If you have been watching Amazon’s bestsellers shelf for NVMe SSDs over the past few weeks, the same six 1TB Gen4 drives keep elbowing each other for the top spots. That is not an accident. May 2026 has been a punchy buying month for storage — Gen4 prices are at their best ratios in years, handheld gaming consoles are driving demand for compact M.2 2280 drives, and the gap between premium and value Gen4 SSDs has narrowed enough that the smart purchase is rarely the obvious one. This deep comparison cuts through that noise.
We have lined up the six 1TB (and one 2TB SN7100 variant) NVMe drives that are genuinely trending right now: the WD_Black SN7100 1TB, Crucial P310 1TB, WD_Black SN7100 2TB, Fanxiang S690Q 1TB, Samsung 990 PRO 1TB, and WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB. Together they cover every realistic Gen4 buying decision in 2026, from the rock-bottom $159 entry-level pick to the $300 flagship-capacity drive. Our goal here is not to rank them by sequential read speed and call it a day — that is the lazy reviewer’s trick. The goal is to give you a buyer’s-eye breakdown so you can match the right drive to your rig, your budget, and the way you actually use storage. Below you’ll find a side-by-side spec table, individual deep reviews of each drive ordered by value (best dollar-per-performance first), a buying guide built around real use cases, four common questions answered, and a final verdict ranked the way buyers actually think about it.
Trending NVMe SSDs May 2026 at a Glance
| SSD | Best For | Standout Spec | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fanxiang S690Q 1TB | Best entry-level value | PS5 ready, SLC cache | Trending |
| Crucial P310 1TB | Best mainstream value | Up to 7,100 MB/s | Bestseller |
| WD_Black SN7100 1TB | Best Gen4 value flagship | 7,250/6,900 MB/s, TLC | Editor’s Pick |
| WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB | Best for high-end gaming | 7,300/6,300 MB/s | Proven |
| Samsung 990 PRO 1TB | Best for heavy workloads | Up to 7,450 MB/s | Premium |
| WD_Black SN7100 2TB | Best for capacity buyers | 2TB, 7,250 MB/s | Top trending |
1. Fanxiang S690Q 1TB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen4, PS5 Ready)
The Fanxiang S690Q 1TB is the value-king of this trending list, and at around $159 it is the cheapest entry point into a credible Gen4 NVMe drive. Specs are honest about what you are buying: PCIe Gen4 over an M.2 2280 interface, rated up to 4,800 MB/s sequential read, 3D NAND with an SLC cache layer, and PS5-compatible firmware out of the box. Where it lands is closer to the lower bound of Gen4 performance than to the flagships in this comparison, but the trade is reflected straight in the price tag.
What makes the S690Q a smart buyer’s pick rather than just a cheap one is that its real-world performance hits the sweet spot for the workloads most people actually run. Booting Windows, loading games, opening applications, and the everyday read-heavy tasks that dominate consumer use see almost no perceptible difference between a 4,800 MB/s drive and a 7,400 MB/s drive — both feel instant. The SLC cache absorbs short bursts of writes well, which is what matters when you are installing a game or copying a project folder. Fanxiang has also leaned into PS5 support, which is increasingly valuable as console expansion fills out.
Trade-offs are honest. The S690Q does not have a DRAM cache, which means sustained heavy-write workloads (think encoding a long video, or copying hundreds of gigabytes at once) will slow once the SLC cache exhausts. Endurance ratings are lower than the WD and Samsung flagships, and there is no heatsink in the box — fine if your motherboard has one, less ideal for thermally constrained installs.
Best fit: budget-conscious builders, PS5 owners adding expansion storage, or anyone who needs a second drive for steam library bulk and does not want to spend more than necessary. It is the drive to buy when the budget is the constraint and you do not run sustained heavy-write workloads.
Fanxiang 1TB NVMe SSD PCIe Gen4 M.2 Internal Gaming SSD for PS5, Up to 4800 MB/s, 3D NAND SLC Cache Solid State Drive Upgrade Storage for PC/Laptops S690Q
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2. Crucial P310 1TB SSD (PCIe Gen4, Up to 7,100 MB/s)
The Crucial P310 1TB at around $174 sits in the value-mainstream sweet spot of this lineup. It is a PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280 drive rated up to 7,100 MB/s sequential read — close enough to the headline flagships that the headline-speed argument largely evaporates. Crucial is a Micron-owned brand, which means the NAND on this drive comes from a vertically integrated source with one of the best reputations for reliability and warranty support in the industry.
Strengths come down to three points. First, the price-to-performance ratio is excellent: paying around $15 more than the Fanxiang gets you a drive that nearly doubles the sequential ceiling. Second, the included Acronis data recovery software bundle is a real bonus for buyers who have never owned a backup strategy — Crucial bundles a free license. Third, broad compatibility is a feature: Crucial markets this drive for laptops, desktops, and handheld gaming consoles like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, and the listing notes that compatibility explicitly.
