Modern games can exceed 100GB and load massive open worlds in real time. An NVMe SSD reduces load times by 60-80% compared to a hard drive, and DirectStorage on Windows 11 enables GPU decompression directly from NVMe storage.
Best Gaming SSDs
| SSD | Read Speed | Capacity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 990 Pro 2TB | 7,450 MB/s | 2TB | ~£120 |
| WD Black SN850X 2TB | 7,300 MB/s | 2TB | ~£110 |
Gen 4 vs Gen 5
PCIe Gen 5 SSDs offer 14,000+ MB/s theoretical speeds but current games don’t benefit over Gen 4. Gen 4 NVMe offers the best price-to-performance for gaming in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will an SSD increase FPS?
SSDs don’t directly improve FPS, but they dramatically reduce load times and eliminate texture pop-in.
Separate drive for games?
Having a dedicated game drive helps with organisation but no performance advantage over a single large NVMe.
