Upgrading your SSD isn’t just important for expanding your storage. Buying one of the best SSD options for your PC, PS5 or Steam Deck can also boost performance, especially for boot-up and loading times.
The tricky thing is finding the best SSD for your needs. While you can check the specs for the estimated speeds, you won’t know the full extent of the performance without testing an SSD firsthand. This is where we come in, as we review the latest and greatest SSDs, making sure to conduct both benchmark tests and real-world testing to evaluate performance.
We also test other aspects of an SSD, including thermal performance and value for money. Those SSDs that are rated highly by our experts are considered for this very Best SSD guide, making sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
We’ve also made sure to include a variety of options, including the cutting edge PCIe 5.0 drives for PC, as well as those designed for the PS5 or Stream Deck. So take a browse below and find the perfect option for your needs.
Along with our in-depth testing of SSDs, we’ve reviewed a range of PC components to help you kit out your device. For our guides on these, check out best gaming CPUs, best graphics cards and more.
- Best overall SSD: Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000 – check price
- Best PCIE 4.0 SSD: Crucial T500 – check price
- Best SSD for PS5: Kingston Fury Renegade SSD – check price
- Best value SSD: WD Black SN850 – check price
- Best SSD for Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally: WD Black SN770M – check price
- Best SATA SSD: Samsung 860 Evo – check price
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Learn more about how we test SSDs
When testing an SSD, we use both synthetic benchmark tests, while also determining file transfers via both Steam and Windows explorer. We also factor in the likes of price, design and temperature when reaching a final score.

Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000
Pros
- Ridiculously quick in sequential file transfer tasks
- Large DRAM cache, allows for rapid in-game loading
- Solid heatsink, minimizes PCIe 5.0 heat woes
Cons
- Heatsink isn’t compatible with all motherboards
- Random 4K performance not the best

Crucial T500
Pros
- Incredible performance for the price
- Strong random 4K results in testing
- Great for consoles and PCs alike
Cons
- Heatsink isn’t easily removable

Kingston Fury Renegade SSD
Pros
- Reasonably priced
- Master of all trades
- Top-tier endurance rating
Cons
- Some similar drives slightly cheaper
- Older 176-Layer TLC NAND

WD Black SN850
Pros
- Great sequential performance
- Frequently discounted in 2022
- Well built
Cons
- Usurped by the WD Black SN850X
- It gets really hot

WD Black SN770M
Pros
- Perfect for handheld gaming PCs
- Impressive performance given no cache
- Decently priced
Cons
- Can get quite hot under load
- Limited space means no cache

Samsung 860 Evo
Pros
- Huge choice of capacity
- Well priced
- Good all-round performance
- Excellent endurance
Cons
- Not that much faster than previous drive

Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000
Best overall SSDPros
- Ridiculously quick in sequential file transfer tasks
- Large DRAM cache, allows for rapid in-game loading
- Solid heatsink, minimizes PCIe 5.0 heat woes
Cons
- Heatsink isn’t compatible with all motherboards
- Random 4K performance not the best
The Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000 is the fastest SSD we’ve ever tested. It’s capable of a sequential read speed of up to 12,000MB/s, which is twice as fast as a large number of the SSDs currently available on the market.
The enhanced speeds are all thanks to the jump up to the new PCIe 5.0 standard, although this means you’ll need a cutting-edge PC to make use of its full potential, and so is wasted on consoles such as the PS5.
Not only did it prove to be excellently speedy when loading up games, but our tests also showed it to only take 37.40 seconds to transfer a 120GB file. New PCIe drives can suffer from overheating woes, but the Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000 has fortunately been paired with a solid heatsink to avoid this issue.
If you want the fastest possible performance, and have the necessary processor and motherboard to reap its full potential, then the Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000 is the best SSD you can buy right now.
Reviewer: Zak Storey
Full review: Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000 review

