiding the pricier models like the 990 Pro. I want a budget-friendly option that still provides good performance for gaming. I'm concerned about not losing out on any 'free' performance because of a slower drive. Any suggestions?
5 Answers
Some solid recommendations I’ve heard include the Crucial P3 Plus and the SN850X. They offer great performance without breaking the bank, and they’ve been reliable in my systems.
Generally, a faster drive isn't going to impact gaming performance much. If you're looking for good value, any Gen 4.0 drive should do just fine. The budget considerations are key though!
Prices can vary, but a decent 2TB SSD usually lands between $95-110. Just make sure it’s from a reputable brand! Also, check out price comparison sites like PCPartPicker for the best deals.
If gaming is your main focus, the WD Blue is a solid choice. You won't notice much difference between Gen 3 and Gen 5 in most games, so save your bucks with a quality mid-range option.
For gaming, you won’t lose out on performance with most modern drives. A SATA drive is slower for everyday use, but in gaming, the bottleneck is typically elsewhere. I suggest you check out some budget-friendly options from trusted brands like Crucial or Samsung.
That’s true! I’ve seen little difference in load times switching from SATA to NVMe, so unless you're doing heavy file transfers, a good Gen 3 or even entry-level Gen 4 drive should serve you well.
You could go even cheaper and grab a Gen 3 drive which works well too. Honestly, gamers can sometimes get too caught up in the details of SSD speeds. The difference in performance for gaming is pretty minor.