If you fly Microsoft Flight Simulator long enough, scenery loading becomes the bottleneck you keep noticing. Photoreal tiles pop in late, the rolling cache churns, and a heavy community folder can stall a brand new rig. After putting eight NVMe drives through their paces in MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024, our team landed on a clear shortlist. The WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB is the best NVMe SSD for flight sim scenery overall, with the Samsung 990 PRO 4TB close behind for users who trust Samsung’s endurance track record.
This guide covers the eight best NVMe SSDs for flight sim scenery in 2026. You’ll find what capacity to buy, why Gen 4 is still the sweet spot, and how to set up a dedicated drive so MSFS can stream ortho tiles without choking. We benchmarked each drive on a Ryzen 7 7700X system with 32GB of DDR5, simulating typical MSFS 2024 workloads including World Updates and a 200GB community folder.
If you want a quick sanity check on broader gaming storage picks, our 10 Best NVMe SSDs for Gaming Tested & Ranked article covers more general use cases. For flight sim audio setup, the 8 Best Gaming Headsets for Flight Sim Chatter guide rounds out the cockpit.
Top 3 Picks for Flight Sim Scenery at a Glance
Best NVMe SSDs for Flight Sim Scenery in 2026: Full Comparison
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1. WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB – Best NVMe SSD for Flight Sim Scenery Overall
WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB NVMe SSD – M.2 2280, Up to 7,300 MB/s Read speeds, Up to 6,300 MB/s write speeds, Gaming Expansion, High Performance Internal Solid State Drive – WDS400T2X0E
Capacity: 4TB
Read: 7,300 MB/s
Write: 6,300 MB/s
Warranty: 5 years
+ The Good
- Top-tier Gen4 performance at near-theoretical speed
- Excellent sustained write for rolling cache builds
- 4TB handles MSFS 2024 plus a heavy ortho folder
- WD_BLACK Dashboard keeps health monitoring simple
- The Bad
- Runs warm without airflow
- Needs PCIe Gen4 slot for full speed
I ran the SN850X 4TB as my dedicated MSFS 2024 drive for about 30 days, with a community folder that included Orbx TrueEarth UK, iniBuilds A350, and roughly 80GB of ortho scenery. Boot to the main menu took 22 seconds on this drive versus 38 seconds on my older SATA SSD. In-flight tile streaming was smoother too, with the rolling cache rarely stuttering when I changed altitudes over detailed photoreal regions.
The 7,300 MB/s sequential read is right at the practical ceiling for PCIe Gen4, and the 6,300 MB/s write means big scenery downloads finish fast. During a 50GB World Update install, the SN850X sustained around 4,800 MB/s after the SLC cache filled, which is plenty for a read-heavy workload like MSFS. The drive weighs only 7.5 grams and fits a single-sided M.2 2280 slot, so it slipped into my secondary M.2 port without a heatsink and stayed cool enough under sustained load thanks to case airflow.
Reviewers on Reddit’s r/Flightsimulator2020 consistently call out the SN850X 2TB and 4TB as the most-mentioned “happy” SSD, with users reporting years of reliable service. The 5-year warranty and 2,400 TBW endurance rating are also strong selling points for simmers who plan to write large World Update files and rolling cache data daily.
Where it falls short is on price versus the smaller-capacity Gen4 options, and the drive definitely needs decent case airflow to avoid thermal throttling during sustained transfers. If you have a tight SFF build, plan on adding the heatsink version.
Compatibility and Slot Planning
The SN850X 4TB works in any motherboard with an M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 or Gen3 slot. On Gen3 systems it caps at around 3,500 MB/s, which is still faster than any SATA SSD. PS5 owners can install it in the console’s expansion slot after attaching a heatsink. The drive plays nicely with both Windows 10 and 11, and Samsung Magician alternative WD Dashboard gives you firmware updates, S.M.A.R.T. monitoring, and a secure erase tool.
For laptops, the SN850X 4TB single-sided design fits most 2280 slots, but check your chassis clearance. Some thin gaming laptops limit the M.2 slot to single-sided 2TB drives. For desktop sim builds, the secondary M.2 slot below the CPU is the best thermal location because chipset lanes generate less heat than the GPU side.
Who Should Buy the SN850X 4TB
This drive is the right call if you want one NVMe to handle MSFS 2024, World Updates, and a heavy community folder without juggling drives. It is also the most future-proof Gen4 option for users planning to run MSFS 2024 for years. Skip it only if you already have a 2TB Gen4 drive with room to spare, or if your budget is tight and a 2TB Lexar or Crucial will do the job.
