The best Gen4 NVMe SSD on this list for most gaming PCs is the Crucial P310 2TB, a PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 2280 drive rated for up to 7,100MB/s reads that gives a modern game library enough room without leaving the fast end of the Gen4 range. “Gen4” simply means the drive talks to the system over PCIe 4.0, roughly double the bandwidth of the older Gen3 interface. Buyers who want a heatsink for a console or a cramped case should look at the Fikwot FX910 2TB, and anyone who wants the most space per slot should consider the Fikwot FN950 4TB. One item on the list is a complete prebuilt PC rather than a drive, and we flag it plainly below.
Our Top Picks
Top 3 picks at a glance
Quick List
- Crucial P310 2TB – best for a balanced main game drive with fast stated reads
- Skytech Ryzen 7 9800X3D / RTX 5070 desktop – best for buyers who want a finished system, not a standalone drive (runner-up for this guide)
- Crucial P310 1TB – best for a first Gen4 upgrade or a second slot on a tight storage plan
- Fikwot FN950 4TB – best for the largest library on one M.2 slot
- Kingston NV3 1TB – best for a plain, well-known 1TB Gen4 option with a clear part number
- Fikwot FX910 2TB – best for PS5 or tight-airflow builds that benefit from a bundled heatsink
Which One Is Right for You?
| If you… | Choose |
|---|---|
| want a 2TB game drive with a top-end stated read speed from a mainstream brand | Crucial P310 2TB |
| need a heatsink already attached for a console bay or a board without an M.2 cover | Fikwot FX910 2TB |
| have a very large library and only one free M.2 slot | Fikwot FN950 4TB |
| are replacing a small 500GB drive and want an inexpensive step up | Crucial P310 1TB |
| prefer a single, clearly labeled 1TB drive from a long-established memory brand | Kingston NV3 1TB |
| are shopping for an entire gaming system that already includes a Gen4 drive | Skytech Ryzen 7 9800X3D / RTX 5070 desktop |
For most people the decision comes down to capacity first and cooling second. Once you know whether you need 1TB, 2TB or 4TB, pick the drive with the sustained-write behavior and endurance rating that suits how often you install and delete large games. Read speed is the least important number in this group, because every drive here is fast enough for current game loading.
All 6 Picks in Detail
1. Crucial P310 2TB – Best for a Balanced Main Game Drive
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This is the drive we would put in a new gaming build when a single 2TB slot has to cover the operating system, a launcher or two and a rotating set of large installs. The listing describes a PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280 SSD with up to 7,100MB/s reads, marketed for laptops, desktops and handheld gaming consoles, and the listing name also mentions bundled Acronis data-migration software. Published specifications for the P310 family describe a Phison E27T controller with no onboard DRAM (it borrows a small slice of system memory through Host Memory Buffer) and 232-layer QLC NAND from Micron.
In practice, a drive of this type behaves best when you leave some free space, because the fast write cache shrinks as the drive fills. Keep roughly a fifth of the capacity empty, install new games from your library one at a time rather than copying huge folders in one go, and leave the motherboard’s M.2 cover on if it has one. Those habits matter more to day-to-day smoothness than the last few hundred megabytes per second of stated speed.
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe, M.2 2280
- Stated sequential read: up to 7,100MB/s
- Capacity: 2TB; published endurance for the 2TB model is 440TB written
- Memory type: QLC NAND, DRAM-less with Host Memory Buffer
- Warranty: five years in manufacturer documentation; confirm on listing
- Heatsink: not stated in the listing name; confirm on listing
Pros
- Very high stated reads for a mainstream drive
- Large capacity with a generous write-cache area
- Low power and simple, cool operation on most boards
Cons
- Sustained writes slow noticeably once the fast cache is full
- Endurance rating is lower than TLC drives of the same size
Compared with the 1TB version of the same drive, the 2TB model keeps the same speed class while giving the cache and the endurance rating twice the room to work with.
2. Skytech Ryzen 7 9800X3D / RTX 5070 Gaming Desktop – Best for Buyers Who Want a Finished System
This listing is not an SSD. It is a prebuilt gaming desktop whose name mentions a Gen4 NVMe SSD among its parts, so it has been included here as a runner-up for readers who would rather buy the whole machine than upgrade storage. We cannot say anything about the specific drive model inside, because the listing name does not give it; the name only states a 2TB capacity and “Gen4 NVMe”. Treat that as a minimum description and confirm the exact drive before relying on it for large game installs.
