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An XDA Developers writer reports that switching from a PCIe 4.0 Corsair MP600 to a PCIe 5.0 Crucial T710 did not noticeably shorten game load times. The account is a personal test, not a controlled benchmark; it suggests gamers may get more value from extra SSD capacity than peak sequential speed.
An XDA Developers writer says upgrading from a PCIe 4.0 Corsair MP600 NVMe SSD to a PCIe 5.0 Crucial T710 produced no noticeable change in game load times over roughly six months of use. The account challenges the assumption that much higher advertised storage speeds will make games load proportionately faster, while reflecting one user’s experience rather than a controlled, broadly representative test.
The writer bought the Crucial T710 while upgrading to an AM5 system with an X870E motherboard that supports PCIe 5.0 storage. The T710 advertises sequential read speeds of up to 14,900 MB/s; the previous drive was a Corsair MP600 Gen 4 NVMe SSD purchased in 2019. The writer describes the newer drive as about three times faster on paper, but says fast travel and save loading in the games they played felt much the same.
The account distinguishes benchmark performance from everyday gaming. The writer says storage benchmarks such as CrystalDiskMark can show high sequential read speeds, but argues that games often use random reads and operate at lower queue depths. On that basis, they say games may not use the peak throughput highlighted in SSD specifications. These are the writer’s explanation and observations, not measurements from a published head-to-head testing suite.
Game loading also involves work beyond reading files from storage, the writer notes. CPU processing and asset decompression, preparing data in RAM and video memory, game-engine tasks, shader compilation and online services can all contribute to waiting. A faster SSD can only reduce the part of loading time that is actually limited by storage. The writer says the difference was not noticeable even in games they identify as supporting DirectStorage, including Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
Speed Versus Space for Gamers
For people buying storage mainly to play games, the report points to a practical trade-off: paying more for peak SSD speed may not produce an obvious improvement if an existing NVMe drive already loads games quickly. The writer’s recommendation is to consider putting the extra money toward greater capacity, particularly as some large games require more than 100 GB of storage.
That advice is not a guarantee that every system or game will behave the same way. Load times depend on the full hardware and software setup, and a move from a hard drive or SATA SSD to an NVMe drive may be more noticeable than an upgrade between two NVMe generations. The central takeaway is narrower: a much higher sequential-read figure alone does not establish how much faster a game will load.
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A Gen 5 Upgrade on AM5
The writer made the upgrade earlier in 2026, when moving to an AM5 platform. The X870E motherboard could run PCIe 5.0 SSDs, so the Crucial T710 was chosen to use that capability. The prior Corsair MP600 was a PCIe 4.0 NVMe drive, which the writer says had already made loading waits short enough that further gains were difficult to notice.
The article also discusses Microsoft DirectStorage, a technology intended to reduce CPU overhead in storage operations and allow GPU-based asset decompression. The writer sees potential for the feature to make faster storage more useful as game support develops, but says its current adoption and the writer’s own experience have not made PCIe 5.0 speeds necessary for the games discussed. The piece does not provide timed load tests or a full list of tested games.
““When gaming, I just don’t see the difference at all, no matter what title I play.””
— XDA Developers writer
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Limits of One Gamer’s Test
The account does not include timed comparisons, a detailed test method, a full hardware specification beyond the named platform and drives, or results across a defined set of games. It therefore cannot establish the size of any load-time difference, or whether another game, system configuration or workload would benefit more from PCIe 5.0 storage.
The article also does not give prices for the specific SSDs or quantify how much capacity a buyer could gain for the same additional cost. Its comments about storage prices and AI demand are not accompanied by figures or a cited market analysis. DirectStorage’s future effect on game performance is also uncertain; the writer expects the technology could matter more as adoption grows but reports no noticeable benefit in the named titles.
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Watch for Better Game Tests
The next useful evidence would be controlled, timed comparisons of the same games on Gen 3, Gen 4 and Gen 5 SSDs, using the same system and repeated runs. Tests that separate storage reading from CPU work, decompression and shader compilation could help show when a faster drive changes the time players actually wait.
For shoppers, the practical choice depends on the current drive, game library, budget and other workloads. The XDA writer says they do not regret buying the T710, citing occasional virtual-machine use and a belief that future storage demands may make the speed more useful. For a gaming-focused purchase, however, they favor a Gen 4 NVMe drive and spending the difference on capacity. Whether later DirectStorage adoption changes that balance remains to be seen.
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Key Questions
Did the PCIe 5.0 SSD make games load faster?
The XDA writer reports no noticeable improvement after replacing a PCIe 4.0 Corsair MP600 with a PCIe 5.0 Crucial T710. The article does not provide timed benchmarks, so it does not quantify any small difference.
Why might a faster SSD not reduce game loading much?
Storage is only one part of loading. CPU processing, asset decompression, preparing data in memory, game-engine work, shader compilation and online services can also take time. If one of those is the limiting step, higher peak SSD speed may have little effect on the overall wait.
Does the report show that PCIe 5.0 SSDs are never useful?
No. The writer’s conclusion is about their gaming experience, not every use or system. They say the T710 may help with occasional virtual-machine workloads and could matter more as storage demands and game support change.
What SSD does the writer recommend for gaming?
The writer suggests buying a Gen 4 NVMe drive for gaming and using the money saved on more capacity. That is a personal recommendation; buyers should account for their own prices, current hardware and other workloads.
Source: XDA Developers
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