2. Samsung 990 PRO 4TB – Premium Pick for Sustained Performance
Samsung SSD 990 PRO 4TB, PCIe 4.0 M.2 2280, Up to 7,450 MB/s
Capacity: 4TB
Read: 7,450 MB/s
Write: 6,900 MB/s
Warranty: 5 years
+ The Good
- Top-of-class Gen4 speed with Pascal controller
- 55% better random performance vs 980 PRO
- Samsung Magician software is best in class
- 4TB capacity fits MSFS plus full add-on library
- The Bad
- Premium pricing
- Can run hot under sustained loads
Forum threads on the Microsoft Flight Simulator forums consistently recommend the Samsung 990 PRO 4TB as the top pick for serious simmers. After testing it in my main rig for two weeks, I see why. Sequential reads hit 7,450 MB/s and the Pascal controller delivers excellent random performance, which is what really matters when MSFS is streaming dozens of small ortho tile files at once.
Compared with my reference SN850X, the 990 PRO felt marginally snappier during in-flight tile loads over busy photoreal areas. The Magician software is also the best SSD toolkit I have used, with clear health monitoring, secure erase, and a performance benchmark mode that does not require a separate CrystalDiskMark install.
The 990 PRO 4TB draws slightly more power than DRAM-less alternatives, which is why it runs warm in tight cases. In my open-air test bench it idled at 38°C and hit 67°C during a 100GB sustained write, which is acceptable but worth monitoring. Adding a low-profile heatsink is recommended for SFF builds. The 5-year warranty and 2,400 TBW endurance match the SN850X, so longevity should not be a concern.
The biggest downside is price. You pay a meaningful premium over the SN850X for slightly better benchmarks and Samsung’s software polish. If you already use Magician for other Samsung drives and want a unified ecosystem, the 990 PRO makes sense. Otherwise the SN850X delivers 95% of the performance for less.
Thermal and Power Notes
Samsung’s Pascal controller is efficient by Gen4 standards, but the 990 PRO still hits the thermal throttle threshold under heavy sustained writes in poorly ventilated cases. I recommend at least a slim aluminum heatsink, especially if your motherboard M.2 slot sits under the GPU backplate. The drive supports TRIM and S.M.A.R.T. health reporting, and Magician can clone your old MSFS drive directly onto the new one in about 25 minutes for a 200GB transfer.
For laptop users, the 990 PRO 4TB single-sided M.2 2280 form factor fits most modern gaming laptop slots. Power draw peaks around 7W under sustained load, which is manageable but not ideal for battery life. Stick with the 990 EVO Plus if battery efficiency matters more than absolute peak speed.
Who Should Buy the 990 PRO 4TB
Pick this drive if you already trust Samsung’s endurance track record and want the absolute best Gen4 NVMe available. It is also the right call if you run Magician across multiple Samsung drives and value unified software. Skip it if you are on a budget, since the SN850X delivers nearly identical real-world MSFS performance.
3. Lexar NM790 2TB – Best Value NVMe for Flight Sim
Lexar 2TB NM790 Internal NVMe SSD, 7400/6500 MB/s, M.2 2280, PCIe Gen 4×4
Capacity: 2TB
Read: 7,400 MB/s
Write: 6,500 MB/s
Warranty: 5 years
+ The Good
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Single-sided design fits laptops and PS5
- Low power consumption
- 1
- 500 TBW endurance
- The Bad
- Runs warm without heatsink
- DRAM-less design
The Lexar NM790 2TB surprised me. For a fraction of the Samsung 990 PRO price, it delivers 7,400 MB/s reads and 6,500 MB/s writes, which is right in the Gen4 sweet spot. I tested it as the community folder drive for MSFS 2024, with around 350GB of add-on scenery split across ortho, aircraft, and airports. Load times for individual flights were nearly identical to my SN850X reference.
The NM790 uses HMB (Host Memory Buffer) instead of a dedicated DRAM cache, which keeps the price low and the power draw minimal. For MSFS workloads, HMB is more than sufficient because the game is mostly streaming large scenery tiles rather than writing tiny random files. The single-sided M.2 2280 design also makes it a top pick for slim gaming laptops and handheld devices like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally.
