In this article, we tested the performance between the storage units of M.2 NVME vs SSD vs HDD to see which one is the fastest.
Since the computer’s birth, many upgrades have happened in its internal sections. And the evolution of PC storage units is quite noticeable. Nowadays, globally, computer users use three types of storage units. Those using their PC for learning and IT work still use the Hard Disk Drive (HDD). Those who want to copy or deliver data faster use Solid State Drive (SSD). And those who are hackers or hardcore PC gamers and want to manage space inside pc cabinets use M.2 Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe), the most compact form of the computer storage unit.
These storage units do the same process of storing, managing, and delivering data on a PC. But the products differ from their performance point of view. So we decided to run a speed test with M.2 NVME vs SSD vs HDD test on my Gaming PC by keeping all other parts unchanged to see which storage unit is the fastest in 2022.
Now without further delay, let’s check out the M.2 NVMe vs SSD vs HDD performance results.
M.2 NVMe vs SATA SSD vs Hard Disk Test Setup
Here are the system details of the M.2 NVME vs SSD vs HDD experiment
| CPU | Intel Core-i5 8400 8th Gen CPU 2.8GHz |
| GPU | Zotac RTX 2060 6GB GPU |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Motherboard | Gigabyte Z370P D3 Motherboard |
| Storage | Western Digital Blue 7200rpm 1TB Samsung 860 EVO Series 500 GB Samsung 970 EVO 500 GB |
| PSU | Corsair 650W SMPS |
Before any delay, let’s check the results of the NVMe vs SSD vs HDD.
Hard Disk vs SSD vs NVMe Speed Test
Here are the details of the experiment result of M.2 NVME vs SSD vs HDD
| Storage Type vs Software | Hard Disk Drive (HDD) | Solid State Drive (SSD) | M.2 Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVME) |
| Windows 10 Booting time | 00:54:853 | 00:11:902 | 00:11:603 |
| Metro Exodus | 00:39:253 | 00:28:503 | 00:27:603 |
| Watch Dogs 2 | 00:43:953 | 00:16:903 | 00:16:053 |
| Far Cry New Dawn | 00:21:502 | 00:18:103 | 00:16:602 |
| Kingdom Come Deliverance | 01:00:153 | 00:06:702 | 00:06:402 |
| Rise of the Tomb Raider | 01:02:053 | 00:10:302 | 00:10:452 |
| Battlefield V | 00:46:352 | 00:20:903 | 00:20:254 |
The above chart shows that Solid State Drive and Non-Volatile Memory Express have a massive performance benefit over the Hard Disk Drive. Both these two small-size storage units come in a small form factor and have good data transferring speeds.
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But from the storage data or memory size and pricing point of view, the traditional Hard Disk Drives differ vastly from the rest of the storage units. Also, it is interesting to see that even with a big difference in the budget, NVMe is still worth it because of the speed and the compactness, although the SATA SSD drives give similar performance as well, so you can’t go wrong with either of those. So here are our final verdict.
- Hard Disk Drive (HDD) – Best for storing a large amount of data but remarkably slower. These are only good for storing data and not the operating system. The pricing is the lowest among all three.
- SATA Solid State Drive (SSD) – Best for transferring data at a moderate speed with appropriate space for memory or data. This is costlier than the HDD but makes up for the operation speed.
- M.2 Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) – Best for Transferring data at the fastest speed with a limited amount of space and the most minor form factor
So this was all about NVMe vs SSD vs HDD experiment details. If you think we missed out on anything, let us know in the comments down below.
That’s all, Folks!
