[SOLVED] New Gaming Rig: NVMe PCIe Gen 3 or 4?

[epp82]

Looking for a PCIe NVMe M.2 for my new build (Win10 gaming PC). Wondering if Gen 4 is even worth it when not shuffeling around alot of files... Got a x570 so PCIe gen 4 is there. Another possibility would be to save some 40 bucks and go for a gen 3 - not sure. What du you think?

Also: any recommendations on models? Never had a NVMe drive before. Reviews seem to favor that Samsung Pro, but I'm not betting on the being necessarily true...

 

[USAFRet]

Looking for a PCIe NVMe M.2 for my new build (Win10 gaming PC). Wondering if Gen 4 is even worth it when not shuffeling around alot of files... Got a x570 so PCIe gen 4 is there. Another possibility would be to save some 40 bucks and go for a gen 3 - not sure. What du you think?

Also: any recommendations on models? Never had a NVMe drive before. Reviews seem to favor that Samsung Pro, but I'm not betting on the being necessarily true...

3.0 vs 4.0?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YoRKQy-UO4

 

[Karadjgne]

Gen 3.

Gen4 requires a heatsink of decent proportions, they get hot. That may or may not dictate placement or even fitment. Some m.2 ports are on the rear of the motherboard, so a heatsink isn't exactly going to fit.

Gaming is all small files transfer to the ram, so there's almost Zero benefit of nvme over Sata drives. A second or 3 on boot times is purely a waste of bragging. The speed ratings are capable, not constant.

Basically, there's just not enough performance difference for gaming. Hdd to ssd is one thing, but ssd to nvme had little (if any) gains, a faster nvme doesn't change that.

 

[Bob.B]

Looking for a PCIe NVMe M.2 for my new build (Win10 gaming PC). Wondering if Gen 4 is even worth it when not shuffeling around alot of files... Got a x570 so PCIe gen 4 is there. Another possibility would be to save some 40 bucks and go for a gen 3 - not sure. What du you think?

Also: any recommendations on models? Never had a NVMe drive before. Reviews seem to favor that Samsung Pro, but I'm not betting on the being necessarily true...

Go with gen3x4 save some bucks.
For most users gen4 is not much of a plus.
Brand.....Samsung...Western Digital...etc....read the reviews.
For most users paying extra to get the top of the top is not worth it.

 

[geofelt]

Worth is something only YOU can determine.
If budget is not an issue, I always suggest buying the better product.
In this case pcie 4.0
If you do not, and buy a lesser performing product, you may forever wonder if you did the right thing.

But... we all likely have some sort of budget restrictions so tradeoffs need to be made.

 

[Karadjgne]

If budget is not an issue, I always suggest buying the better product

Very well said. Now define 'better'.

Better for me was a good performing Gen3 at 2Tb that didn't require a giant heatsink, vrs the slightly faster Gen4 at 1Tb that did require a heatsink, and came out very close in price.

Newer is not necessarily 'better'. Ie Evga G2 vs G3 psus.