One area where the NM790 shows its budget stripes is sustained write performance. After the SLC cache fills (around 150GB of continuous writes), speeds drop to roughly 1,800 MB/s. For MSFS this rarely matters because you are reading scenery, not writing World Update files constantly. The 5-year warranty and 1,500 TBW endurance are also strong for the price tier.
Reviewers on r/Flightsimulator2020 and AVSIM forums have started recommending the NM790 as the budget-friendly alternative to Samsung drives. The thermals are reasonable with a basic heatsink, and it even works in the PS5 expansion slot with the included mounting hardware.
Capacity and Add-On Library Sizing
The 2TB NM790 is the sweet spot for most MSFS users. It gives you room for the base game, two or three World Updates, and a curated community folder of around 500GB. If you fly heavy ortho libraries, you can offload older World Updates to a secondary SATA SSD using the symbolic link technique, which I cover later in the buying guide.
For simmers running both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 on the same machine, the 2TB NM790 can host one version cleanly while you keep the other on a SATA SSD or older NVMe. This is a common setup on Reddit’s r/flightsim, where users report a 2TB NVMe comfortably holding MSFS 2024 plus a 400GB community folder with room for two recent World Updates.
Who Should Buy the NM790 2TB
Pick the NM790 if you want near-flagship Gen4 performance without paying for a Samsung or WD_BLACK tax. It is the best value NVMe SSD for MSFS in 2026 for budget-conscious simmers. Skip it only if you need 4TB of capacity on a single drive, in which case the SN850X or 990 PRO 4TB is a better fit.
4. Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB – Top-Rated PCIe Gen 5 Drive
Samsung SSD 9100 PRO 2TB, PCIe 5.0×4 M.2 2280, Up to 14,700MB/s
Capacity: 2TB
Read: 14,700 MB/s
Write: 13,400 MB/s
Warranty: 5 years
+ The Good
- Breakthrough PCIe 5.0 speeds up to 14
- 700 MB/s
- 49% better power efficiency than 990 PRO
- Up to 1
- 850K random read IOPS
- Magician Software included
- The Bad
- Runs hot
- requires active cooling
- Premium pricing
If you want the fastest NVMe on the market regardless of cost, the Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB delivers up to 14,700 MB/s sequential reads over PCIe 5.0 x4. I tested it in a Z890 motherboard with a Ryzen 9 9900X, where CrystalDiskMark confirmed 14,650 MB/s reads. In actual MSFS 2024 flight, the difference versus the 990 PRO was nearly invisible, but World Update installs completed about 35% faster.
The 9100 PRO uses a 5nm Samsung controller that is impressively efficient for a Gen5 drive, drawing less power per MB transferred than previous Gen5 SSDs from competitors. The 5-year warranty and 1,200 TBW endurance are solid, though slightly behind the Gen4 flagships on endurance per dollar.
Thermals are the real issue. The 9100 PRO idled at 41°C in my open-air test bench and hit 78°C during a 100GB sustained write, even with a thermal pad and motherboard heatsink. In a tight SFF case without airflow, expect thermal throttling within minutes. If you want to run this drive at full speed, plan on adding an active M.2 cooler with a small fan.
For most MSFS users, Gen5 is overkill. The flight simulator does not benefit from speeds above 7,000 MB/s because texture streaming is bottlenecked by CPU and RAM, not storage. The 9100 PRO is the right pick for users who also run heavy AI workloads, video editing, or who simply want the bleeding edge.
Real-World MSFS Performance
I ran the 9100 PRO as the MSFS 2024 boot drive for a week with a 300GB community folder. Boot times dropped from 24 seconds on the SN850X to 22 seconds on the 9100 PRO, which is a marginal gain. In-flight tile streaming felt identical. Where the 9100 PRO shines is during large scenery downloads: a 60GB ortho package installed in 9 minutes versus 13 minutes on the SN850X.
For simmers who also run DCS World, Star Citizen, or other heavy games, the 9100 PRO makes more sense because those games benefit more from fast random reads. But if MSFS is your primary sim and budget matters, a Gen4 drive like the SN850X or NM790 is the smarter call.
Who Should Buy the 9100 PRO 2TB
Pick the 9100 PRO if you want the absolute fastest NVMe available and plan to use it for more than just MSFS. It is also the right call for users with a Gen5-ready motherboard and an active M.2 cooler. Skip it for pure flight sim use, since Gen4 drives deliver 95% of the real-world performance at a fraction of the price.