Buying a whole system changes the question from which drive to which machine. Prebuilt desktops often fix the drive, motherboard and cooler choices at the factory, so later upgrades usually mean opening the case and swapping parts yourself. If you go this route, check how many M.2 slots are free on the board, since a second Gen4 drive is the easiest future upgrade, and confirm the warranty terms for the whole machine on the product page.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
- Graphics: GeForce RTX 5070 (brand of the card may vary by shipment)
- Memory: 32GB of DDR5, listed at 6000 speed
- Storage: 2TB Gen4 NVMe SSD, drive model not named in the listing
- Power: 850W Gold-rated ATX 3 power supply per the listing name
- Cooling: a 360mm ARGB-style liquid cooler appears in the listing text; confirm on listing
Pros
- Everything arrives assembled with Windows 11 named in the listing
- Strong gaming parts for 1440p play
Cons
- You cannot choose or confirm the SSD model from the name alone
- It does not answer the question of which standalone Gen4 drive to buy
If you already own a PC, skip this entry and compare the Crucial P310 2TB with the Fikwot FX910 2TB instead.
3. Crucial P310 1TB – Best for a First Gen4 Upgrade
The 1TB P310 suits someone swapping out a slow SATA or older Gen3 boot drive and who mainly plays a handful of titles at a time. The listing uses the same wording as the 2TB version: PCIe Gen4 NVMe, M.2 2280, up to 7,100MB/s, and support for laptops, desktops and handheld gaming consoles. Published endurance for the 1TB model is 220TB written, exactly half the 2TB figure, which is easily enough for a typical gaming household but worth knowing if you reinstall large games constantly.
A 1TB drive is a good fit when the machine also has a second, larger drive for bulk storage. Many players keep the operating system and two or three current games on the fast drive and park older titles on a hard drive or a SATA SSD. That split keeps the Gen4 drive well under its capacity, which helps the write cache stay effective and keeps long-term wear low.
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe, M.2 2280
- Stated sequential read: up to 7,100MB/s
- Capacity: 1TB, with 220TB written endurance per published specifications
- Memory type: QLC NAND, DRAM-less with Host Memory Buffer
- Included software: Acronis data-migration tool mentioned in the listing name
- Heatsink: not stated; confirm on listing
Pros
- Easy path from a smaller or older drive using the bundled cloning software
- Same fast stated reads as the 2TB version
Cons
- Only room for roughly eight to ten very large modern games
- Smaller cache area means writes slow sooner during big installs
Next to the Kingston NV3 1TB, the P310 1TB lists a higher peak read speed, while the Kingston lists a higher published endurance figure.
4. Fikwot FN950 4TB – Best for the Largest Library on One Slot
Four terabytes on a single M.2 2280 stick is the headline here, and it solves the problem of boards that only have one or two M.2 slots. The listing states PCIe Gen4x4, reads up to 5000MB/s, a configurable SLC cache and compatibility with PS5, laptops and desktops. Independent data for the 2TB FN950 points to TLC NAND and a Maxio MAP1602 controller without onboard DRAM, and Fikwot publishes endurance ratings well above QLC drives. Treat those details as the drive family, and confirm the exact 4TB figures on the product page.
Because the listing leans on PS5 compatibility, check the physical limits of your target bay too. Console expansion bays have height limits for the drive and any heatsink, and a bare 4TB module may need a separate heatsink. On a desktop, a motherboard M.2 cover usually solves cooling. Either way, a very large drive takes a long time to fill, so cache behavior matters less for steady game installs than it does on small drives.
- Interface: PCIe Gen4 x4, M.2 2280
- Stated sequential read: up to 5000MB/s
- Capacity: 4TB
- Cache: configurable SLC cache described in the listing
- Likely NAND and controller (family data): TLC with a DRAM-less controller; confirm on listing
- Heatsink: not named in the listing; confirm on listing
Pros
- Enormous capacity for a whole Steam library
- TLC-class endurance if the family data holds for this model
Cons
- Stated reads are lower than the 7,000MB/s class drives
- Console users should note it falls under the 5,500MB/s guideline Sony has suggested for PS5 expansion; check current console guidance
Compared with the Fikwot FX910 2TB, the FN950 trades peak speed and a heatsink for twice the capacity.
5. Kingston NV3 1TB – Best for a Plain 1TB Gen4 Option
The NV3 is the straightforward pick when you want a recognizable memory brand and a model number you can check, SNV3S/1000G. The listing gives PCIe 4.0 Gen 4×4, M.2 2280 and up to 6000MB/s. Kingston’s datasheet for this model lists 6,000MB/s reads, 4,000MB/s writes and 320TB written endurance at 1TB. It is DRAM-less and uses Host Memory Buffer, and the controller and NAND vary by production batch, which means two NV3 drives can differ in internals while sharing the same label.
