Best Budget NVMe M.2 SSDs in 2023: Fast Storage For Less
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In real-world user experience terms, the difference between a budget NVMe SSD and a high-end M.2 drive is not as large as the specifications imply. While you will certainly see a huge difference when swapping your old hard drive for any SSD, the same cannot be said for upgrading your SSD for a faster one.
But there are of course differences between entry-level SATA and PCIe/NVMe drives. When you are building a new PC and have an M.2 slot to spare, you will likely want to use it. And if you prefer not to spend a substantial part of your budget on storage, there are now quite a few affordable PCIe/NVMe SSDs to choose from.
Most manufacturers tend to focus on maximum sequential performance in their marketing, as these numbers are easy to understand and compare. However, when you look at seemingly slow drives like the now-discontinued Intel Optane SSDs – which often outperformed much faster drives (specs-wise) – you will notice that sequential transfer rates are just one part of the equation. Other details such as random IOPS performance and latency are often more important.
Best Value Gen3/Gen4 NVMe SSDs
We will start with the conclusion before going into more detail. Based on our own testing and others, these would be our top choices for the best affordable M.2 SSDs in 2023. (Note that PCIe Gen4 offers twice the bandwidth of Gen3 and is available in systems based on Ryzen 3000/11th-gen Intel Core processors or later.)
Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Our current budget favorite in the Gen3 space is the WD Blue SN570, which offers better performance than its SN550 predecessor at a similar price point. Much like the SN550 and other low-cost NVMe SSDs, the SN570 is DRAMless, but the latter’s specs have been vastly improved across the board to compete with Samsung’s non-Pro 980.
Speaking of which, the Samsung 980 (non-PRO) remains an attractive option if the price is right. This is also a DRAMless drive that offers real-world performance comparable to many high-end Gen3 drives from the previous generation. Read our review of the 1TB model here.
Among the affordable NVMe SSD in the Gen4 space, many entry-level options are based on cheaper QLC NAND memory chips, but there are exceptions. Launched in 2022, the WD Black SN770 is a DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 SSD that offers very impressive performance considering its modest price tag. Since it’s based on high-quality TLC Flash chips, it also comes with far better endurance ratings compared to QLC-based alternatives.
Best Affordable Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSDs
Now that Intel and AMD both offer PCI-Express 5.0-enabled platforms in the enthusiast segment – and PCIe Gen4 across all price ranges – it’s fair to say that Gen4 has gone mainstream. Compared to Gen3, Gen4 doubles the bandwidth for devices that can use it. At this point, those devices are primarily Gen4 M.2 SSDs, which were initially confined to the high-end space, where pricing is less of a concern.
This has changed along with mainstream Gen4 adoption, as Gen3 drives are now being replaced by increasingly affordable Gen4 SSDs. Cheaper Gen4 options are, on average, a bit slower than their high-end counterparts. This is particularly true when it comes to sequential performance.
But again, random IOPS tends to be a better proxy for real-world performance – and these numbers can be quite impressive even in the budget range. As a result, we are particularly interested in this metric when looking at budget SSDs. Another factor is the type of NAND memory used, where the TLC type is preferable to QLC from both an endurance and a performance standpoint.
Best Value: TLC-Based Gen4 SSDs
| Budget TLC Gen4 SSDs | Product (1TB capacity) | Max. sequential read/write (MB/s) | 4K random read/write performance (IOPS) | DRAM | NAND Type | Endurance/ Warranty | Latest Price* | Check Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | WD Black SN770 | 5150/4900 | 740K/800K | N/A | TLC | 600 TBW/ 5-Year | $54.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Silicon Power US70 | 5500/4400 | 750K/750K | DDR4 | TLC | 1800 TBW/ 5-Year | Price not available | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | MSI Spatium M470 | 5000/4400 | 600K/600K | DDR4 | TLC | 1600 TBW/ 5-Year | $79.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Sabrent Rocket Gen4 | 5000/4400 | 750K/750K | DDR4 | TLC | 1800 TBW/ 5-Year | $59.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Addlink S90 Lite | 5000/4000 | 780K/800K | N/A | TLC | N/A/ 5-Year | N/A | N/A |
 | Crucial P5 Plus | 6600/5000 | 630K/700K | DDR4 | TLC | 600 TBW/ 5-Year | $69.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
*Prices are updated automatically at regular intervals but are subject to change between updates. See ‘Last update’ information at bottom of the page.
Other than the very strong WD Black SN770, drives based on the Phison E16 controller are making a comeback in the affordable PCIe Gen4 SSD space. These include the MSI Spatium M470 from 2021, as well as the Silicon Power US70. While not quite on par with the best NVMe drives, the TLC-based models in particular offer good value – not least due to the very high endurance (TBW) ratings.
Another relative newcomer in 2023 is the Addlink S90 Lite, which uses the Gen4 Phison E21 controller and TLC chips with excellent results.