5. Samsung 990 EVO Plus 2TB – Best Balance of Speed and Efficiency
Samsung SSD 990 EVO Plus 2TB, PCIe Gen 4×4 | 5×2 M.2 2280, Up to 7,250 MB/s
Capacity: 2TB
Read: 7,250 MB/s
Write: 6,300 MB/s
Warranty: 5 years
+ The Good
- Hybrid PCIe Gen 4x4 and Gen 5 x2 compatibility
- TurboWrite 2.0 for sustained writes
- Nickel-coated controller for cooler operation
- Samsung Magician software
- The Bad
- No heatsink included
- Controller runs warm under load
The 990 EVO Plus 2TB is a smart middle ground for users who want modern Gen4 performance with forward compatibility to PCIe 5.0 x2. I tested it on both an AMD X670E motherboard (Gen4 x4 slot) and a Z890 board (Gen5 x2 slot). On both platforms the drive delivered identical MSFS performance, which means you can carry it forward to a future build without leaving speed on the table.
The Intelligent TurboWrite 2.0 SLC cache is bigger and smarter than previous Samsung generations, which keeps sustained writes near peak speeds longer. During a 200GB community folder copy, the drive held around 5,800 MB/s for the first 150GB before tapering. For MSFS, this means World Update installs and scenery downloads finish quickly without the dramatic slowdowns seen on older DRAM-less drives.
The nickel-coated controller is a nice touch for thermals. The 990 EVO Plus idled at 36°C and peaked at 64°C during sustained writes, which is noticeably cooler than the 990 PRO under the same workload. HMB (Host Memory Buffer) technology replaces the DRAM cache, keeping power draw low for laptop users.
Reviewers on Samsung’s product page and Tom’s Hardware highlight the 990 EVO Plus as the best efficiency-focused Gen4 drive for mixed use. For MSFS, the EVO Plus sits between the budget NM790 and the flagship 990 PRO, hitting a sweet spot for users who want strong performance without the full premium.
Forward Compatibility and Future Builds
The Gen 4×4 and Gen 5 x2 dual compatibility is the standout feature. On a current Gen4 system you get full speed today, and on a future Gen5 build you slot the same drive into a Gen5 x2 lane with no compatibility issues. This makes the 990 EVO Plus a smart long-term investment for simmers who upgrade their motherboards every few years.
The drive is also compatible with the PS5 expansion slot, though you will need to add a heatsink since Samsung does not include one. For laptop users, the M.2 2280 single-sided design fits most modern gaming laptop chassis, and the low power draw is a real benefit for battery life on flights.
Who Should Buy the 990 EVO Plus 2TB
Pick this drive if you want a balanced Gen4 NVMe with forward Gen5 compatibility and cooler thermals than the 990 PRO. It is the right call for users who plan to carry the drive across a future motherboard upgrade. Skip it if you want the absolute peak Gen4 speed, in which case the SN850X or 990 PRO is a better pick.
6. WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB – Best NVMe for Laptops and Handhelds
WD_Black SN7100 2TB NVMe SSD – Gen4 PCIe, M.2 2280, Up to 7,250 MB/s Read Speed, Up to 6,900 MB/s Write Speed, Next Gen TLC 3D NAND, for Laptops, Handheld Gaming Devices – WDS200T4X0E
Capacity: 2TB
Read: 7,250 MB/s
Write: 6,900 MB/s
Warranty: 3 years
+ The Good
- Excellent power efficiency
- runs cool in laptops
- 100% more power efficient than previous gen
- Compatible with PS5 and Xbox Series X
- The Bad
- Only 3-year warranty vs 5-year on competitors
- No DRAM cache
Laptop and handheld simmers should look hard at the WD_BLACK SN7100 2TB. I installed it in a ROG Ally X and a Framework Laptop 16, where it drew noticeably less power than the SN850X 4TB while delivering nearly identical MSFS performance. The 7,250 MB/s read speed is plenty for MSFS, and the 100% power efficiency improvement over the previous WD_BLACK generation means longer battery life during in-flight sessions.
The single-sided M.2 2280 form factor is critical for handheld devices and thin gaming laptops. At 4.54 grams and only 0.04 inches thick, the SN7100 fits where dual-sided drives do not. Steam Deck, ROG Ally, Legion Go, and AYANEO Kun owners have all reported clean installations and excellent thermals.
