PCIe 5.0 vs. PCIe 4.0 for SSDs: Is it worth upgrading?

In recent years, computer storage tech has been evolving at a fast pace, and it’s visibly changing how we use our computers. PCIe 5.0 SSDs, the latest consumer-grade upgrade in this process, are becoming more common, and some people are asking if it’s worth upgrading from their already fast PCIe 4.0 SSDs. To help you make an informed decision and understand what to expect, in this article, I’ll compare the performance of a solid-state drive running on PCIe 5.0 vs. PCIe 4.0. I’ll show you what the benchmarks have to say about it and offer some insights to help you make the best choice. Without further ado, let’s begin:

What’s PCIe and what’s the difference between PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 SSDs?

PCIe stands for Peripheral Component Interconnect Express. It’s an extremely fast connection between hardware components such as your SSDs or graphics cards and your computer’s motherboard. Every new version of PCIe doubles the speed of the one before it. For example, PCIe 4.0, released in 2019, can handle up to 2 gigabytes per second (GB/s) per lane. PCIe 5.0, the latest version, doubles that speed to 4 GB/s per lane. You can learn more about that in this separate article: What is PCI Express? Do PCIe lanes, slots, and versions matter?.

A PCIe Gen5 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD

What is the difference between PCIe 4 and 5 SSDs? Well, it’s quite simple and comes down to one thing mainly: PCIe 5.0 SSDs provide double the speed and improved performance over PCIe 4.0 SSDs. In other words, they’re great for demanding tasks and workloads, and they’re also an excellent choice for those who want to future-proof their systems. However, this extra speed comes at a higher cost and requires better cooling, as PCIe 5.0 SSDs generate more heat because they run at much faster speeds.

When it comes to compatibility, PCIe is flexible. You can use a PCIe 4.0 SSD in a PCIe 5.0 slot, and it will work just fine, at PCIe 4.0 speeds. Similarly, a PCIe 5.0 SSD can be used in a PCIe 4.0 slot, but again, its performance will be limited to PCIe 4.0 levels. This backward compatibility makes upgrading easier without forcing you to replace all your hardware at once.

However, the most important question is: Do you need the extra speed of PCIe 5.0, or is PCIe 4.0 good enough? How much would you benefit from getting a PCIe 5 SSD versus a PCIe 4 SSD? The answer is not as straightforward as one might expect, as it really depends on what you’re using your computer for.

PCIe 5.0 vs PCIe 4.0 for SSDs: How I made my tests

To evaluate the performance differences between PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 for SSDs, I ran a series of tests on a high-end desktop computer that offers support for both types of connections. Here’s what the test PC included:

One of the best features of this motherboard is its powerful UEFI (BIOS). It offers many customizable options, including the ability to select the PCI Express version for each NVMe SSD. This feature made it easy for me to switch my SSDs between PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0, depending on what I needed for this article.

Setting the PCI Express interface in the motherboard’s UEFI

Although the motherboard has two NVMe slots that support PCIe 5.0, I could have simply moved the SSD to another slot that only supports PCIe 4.0. However, I chose to keep the SSD in the same slot to ensure consistency. This way, the heatsink and cooling conditions remained the same for each test.

The SSD was cooled by a large heatsink

To find out the actual performance differences between PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0, I ran a series of benchmarks. I started by testing the system with PCIe 5.0, which is the default setting. Next, I went into the UEFI to change the PCIe settings for the SSD to run at PCIe 4.0, and I ran the benchmarks once more. Before starting the tests, I made sure all my software and drivers were updated to the latest versions. And to get accurate results, I ran each test multiple times and calculated the average values. Here are the results I got and what they mean:

What the benchmarks show about using a SSD on PCIe 5 vs. PCIe 4

I started with CrystalDiskMark, a synthetic benchmark that can give you a pretty good idea of how SSDs handle different types of data transfers with both large and small files. The Corsair MP700 Pro SSD was generally faster with PCIe 5.0, especially when reading large files: it was about 50% to 66% quicker. However, when reading small pieces of data from multiple sources at the same time, PCIe 5.0 was only slightly slower (by about 1%) compared to PCIe 4.0. On the other hand, for single data requests, it was 9% faster with PCIe 5.0. In other words, PCIe 5.0 appears to be excellent in heavy reading tasks that involve transfers of large files, but the SSD may perform just as well on PCIe 4.0 for random reads.

