Buying an SSD can get confusing really fast. You start looking at them and suddenly you’re comparing PCIe 4.0, PCIe 5.0, TLC, QLC, DRAM, IOPS, read speeds, write speeds, TBW…
What the heck does any of that mean?
The good news is that you don’t need to understand every number on the box. You just need to know what actually matters for the computer you’re building.
Start With What You’re Using It For
This is the part people tend to skip. If you’re building a computer for Microsoft Word, Outlook, web browsing and spreadsheets, you don’t need a high-end SSD. A basic, inexpensive NVMe drive will make that computer feel fast.
That’s actually where my WD Green SN3000 comes in. I didn’t buy it. It came with my prebuilt. My system is a 7800X3D and RTX 5070 gaming PC, and it was a 2025 model. At the time, manufacturers were still putting 1TB SSDs in a lot of prebuilt systems to keep the price down. See article: Why I Bought a Pre-Built Gaming PC Instead of Building My Own (iBUYPOWER 7800X3D + RTX 5070 Review)
And that’s exactly what I got: a 1TB WD Green SN3000. It’s not a terrible SSD. It’s a budget drive, and it would be perfectly reasonable in an office machine. But I had two problems with it. First, 1TB just isn’t enough for my gaming PC. Second, the WD Green is more of a budget-oriented drive than what I’d want as the main SSD in a gaming system like mine.
So I replaced it with a 2TB Samsung 990 EVO Plus. That gives me twice the capacity and a much better fit for what I’m actually using the computer for.
SSD Speed Isn’t Just One Number
You’ll often see SSDs advertised with numbers like 5,000 MB/s or 7,000 MB/s. That’s mainly talking about how quickly the drive can move large amounts of data in ideal conditions. That’s useful, but it isn’t the whole story.
Your computer also has to deal with thousands of smaller pieces of data when loading Windows, starting programs and loading games. That’s where things like random read and write performance become important. So don’t automatically buy the SSD with the biggest number on the box.
TLC vs. QLC
This is one of the things I pay attention to. SSD storage is made from flash memory, and there are different ways of packing data into those memory cells.
TLC stores three bits per cell. QLC stores four. QLC lets manufacturers make cheaper, higher-capacity drives, which is great when you’re trying to build an inexpensive computer.
TLC generally has better endurance and handles heavy writing better, though. That’s one reason I’d rather have a good TLC drive in a gaming PC if the price difference makes sense.
For a basic office computer, though, QLC is fine. Your copy of Outlook isn’t going to care.
PCIe 4.0 or PCIe 5.0?
Think of PCIe as the road connecting your SSD to the rest of the computer. PCIe 5.0 is a newer, faster road than PCIe 4.0.
But here’s the thing: PCIe 4.0 is already really fast. You don’t need a PCIe 5.0 SSD just because it’s newer. A good PCIe 4.0 drive can be an excellent choice for a gaming PC, and you may never notice the difference between it and a much more expensive PCIe 5.0 drive in normal use.
And there’s one more little detail to watch for: how many PCIe lanes the SSD uses. A PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD has four lanes, while a PCIe 5.0 x2 SSD has only two. Because PCIe 5.0 is roughly twice as fast per lane as PCIe 4.0, PCIe 5.0 x2 has about the same total bandwidth as PCIe 4.0 x4. So don’t see “PCIe 5.0” on the box and assume it’s automatically faster. In this case, the newer number doesn’t actually give you more highway.
So Why Did I Buy a 990 EVO Plus?
This is where my own computer is a good example. I replaced the WD Green SN3000 with a 2TB Samsung 990 EVO Plus. I could have gone one step higher and bought a Samsung 990 PRO.
The 990 PRO is the better SSD. It has dedicated DRAM, TLC NAND, and higher performance ratings. Samsung rates the 2TB model for up to 7,450 MB/s reads and 6,900 MB/s writes.
The 990 EVO Plus is no slouch, though. Samsung rates it for up to 7,250 MB/s reads and 6,300 MB/s writes.
So why didn’t I buy the 990 PRO? Because I didn’t need to.
The 990 EVO Plus is already extremely fast. It gives me the performance I want for gaming without paying extra for performance I probably wouldn’t notice very often.
The 990 PRO makes more sense if you’re doing things like heavy video editing, moving huge amounts of data, or simply want a high-end SSD and don’t mind spending the money. For my gaming PC, the 990 EVO Plus was the sweet spot.
And that’s something I wish more people considered when buying PC hardware. The most expensive part isn’t automatically the best choice for you.
What Should You Actually Look For?
When I’m shopping for an SSD, I’d keep it pretty simple. First, make sure it’s compatible with your computer. Most modern desktops use M.2 NVMe drives, but check your motherboard before buying anything.
For a gaming PC, I’d also make 2TB the starting point if your budget allows it. Modern games are huge, and I’d rather have a good 2TB drive than an extremely fast 1TB drive that I immediately have to start managing.
Then look at the NAND type. If you’re comparing two similarly priced drives, I’d generally take TLC over QLC for a gaming or heavier-use machine.
Look at the read and write speeds, but don’t obsess over them. Once you’re dealing with a good modern SSD, the difference between “really fast” and “really, really fast” isn’t always noticeable.
Check the warranty and TBW rating too. TBW means “terabytes written” and gives you an idea of how much data the manufacturer expects the drive to handle over its rated life.
And finally, look at the price. You don’t need to buy the most expensive SSD you can afford. You need to buy the SSD that makes sense for what you’re doing.
The Bottom Line
You don’t need the fastest SSD money can buy. For an office computer, a budget NVMe drive can be perfectly good.
For a gaming PC, I’d look for a good TLC NVMe drive with 2TB or more, good performance, and reasonable endurance.
And if you have the money for something like a 990 PRO, great. It’s an excellent drive. But don’t feel like you have to buy the most expensive SSD just because it’s technically faster.
Buy the SSD that matches what you’re actually going to do with the computer.
Your wallet will probably thank you.