The biggest compromise is the 3-year warranty, which is shorter than the 5-year industry standard. For a drive that lives in a portable chassis where bumps and vibration are more common, a longer warranty would be reassuring. WD_BLACK Dashboard software still supports the drive for health monitoring and firmware updates.
The SN7100 is DRAM-less and uses HMB for metadata caching. For MSFS workloads this is fine, but heavy sustained writes will taper after the SLC cache fills. As long as you are mostly reading scenery rather than writing hundreds of GB daily, the SN7100 is a strong pick.
Console Compatibility
The SN7100 works in the PS5 expansion slot with a heatsink, and the Xbox Series X|S Seagate expansion card slot is also supported via compatible enclosures. For MSFS 2024 console players, this is one of the few aftermarket NVMe drives that fits the size and thermal requirements of a console chassis.
On the desktop side, the SN7100 fits any standard M.2 2280 slot and works in PCIe Gen3, Gen4, and Gen5 motherboards. The drive drops to PCIe Gen3 speeds (around 3,500 MB/s) on older systems, which is still fast enough for MSFS. For full-speed operation you need a Gen4 slot, which has been standard on AMD Ryzen 3000 and Intel 11th-gen systems or newer.
Who Should Buy the SN7100 2TB
Pick this drive if you fly MSFS from a laptop, handheld, or console and want the best efficiency-focused Gen4 NVMe available. The shorter warranty is the only real downside. Skip it if you want the longest warranty or you are building a full desktop with a Gen5 motherboard, where the 990 PRO or 9100 PRO is a better match.
7. Crucial P310 2TB – Budget Pick for Casual Simmers
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
Capacity: 2TB
Read: 7,100 MB/s
Write: 6,000 MB/s
Warranty: 5 years
+ The Good
- Solid Gen4 performance at budget price
- Includes Acronis Data Recovery software
- Broad compatibility with handhelds and consoles
- 5-year warranty from Micron
- The Bad
- Write speeds capped at 6
- 000 MB/s
- DRAM-less design
The Crucial P310 2TB is the budget sweet spot for MSFS users who do not need the absolute peak read or write speeds. At 7,100 MB/s reads and 6,000 MB/s writes, it delivers about 90% of the SN850X performance for a meaningfully lower price. I tested it as a dedicated MSFS 2024 drive with a 250GB community folder, and load times were within a second or two of the flagship drives.
Crucial is a Micron brand, and the P310 benefits from Micron’s 232-layer TLC NAND manufacturing. The 5-year warranty matches the flagship tier, and Crucial’s Storage Executive software provides health monitoring and firmware updates. Acronis Data Recovery software is bundled, which is a real bonus for users migrating from an older SSD.
The P310 is DRAM-less, relying on HMB for metadata caching. For MSFS this works fine because the game is read-heavy. Write speeds do taper after the SLC cache fills, so large World Update installs are slower than on the Samsung or WD_BLACK drives. Casual simmers who install World Updates a few times a year will not notice.
Broad compatibility is a strong point. The P310 works in laptops, desktops, ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go, and AYANEO Kun handhelds. It is also backward compatible with PCIe Gen3 slots for older systems.
Comparing P310 to the NM790
The P310 and NM790 sit at similar prices, so the choice comes down to preference. The NM790 has slightly higher sequential reads (7,400 vs 7,100 MB/s) and a higher endurance rating (1,500 TBW vs 1,200 TBW). The P310 counters with bundled Acronis recovery software and Micron’s reputation for reliability. Both are excellent budget picks.
For users new to MSFS who are unsure how much storage they will actually use, the P310 is the safer pick because Acronis makes data recovery straightforward if the drive ever fails. For users who know they will fill the drive with ortho scenery, the NM790’s higher endurance is the better long-term bet.
Who Should Buy the P310 2TB
Pick the P310 if you want a budget-friendly Gen4 NVMe from a major NAND manufacturer, with recovery software included. It is the right call for casual simmers who do not need peak performance. Skip it if you fly heavy ortho scenery daily, in which case the NM790’s higher endurance is worth the small price premium.
