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Samsung SSD 990 PRO with Heatsink 1TB, NVMe M.2, Up to 7,450MB/s
Included for 'Best ssd for star citizen: Complete Best Picks for 2026' because the listing specifies NVMe M.2 and Up to 7, details this guide uses to compare options.
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Samsung SSD 990 PRO with Heatsink 4TB, NVMe M.2, Up to 7,450MB/s
Included for 'Best ssd for star citizen: Complete Best Picks for 2026' because the listing specifies NVMe M.2 and Up to 7, details this guide uses to compare options.
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Samsung SSD 990 EVO Plus 2TB, PCIe Gen 4x4 | 5x2 M.2 2280, Up to 7,250 MB/s
Included for 'Best ssd for star citizen: Complete Best Picks for 2026' because the listing specifies PCIe Gen 4x4 and 5x2 M.2 2280, details this guide uses to compare options.
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Samsung SSD 9100 PRO 1TB, PCIe 5.0x4 M.2 2280, Up to 14,700MB/s
Included for 'Best ssd for star citizen: Complete Best Picks for 2026' because the listing specifies PCIe 5.0x4 M.2 2280 and Up to 14, details this guide uses to compare options.
View on AmazonBest ssd for star citizen depends mainly on having a compatible M.2 NVMe slot, enough free capacity, and sustained storage performance rather than chasing the highest advertised sequential number. RSI currently requires a 150+ GB SSD, recommends Windows 10/11, and notes that actual performance varies with the wider system configuration.
How to Choose an SSD for Star Citizen
For a large game with a 150+ GB SSD requirement, capacity should come before headline throughput because Windows, the RSI Launcher, Star Citizen, patches, and a pagefile all need working space. RSI specifically recommends at least 100 GB for the launcher and game plus another 10 GB on the SSD for the pagefile.
Choose 2TB Capacity for a Practical Game Drive
A 2TB model is a sensible target for the best ssd for star citizen when the drive will also hold Windows or other games. The four drives below all have 2TB versions, giving substantially more usable room than the game’s minimum requirement while avoiding the need to manage free space as tightly. Manufacturer capacity is quoted before formatting and system overhead.
Prefer PCIe 4.0 NVMe Instead of SATA
The best ssd for star citizen does not need PCIe 5.0 to satisfy the game requirement, because RSI specifies an SSD rather than a particular PCIe generation. PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives such as the Samsung 990 PRO and WD_BLACK SN850X offer several GB/s of sequential throughput, while independent gaming-storage tests show much smaller differences between fast NVMe models than their specification sheets suggest.
Check the M.2 2280 Slot and Lane Support
Before buying, confirm that the motherboard has an M-key M.2 slot supporting an M.2 2280 NVMe drive. The SN850X, 990 PRO, 990 EVO Plus, and T500 use this physical format, while the interface requirements differ slightly: the 990 EVO Plus can use PCIe 4.0 x4 or PCIe 5.0 x2, whereas the other three are PCIe 4.0 designs.
Account for Cooling and Motherboard Hardware
An M.2 heatsink can matter when a drive operates under sustained storage workloads, although normal game loading is not equivalent to a long sequential-write workload. The T500 is available with or without a heatsink, and independent testing found its bare drive could reach above 80°C during sustained writes, while motherboard cooling substantially reduced that temperature.
Top Picks for the Best SSD for Star Citizen
The following table compares four 2TB PCIe NVMe options using manufacturer specifications and independent storage benchmarks. The benchmark figures are not Star Citizen FPS measurements: 3DMark Storage represents gaming-oriented loading, installation, saving, and recording workloads, while other tests use specific games or storage traces.
| Product | Best For | Key Spec | Compatibility | Watch Out For |
| Samsung 990 PRO 2TB | Best Overall | Up to 7,450/6,900 MB/s read/write | M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0 x4 | Premium positioning |
| Crucial T500 2TB | Best Value | Up to 7,400/7,000 MB/s read/write | M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0 | Cooling matters under sustained load |
| WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB | Best Gaming-Focused Pick | Up to 7,300/6,600 MB/s read/write | M.2 2280, PCIe Gen4 | Heatsink version adds height |
| Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB | Best Flexible Interface | Up to 7,250/6,300 MB/s read/write | M.2 2280, PCIe 4.0 x4 or 5.0 x2 | Uses HMB rather than DRAM |
Samsung 990 PRO 2TB — Best Overall
The Samsung 990 PRO 2TB fits buyers who want a high-end PCIe 4.0 drive for Star Citizen and a broader gaming library. Samsung specifies up to 7,450 MB/s sequential read and 6,900 MB/s sequential write, with a 2GB DRAM cache, 1,200 TBW rating, and five-year limited warranty.
Its independent gaming-storage evidence is also strong, although the exact result depends on the test platform and software. Tom’s Hardware reported the 990 PRO producing its best 3DMark Storage result in that review, while ComputerBase later recorded 3,422 points for the 2TB model in its own 3DMark Storage setup. It should not be bought solely for a benchmark lead.
The real weakness is that Star Citizen itself does not require a 7,450 MB/s drive, so paying more for the 990 PRO does not automatically create a matching improvement in frame rate. Buyers using an older motherboard with a PCIe 3.0 M.2 slot should also avoid paying specifically for its Gen4 peak throughput.
Crucial T500 2TB — Best Value
The Crucial T500 2TB suits players who want high-end Gen4 specifications without moving to a PCIe 5.0 platform. Crucial lists up to 7,400 MB/s sequential read, 7,000 MB/s sequential write, up to 1.18 million random-read IOPS, and 1,200 TBW for the 2TB model.