The trade-off is that the P310 is a value-tier mainstream drive, not a halo product. Sustained-write performance after cache exhaustion is respectable but not class-leading. The drive does not ship with a heatsink, which is increasingly important on motherboards that push Gen4 thermals. And while the 7,100 MB/s read figure is excellent, the write ceiling is more modest — fine for gaming but not a top pick for sustained creator workflows.
Best fit: the buyer who wants flagship-tier sequential read speeds without paying flagship prices, owners of compact handheld gaming devices, and anyone refreshing a laptop or desktop where Crucial’s warranty and reliability reputation carries real weight. This is the rational mainstream pick of the six.
Crucial P310 1TB SSD, PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280, Up to 7,100MB/s, for Laptop, Desktop (PC), & Handheld Gaming Consoles, Includes Acronis Data Recovery Software, Solid State Drive - CT1000P310SSD801
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3. WD_Black SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD (Gen4, 7,250/6,900 MB/s)
The WD_Black SN7100 1TB at around $189 is, in our buyer’s-eye view, the best overall Gen4 value flagship on this list — and the reason it has rocketed up the trending charts in May 2026. It packs the genuine flagship-class headline figures: up to 7,250 MB/s sequential read, up to 6,900 MB/s sequential write, and the latest-generation TLC 3D NAND that WD specifically calls out in the product name as a quality signal. All in an M.2 2280 form factor that fits both desktops and the compact slots in modern handheld gaming devices.
What we like about the SN7100 is how aggressively Western Digital priced it against its own SN850X flagship. The headline write speed is actually higher than the SN850X (6,900 vs 6,300 MB/s), reflecting a newer controller generation, and the price is roughly $30 lower. For most consumer buyers, the SN7100 is now the smarter pick in the WD_Black lineup. Real-world performance for game loading, application launch, and OS responsiveness is right up there with the very best Gen4 drives. It is explicitly marketed for handheld gaming devices, where its thermal behaviour and compact 2280 form factor matter.
The trade-off is subtle and matters mostly to enthusiasts: like the SN850X, the SN7100 is a single-sided design optimized for compact installs, but no heatsink ships in the box. For tight motherboard slots without integrated heatspreaders, you’ll want to add a passive heatsink for peak sustained workloads. And while WD_Black’s software stack is good, it is not as polished as Samsung Magician.
Best fit: this is the editor’s pick for most buyers on this list. If you want flagship Gen4 performance, modern controller and NAND generation, and the best price in the premium tier, the SN7100 1TB is the drive to buy. Especially compelling for handheld owners and for builders who want to put their savings toward more capacity rather than marginal speed.
WD_Black SN7100 1TB NVMe SSD - Gen4 PCIe, M.2 2280, Up to 7,250 MB/s Read Speed, Up to 6,900 MB/s Write Speed, Next Gen TLC 3D NAND, for Laptops, Handheld Gaming Devices - WDS100T4X0E
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4. WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB NVMe SSD (Up to 7,300 MB/s Read)
The WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB at around $220 is the proven enthusiast pick of this list. It is the drive that has held a near-permanent spot on the Amazon bestsellers chart for over two years now, and the reason is consistency — buyers know exactly what they are getting. PCIe Gen4 NVMe, M.2 2280, up to 7,300 MB/s sequential read, up to 6,300 MB/s write, and an optional heatsink variant (sold separately) that makes it the go-to pick for PS5 storage expansion.
Strengths come down to reputation and ecosystem. The SN850X has been benchmark-tested by more reviewers, in more configurations, than nearly any other Gen4 drive on the market, and its real-world game-loading and OS-responsiveness numbers are exceptional. The Game Mode 2.0 firmware feature actively learns which games you launch and pre-fetches their data, which is a genuine differentiator in titles with heavy on-demand asset streaming. WD’s five-year warranty and 600 TBW endurance rating on the 1TB SKU are class-competitive.
Trade-offs are now real. With the SN7100 launched at a lower price and higher write speeds, the SN850X is no longer the obvious WD_Black pick it was a year ago — you are paying a roughly $30 premium for an older controller generation with a lower write ceiling, in exchange for the proven track record and the Game Mode 2.0 ecosystem. For PS5 expansion specifically, the heatsink SKU still has the edge thanks to the console-validated thermal solution.
Best fit: PS5 owners (especially the heatsink variant), gamers who run asset-heavy AAA titles and want Game Mode 2.0, and any buyer who prefers a drive with an exhaustive review and benchmark track record over a newer-generation alternative. Worth the small premium if you value predictability and proven WD_Black ecosystem features.