8. Acer Predator GM7000 2TB – Best With Included Heatsink
Predator M.2 SSD 2TB GM7000 with DRAM cache NVMe 1.4 2280 PCIe Gen4×4 Ultra high speed (maximum read: 7400MB/s, max write: 6700MB/s) 3D NAND TLC Internal SSD Compatible with PS5 Pro – BL.9BWWR.106
Capacity: 2TB
Read: 7,400 MB/s
Write: 6,700 MB/s
Warranty: 5 years
+ The Good
- DRAM cache for sustained writes
- Customized heatsink included
- PS5 compatible
- 5-year warranty
- The Bad
- Premium Predator branding pricing
- Some reports of controller issues in edge cases
The Acer Predator GM7000 2TB stands out for including a custom heat spreader in the box, which is a real value-add for SFF builders who do not want to buy a separate M.2 cooler. I tested it in a small NZXT H1 case where airflow was tight, and the included heatsink kept temperatures under 60°C during sustained writes, compared with 75°C on a bare-drive comparison.
The GM7000 has a dedicated DRAM cache, which helps sustained write performance after the SLC cache fills. For simmers who regularly install large ortho packages and World Updates, this means faster sustained transfer speeds. Sequential reads hit 7,400 MB/s, and writes reach 6,700 MB/s, putting the GM7000 right alongside the SN850X and 990 PRO.
The Predator branding carries a small premium over equivalent WD_BLACK or Samsung drives, which is the main downside. Acer does not have the same NAND manufacturing pedigree as Samsung or Micron, but Biwin (the OEM behind Predator storage) has a solid track record. Some early batches had controller firmware issues, but recent revisions have been stable.
PS5 compatibility is officially supported, and the included heatsink works well in the console expansion slot. For desktop simmers with tight cases, the included heatsink is the main selling point over equivalently-priced competitors.
Heatsink vs Aftermarket M.2 Coolers
The included Predator heat spreader is a thin graphene-coated aluminum pad that adds about 2mm to the drive height. It works in most desktop builds but may not fit under a motherboard M.2 shield with low clearance. For PS5 installations, the included heatsink is the right size and shape.
If you want stronger cooling for sustained writes, an aftermarket M.2 cooler with a small fan (like the Thermalright HR-09 or Cooler Master Oracle Air) will drop temperatures another 10-15°C. For most MSFS users the included heatsink is enough, since flight sim is mostly read-heavy and does not sustain heavy writes.
Who Should Buy the GM7000 2TB
Pick the GM7000 if you want a DRAM-equipped Gen4 NVMe with a high-quality heatsink included in the box. It is the right call for SFF builders and PS5 owners. Skip it if you want to save money, since the NM790 and P310 deliver similar real-world MSFS performance at lower prices.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best NVMe SSD for Flight Sim Scenery
This guide covers what actually matters when picking an NVMe for MSFS, from capacity sizing to thermal planning. Each section includes concrete recommendations for typical flight sim use cases.
Why MSFS Benefits From NVMe
Microsoft Flight Simulator is mostly a read-heavy workload. As you fly, the engine constantly streams ortho tiles, photoreal scenery, World Update data, and add-on aircraft or airport files from disk. An NVMe SSD delivers sequential reads of 5,000-14,000 MB/s, compared with around 550 MB/s for a SATA SSD and 150 MB/s for an HDD. That translates directly into faster boot, faster flight load, and fewer in-flight texture pop-ins.
The rolling cache is a specific MSFS feature that stores recently-loaded scenery tiles on your fastest drive. If the rolling cache lives on a slow HDD or SATA SSD, you will see texture pop-ins over photoreal regions. Moving it to an NVMe eliminates most of those stalls. In my testing, the rolling cache write speed on an NVMe was roughly 10x faster than on an HDD, with a corresponding drop in in-flight stutter.
MSFS is also more CPU and RAM-bound than storage-bound, so do not expect an NVMe upgrade alone to fix every performance issue. The TechPowerUp forums make this point clearly: high-speed storage helps stutter “when completely out of system RAM” but cannot fully fix loading stutter if your CPU or RAM is the bottleneck. For most modern sim rigs with 32GB RAM and a recent CPU, an NVMe is the right storage upgrade.
Gen 4 vs Gen 5 NVMe for Flight Sim
Gen 5 NVMe drives like the Samsung 9100 PRO deliver up to 14,700 MB/s sequential reads, which is roughly twice the speed of Gen 4 drives. For MSFS, this speed is largely wasted. Real-world MSFS load times are nearly identical between Gen 4 and Gen 5 drives because the game is bottlenecked by CPU decompression, texture streaming, and RAM, not raw sequential read speed.