Crucial T500
Best PCIE 4.0 SSDPros
- Incredible performance for the price
- Strong random 4K results in testing
- Great for consoles and PCs alike
Cons
- Heatsink isn’t easily removable
Most SSD makers are now focusing on making the jump to new PCIe 5.0 drives to take performance to new heights, but the Crucial T500 instead focuses on achieving the best SSD performance on the older PCIe 4.0 generation.
The Crucial T500 is the fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD we’ve tested, achieving sequential read speeds of up to 7400MB/s, which is pushing the absolute limit of the technology. It performed very well in our benchmark tests too, including the Final Fantasy XIV in-game speed test and only took 37.40 seconds to transfer a 120GB file.
It comes bundled with a heatsink, which is great to keep it cool and at an optimal performance level, but it’s unfortunately difficult to prise off if you want to use your own heatsink or you’re struggling to fit inside your PC. Fortunately, you are able to purchase the SSD without a heatsink to avoid this issue.
If you’re still using a PCIe 4.0 processor in your PC, then the Crucial T500 is the best SSD we’ve tested, delivering the fastest speeds we’ve seen from this generation.
Reviewer: Zak Storey
Full review: Crucial T500 Review

Kingston Fury Renegade SSD
Best SSD for PS5Pros
- Reasonably priced
- Master of all trades
- Top-tier endurance rating
Cons
- Some similar drives slightly cheaper
- Older 176-Layer TLC NAND
Purchasing an SSD can be a tad confusing for PS5 owners, as you need to make sure the speeds are just right to ensure a smooth performance without overpaying. The Kingston Fury Renegade SSD is our favourite of the bunch, with a fantastic balance of price and performance.
The Kingston Fury Renegade is a PCIe 4.0 SSD that’s capable of up to a 7300MB/s sequential speed, which is just shy of the performance of the Crucial T500.Our benchmark tests backed up its high performance claims, proving excellent across the board, including fast gaming load times and speedy file transfers.
The SSD comes bundled with a solid low-profile heatsink too, which allows it to to easily fit inside a PC or even the PS5.
If you’re looking for an SSD to upgrade your PS5 storage with, then we think the Kingston Fury Renegade SSD is the best SSD to go for. That said, this is still an excellent choice for PC gamers, as the performance isn’t too much different from the excellent Crucial T500.
Reviewer: Zak Storey
Full review: Kingston Fury Renegade SSD Review

WD Black SN850
Best value SSDPros
- Great sequential performance
- Frequently discounted in 2022
- Well built
Cons
- Usurped by the WD Black SN850X
- It gets really hot
The WD Black SN850 is one of the more affordable SSDs on this list, and represents superb value due to its excellent performance. It’s also frequently discounted, with the 1TB variation dropping as low as £118.99.
This SSD is compatible with PCs as well as the PS5 console, and it managed to get read and write scores of up to 7000MB/s and 5300MB/s, respectively. File transfer speeds were very impressive, with the 110GB Mortal Kombat 11 transferring over from another Gen 4 SSD at just 1.65GB/s.
There is a drawback to the heatsink model though, as the drive can get very hot during extended use. However, since the average person won’t be testing their SSD in this manner, we can’t see this being a huge issue for most people, even if it is something to be aware of.
Overall, if you’re looking to upgrade your setup but don’t want to break the bank, the WD Black SN850 is one of the best SSD options on the market, and since it can be found in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB variations, you should be able to find a configuration and price that works best for you.
Reviewer: Aleksha McLoughlin
Full review: WD Black SN850 Review

WD Black SN770M
Best SSD for Steam Deck and Asus ROG AllyPros
- Perfect for handheld gaming PCs
- Impressive performance given no cache
- Decently priced
Cons
- Can get quite hot under load
- Limited space means no cache
The last few years have seen the emergence of handheld gaming PCs, with the likes of the Steam Deck and Asus ROG Ally gaining popularity. But one of the downsides to having such a compact device is that there’s no room for a full-size SSD if you want to upgrade the storage. Fortunately, the mini dimensions of the WD_Black SN770M SSD makes it possible for you to boost the storage.
The WD_Black SN770M is available in various sizes, including 512GB, 1TB and 2TB. As the Steam Deck is only available with up to 1TB by default, this means you can effectively double the device’s maximum capacity. The one caveat is that the Steam Deck doesn’t have a spare M.2 slot, so you’ll need to replace the existing drive in order to fit the WD_Black SN770M inside.
Our benchmark tests show the WD_Black SN770M to offer up to a 5215MB/s read speed, which is far faster than any MicroSD card expansion will deliver. The SN770M does lag behind full-size SSDs built for a desktop PC, but that’s no surprise given the dinky dimensions here.
So if you’re looking to upgrade the storage of your Steam Deck, Asus Rog Ally or any other PC handheld, then the WD_Black SN770M is the best SSD you can buy for the job. But look elsewhere if you want a great value SSD for a desktop PC.
Reviewer: Zak Storey
Full review: WD_Black SN770M Review