WD_BLACK SN850X 1TB NVMe SSD - M.2 2280, Up to 7,300 MB/s Read speeds, Up to 6,300 MB/s write speeds, Gaming Expansion, High Performance Internal Solid State Drive - WDS100T2X0E
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5. Samsung 990 PRO 1TB SSD (PCIe 4.0, Up to 7,450 MB/s)
The Samsung 990 PRO 1TB at around $249 is the premium-tier pick of this list — and the drive that, in pure spec-sheet terms, beats every other candidate here. Headline numbers tell the story: up to 7,450 MB/s sequential read, V-NAND TLC, PCIe 4.0 over M.2 2280, and Samsung’s in-house controller designed for sustained throughput under heavy workstation and creator workloads. Marketed explicitly for high-end computing, gaming, and heavy-duty workstations.
Strengths begin with the Samsung ecosystem. Samsung Magician software is still the most polished SSD management utility on Windows, offering firmware updates, secure erase, drive health monitoring, and performance benchmarking in a single tool. The 990 PRO holds sustained-write performance better than nearly every other Gen4 drive once the SLC cache exhausts, which is the differentiator for video editors and 3D artists moving large project files. Five-year warranty with 600 TBW endurance is industry-leading consistency.
Trade-offs are budget-shaped. At around $250 you are paying a $60 premium over the WD_Black SN7100 1TB for marginal sequential gains and the sustained-write advantage. For pure gaming buyers, that money is almost certainly better spent on larger capacity rather than on incremental peak speed — your save loads and game launches will not feel noticeably faster. The drive also runs warm under sustained load, and the standard SKU (without heatsink) needs thermal management for peak performance.
Best fit: creators, video editors, 3D and CAD professionals, and anyone who genuinely runs sustained heavy-write workloads where the SLC cache exhaustion behaviour matters. Also a strong pick for the buyer who wants the polished Samsung software ecosystem and the best long-term drive health tooling. Overkill for pure gaming use, but in the right hands it is the most capable drive on the list.
Samsung 990 PRO SSD 1TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280 Internal Solid State Hard Drive, Seq. Read Speeds Up to 7,450 MB/s for High End Computing, Gaming, and Heavy Duty Workstations, MZ-V9P1T0B/AM
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6. WD_Black SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD (Gen4, 7,250/6,900 MB/s)
Rounding out the list is the WD_Black SN7100 2TB at around $299 — the capacity king of this trending lineup, and increasingly the drive that buyers shopping in May 2026 are landing on. It is the same controller, NAND, and headline performance figures as the 1TB SN7100 (up to 7,250 MB/s read, 6,900 MB/s write) but with double the capacity. At the current $299 price, the cost-per-gigabyte is genuinely excellent for a flagship-class Gen4 drive.
What makes this drive a smart buy is the capacity-curve math. Going from 1TB to 2TB at flagship performance level used to mean paying close to double; the SN7100 2TB asks for roughly a 60% premium over its 1TB sibling while delivering 100% more space. For builders who actually fill their drives — gamers with Steam libraries that include multi-hundred-GB modern titles, creators with project folders, anyone tired of juggling installs — the 2TB capacity at this price is the inflection point where it makes more sense than buying two 1TB drives.
Trade-offs are minimal but worth noting. Like the 1TB SN7100, the 2TB variant has no heatsink in the box and is designed as a single-sided drive, which is great for compact installs but means you’ll want a motherboard heatsink for peak sustained load. The endurance rating scales with capacity (1,200 TBW for 2TB vs 600 TBW for 1TB), which is a genuine bonus for write-heavy users.
Best fit: builders who know they will fill 1TB within a year, gamers with massive libraries, creators with project storage needs, and anyone replacing an aging SATA SSD with future-proofed capacity. This is the smart capacity-tier pick of the six, and explains why it is trending hard.
WD_Black SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD - Gen4 PCIe, M.2 2280, Up to 7,250 MB/s Read Speed, Up to 6,900 MB/s Write Speed, Next Gen TLC 3D NAND, for Laptops, Handheld Gaming Devices - WDS200T4X0E
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How to Choose the Right NVMe SSD
How much capacity do you actually need?
Capacity is the first decision because it shapes every other choice. A modern AAA game install can run 100GB to 200GB, Windows and core applications easily claim 60GB to 80GB, and a creator’s project folder can spiral fast. For a single-drive build that handles OS, applications, and a rotating set of games, 1TB is the workable minimum in 2026 — and is what five of the six drives on this list deliver. If you actively manage what is installed, 1TB is fine. If you do not want to juggle, the 2TB SN7100 is the drive to look at; it costs less than two 1TB drives and saves a slot.
What’s the right speed tier for your workload?
