SABRENT Rocket 4 Plus 8TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2

8TB of Gen4 speed in a single M.2 slot, and it actually holds up over time. Just bring a heatsink and a thick wallet.

The headline numbers are 7100 MB/s read and 6600 MB/s write, which puts it in the top tier of Gen4 drives. That's fast enough to make a PS5 load times feel almost instant, and it's overkill for most desktop workloads in the best way. The catch? You need a PCIe Gen4 motherboard to hit those speeds. Drop it in a Gen3 slot and you're looking at 3400 MB/s read and 3000 MB/s write, which is still fine but feels like leaving a sports car in first gear. Also, Sabrent is very clear: you need a heatsink. This drive runs hot when it's pushing data, and thermal throttling will eat your performance if you skip it.

The Samsung 9100 PRO and WD_BLACK SN850X are both faster in random workloads and have better endurance ratings, but they top out at 4TB. The Kingston FURY Renegade G5 and Crucial T705 are also strong Gen4 contenders, but again, capacity is the differentiator. The Rocket 4 Plus 8TB is the only drive here that lets you drop 8TB into a single slot without going to a slower QLC drive. If you need the space, this wins by default. If you don't, every other drive on this list is a better buy.

This is not a value drive. At roughly $3,940 USD, you're paying a massive premium for the 8TB capacity. If you only need 4TB, buy the Samsung 9100 PRO or WD_BLACK SN850X and save yourself a pile of cash. But if you genuinely need 8TB in a single M.2 slot, there's no cheap alternative. You're paying for density, not performance per dollar.

The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 8TB is the drive you buy when you're done pretending 2TB is enough. This thing packs a ridiculous amount of TLC NAND into a standard M.2 2280 stick and still pushes 7100 MB/s reads. It's not cheap, and it's not for everyone, but if you need maximum capacity without sacrificing Gen4 speed, this is basically the only game in town.

If you're looking for a fast boot drive or a gaming drive and you don't need 8TB, this isn't it. Go get a 2TB or 4TB Samsung 9100 PRO or WD_BLACK SN850X instead. You'll get better random performance, better endurance, and you'll save hundreds of dollars. This drive only makes sense when the capacity is the entire point.

The Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus 8TB is a niche product that absolutely nails its niche. It's the highest-capacity Gen4 M.2 drive you can buy without sacrificing speed, and owners report excellent long-term reliability. The endurance rating is a real concern, and the price is eye-watering, but if you need 8TB in one slot, this is the drive to get. Everyone else should buy a 4TB drive and spend the savings on something fun.