PCIe Gen 4 SSD vs Gen 3: What You Need to Know

Staring at a loading screen while your mates are already dropping into the action? We’ve all been there. That spinning icon is the ultimate killjoy. In the quest for instant-on performance, the PCIe Gen 4 SSD vs Gen 3 debate is crucial. Is the newer tech worth the extra Rands for your South African gaming rig, or is the trusty Gen 3 still the king of value? Let's break it down, no jargon allowed.

Kingston Fury Renegade 4TB NVMe SSD / M.2 2280 Form Factor / PCIe Gen5.0 / Up to 14,800MB/s Read / Up to 14,000MB/s Write / SFYR2S/4T0

R9999.00In Stock

Kingston KC3000 PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 512GB SSD - High-Performance Storage for Desktop and Laptop PCs / 7,000MB/s Read, 3,900MB/s Write / Includes Acronis cloning software / SKC3000S/512G

R1399.00In Stock

Kingston KC3000 PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 2TB SSD - High-Performance Storage for Desktop and Laptop PCs -SKC3000D/2048G

R3999.00In Stock

Teamgroup T-Force VULCAN Z 1TB SSD / Up to 550MB/s Sequential Read Speed / Up to 500 MB/s Sequential Write Speed / Shock + Vibration-Resistant, and Reduced Noise Interference / T253TZ001T0C101

R1899.00In Stock

Hikvision Future Lite 2TB M.2 PCI-e Gen 4x4 NVMe 3D NAND Solid State Drive (SSD) / Maximum Read Speed 7,100 MB/s / Maximum Write Speed 6,350 MB/s / HS-SSD-FUTURE LITE 2048G

R3299.00In Stock

Orico X7000 4TB NVMe Internal Solid State Drive SSD / Versatile storage for multiple platforms / PCIe Gen 4.0, M.2 2280 / Up to 7100MB/s Read Speed / Up to 6500MB/s Write Speed / ORICO-X7000-4TB-RD-BP

R6199.00In Stock

So, What's the Big Deal with Gen 4 vs Gen 3 SSDs?

At its heart, the difference is about bandwidth... think of it as changing from a two-lane road to a four-lane highway. A PCIe Gen 3 slot can move data at roughly 3,500 megabytes per second (MB/s). A PCIe Gen 4 SSD, however, can hit blistering speeds of over 7,000MB/s. 🚀

That’s double the theoretical performance. While you might not feel that full power in every single task, for heavy-duty work like editing 4K video or moving massive game files, the advantage of a PCIe 4.0 SSD becomes incredibly clear.

How This Affects Your Gaming and Daily Use

Okay, numbers are great, but what does this mean for loading into Apex Legends or booting up Windows?

For the Gamers

Right now, the difference in game load times between a top-tier Gen 3 and a Gen 4 SSD is often just a few seconds. But here's the key: future-proofing. Technologies like Microsoft's DirectStorage are designed to let your GPU access the SSD directly, slashing load times. Games built with this in mind will lean heavily on the speed of Gen 4 drives, making them a smart investment for a new build. When you need pure performance, you can't go wrong with top-tier Corsair SSDs.

For Content Creators & Power Users

This is where the PCIe Gen 4 vs Gen 3 SSD comparison really matters. If you're scrubbing through video timelines, rendering complex projects, or compiling code, Gen 4 is a massive quality-of-life improvement. Those seconds saved on every file transfer and render add up, making your entire workflow smoother. Investing in high-capacity 2TB drives means less time managing storage and more time creating.

Is a PCIe Gen 4 SSD Worth the Price in South Africa?

ADATA SE920 1TB External Solid State Drive / Up to 2000 MB/s Read Speed / Up to 3,700 MB/s Write Speed(3,200 MB/s with Thunderbolt 4) / USB4 USB-C Interface (Backwards Compatible with USB 3.2/2.0) / SE920-1TCBK

R2999.00In Stock

ADATA XPG GAMMIX S55 1TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x 4 M.2, R/W Speed up to 5,000/3,700MB/s, Internal Solid State Drive Great for Steam Deck, Microsoft Surface and Gaming Consoles / SGAMMIXS55-1T-C

R2499.00In Stock

KLEVV CRAS C910 4TB NVME PCIe SSD Gen4x4 / Sequential Read up to 5200MB/s / Sequential Write up to 4800MB/s / Aluminum Heatsink / 3D NAND Technology / K04TBM2SP0-C91

R5999.00In Stock

Kingston 1000G NV3 NVMe SSD / Up to 6,000MB/s Read / Up to 4,000MB/s Write / PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe / M.2 2280 Form Factor / SNV3S/1000G

R1999.00In Stock

Hikvision Future Lite 2TB M.2 PCI-e Gen 4x4 NVMe 3D NAND Solid State Drive (SSD) / Maximum Read Speed 7,100 MB/s / Maximum Write Speed 6,350 MB/s / HS-SSD-FUTURE LITE 2048G

R3299.00In Stock

Kingston KC600 SSD 1024G Internal SSD 2.5", SATA Rev 3.0, 3D TLC, XTS-AES 256-bit encryption / SKC600/1024G

R2199.00In Stock

Let's get down to brass tacks. Your choice in the PCIe Gen 4 SSD vs Gen 3 battle depends entirely on your build, budget, and what you do with your PC.

A PCIe Gen 4 SSD is the right call if:

• You're building a brand-new, high-end PC and want it to last.
• You're a content creator, developer, or data scientist.
• You want the absolute best performance and are ready for next-gen gaming tech.

A PCIe Gen 3 SSD is still a brilliant choice if:

• You're looking for the best bang-for-your-buck upgrade from a hard drive.
• Your motherboard only supports PCIe 3.0.
• Your main focus is gaming on current titles and general productivity.

For many builders, the incredible value offered by reliable Kingston drives makes Gen 3 a very smart and budget-friendly option. Similarly, you can find some great value ADATA options that deliver fantastic performance without breaking the bank. ✨

ADATA SU650 2TB 3D-NAND SATA 2.5 inch Internal SSD / 520MBs/450MBs - Read/Write Speed / ASU650SS-2TT-R

R1999.00In Stock

Kingston Fury Renegade 1TB PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe M.2 Internal Gaming SSD with Heat Sink | PS5 Ready | Up to 7300MB/s / SFYRSK/1000G

R2999.00In Stock

Corsair MP700 PRO 1TB with Air Cooler PCIe Gen5 x4 NVMe 2.0 M.2 SSD / Up to 11,700MB/s Sequential Read / Up to 9,600MB/s Sequential Write / M.2 2280 Form Factor / CSSD-F1000GBMP700PRO

R4199.00In Stock

Western Digital 2TB WD Blue SN580 M.2 NVMe SSD / PCIe® Gen 4.0 / Up to 4,150 MB/s Read / Up to 4,150 MB/s Write / WDS200T3B0E

R3499.00In Stock

XPG 2TB GAMMIX S70 Blade - Works with Playstation 5, PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 Internal Gaming SSD Up to 7,400 MB/s (AGAMMIXS70B-2T-CS)

R3699.00In Stock

Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy 80 1.92TB External SSD | FIPS 197 | XTS-AES 256GB Encrypted | Touch Screen PIN | Secure Data Protection | IKVP80ES/1920G

R6999.00In Stock

The verdict is simple: Gen 4 is the clear performance winner and the future standard, especially for demanding workloads. However, Gen 3 offers performance that is still lightyears ahead of old-school hard drives at a price that’s hard to ignore. The best choice is the one that fits your system and your wallet.