Which SSD is recommended?

In today’s world, all SSDs are super-fast. You likely won’t notice a difference between an SSD from brand A and one from brand B unless you run benchmarks or handle heavy workloads. SSDs shine due to their low access times, which give a snappy feel. When manufacturers promote speeds like 7000 MB/s++, the are referring only to sequential data which is when you are dealing with gigantic files of 8GB+ in size; but keep in mind that the operating system and programs often use smaller data files. This is known as Random 4K Read/Write speed, which usually falls between 1-80 MB. Therefore, the difference between low-end and high-end SSDs isn’t significant for most users.

Users with massive data sets, like large databases or video editors, will benefit from premium SSDs as they offer the best sequential speeds.

Gen 5 SSDs are the fastest SSDs so far, promising speeds of up to 32GT/s. That’s twice as fast as PCIe Gen 4 SSDs. These drives excel in tasks, like transferring large files. However, most users, including power users and gamers, often work with random data made up of multiple small or medium files. For example, when launching Adobe Photoshop or Premiere, many small files load at once. This means you’re dealing with random data, where PCIe Gen 5 benefits come into play less frequently.

Also, PCIe Gen 5 SSDs tend to heat up more and when they do, they throttle down the performance to levels even below Gen 4 SSDs, meaning you might get better real-world performance from a PCIe Gen 4 SSD.

In the CrystalDiskMark Benchmark, Gen 5 SSDs are indeed faster than Gen 4 SSDs. However, only two Gen 4 SSDs are in the graph: the Samsung 990 Pro and WD Black SN850X. Both are among the fastest Gen 4 SSDs.

When looking at the 4K random test, both Gen 4 SSDs match Gen 5 performance. In real-world use, most users may not notice a difference between Gen 4 and Gen 5 SSDs. Gaming load times won’t improve either, as the random workloads are similar for both.

Why is 4K Random Workload Important?

4K random performance is crucial for SSDs since it shows how well the drive handles many small tasks like opening apps or files. A good score means the SSD can manage these tasks quickly, making your computer faster and more responsive.

In activities like gaming or booting up, the computer accesses many small files scattered across the drive. High 4K random performance ensures the SSD can quickly locate and retrieve these files, leading to faster load times and smoother operation.

In our tests, a 2TB PCIe Gen 5 SSD loaded Counter-Strike: Go just 0.44 milliseconds faster than a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. In Cyberpunk 2077, the fastest PCIe Gen 5 SSD finished only 1.06 seconds faster than the PCIe Gen 4 SSD tested.

This principle applies to PCIe Gen 4 vs. Gen 3 SSDs as well. Random read/write speeds are similar, ranging from 60-80 MB/s read and 250 MB/s write. However, SSD manufacturers often highlight maximum sequential speeds to create a perception of superiority.

To summarize, if you are a power user, enthusiast, or content creator and budget isn’t a concern, choose a HIDevolution Approved Premium SSD for the best performance with small and large files. If budget is a concern, our HIDevolution Approved Standard SSDs offer fast enough performance for most users.