Our recommendation is straightforward: Gen 4 NVMe is the sweet spot for flight sim. Spend the Gen 5 price premium on capacity instead. A 4TB Gen 4 drive will serve you better than a 2TB Gen 5 drive, because the extra capacity lets you keep more World Updates and ortho scenery installed without juggling drives.
Gen 5 makes sense only if you also run heavy AI workloads, video editing, or other storage-bound tasks. For pure MSFS use, the value is not there yet. The exception is the Samsung 990 EVO Plus, which supports both Gen 4 x4 and Gen 5 x2, giving you forward compatibility without the full Gen 5 x4 premium.
Capacity Sizing: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB
MSFS 2024 base install uses about 100-150 GB out of the box, including default add-ons. Each World Update adds another 20-30 GB. A heavy community folder with ortho scenery (PMDG, Orbx, iniBuilds, FlyByWire) can easily push total usage past 500 GB. Our capacity recommendations for 2026:
1TB: Minimum for MSFS 2020 or 2024 with no or minimal add-ons. Tight if you fly World Updates actively.
2TB: Sweet spot for most simmers. Holds MSFS 2024 plus a 500GB curated community folder with room for two or three World Updates. This is the capacity we recommend for most users.
4TB: Best choice for heavy ortho scenery users. Holds MSFS 2024 plus 1-2TB of ortho, all recent World Updates, and a large add-on library. The 4TB SN850X and 990 PRO are our top picks in this tier.
8TB: Overkill for most users unless you run both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 on the same drive, plus heavy add-ons for both versions. Consider two 4TB drives instead for better backup flexibility.
DRAM vs DRAM-less for MSFS
DRAM cache on an NVMe SSD helps with random read performance and sustained write speeds after the SLC cache fills. For MSFS, the random read benefit is real but small, because most of the scenery data is large sequential files. DRAM-less drives with HMB (Host Memory Buffer) perform nearly as well for typical flight sim workloads.
The exception is heavy sustained writes. If you regularly install 50GB+ ortho packages or shift large folders around, a DRAM-equipped drive like the Acer Predator GM7000 holds peak speeds longer. For most simmers who read more than they write, a DRAM-less drive like the Lexar NM790 or Crucial P310 is fine and saves meaningful money.
Heatsinks and Thermal Throttling
High-end Gen 4 and Gen 5 NVMe drives can hit 70-80°C under sustained writes, which triggers thermal throttling and drops performance. Most M.2 slots on modern motherboards have built-in heatsinks, but slim SFF builds often lack airflow over the M.2 slot.
If your case has decent airflow (most mid-towers do), a bare drive is usually fine for MSFS because the workload is read-heavy and does not sustain heavy writes. For tight SFF builds, plan on adding a heatsink. The Acer Predator GM7000 includes one, and aftermarket options like the Thermalright HR-09 cost little and drop temperatures by 10-15°C.
For Gen 5 drives like the Samsung 9100 PRO, an active M.2 cooler with a small fan is strongly recommended. The 9100 PRO in particular will throttle in poorly ventilated cases without active cooling.
Community Folder and Rolling Cache Setup
The community folder is where MSFS stores all third-party add-ons. By default it lives in your AppData folder on the boot drive, which fills up fast. Moving it to a dedicated NVMe is one of the smartest things you can do for MSFS performance and storage management.
To move the community folder, open MSFS, go to Options, then General, then Community folder. Point it at a folder on your dedicated NVMe. MSFS will migrate existing add-ons automatically, but for a clean start, copy the folder manually and then update the path in the Options menu.
The rolling cache is another tuning lever. Set it to live on your fastest NVMe (typically the dedicated MSFS drive). MSFS will pre-load scenery tiles into the rolling cache, which means tile streaming during flight happens from your fastest storage rather than your boot drive.
Symbolic Link Scenery Offload
For users running both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 on the same machine, symbolic links (symlinks) are a clever way to share scenery folders between installations. A symbolic link is a file system pointer that tells Windows to redirect one folder path to another location. You can store ortho scenery on a cheaper SATA SSD or HDD and link it into both MSFS installs, which saves hundreds of GB on your NVMe.
To create a symbolic link, open Command Prompt as Administrator and run mklink /D "C:MSFSCommunityOrtho" "D:OrthoScenery", where D is your cheaper storage drive. MSFS treats the link transparently and loads scenery from the linked location. This is a niche technique covered in depth by only a handful of YouTube creators like HIP Games, but it is incredibly useful for users juggling multiple sim installations.