Samsung 860 Evo
Best SATA SSDPros
- Huge choice of capacity
- Well priced
- Good all-round performance
- Excellent endurance
Cons
- Not that much faster than previous drive
The Samsung 860 Evo is capable of squeezing every last drop of performance from its old SATA interface. It’s important to note that anyone with a modern NVMe-compatible computer can benefit from the newer M.2 SSD standard, like the PNY XLR8 CS3140. However, Samsung’s solution is still perfectly serviceable and will be compatible with older setups that don’t support NVMe drives.
With the older SATA standard limited to 600MB/s speeds, the Samsung 860 Evo sees low read and write scores coming in at 550MB/s and 520MB/s, respectively. This means it’s not a great option for gamers, or anyone who wants speedy boot-up times and quick data transfer speeds.
But it will provide serviceable loading and transfer times for anyone who just wants a PC for basic productivity tasks. It’s also a great affordable pick for those who want plenty of storage space at an affordable price, with a fantastic range of configurations including 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB. With so many options you should be able to find a price point and storage option that’s right for you.
Reviewer: David Ludlow
Full review: Samsung 860 Evo review
Test Data
Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000 | Crucial T500 | Kingston Fury Renegade SSD | WD Black SN850 | WD Black SN770M | Samsung 860 Evo | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CrystalDiskMark Read speed | 12328 MB/s | 7108 MB/s | 7002 MB/s | – | 5215 MB/s | – |
CrystalDiskMark Write Speed | 11497 MB/s | 6248 MB/s | 6627 MB/s | – | 4963 MB/s | – |
Full Specs
Gigabyte Aorus Gen5 12000 Review | Crucial T500 Review | Kingston Fury Renegade SSD Review | WD Black SN850 Review | WD Black SN770M Review | Samsung 860 Evo Review | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK RRP | £269.99 | £151.99 | – | £118.99 | – | – |
USA RRP | $239.99 | $149.99 | $198.65 | $129.99 | $109.99 | – |
Manufacturer | – | Crucial | Kingston | Western Digital | Western Digital | – |
Storage Capacity | 2TB | 2TB | 2TB | 1TB | 1TB | – |
Size (Dimensions) | x x INCHES | x x INCHES | x x INCHES | 0.35 x 3.15 x 0.92 INCHES | x x INCHES | x x INCHES |
Weight | – | – | – | 24 G | – | – |
ASIN | B0CKY21SR8 | B0CK2TC9XQ | B09K36S11S | B08PHSVW7K | B0CP626QNM | B078WST5RK |
Release Date | 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2021 | 2023 | 2021 |
First Reviewed Date | 29/02/2024 | 02/03/2024 | 03/03/2024 | – | 05/03/2024 | – |
Model Number | – | CT2000T500SSD8 | SFYRDK/2000G | – | – | – |
Model Variants | 1TB, 2TB | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | – | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | – |
Storage Type | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | SSD | – |
Read Speed | 12400 MB/s | 7400 MB/s | 7300 MB/s | 7000 MB/s | 5150 MB/s | – |
Write Speed | 11800 MB/s | 7000 MB/s | 7000 MB/s | 5300 MB/s | 4900 MB/s | – |
Interface | PCIe 5.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 | – | PCIe 4.0 x4 | – |
Connector | M.2-2280 | M.2-2280 | M.2-2280 | – | M.2-2230 | – |
Heatset included? | Yes | Yes | Yes | – | Yes | – |