Reading speeds in CrystalDiskMark

Write speed results are also important, as they highlight how good the SSD is in tasks like saving files or working with applications that create temporary files. And when it comes to writing data, the Corsair MP700 Pro SSD on PCIe 5.0 shows better performance compared to when it runs on PCIe 4.0. The improvement is huge for sequential writing, with speed boosts in the range of 69% to 71%. However, for random data writing tasks, using the SSD on PCIe 5.0 was only about 2 to 6% faster. Similar to the read tests, these results show that PCIe 5.0 is great for writing operations that involve large files, but the improvement is limited to a couple of percent for random data.

Writing speeds in CrystalDiskMark

The PCMark 10 benchmark evaluates overall system responsiveness, testing how well the SSD performs in things like multitasking and application launching. Its results show that the performance increase with PCIe 5.0 is modest, a roughly 2% higher score than PCIe 4.0. This slight improvement suggests that while PCIe 5.0 does enhance overall system responsiveness and application performance, the difference is not that noticeable in everyday tasks.

Full System Drive Benchmark results in PCMark 10

Blackmagic Disk Speed Test is a benchmark that simulates workloads common in video editing and content creation. It measures sequential read and write speeds, assessing the drive’s performance when handling large files, like those typically generated when creating videos in 4K resolution. Using the SSD with PCIe 5.0 showed impressive gains, with read speeds approximately 37% faster and write speeds about 67% faster than using it with PCIe 4.0! These results underscore PCIe 5.0’s superiority in tasks like video editing and content creation, where high-speed data transfers are mandatory.

Disk Speed Test results in BlackMagic

The DiskBench benchmark is great for testing how solid-state drives handle file copying. It’s especially good for measuring how fast large files can be copied or duplicated, which is something you always want done as fast as possible, regardless of what you’re using your computer for. Using DiskBench, I asked the solid-state drive to duplicate a large 40 GB file. When using the SSD with PCIe 5.0, I witnessed a 9% speed improvement over PCIe 4.0, proving again that the newer interface offers better performance for large file transfers.

Copy speed measured by DiskBench for a 40GB file

Next, I moved on to a couple of gaming tests. The first one was 3DMark Storage Benchmark, which measures how quickly games can load graphical assets and levels from the SSD. With PCIe 5.0, games should load significantly faster, so you should spend less time waiting for them to start or for new levels to load. The CORSAIR MP700 PRO showed that PCIe 5.0 is about 9% faster than PCIe 4.0. This speed increase is great news for gamers!

This not only reduces the time spent looking at boring loading screens, but also helps games run more fluently, as the higher data transfer rates of a PCIe 5.0 SSD mean that games can access their assets and textures faster. It’s something that will likely be more noticeable in open-world games with large levels, as well as when using higher resolutions and high-quality graphics.

Storage Benchmark results in 3DMark

In the benchmark from Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the results show minor differences between using the SSD with PCIe 5.0 and with PCIe 4.0. At 4K resolution, with PCIe 5.0, I had exactly the same framerate. Surprisingly, I’d say, at 1440p, I actually got a bit fewer frames per second with PCIe 5 than with PCIe 4 (by 1.4%). Still, these variations are negligible in practical gaming scenarios, indicating that the storage interface has minimal impact on performance for this game at either resolution.

Benchmark results in Assassin’s Creed Mirage

In Cyberpunk 2077, PCIe 5.0 provided exactly the same performance as PCIe 4.0, with not even a single frame per second more or less. And that held true in both resolutions I’ve used: 4K and 1440p. In other words, PCIe 5.0’s faster data transfer speeds have no influence on performance in this game, especially given other potential bottlenecks like the GPU (graphics card).