Sequential read speeds above about 5,000 MB/s deliver basically the same real-world experience for booting Windows, launching games, and opening applications — the bottleneck moves elsewhere. Where headline speed actually matters is in sustained-write workloads: large file copies, video render exports, big project file saves. For pure gaming, the Fanxiang S690Q at 4,800 MB/s feels essentially identical to the Samsung 990 PRO at 7,450 MB/s. For creator workflows that hit sustained writes, the Samsung 990 PRO and WD_Black SN7100 pull ahead.
Do you need a heatsink?
It depends entirely on your motherboard and where the M.2 slot is. Modern Z790, X670, B650, and X870 motherboards almost always include integrated M.2 heatspreaders on the primary slot, in which case a bare drive (which is all six of these except the optional SN850X heatsink SKU) is exactly right. For older motherboards, laptops, or secondary M.2 slots without heatspreaders, add a low-profile passive heatsink — they cost under $10 and make a meaningful difference on sustained Gen4 loads. For PS5 expansion specifically, a heatsink is mandatory and the SN850X heatsink SKU is console-validated.
Is brand reputation worth paying for?
Yes, but not infinitely. The premium WD_Black, Samsung, and Crucial drives on this list come from vertically integrated NAND producers with strong warranty support and proven reliability data. The Fanxiang S690Q is a credible value pick with PS5 firmware support, but it does not have the same warranty and reliability track record as the others. For a primary drive you depend on, the premium tier is worth the small extra spend; for a secondary game-library drive where data loss is annoying rather than catastrophic, the value tier is reasonable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Trending NVMe SSDs
Which trending NVMe SSD should I buy first in May 2026?
For most buyers, the WD_Black SN7100 1TB at around $189 is the best overall pick on this trending list — it delivers genuine flagship Gen4 performance (7,250/6,900 MB/s) at a price that undercuts the older WD_Black SN850X by around $30. If your budget is tighter, the Crucial P310 1TB at around $174 is the mainstream rational choice. If you want the largest capacity at flagship speeds, jump to the SN7100 2TB. Avoid spending more than you need on the Samsung 990 PRO unless you genuinely run sustained write-heavy workloads.
Is the WD_Black SN7100 better than the SN850X?
For most consumer buyers in May 2026, yes. The SN7100 uses a newer controller generation that posts higher sequential write speeds (6,900 vs 6,300 MB/s), and is priced around $30 lower than the SN850X. The SN850X retains advantages in two specific cases: its Game Mode 2.0 firmware feature pre-fetches game assets and is a real win in asset-heavy titles, and the heatsink SKU is console-validated for PS5 expansion. For everyone else, the SN7100 is now the smarter WD_Black pick.
Will any of these SSDs work in a PS5?
Yes — every drive in this comparison is a PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, which is the form factor and interface the PS5 accepts. The Fanxiang S690Q is explicitly marketed as PS5-ready. The SN850X has the most console-validated track record and is most often recommended with its heatsink SKU for the cleanest install. Whichever you pick, you’ll want a heatsink (either bundled or added separately) for PS5 thermal compliance, and you’ll need to update the PS5 firmware before installation.
Do I really need a Gen4 SSD over a Gen3 drive?
If you’re building or upgrading in 2026 with a motherboard that supports Gen4 (basically anything AM5, Intel 12th-gen or later, or any modern laptop), yes. Gen4 prices have fallen to the point where the price premium over Gen3 is small or zero, and you get future-headroom for Direct Storage in games, faster sustained writes, and the latest controller generations. Gen3 only makes sense if you’re upgrading an older system that does not have a Gen4 slot, in which case it will throttle a Gen4 drive to Gen3 speeds anyway.
Final Verdict and Buyer’s Ranking
Ranked the way buyers actually shop — value first, then speed, then capacity — the order is clear. The Crucial P310 1TB takes the top value-for-money slot at around $174 with its 7,100 MB/s ceiling and Crucial’s reliability backing. The WD_Black SN7100 1TB at $189 is the outright editor’s pick, delivering genuine flagship performance at a price that retires the older SN850X for most buyers. The Fanxiang S690Q earns honorable mention as the rock-bottom credible Gen4 entry.
On the premium tier, the SN850X remains the best PS5 expansion drive thanks to its console-validated heatsink SKU and Game Mode 2.0, but at a price premium that is now harder to justify against its own sibling. The Samsung 990 PRO is the right call for creators and workstation users who need sustained-write performance and the Samsung Magician ecosystem — buyers spending $250 on a 1TB drive should know exactly why. And the WD_Black SN7100 2TB is the smart capacity-buyer pick: at $299 it offers the best cost-per-gigabyte at flagship speeds on this list. Pick the drive that matches your actual workload, not the one with the biggest headline number.
Related Guides
- Best NVMe SSDs for Gaming
- Best SSDs for Gaming
- Best SSDs for PS5 Expansion
- Best PCIe Gen4 SSDs
- Best 2TB SSDs
- Best SSDs for Steam Deck
- Best Motherboards for Your SSD
- Best Budget Gaming Setup
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