Budget QLC (or Unspecified) Gen4 SSDs
| Budget QLC Gen4 SSDs | Product (1TB capacity) | Max. sequential read/write (MB/s) | 4K random read/write performance (IOPS) | DRAM | NAND Type | Endurance/ Warranty | Latest Price* | Check Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Crucial P3 Plus | 5000/3600 | N/A | N/A | QLC | 220 TBW/ 5-Year | $51.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | PNY CS2140 | 3600/3200 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 400 TBW/ 5-Year | $42.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Kingston NV2 | 3500/2100 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 320 TBW/ 3-Year | $43.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Sabrent Rocket Q4 | 4700/1800 | 180K/450K | DDR4 | QLC | 200 TBW/ 5-Year | $69.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
*Prices are updated automatically at regular intervals but are subject to change between updates. See ‘Last update’ information at bottom of the page.
In the more affordable QLC space, we find some Gen4 drives that offer about the same overall performance as high-end Gen3 models. That includes the PNY CS2140 Kingston’s NV2, whereas the Crucial P3 Plus and Sabrent Rocket Q4 deliver significantly higher sequential transfer rates than what is possible with PCIe 3.0.
A downside of all QLC-based alternatives is that endurance ratings are noticeably worse compared to their TLC counterparts. In terms of performance, however, they are often more than decent.
Possibly Good Value: Early Phison E16 Drives
The first batch of Gen4 NVMe M.2 SSDs on the market all used the Phison E16 controller. Many of them are still around and may be worth looking into if you want Gen4 at a reasonable price. You can barely tell these SSDs apart as far as specifications go, as they all use nearly identical hardware.
| Gen4 E16 SSDs (1TB) | Product | Max. sequential read/write (MB/s) | 4K random read/write performance (IOPS) | NAND Type | Endurance/ Warranty | Latest Price* | Check Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gigabyte Aorus Gen4 (1TB) | 5000/4400 | 750K/700K | TLC | 1800 TBW | $149.96 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Corsair MP600 Gen4 (1TB) | 4950/4250 | 680K/600K | TLC | 1800 TBW | $173.89 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Patriot Viper VP4100 (1TB) | 5000/4400 | 800K/800K | TLC | 1800 TBW | Price not available | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Seagate Firecuda 520 (1TB) | 5000/4400 | 760K/700K | TLC | 1800 TBW | $95.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | XPG Gammix S50 (1TB) | 5000/4400 | 750K/750K | TLC | 1800 TBW | Price not available | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
*Prices are updated automatically at regular intervals but are subject to change between updates. See ‘Last update’ information at bottom of the page.
Admittedly, the Phison E16-based SSDs are not entirely identical. There are a few different firmware variants and some of the drives come with an included (and in some cases optional) heatsink. Nevertheless, although they are no longer on par with the fastest SSDs in the category, these drives have been almost universally well-received and the price remains the most important differentiator.
Best Affordable PCIe Gen3 NVMe M.2 Drives
Seeing as Gen4 SSDs are backward compatible, today’s differences in prices between budget Gen4 and Gen3 SSDs rarely motivate opting for the latter. But if you are looking to fill a PCIe 3.0 slot, it may still be worth a look.
| Budget SSDs (1TB version) | Product | Max. sequential read/write (MB/s) | 4K random read/write performance (IOPS) | DRAM | NAND Type | Endurance/ Warranty | Latest Price* | Check Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | WD Blue SN570 | 3500/3000 | 460K/460K | No | TLC | 600 TBW/ 5-Year | $45.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Samsung 980 | 3500/3000 | 500K/480K | No | TLC | 600 TBW/ 5-Year | $59.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | WD Blue SN550 | 2400/1950 | 410K/405K | No | TLC | 600 TBW/ 5-Year | $91.44 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Mushkin Helix-L | 2110/1700 | 240K/260K | No | TLC | 600 TBW/ 3-Year | $43.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Sabrent Rocket Q | 3200/2000 | 125K/500K | DDR3L | QLC | 260 TBW/ 5-Year | $59.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Kingston A2000 | 2200/2000 | 250K/220K | DDR4 | TLC | 720 TBW/ 5-Year | $178.86 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Seagate Barracuda Q5 | 2400/1700 | N/A | N/A | QLC | 274 TBW/ 3-Year | $99.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | PNY CS2130 | 3500/1800 | N/A | DDR3 | QLC | N/A 5-Year | $99.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Intel 670p | 3500/2500 | 220K/330K | DDR3L | QLC | 370 TBW/ 5-Year | N/A | Newegg |
 | Patriot P300 | 2100/1650 | 290K/260K | No | TLC | 320 TBW/ 3-Year | $44.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Mushkin Pilot-E | 3500/3000 | 331K/353K | DDR3 | TLC | 600 TBW/ 3-Year | $69.25 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Crucial P2 | 2400/1800 | N/A | No | TLC | 450 TBW/ 5-Year | $65.78 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
 | Sabrent Rocket | 3400/3000 | 650K/640K | DDR3 | TLC | 1665 TBW/ 5-Year | $79.99 | Amazon Newegg Amazon UK |
*Prices are updated automatically at regular intervals but are subject to change between updates. See ‘Last update’ information at bottom of the page.
TLC Vs. QLC NAND – Why It Matters
Higher densities introduce durability and performance issues.
