Despite the looming shadow of rising memory prices that could significantly impact storage costs, PC Gamer is proud to present its esteemed nominees for the Best Gaming SSDs of 2025. This year's selection emphasizes a broad spectrum of high-performing drives, showcasing advancements in both internal NVMe technology and the surprising emergence of an external contender. The competition highlights innovation across various capacities and form factors, delivering exceptional speed and, in some cases, impressive affordability for enthusiasts. The anticipation builds as the final award recipients are set to be unveiled on New Year's Eve, celebrating the pinnacle of gaming storage solutions.
The current landscape of solid-state drives for gaming is more dynamic than ever, with manufacturers pushing the boundaries of speed and efficiency. While the industry faces challenges with increasing memory component costs, the nominated SSDs demonstrate that premium performance can still be achieved, often at competitive price points. This year's awards steer clear of the ultra-compact 2230 form factor drives, instead focusing on a more robust and diverse collection of storage solutions tailored for high-demand gaming environments. This shift reflects a broader market trend towards more powerful and versatile storage options that cater to a wider array of PC builds and gaming setups.
The Contenders for Best Gaming SSD 2025
This year's PC Gamer Hardware Awards nominees for Best Gaming SSD include a varied lineup of high-performance storage solutions, each bringing unique strengths to the table for different types of gamers. Among the top contenders are internal NVMe drives known for their blistering speeds, alongside an external SSD that redefines portability without compromising on performance. These selections represent the cutting edge of storage technology, offering significant upgrades for any gaming rig and highlighting the diverse innovations within the SSD market.
The nominees for the Best Gaming SSD of 2025 showcase remarkable advancements in storage technology, catering to a wide range of user needs and preferences. The Crucial P510 NVMe SSD, for instance, stands out as an affordable yet powerful PCIe 5.0 option, utilizing Crucial's proprietary Micron 276-layer TLC NAND to deliver impressive read speeds of up to 11,000 MB/s and write speeds of 9,000 MB/s. Priced under $150, it offers a compelling value proposition during a period of rising memory costs. The SanDisk Extreme Pro external SSD, an unexpected nominee, proves that external storage can compete with internal solutions, especially with USB4 connectivity, achieving read speeds of up to 3,800 MB/s and write speeds of 3,700 MB/s. Its robust performance in random 4K operations makes it ideal for managing large game files. Finally, the WD Black SN8100, another PCIe 5.0 drive, sets a new benchmark for speed with a sustained read of 14,900 MB/s and write of 14,000 MB/s, coupled with excellent thermal management, making it a top-tier choice for those seeking ultimate performance despite its higher price point. These drives exemplify the innovation and diverse offerings available to gamers in 2025.
Innovation in Gaming Storage Technology
The 2025 nominations for Best Gaming SSD underscore the rapid advancements and diversification in storage technology, moving beyond conventional internal drives to include high-performance external options. This evolution ensures that gamers have access to a variety of solutions tailored to their specific needs, whether it's raw speed for competitive play or versatile external storage for managing extensive game libraries across multiple systems. The focus remains on maximizing performance and user experience, even as the broader market experiences pricing fluctuations for memory components.
The ongoing innovation in gaming storage technology is evident in the diverse selection of SSDs nominated for PC Gamer's 2025 awards. Manufacturers are increasingly integrating advanced features such as PCIe 5.0 interfaces and proprietary NAND technologies to deliver unparalleled speed and efficiency. The Crucial P510, with its in-house Micron TLC NAND, represents a trend towards vertical integration, allowing for optimized performance and cost efficiency. The inclusion of the SanDisk Extreme Pro highlights a growing demand for high-speed external storage that can keep up with the data-intensive nature of modern games, providing flexibility and convenience for users who frequently transfer large files. Meanwhile, the WD Black SN8100 exemplifies the relentless pursuit of peak performance, offering staggering read and write speeds that significantly reduce load times and improve overall system responsiveness. These advancements collectively reflect a commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in gaming storage, ensuring that players can enjoy seamless, high-fidelity experiences.