Independent gaming-storage testing gives useful context: KitGuru measured a 975.71 MB/s average game-loading bandwidth in its 3DMark Storage gaming traces, while its Final Fantasy XIV benchmark was a separate test rather than a Star Citizen measurement. Tom’s Hardware also identified strong overall Gen4 performance but noted inconsistent sustained-write behavior.
Its weakness is thermal behavior during prolonged heavy writes rather than ordinary game launching. PCGamesN reported the tested bare T500 reaching above 80°C before throttling, while a motherboard M.2 heatsink reduced the recorded peak to 63°C. That makes the heatsink version or a compatible motherboard cover worth checking for compact systems.
WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB — Best Gaming-Focused Pick
The WD_BLACK SN850X 2TB is aimed directly at gaming PCs and provides up to 7,300 MB/s sequential read, 6,600 MB/s sequential write, 1.2 million random-read IOPS, and 1.1 million random-write IOPS. WD specifies a PCIe Gen4 interface, M.2 2280 compatibility, 1,200 TBW endurance, and a five-year warranty.
Its gaming-storage credentials come from independent benchmarks rather than Star Citizen-specific measurements. ComputerBase recorded 3,779 points and 640.4 MB/s in its 3DMark Storage test for the 2TB SN850X, while its DirectStorage-related Avocados result reached 19.4 GB/s. These figures use different workloads and should not be interpreted as Star Citizen FPS or loading-time results.
The main drawback is platform cost if your motherboard already provides adequate M.2 cooling and you are moving from another capable Gen4 SSD. WD also sells a heatsink version, but its dimensions are substantially thicker than the bare drive, so motherboard M.2 covers and surrounding clearance should be checked before installation.
Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB — Best Flexible Interface
The Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB is useful for newer systems because its interface supports PCIe 4.0 x4 or PCIe 5.0 x2. Samsung specifies up to 7,250 MB/s sequential read, 6,300 MB/s sequential write, 1 million random-read IOPS, and 1.35 million random-write IOPS, with a five-year or 1,200 TBW limited warranty.
It uses TLC NAND and Host Memory Buffer rather than a dedicated DRAM cache, which distinguishes it from the 990 PRO. Tom’s Hardware includes the 990 EVO Plus in its 3DMark Storage testing, while ComputerBase measured 22.5 GB/s in its Microsoft DirectStorage bulk-load test with an RTX 3080 Ti. Neither result represents Star Citizen directly.
The weakness is that its flexible PCIe interface does not make it inherently faster in Star Citizen. On a conventional PCIe 4.0 x4 gaming system, its theoretical sequential figures sit below the 990 PRO and T500, while the HMB design means buyers seeking a DRAM-equipped premium SSD have other choices in this roundup.
FAQ: Four Questions About Star Citizen SSDs
The four questions below address the practical buying issues that matter most: whether an SSD is mandatory, how much capacity is needed, whether NVMe is necessary, and whether SSD speed directly changes FPS. RSI’s current requirements provide the baseline, while independent benchmarks show why SSD comparisons should use the right workload.
Does Star Citizen Require an SSD?
Yes, Star Citizen currently requires a 150+ GB SSD according to Roberts Space Industries, with Windows 10 or Windows 11 supported and 16GB RAM listed as the minimum. RSI also recommends keeping at least 100GB available for the launcher and game plus another 10GB on the SSD for the pagefile.
That requirement does not specify PCIe 4.0, NVMe, or a particular SSD model, so an older compatible SSD can satisfy the storage requirement. However, an HDD should not be selected for this game simply because it has enough capacity: RSI explicitly lists solid-state storage as required.
Is 2TB Enough for Star Citizen?
Yes, 2TB provides considerably more capacity than the game’s current 150+ GB minimum and leaves room for Windows, the launcher, other games, and free space for updates. The actual usable capacity will be lower than the manufacturer’s advertised 2,000GB because of formatting and system overhead.
A 1TB SSD can also meet the stated storage requirement, but capacity planning becomes more restrictive when the same drive holds Windows and several large games. For a dedicated Star Citizen drive, 2TB is not a technical requirement; it is a capacity choice that provides more working room than the minimum.
Does NVMe Make Star Citizen Run at Higher FPS?
No, an NVMe SSD should not be treated as a direct FPS upgrade, because frame rate depends on the complete CPU, GPU, memory, game version, location, server population, and other conditions. RSI explicitly notes that Star Citizen performance and frame rates vary with system and gameplay conditions.
Storage can still affect loading and asset-related behavior, especially compared with a hard drive. An older Star Citizen comparison using an M.2 SSD and HDD reported substantially shorter loading and less hitching with solid-state storage, but that test used a 2018 game build and therefore should not be used as a current performance measurement.
Should You Buy PCIe 5.0 Instead?
Not specifically for Star Citizen, because RSI’s current requirement is simply a 150+ GB SSD and does not require PCIe 5.0. A quality PCIe 4.0 NVMe drive already provides substantially higher sequential throughput than the storage requirement itself specifies.
A PCIe 5.0 SSD can make sense when the motherboard already supports it and the drive will serve other workloads that benefit from higher storage throughput, but gaming benchmarks show that storage-generation differences do not translate directly into equivalent game performance. For this use case, capacity, compatibility, cooling, and overall system balance remain relevant buying considerations.
Final Thoughts
The best ssd for star citizen is a compatible 2TB NVMe drive with adequate cooling and free space rather than a purchase based only on peak sequential speed. The Samsung 990 PRO, Crucial T500, WD_BLACK SN850X, and Samsung 990 EVO Plus each meet the practical storage class needed for the game while offering different hardware approaches.