Although the incredibly high densities in today’s SSDs are a feat of engineering, the ability to write additional bits of data to each memory cell is not without downsides. The exponential increase in density from MLC (multi-level cell) via TLC (triple-level cell) to QLC (quad-level cell) NAND (Not-AND; a type of transistor logic gate) has introduced endurance and performance-related challenges.
- Firstly, all else being equal, QLC NAND by itself performs significantly worse compared to TLC. The higher density makes QLC slower and more error-prone, which must be corrected for by the manufacturers. This is partly accomplished by using an SLC (single-level cell) cache. Once this significantly faster cache is temporarily used up, the SSD will write directly to the QLC memory, which reduces performance to a fraction of the maximum sequential rates. This is an issue with TLC-based SSDs as well, but there it is much less pronounced.
- Secondly, the endurance ratings of affordable M.2 SSDs – QLC-based ones in particular – tend to be much lower compared to more expensive drives. This means that you can write less data to it as measured in TBW (terabytes written) before it runs out of warranty, which is mutually exclusive with the warranty in years. For the average gamer or office user, this is rarely an issue. But do keep the TBW ratings in mind if you work with e.g. video editing and other storage-intensive workloads.
However, the main problem with QLC SSDs so far is not that they are unreliable or slow (they’re not), but that they are still too expensive compared to their more durable and (usually) slightly faster TLC counterparts. As long as the price difference is small or non-existent – and it still is among the entry-level NVMe drives – there are few reasons to choose a QLC-based SSD over a TLC-based model.
Other Considerations When Buying an Entry-Level NVMe SSDs in 2022
Some compromises have to be made to get the best possible value in the budget M.2 NVMe SSD space. Besides the small QLC/TLC price differences, it is also interesting to note that the difference between entry-level and mid-range drives is also relatively small. Adding around $20–30 to your budget will get you a DRAM-equipped SSD with a much higher TBW rating, such as the Gen3 Sabrent Rocket listed above.
Another issue with the entry-level M.2 SSD market is that some manufacturers are not providing detailed performance specifications (or even an endurance rating in the case of PNY). Comparing SSDs based only on maximum sequential performance alone is not sufficient, as these numbers are not reliable indicators of real-world performance outside of specific tasks. For reference, see our performance comparison further down on this page.
Warranty terms are also important. While three years sounds reasonable enough compared to other product categories, we have come to expect five years for SSDs, so anything less does not inspire as much confidence.
Those objections aside, it should be mentioned that practically all modern M.2 SSDs – even in the budget segment – are considerably more reliable in general than hard drives as well as older SSDs from 5–10 years ago. Complete drive failures are very uncommon and, for the average user, a cheap NVMe SSD should last for the lifetime of the system, even with a relatively modest TBW rating.
Entry-Level NVMe SSD (Real-World) Performance
Although high maximum sequential transfer rates are typically the manufacturers’ headline feature, these numbers do not scale with common real-world scenarios like loading apps and games. As the average user load in gaming/office use is more centered around reading and writing small chunks of data, factors like latency and random performance are arguably more interesting.
As our testing of the similarly affordable WD Blue SN550, Sabrent Rocket Q, Kingston NV2, and Samsung 980 reveals, these drives are actually not that far from competing with the theoretically much faster (and more expensive) WD Black SN850 in benchmarks measuring loading times.
The Final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers benchmark is a more accurate and practical alternative to a stopwatch for measuring level loading times. Five different levels are loaded during the benchmark, which then provides a total loading time. Here, any SSD will provide a significant and clearly noticeable boost compared to any mechanical hard drive (the one used here is a comparatively fast 7,200 rpm 3.5″ model).
Unsurprisingly, the market-leading SN850 has the shortest app start-up times in PC Mark 10, but it is interesting to note that the significantly less expensive SN550 is trailing by insignificant amounts, and the same is true for Samsung’s non-Pro 980 The QLC-based Sabrent Rocket Q is trailing a bit, as is the mid-range Gen3 Corsair MP510.
Sequential performance as measured with CrystalDiskMark is a different story. These high-end, mid-range and affordable NVMe SSDs perform about as you would expect from their specifications. The 4K transfer rates are somewhat better correlated with the real-world performance benchmarks.
Summary: Budget Gen4 SSDs Are Now a Thing
The number of budget NVMe M.2 SSDs has greatly increased in the past couple of years and now makes up a fair share of the market. As of mid-2022, some observations stand out:
- PCIe Gen3 NVMe SSDs still offer the best value overall at this time – When comparing, for example, the WD SN850 and the much more affordable SN550 or SN570 in terms of real-world loading times and user experience, the latter are not lagging by a significant amount. Hence, the price/performance ratio is currently more attractive in the entry-level market. The Gen4 alternatives are however also catching up in terms of pricing.
- TLC NAND still trumps QLC in the price/performance race – Although it is technically impressive, the main selling point of QLC NAND is that the compromise between improved density and reduced endurance should result in lower prices. Unfortunately, the average price difference is still too small compared to the better-performing TLC counterparts.
Do you have a different opinion of what constitutes the best affordable M.2 NVMe SSD at this time? Don’t hesitate to share it in the comments.
Great article with very useful comparisons and analyses. Essential shopping guide.