The NV3 also suits laptops and small-form-factor PCs, where thin single-sided modules are easier to fit than drives with bulky heatsinks. Because the NAND and controller can change between production batches, it is worth checking the drive’s model details in your operating system after installing it, particularly if you care about which memory type you received.
- Interface: PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe, M.2 2280
- Stated sequential read: up to 6000MB/s
- Stated sequential write at 1TB: up to 4,000MB/s per datasheet
- Endurance: 320TB written at 1TB per datasheet
- Dimensions: single-sided 22 x 80 x 2.3 mm form factor, no heatsink included
- Warranty: confirm term on the listing
Pros
- Single-sided, thin drive that fits laptops and low-clearance boards
- Better published endurance than the Crucial 1TB model
Cons
- Internal parts vary by batch
- Lower peak read speed than the 7,000MB/s class
The nearest alternative is the Crucial P310 1TB, which reads faster on paper but has less published endurance.
6. Fikwot FX910 2TB – Best for Console Bays and Tight Airflow
The FX910 arrives with a heatsink, which is what makes it the easiest choice for a PS5 expansion bay or for a case where airflow over the board’s M.2 slot is poor. The listing states PCIe Gen4 2280, up to 7300MB/s, a heatsink, and compatibility with PS5 and PC. Third-party data describes it as DRAM-less with Host Memory Buffer, but we could not confirm the controller or whether the NAND is TLC or QLC, so confirm both on the product page before counting on a particular endurance figure.
For desktop builders, a clip-on heatsink may duplicate the motherboard’s own cover, so measure the clearance before installing. Stack height matters under graphics cards on some boards, and a tall heatsink can stop a motherboard cover from closing. In a console bay, the included heatsink is the main reason to pick this drive, but verify the bay’s size limits first.
- Interface: PCIe Gen4, M.2 2280
- Stated sequential read: up to 7300MB/s
- Capacity: 2TB
- Cooling: heatsink included per the listing name
- Memory type: reported DRAM-less; confirm on listing
- Endurance rating: confirm on listing
Pros
- Highest stated read speed in the list
- Included heatsink removes a separate purchase for consoles
Cons
- The added heatsink height can block some laptop and mini-PC bays
- Controller and NAND details are not clearly stated
It is the natural alternative to the Crucial P310 2TB when a ready-fitted heatsink matters more than a well-documented controller.
Specs Compared
| Product | Type | Capacity | Interface | Stated read | Heatsink | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crucial P310 2TB | NVMe SSD | 2TB | PCIe 4.0 x4, M.2 2280 | Up to 7,100MB/s | Confirm on listing | QLC, DRAM-less with HMB; Acronis software |
| Skytech Ryzen 7 9800X3D / RTX 5070 desktop | Prebuilt PC | 2TB (drive model not named) | Gen4 NVMe per listing name | Confirm on listing | Not applicable | Ryzen 7 9800X3D, RTX 5070, 32GB DDR5 |
| Crucial P310 1TB | NVMe SSD | 1TB | PCIe 4.0 x4, M.2 2280 | Up to 7,100MB/s | Confirm on listing | 220TB written endurance, published |
| Fikwot FN950 4TB | NVMe SSD | 4TB | PCIe Gen4 x4, M.2 2280 | Up to 5000MB/s | Confirm on listing | Configurable SLC cache |
| Kingston NV3 1TB | NVMe SSD | 1TB | PCIe 4.0 x4, M.2 2280 | Up to 6000MB/s | No heatsink included | 320TB written endurance; DRAM-less with HMB |
| Fikwot FX910 2TB | NVMe SSD | 2TB | PCIe Gen4, M.2 2280 | Up to 7300MB/s | Included | PS5 and PC listing; controller confirm on listing |
How We Chose These
This guide is a research summary of the products in the current catalog set, not a lab write-up. We started with the listing names and specification fields for each item, then cross-checked family details against manufacturer documentation and independent spec databases where they were available. We looked at interface and form factor first, because a Gen4 drive that does not physically fit your slot is useless. Capacity, published endurance, the presence or absence of onboard DRAM, and whether a heatsink is included came next. Where a listing did not state a value, we said so and wrote “confirm on listing” instead of guessing. Speeds are manufacturer claims for sequential workloads and say little about how a drive behaves after its cache fills.