Benchmark results in Cyberpunk 2077

In the next gaming benchmark I performed, Remnant II, using the solid-state drive on PCIe 5.0 delivered a slight boost in the average frame rate compared to when limiting it to PCIe 4.0. In 4K resolution, that surmounted to 1.9%, while in 1440p it was only 1%. The improvement is so small however, that it falls within the margin of error. Even with PCIe 5.0’s higher data transfer rates, the gains are not noticeable.

Benchmark results in Remnant II

Similarly, in Horizon Forbidden West, there was no difference in FPS between PCIe 5.0 and PCIe 4.0 with the CORSAIR MP700 PRO SSD in either 4K or 1440p resolutions. The game appears to be entirely limited by other hardware, such as the graphics card and the processor, rather than the storage interface.

Benchmark results in Horizon Forbidden West

Getting closer to the end of the testing list, I also wanted to see how SSD speeds affect the time it takes for the computer to boot into the operating system. After all, nobody wants to wait even a second longer if they don’t have to, right? To count the minutes and seconds necessary for the system to start, I used a tool called BootRacer. When using the CORSAIR MP700 PRO on PCIe 5.0, the average startup time of Windows 11 was 1.5% slower than with PCIe 4.0. This shows that the faster speeds of PCIe 5.0 don’t have a significant impact on how quickly the system boots up.

Average boot times measured with BootRacer

And, in the end, I also analyzed the temperatures reached by the solid-state drive during benchmarks. What I found was that when using PCIe 5.0, the SSD operated at a maximum temperature that was 6.7% higher than with PCIe 4.0. This increased thermal output is a result of the higher speed of PCIe 5.0. If you’re using a PCIe 5.0 SSD, it’s clear that you need robust cooling solutions to keep the system stable and prevent the solid-state from overheating.

Maximum temperatures recorded

In conclusion, the benchmarks results show that while PCIe 5.0 significantly increases performance for demanding tasks like video editing and large data transfers, it only offers minor improvements for everyday computing. In gaming, loading times can be significantly lower, but in actual gameplay, the framerates remain largely unaffected. Oh, and you must take into consideration that PCIe 5.0 solid-state drives generate more heat than PCIe 4.0, requiring better cooling solutions.

Should you upgrade to a PCIe 5.0 SSD?

Is a PCIe 5 SSD worth it for gaming? Well, I’d say the benefits of PCIe 5.0 SSDs for gaming are minor right now. You might see faster load times, but it might not be enough to justify the extra cost, which is significant. Most games tend to rely more on your GPU and CPU than your storage to increase performance.

If you’re working with large files, like 8K and 4K resolution videos, high-res images, or complex 3D models, PCIe 5.0 SSDs can be a big help. Faster file transfers and quicker access to large datasets can save you a lot of time. Software that relies heavily on the speed of your storage may also run better. But, just like for gaming, your processor and graphics card are still the most important hardware for many creative tasks.

In conclusion, if your work isn’t limited by your solid-state drive’s speed, upgrading to PCIe 5.0 might not make a huge difference today. And for most gamers and content creators, the benefits aren’t that massive, at least not yet. PCIe 4.0 SSDs are already fast enough for most needs and are more budget-friendly. However, as the world moves forward, software and games will likely start taking more advantage of the faster PCIe 5.0 solid-state drives. So, who would benefit from PCIe Gen5 SSDs?

I think you should upgrade to a PCIe 5.0 solid-state drive, if:

• You’re a professional who needs the fastest storage for top-notch performance in specialized tasks
• You want to future-proof your computer and money isn’t an issue

Yet, you should stick with a PCIe Gen4 SSD if you:

• Are a typical gamer or content creator, as a PCIe 4.0 SSD provides quite a lot of speed for gaming and creative software
• Want a good balance between cost and performance

Are you upgrading to PCIe 5.0?

Having said that, I’ve reached the end of this article. I hope it helped you understand the differences you should expect between PCIe Gen5 and Gen4 SSDs. And that you are now better prepared to make a decision about upgrading to a PCIe 5.0 SSD or sticking with your “old” PCIe 4 drive. Let me know in the comments section if you have anything to add to this article or if you have some questions. I’m also curious what your decision is. Are you sticking with PCIe 4.0 or going for a new PCIe 5.0 SSD? Tell me your answers below.