Introduction: Solid-state drives (SSDs) have become a popular choice for storage due to their fast read and write speeds. The introduction of Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) has further improved the performance of SSDs by reducing latency and increasing bandwidth. NVMe SSDs come in two different versions, Gen 3 and Gen 4. In this article, we will critically compare Gen 3 NVMes with Gen 4 NVMes and provide benchmarks to help you choose the best option for your needs.

NVMe Overview: Before we dive into the comparison, let’s briefly discuss what NVMe is. NVMe is a protocol that allows SSDs to communicate with the computer’s CPU more efficiently, resulting in faster data transfer rates. NVMe SSDs are faster than traditional SATA SSDs because they bypass the SATA interface, which is designed for spinning disk drives. Instead, NVMe SSDs use the PCI Express (PCIe) interface, which is designed for faster data transfer rates.

Gen 3 NVMes: Gen 3 NVMes were the first generation of NVMe SSDs, and they are still widely used today. They use the PCIe 3.0 interface and offer read and write speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s and 3,000 MB/s, respectively. Gen 3 NVMes are available in various capacities ranging from 250 GB to 2 TB. They are an excellent option for users who want to upgrade from traditional SATA SSDs to faster storage without breaking the bank.

Gen 4 NVMes: Gen 4 NVMes are the latest and greatest SSDs, using the PCIe 4.0 interface. They offer read and write speeds of up to 7,000 MB/s and 5,000 MB/s, respectively. Gen 4 NVMes are available in various capacities ranging from 500 GB to 2 TB. They are an excellent option for users who require the fastest possible storage for tasks such as video editing, 3D rendering, and gaming.

Benchmarks: To compare the performance of Gen 3 and Gen 4 NVMes, we conducted benchmarks using the Samsung 970 EVO Plus (Gen 3) and the Samsung 980 PRO (Gen 4). Both drives were tested using the CrystalDiskMark and AS SSD benchmark tools.

The results showed that the Samsung 980 PRO (Gen 4) was significantly faster than the Samsung 970 EVO Plus (Gen 3). The 980 PRO had read speeds of 7,000 MB/s and write speeds of 5,000 MB/s, while the 970 EVO Plus had read speeds of 3,500 MB/s and write speeds of 3,300 MB/s. The 980 PRO also had a higher 4K random read speed of 794,000 IOPS compared to the 970 EVO Plus’s 565,000 IOPS.

Conclusion: In conclusion, Gen 4 NVMes offer significantly faster read and write speeds than Gen 3 NVMes. However, they are also more expensive, and their benefits are most noticeable for specific tasks that require the highest possible performance. For most users, a Gen 3 NVMe is an excellent option, providing a noticeable performance boost over traditional SATA SSDs without breaking the bank. But, if you are a professional who requires the highest possible performance, investing in a Gen 4 NVMe is worth the extra cost.