What to Look For
Interface, slot and form factor
Every drive here is an M.2 2280 module, meaning 22mm wide and 80mm long. Confirm that your motherboard or laptop has a 2280 slot that supports NVMe over PCIe 4.0 x4. Gen4 needs a compatible CPU and chipset: AMD Ryzen systems on 500-series boards and newer, and Intel platforms from 11th-generation Core onward, support it on at least one slot. A Gen4 drive in a Gen3 slot still works but runs at roughly half the maximum bandwidth. Also check whether the slot shares lanes with SATA ports; some boards disable two SATA ports when the second M.2 slot is in use.
Cache, DRAM and sustained writes
Peak speeds on a spec sheet describe short bursts. Most drives here use a pseudo-SLC cache, a region of the flash temporarily written one bit per cell for speed, and many lack onboard DRAM, borrowing a small slice of system RAM through Host Memory Buffer. The practical consequence: reading games is fast, but copying a very large folder can slow dramatically once the cache fills. For gaming that matters little, since installs are limited by your download speed anyway. For video editing or frequent bulk copies, favor higher capacity (larger cache) and TLC NAND.
NAND type and endurance
QLC stores four bits per cell, which lowers cost but also lowers endurance. TBW (terabytes written) is the manufacturer’s rating for how much data you can write within warranty. A 2TB drive rated at 440TBW would take about 240GB of writes per day for five years to hit that limit, far above ordinary gaming use. Rule of thumb: if you write less than 50GB a day, endurance differences between these drives will not affect you.
Heat and heatsinks
Gen4 drives can throttle when they get hot. Many motherboards ship with an M.2 cover; if yours does not, a bundled heatsink helps. Do not stack a bundled heatsink under a motherboard cover, and check clearance first: a PS5 bay accepts heatsinks within specific size limits that Sony publishes, and thin laptops often have no room at all. A single-sided drive without a heatsink, like the Kingston NV3, is the safer pick for tight bays.
Compatibility checks before you buy
Start with the slot. M.2 slots come in different key types and lengths, and the drives here need an M-key slot that takes 2280-length modules and runs NVMe. Open your motherboard manual and look for the lane speed printed beside each slot, because the slot nearest the processor usually runs at full Gen4 speed while a chipset-connected slot may be slower. Then check clearance for a heatsink: laptops, mini-PCs and some boards sit the drive right under another component. Finally, plan the migration. If the new drive will replace your boot drive, use the cloning software mentioned in some listings or a standard backup, and keep the old drive until the new one has proven stable for a few days.
Worked example: sizing for a library
Suppose you play six large titles averaging 100GB each and keep a few older games. That is about 700GB, and you want to stay under 80% full for steady speed, so you need roughly 875GB of usable space plus the operating system. A 1TB drive is already tight; 2TB is comfortable; 4TB suits a collector with dozens of installs. Remember that a 1TB drive shows about 930GB in Windows because of decimal and binary units.
Questions
Is a Gen4 SSD noticeably faster than a Gen3 SSD in games?
For most current games the difference in loading time is small, because the CPU and decompression steps limit the result more than raw drive speed. Gen4 matters more for large file copies, installs and the few titles built around fast storage APIs.
Do I need a heatsink on a Gen4 NVMe drive?
If your motherboard has an M.2 cover, you usually do not need a separate one. A heatsink is most useful in a console bay, a case with poor airflow, or an unshielded slot where the drive sits under a hot graphics card.
Is a DRAM-less SSD fine for gaming?
Yes for most players. Host Memory Buffer keeps map data in a small slice of system RAM, which preserves everyday responsiveness. The compromise shows up in sustained heavy writes, not game loading.
Will these drives work in a PS5?
Only drives that list console support and fit the bay’s size limits are candidates, and heatsink dimensions matter. Sony’s guidance recommends fast read speeds and a heatsink, so check the current console documentation before buying.
How much capacity should a gaming PC have?
Two terabytes is the sweet spot for a single-drive build today, since individual games commonly use 50GB to 150GB. Choose 1TB only if you play a small rotation of titles, and 4TB if you keep a large library installed.
Can I use a Gen4 drive in an older Gen3 slot?
Yes, it is backward compatible and will run at Gen3 speeds, which are roughly half of Gen4’s ceiling. That is still far faster than a SATA drive, but you lose the main benefit of paying for Gen4.
Update History
- October 14, 2026 – Initial publication; product set drawn from current catalog listings.
- Check the product page for current specifications and availability before buying.
Sources
- Manufacturer product and datasheet pages for Crucial, Kingston and Fikwot
- Retailer listing titles and specification fields for each product
- Independent SSD spec databases and published hardware coverage for controller and NAND details
