The Future of PCIe 5.0 SSDs: Progress, Performance, and Price

As we step into 2025, the landscape of storage technology continues to evolve, particularly with the emergence of PCIe 5.0 SSDs. Two years have passed since the first gaming-focused PCIe 5.0 SSDs entered the market, and while initial offerings like the Crucial T700 struggled to impress, recent developments suggest that we might be on the cusp of a breakthrough. However, the journey to making PCIe 5.0 the new standard for gaming storage is still fraught with challenges.

The Crucial T700, one of the first PCIe 5.0 SSDs, was met with disappointment due to its high price and subpar performance compared to its PCIe 4.0 counterparts. Fast forward to today, and we see newer models like the PNY CS2150 and Samsung 9100 Pro entering the fray, promising to deliver improved performance and more accessible pricing. The CS2150, in particular, has lowered the entry fee for PCIe 5.0, while the 9100 Pro aims to provide a significant performance boost.

Despite these advancements, PCIe 5.0 SSDs still have a long way to go before they can fully replace their PCIe 4.0 siblings. Current offerings, while faster in certain aspects, do not yet provide the all-around performance that gamers require. The Samsung 9100 Pro exemplifies this dichotomy: it excels in sequential read and write speeds, outpacing elite PCIe 4.0 drives like the WD Black SN850X and Samsung 990 Pro. However, when it comes to real-world applications, especially gaming, the performance gains are less pronounced.

Most games do not access data in a sequential manner, which means that while the 9100 Pro can achieve impressive raw speeds, it struggles with random data access. This limitation becomes evident when comparing load times in popular titles like Shadow of the Tomb Raider, where the 9100 Pro only marginally outperformed its PCIe 4.0 rivals. The difference in load times—6.3 seconds for the 9100 Pro versus 6.5 seconds for the 990 Pro and WD Black—highlights that the performance improvement, while present, is not substantial enough to justify the higher price tag.

Speaking of price, the Samsung 9100 Pro is expected to retail at around £170 ($200) for the base 1TB version and can go up to £458 ($550) for the 4TB model. In contrast, a 1TB WD Black SN850X can be found for approximately £78 ($92). For gamers seeking faster storage, the cost-to-performance ratio of PCIe 5.0 SSDs raises questions about their viability, especially when the performance benefits are minimal.

Additionally, upgrading to PCIe 5.0 storage often requires an investment in compatible hardware, as many mid-range and low-end motherboards still lack 5.0-compliant M.2 slots. This adds another layer of expense for those looking to make the leap.

Despite these hurdles, there is a glimmer of hope for PCIe 5.0 SSDs. While the initial offerings may have fallen short, the technology is gradually improving. The T700’s performance was so poor that even budget PCIe 4.0 SSDs have outperformed it in load times. There may also be niche applications for the 9100 Pro, particularly for users whose gaming PCs double as workstations, where its higher sequential speeds can be advantageous for transferring large files.

In conclusion, while PCIe 5.0 SSDs are making strides towards becoming a viable option for gamers, they are not yet ready to dethrone the established PCIe 4.0 models. As the technology continues to develop, it remains to be seen whether the performance improvements will justify the higher costs and whether the gaming community will embrace this new standard in the coming years. For now, gamers looking for the best value may still want to stick with their PCIe 4.0 SSDs.