Two years ago, the introduction of PCIe 5.0 SSDs marked a significant leap forward in storage technology. Designed specifically for gaming and high-performance computing, these drives promised unprecedented speeds and efficiency. However, as the market has evolved, the reality hasn’t quite matched the hype. The journey from niche data center applications to mainstream adoption has been fraught with challenges, and while progress is evident, there’s still a long way to go before PCIe 5.0 becomes the default choice for everyday users.
One of the earliest entrants into this space was the Crucial T700, among the first PCIe 5.0 SSDs to transition from enterprise settings to consumer-grade PCs. Despite its groundbreaking architecture, the T700 fell short in several key areas. Its cost was significantly higher than comparable PCIe 4.0 models, and its performance lagged behind in critical tasks like game loading. For gamers and casual users alike, the T700 proved to be less than ideal, leaving many to question the value proposition of PCIe 5.0 SSDs.
Fast-forward to today, and the landscape has shifted somewhat. Enter the PNY CS2150, a PCIe 5.0 drive that has made strides in affordability, bringing the entry-level price point closer to that of its 4.0 predecessors. At £96 / $100 for a 1TB model, the CS2150 offers a more accessible option for those interested in upgrading to PCIe 5.0 technology. While its performance gains over PCIe 4.0 rivals are modest, especially in terms of random access speeds, it marks an important step toward democratizing high-speed storage.
Another notable arrival is the Samsung 9100 Pro, a drive that finally delivers on the promise of meaningful performance improvements. Sequential read and write speeds are nothing short of impressive, surpassing even the best PCIe 4.0 drives like the WD Black SN850X and Samsung’s own 990 Pro. On the RPS Test Rig, equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU and other top-tier components, the 9100 Pro demonstrated its prowess, leaving its competitors in the dust when it came to handling large, contiguous files.
Yet, as the bar charts illustrate, the real-world benefits diminish when dealing with more complex workloads. Games, in particular, rely heavily on random access patterns, where data is scattered across the drive. Here, the 9100 Pro’s lead over its PCIe 4.0 counterparts narrows considerably, often by just a few megabytes per second. This highlights a fundamental limitation of PCIe 5.0 SSDs: while they excel in sequential operations, their advantages fade when confronted with the chaotic nature of modern gaming environments.
Sequential Speed Comparison
Random Access Speed Comparison
The disparity in pricing further complicates matters. The 9100 Pro’s 1TB model retails for £170 / $200, while the 2TB version costs £246 / $300. For comparison, a 1TB WD Black SN850X can be had for just £78 / $92. When considering the marginal performance gains achieved with PCIe 5.0, the cost-benefit analysis becomes skewed. Few gamers will find the roughly three-second reduction in load times worth the additional expense, especially when PCIe 4.0 drives continue to deliver excellent performance at a fraction of the cost.
Another factor weighing heavily on the adoption of PCIe 5.0 SSDs is infrastructure. Mid-range and low-end motherboards still lack native support for PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots, meaning enthusiasts must invest in premium motherboards to fully leverage these drives. This adds another layer of complexity and expense, deterring many potential buyers who are unwilling to overhaul their existing setups.
Despite these hurdles, there are signs of progress. The T700’s struggles have paved the way for newer models like the CS2150 and 9100 Pro, which demonstrate tangible improvements in both price and performance. These advancements underscore the ongoing evolution of storage technology, even if the pace remains gradual. For niche use cases, such as professional workstations requiring frequent transfers of large files, PCIe 5.0 SSDs may prove invaluable. Their ability to handle sequential operations efficiently makes them ideal for scenarios where data is organized and accessed predictably.
However, for the average gamer, the case for upgrading to PCIe 5.0 remains weak. Even the 9100 Pro, with its impressive sequential speeds, falls short in delivering a transformative gaming experience. Load times, while slightly reduced, are not substantial enough to justify the premium pricing. Until manufacturers can bridge the gap between theoretical potential and practical utility, PCIe 5.0 SSDs will likely remain a niche product catering to specific audiences rather than the mainstream standard.
The journey toward widespread adoption of PCIe 5.0 SSDs is underway, but it’s far from complete. While the CS2150 and 9100 Pro represent important milestones in reducing costs and improving performance, they haven’t yet reached the level of versatility required to displace PCIe 4.0 drives. As technology continues to evolve, the next two years will be crucial in determining whether PCIe 5.0 becomes the new benchmark or remains a footnote in the annals of storage history. For now, the future looks promising, but it’s not here quite yet.
Add Comment