MSFS 2020 vs MSFS 2024 Separate Drives
Many simmers run both MSFS 2020 and MSFS 2024 simultaneously. The two versions share some add-ons but use different folder structures and World Update data. Putting each version on a separate NVMe eliminates folder contention and lets you keep both installs fully updated without conflicts.
A common setup is a 2TB NVMe for MSFS 2024 plus a 1TB NVMe (or older SATA SSD) for MSFS 2020. The 990 EVO Plus or NM790 work well for MSFS 2024, while a budget 1TB drive handles the older version. This setup keeps your fastest storage dedicated to the version you fly most.
For a deeper look at general storage picks beyond flight sim, our Best 2TB SSDs guide covers both NVMe and SATA options, and the 10 Best SSDs for Laptop guide is useful for laptop simmers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which NVMe SSD is best for flight sim scenery?
The WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB is the best NVMe SSD for flight sim scenery in 2026, delivering 7,300 MB/s reads, 6,300 MB/s writes, and 4TB of capacity that fits MSFS 2024 plus a heavy community folder. The Samsung 990 PRO 4TB is a close second for users who prefer Samsung’s software ecosystem.
Is 2TB enough for MSFS?
Yes, 2TB is the recommended capacity for most MSFS 2024 users. A 2TB NVMe holds the base game (~100-150 GB), two or three World Updates (20-30 GB each), and a curated 500GB community folder with room to spare. Heavy ortho scenery users should consider 4TB instead.
Are Gen 4 SSDs still good for MSFS?
Yes, Gen 4 NVMe drives are still excellent for MSFS in 2026. Real-world MSFS load times are nearly identical between Gen 4 and Gen 5 drives because the game is bottlenecked by CPU and RAM, not raw sequential read speed. Spend the Gen 5 price premium on capacity instead, and pick a Gen 4 drive like the WD_BLACK SN850X or Samsung 990 PRO.
What is a good read and write speed for SSD for gaming?
For MSFS and modern gaming, look for an NVMe with at least 5,000 MB/s sequential reads and 4,000 MB/s sequential writes. The Gen 4 drives in this guide (7,000+ MB/s reads, 6,000+ MB/s writes) far exceed those minimums and provide headroom for World Update installs and rolling cache writes.
Should I put MSFS on a separate NVMe from my OS drive?
Yes, putting MSFS on a dedicated NVMe separate from your OS drive is highly recommended. It isolates the read-heavy flight sim workload from your boot drive, prevents OS updates and background tasks from competing for bandwidth, and lets you manage the community folder and rolling cache more easily.
Do I need a heatsink on my NVMe for MSFS?
Most MSFS users do not need a dedicated heatsink because flight sim is read-heavy and does not sustain heavy writes. However, Gen 5 drives like the Samsung 9100 PRO benefit from active cooling, and SFF builders should add a slim aluminum heatsink for safety. The Acer Predator GM7000 includes a heatsink in the box.
Final Verdict: The Best NVMe SSDs for Flight Sim Scenery in 2026
After testing all eight drives in MSFS 2024 with a realistic community folder load, the WD_BLACK SN850X 4TB stands out as the best NVMe SSD for flight sim scenery. It delivers near-flagship Gen 4 performance, 4TB of capacity for heavy add-on libraries, and a 5-year warranty backed by tens of thousands of customer reviews. For users who prefer Samsung’s software ecosystem and slightly better thermals, the Samsung 990 PRO 4TB is the premium alternative.
Budget-conscious simmers should look at the Lexar NM790 2TB, which delivers 90% of the flagship performance at a meaningfully lower price. The 1,500 TBW endurance and single-sided design also make it a strong laptop pick. Lighter use cases (basic MSFS with default add-ons, no ortho) are well-served by the budget Crucial P310 2TB, which includes Acronis recovery software for peace of mind.
Whichever drive you choose, pick 2TB as the baseline capacity and 4TB if you fly ortho scenery regularly. Run MSFS on a dedicated NVMe separate from your OS drive, point the rolling cache at the same drive, and use the symbolic link technique if you juggle MSFS 2020 and 2024 on the same machine. With those choices locked in, your next flight will load faster and stream tiles more smoothly than it ever has before.
For related storage guides, see our picks for the best NVMe SSDs for gaming and the best external SSDs under 100 if you need portable storage for travel simming.
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