Best M.2 NVMe SSDs
Top m.2 nvme ssds ranked by transparent trust scores.
8 products ranked
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Top Pick
9.4
Excellent
Samsung 990 Pro 2TB
Ranked #1 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
#1
9.4
Excellent
Consensus
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Ranked #1 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Top-tier PCIe 4.0 performance
- Excellent endurance rating
- Samsung Magician software
Cons
- Premium price over competitors
- Runs warm without heatsink
Don't buy this if…
- This drive runs hot under sustained writes; use with your motherboard's M.2 heatsink or add an aftermarket heatsink.
#2
9.2
Excellent
Consensus
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Ranked #2 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Gaming mode reduces latency
- Strong sustained write speed
- Competitive pricing
Cons
- No hardware encryption
- Dashboard software is basic
Don't buy this if…
- The Game Mode feature requires WD Dashboard software running in the background, which uses minimal but non-zero system resources.
#3
9.0
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #3 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance
- 232-layer NAND technology
- 5-year warranty
Cons
- Newer product with less track record
- Runs warm under load
Don't buy this if…
- As a newer product, long-term reliability data is still building; Crucial's warranty and Micron backing provide confidence.
#4
8.7
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #4 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- PS5 compatible
- Mature and proven firmware
- Hardware AES encryption
Cons
- Older V-NAND generation
- 1TB only at this price point
Don't buy this if…
- The 1TB model has a smaller SLC cache than the 2TB, so sustained write speeds drop earlier during large file transfers.
#5
8.5
Excellent
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #5 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Excellent GB-per-dollar value
- PCIe 4.0 interface
- Sufficient for gaming loads
Cons
- QLC NAND has lower endurance
- Slower sustained writes
Don't buy this if…
- Uses QLC NAND, which has lower write endurance than TLC alternatives; not ideal as a primary OS drive with heavy write workloads.
#6
8.3
Good
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #6 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Heatsink included for PS5
- Strong sustained performance
- Compact low-profile design
Cons
- Built-in heatsink limits PC mounting
- Pricier than bare drives
Don't buy this if…
- The integrated heatsink may prevent installation under some motherboard M.2 heatsinks; you may need to remove one or the other.
#7
8.1
Good
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #7 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- Strong performance at fair price
- Well-regarded Phison E18 platform
- Acronis cloning software included
Cons
- Can throttle without heatsink
- Sabrent is a smaller brand
Don't buy this if…
- Thermal throttling is likely without a heatsink during sustained writes; use with a motherboard or aftermarket M.2 heatsink.
#8
7.9
Good
Consensus
Compare
Ranked #8 based on expert reviews, user sentiment, and value analysis.
Pros
- PCIe 5.0 with 12,400 MB/s reads
- Phison E26 controller
- Future-proof interface
Cons
- Requires PCIe 5.0 slot
- Runs very hot, needs heatsink
Don't buy this if…
- PCIe 5.0 drives generate significant heat; the included heatsink version is strongly recommended and some motherboard heatsinks may be insufficient.
Quick Comparison
How We Rank
Composite trust score from expert reviews, user sentiment, complaint analysis, and value assessment.
Trust Score
Weighted composite of all factor scores
Expert Score
Aggregated expert review ratings
User Sentiment
Community votes and review analysis
Value Score
Price-to-performance ratio
Freshness
Recency of reviews and data
Change Log
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