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- PCle 5.0 SSDs have really fast read and write speeds but gaming rarely makes full use of them.
- For most gamers PCle 3.0 or 4.0 is more than enough for fast load times.
- PCle 5.0 SSDs are best used for managing and transferring large sums of data.
- Gamers should factor in costs, thermals and their needs before purchasing PCle 5.0 SSDs.
PCle 5.0 is the latest generation of SSD storage. The common misconception gamers have is that anyone with these SSDs will have a major increase in PC performance. Though this remains true, the question arises does the common gamer really need it? Let’s discuss the details.
What it Offers
PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is basically the interface standard that measures how fast data moves from your SSD to the rest of the PC. PCle 5.0 SSDs double the bandwidth provided by PCle 4.0 offering speeds of over 10000 MB/s.
This may seem like a huge leap in performance to any gamer making them think games would load instantly. No doubt, PCle 5.0 SSDs totally crush benchmark tests, however games are not capable of leveraging the full capability of these SSDs yet. In actuality, games already load really fast with PCle 3.0 or 4.0 making PCle 5.0 over kill.
Real World Performance
Let’s be real when you launch a game using a PCle 3.0 SSD load times are already from a few seconds to a minute or two. Upgrade to PCle 4.0 and these load times are a tiny bit faster, unnoticeable unless you’re using a stopwatch. Move further, towards PCle 5.0 and still not that big of a difference to note, you’re saving milliseconds not minutes therefore its useless.
Games these days rarely stream assets fast enough to demand 10GBs worth of read/write speeds. When a game loads slowly its usually because of bottlenecks from the CPU, GPU or other areas, its rarely ever the SSDs fault. What this all means is that whether your play Cyber Punk 2077 or Elden Ring PCle 3.0 or 4.0 already offer enough.
Where it Actually Comes in Handy
It isn’t right to totally dismiss PCle 5.0 SSDs though, they simply shine in other areas. If you’re a content creator constantly moving massive 4k or 8k videos or a scientist managing huge sums of data PCle 5.0 may save you some real time.
The same applies when 3D modeling, machine learning, or compiling large codebases. Here the extra bandwidth helps improve productivity and efficiency. In gaming however, the advantages are low so they can be skipped for now.
Affordability and Availability
PCle 5.0 is very expensive and sits at the top of SSD at the premium end of the market. Buyers usually font just pay for the SSD they also need to pay for cooling solutions such as dedicated fans or heatsinks as these SSDs tend to overheat. This is not optionable it’s mandatory to maintain good thermals and avoid damage to the setup.
In comparison PCle 3.0 and 4.0 are much more affordable and offer excellent performance at half the cost. Why invest more in PCle 5.0 when its predecessors offer nearly the same when it comes to gaming. You are better off purchasing a PCle 4.0 SSD set and investing what you have left on other PC components that will actually better your gameplay.
Future Proofing Argument
One of the biggest reasons why gamers take to PCle 5.0 is to future proof their setup. Developers are slowly beginning to take to something called DirectStorage which allows faster asset streaming from SSDs to GPUs. Theoretically PCle 5.0 could give gamers an edge when DirectStorage becomes a standard.
The transition to this technology, however, will take long. Right now, only a few games support DirectStorage and do not show any major performance difference between all PCle generations. By the time we actually need PCle 5.0 prices will have likely dropped significantly so therefore, it’s better to just stay grounded with PCle 3.0 or 4.0 for now.
Final Thoughts
PCle 5.0 is an amazing technology that delivers record breaking speeds, pushing storage to a new level. But, In the current day and age they are more of a luxury than a necessity. Unless your someone dealing with heavy workloads you really don’t need them. It’s better to invest in a larger PCle 4.0 drive, better GPU or even a better monitor.
For those seeking performance practicality beats hype. PCLe 5.0 may be what we need in the future but for now it’s just not worth the purchase.
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[Comparisons Expert]
Shehryar Khan, a seasoned PC hardware expert, brings over three years of extensive experience and a deep passion for the world of technology. With a love for building PCs and a genuine enthusiasm for exploring the latest advancements in components, his expertise shines through his work and dedication towards this field. Currently, Shehryar is rocking a custom loop setup for his built.
Get In Touch: shehryar@tech4gamers.com
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