Why Gen4 is the gaming default
Gen4 hits the sweet spot of speed, price and heat. It meets Microsoft's DirectStorage bar, loads games as fast as anything you can buy today in practice, and does it without the extra cost and temperature of Gen5. For a gaming PC or a PS5, Gen4 is the sensible choice.
Three-tier recommendation
| Tier | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Lexar NM790 / WD_BLACK SN770 | Great £/TB Gen4 speed |
| Balanced | Crucial T500 / WD_BLACK SN850X | DRAM, flagship Gen4 |
| Premium | Samsung 990 Pro | Fastest, most efficient Gen4 |
Honest trade-off
The only reason to skip Gen4 for Gen5 is if you do heavy sequential work outside gaming. For pure play, Gen4 is faster value and the money is better spent on capacity or your graphics card.