Best M.2 SSDs Under $100: Cost per Terabyte, NAND Type and Endurance Compared

The best M.2 SSDs under $100 in 2026 are the Lexar NM790 2TB when you want the most fast storage for the money, the WD Black SN850X 1TB or Samsung 990 Pro 1TB when you want a DRAM-equipped performance drive, the Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB for efficiency in laptops and small builds, and the Kingston NV3 2TB for maximum capacity per dollar. Which one wins for you depends on a simple trade-off: capacity versus consistency under heavy writes.

Flash memory pricing has been volatile since late 2025, so treat the sub-$100 line as a target that some drives cross only during sales. The analysis below focuses on what you get for each dollar rather than on a fixed price tag.

Crucial P310 2TB SSD, PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280, Up to 7,100MB/s, for Laptop, Desktop (PC), & Handheld Gaming Consoles, Includes Acronis Data Recovery Software, Solid State Drive - CT2000P310SSD801

Included for 'Best M.2 SSDs Under $100: Cost per Terabyte, NAND Type and Endurance Compared' because the listing specifies PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280 and Up to 7, details this guide uses to compare options.

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Crucial P310 500GB SSD, PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280, Up to 6,600MB/s, for Laptop, Desktop (PC), & Handheld Gaming Consoles, Includes Acronis Data Recovery Software, Solid State Drive - CT500P310SSD801

Included for 'Best M.2 SSDs Under $100: Cost per Terabyte, NAND Type and Endurance Compared' because the listing specifies PCIe Gen4 NVMe M.2 2280 and Up to 6, details this guide uses to compare options.

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Crucial P310 M.2 2280 2TB PCI-Express 4.0 x4 NVMe 3D NAND Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) CT2000P310SSD8

Included for 'Best M.2 SSDs Under $100: Cost per Terabyte, NAND Type and Endurance Compared' as a relevant option in this category; details come from the product listing.

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Crucial P310 2TB M.2 2230 SSD, PCIe Gen4 NVMe, Up to 7,100MB/s, Ideal for Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally, MSI Claw, Mini PCs & Ultrabooks, Solid State Drive - CT2000P310SSD2

Included for 'Best M.2 SSDs Under $100: Cost per Terabyte, NAND Type and Endurance Compared' because the listing specifies PCIe Gen4 NVMe and Up to 7, details this guide uses to compare options.

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What Actually Matters in a Cheap NVMe SSD

For gaming, sequential read speed is the least important number on the box. Games load mostly through random reads of small files, and once you are past roughly 3,500 MB/s, load-time differences shrink to a second or two. These factors matter more:

• NAND type: TLC flash holds three bits per cell and sustains write speeds far better than QLC (four bits). QLC drives are fine for game libraries but slow down sharply when copying hundreds of gigabytes at once.
• DRAM cache or HMB: drives with onboard DRAM keep their mapping table close by. DRAM-less drives use Host Memory Buffer, borrowing a small slice of system RAM. For gaming, modern HMB drives perform nearly as well; DRAM helps more in heavy multitasking and sustained writes.
• Endurance (TBW): terabytes written before the warranty expires. A typical gamer writes 10-20 TB a year, so even 400 TBW lasts well beyond a five-year warranty.
• Capacity: large modern games often need 100-150 GB each. A 1 TB drive holds roughly six to eight big titles after Windows; 2 TB holds around fifteen.

The Best Picks

Lexar NM790 2TB: best 2TB NVMe under $100 when on sale

The NM790 combines PCIe 4.0 speeds up to about 7,400 MB/s with TLC flash, efficient power use and a high 1,500 TBW endurance rating on the 2TB model. It is DRAM-less, using HMB, but sustained write behavior is good for its class. When it dips to around $100-$130, it is one of the best pcie 4 ssd budget options available. It also fits the PS5’s expansion slot with a heatsink.

WD Black SN850X 1TB: best for consistent performance

A long-standing high-end PCIe 4.0 drive, the SN850X uses DRAM and TLC flash for steady performance even under heavy loads, with reads up to about 7,300 MB/s and 600 TBW endurance on the 1TB model. The 1TB version commonly sells around $80-$110.

Samsung 990 Pro 1TB: the SN850X’s direct rival

Similar positioning: PCIe 4.0, DRAM, TLC, reads up to roughly 7,450 MB/s and 600 TBW on the 1TB model. Samsung’s Magician software makes firmware updates and health monitoring simple. It often sits slightly above the line, typically $85-$120, so it is a pick to grab when it dips.

Samsung 990 EVO Plus 1TB: best for laptops and compact builds

This drive can run as PCIe 4.0 x4 or PCIe 5.0 x2, reaching up to about 7,150 MB/s. It is DRAM-less but power-efficient, which helps in laptops and small-form-factor PCs where heat is a concern. Expect roughly $75-$100 for 1TB.

Kingston NV3 2TB: cheapest NVMe SSD capacity

This is the cheap NVMe SSD choice when capacity matters most. It is a DRAM-less PCIe 4.0 drive reading up to about 6,000 MB/s, but Kingston does not guarantee a specific NAND type, so components can vary between batches and some units may use QLC flash. That makes it an excellent game library drive and a less ideal sole drive for a video-editing workstation. Typical 2TB pricing runs about $90-$125.

Spec Comparison

Worked Calculation: Cost per Terabyte and Years of Endurance

Dividing price by capacity reveals the real value. At the midpoint of the ranges above, a 1TB performance drive costs about $90-$95 per terabyte, while a 2TB value drive costs about $55 per terabyte. The 2TB drives deliver roughly 40% more storage per dollar.

Endurance is rarely the limit. Take the Kingston NV3 2TB at 640 TBW. A heavy gamer installing and deleting several large games a month might write 25 TB a year. 640 divided by 25 equals about 25 years, far beyond any realistic upgrade cycle. Even QLC-based drives are not a lifespan concern for gaming.

Which Drive Should You Buy?

Installation Tips

• Put your main drive in the M.2 slot wired to the CPU, usually the top slot nearest the socket.
• Use the motherboard’s included M.2 heatsink; it prevents throttling during long file transfers.
• After installing, initialize the drive in Disk Management as GPT before formatting.
• Leave roughly 10-15% free space; SSDs slow down noticeably when nearly full, especially QLC models.

FAQ

Is PCIe 5.0 worth it on a budget?

No. PCIe 5.0 drives cost substantially more per terabyte and run hotter, and games load only fractionally faster. A good PCIe 4.0 drive is the right budget choice.

Will a PCIe 4.0 SSD work in a PCIe 3.0 slot?

Yes. It runs at PCIe 3.0 speeds, about 3,500 MB/s maximum, which is still fast enough for gaming.