PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 SSDs differences

With PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 SSDs marking the most recent advancement in storage technology, solid state drives (SSDs) are still developing at an astounding rate. Knowing the true distinctions between these two SSD generations is essential as consumers must make judgments about updating their storage options.

The decision between PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 SSDs can have a big impact on your computer’s performance and future readiness, whether you are building a new system or thinking about upgrading. We will go over the main distinctions between these technologies in this post so you can choose the SSD standard that best meets your requirements.

While you can technically utilize any generation of PCI device with any slot, you will miss out on some advantages with subsequent generations. We are now on PCIe 5.0. Matching PCIe generations is advised, or at the very least, having a motherboard with more recent technology to accommodate future upgrades.

Twice as fast

Incredible bandwidth for connected gear was made possible by PCIe 1.0, which offered 2.5 GT/s, PCIe 4.0, which increased this to a staggering 16 GT/s, and PCIe 5.0, which increased this even further to 32 GT/s. SSDs and graphics cards are not using nearly as much bandwidth as this.

Nvidia and AMD’s next-generation graphics cards will likely bring some news about the fact that GPUs do not even use PCIe 5.0. Even while PCIe 5.0 has better maximum transfer rates than PCIe 4.0, the real-world effects of loading files and playing games will be insignificant when using the same controllers and RAM.

PCIe 1.0	2.5 GT/s
PCIe 2.0	5 GT/s
PCIe 3.0	8 GT/s
PCIe 4.0	16 GT/s
PCIe 5.0	32 GT/s

As the technology advances and new controllers become available, PCIe 5.0 SSDs ought to begin to provide increased throughput and higher performance with smaller data packets. While the fastest PCIe 4.0 drives will “only” reach 7,500 MB/s, we have already seen PCIe 5.0 SSDs, such as the remarkable Crucial T700, nearly reach 15,000 MB/s for maximum transfer speeds.

Whilst 7.5 GB/s is still quick and sufficient for loading games and moving large files, increasing it further could give you more leeway for 4K content provided your CPU and motherboard let it.

Better performance for heavier workloads

Do you enjoy editing videos? An SSD operating at PCIe 5.0 speeds is the greatest storage option available if such is the case. As mentioned above, the maximum transfer speed is important, but it is not the only factor; the alter generation’s overall throughput is also important.

You will noticeably increase writing and experience somewhat lower latencies when using 4K UHD files and video editing tools. While the typical PC user probably would not notice the gains PCIe 5.0 SSDs offer over their predecessors, you will frequently notice them while working with huge data.

PCIE 5.0 SSDs will heat up

Some PCIe 5.0 SSDs have quite ridiculous heatsinks that you have undoubtedly seen (and laughed at), but they are justified since these devices may generate a lot of heat. PCIe 4.0 drives warmed up as well, but upgrading to the latest generation caused additional waste heat as a byproduct. These heatsinks are useful in this situation because they enable the drive to run at acceptable temperatures without reducing speed. Temperature problems should not arise as long as there is sufficient airflow, but smaller systems should be aware of this.

Costs – PCIe 5.0 SSDs are more expensive

The cost of PCIE 5.0 SSDs, particularly the fastest drives, is a significant disadvantage. In comparison to PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 3.0 drives, they are quite costly. A 2TB PCIe 5.0 SSD will cost $200, and a 4TB SSD will cost a lot of money. You will need to get a Kleenex to figure out these pricing for $ per GB. PCIe 4.0 is absolutely appropriate for everyone else, but it is worth the extra money if you can afford it and want to utilize the greater speeds and available bandwidth.

You will need a motherboard with PCIe 5.0 support

You will require a motherboard with a corresponding PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot in order to benefit from the increased bandwidth and quicker PCIe 5.0 speeds. The newest AMD and Intel chipsets come with many of these, but before spending your hard-earned money on a board that will not strain the drive to its breaking point, make sure to review the specifications sheet. On the other hand, you can purchase a PCIe 5.0 SSD today and utilize it temporarily on a PCIe 4.0 slot if you must replace your SSD before upgrading the motherboard. The SSD will then spring to life when you are ready to upgrade the rest of the system.